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20 pages
Feb 1, 1989
Editors considered James's pieces so unusual that few believed them suitable for their readers. In an effort to reach a...
/ Editors considered James's pieces so unusual that few believed them suitable for their readers. In an effort to reach a wider audience, James began self-publishing an annual book titled The Bill James Baseball Abstract, beginning in 1977. The first edition, titled 1977 Baseball Abstract: Featuring 18 categories of statistical information that you just can't find anywhere else, presented 68 pages of in-depth statistics compiled from James's study of box scores from the preceding season and was offered for sale through a small advertisement in The Sporting News. Seventy-five people purchased the booklet.[7] The 1978 edition, subtitled The 2nd annual edition of baseball's most informative and imaginative review, sold 250 copies.[8] Beginning in 1979, James wrote an annual preview of the baseball season for Esquire, and continued to do so through 1984
I sincerely appreciate the research work, and the information being shared. It is important and interesting history.