The Code: Baseball's Unwritten Rules and Its Ignore-At-Your-Own-Risk Code of Conduct

Recommended by a friend, the first fifty pages of The Code were kind of disappointing. Then it caught fire! Great book from there on. Played and watched baseball for fifty years and found some stuff I didn't know!!!

I am relatively new to understanding baseball and have been learning more about the game from my partner who loves it and has lived it her entire life. Baseball is a difficult game to ignore -- and with that in mind I wanted to learn more about the grit and grizzle of the game. I wanted to understand more about the psychology of baseball and why certain things are done the way they are. Bernstein's "The Code" reads a lot like a documentary. You will find the pages splashed with gray boxes containing dialog from past and present players and coaches on such topics as retaliation, running hard into second base and beanballs (just to name a few). As you read the book, you begin to understand some of hidden agenda and etiquette in baseball -- they call this "The Code" and it colors the way the game is played. You'll begin to watch your favorite team (for me, the Boston Red Sox) and understand why a player might run stone-faced around the bags after a home run with very little celebration. It's all part of the code. You'll understand why "pussy pads" can be frowned upon and how The Code has evolved throughout the history of the game. I loved the book. I watch each BoSox game with a little bit more intrigue and understanding on why a certain action that looks retaliatory is done. It's all part of The Code. If you love baseball and enjoy learning some of the inner workings regarding behaviors and etiquette, I think you'll enjoy this book just like I have. Recommended!

I must admit to approaching this book with some apprehension. I thought it would revolve around justifications for bean balls and steroids. Instead it is a thoughtful and very interesting insight into how baseball players view the game and how it should properly be played. The book really does cover it all. It provides a subject by subject overview of what the code more or less is. Granted, we can not treat this like a text book as the code is well not very codified. The examples given by former ballplayers are intriguing as are all of the historical examples going back to the start of the game. As you might imagine former players do not believe current players have proper respect for the code, but I see that as more generational then anything else. In fact I believe that is something the players themselves note in the book. I also liked the section on cheating and what is OK (stealing signs by observation) and what is not (steroids and using equipment to steal signs). The views of relationships with fans is also very interesting to see. All in all this is a must read for serious minded baseball fans who would like to broaden their knowledge of the game. My only hope is that the author follows this book up with one about football, basketball and hockey!

Like hockey, baseball too has its own sacred code of honor. While it differs somewhat in scope from its icy brethren, the baseball code, like hockey, is also all about respect and disrespect. Baseball is a game steeped in tradition with rules dating back to the game's inception more than 150 years ago. Yet, while the code has been around since the early days of the game, it still remains a very taboo subject shrouded in a veil of secrecy. In fact, most players are downright uncomfortable talking about it on the record. You see, if they did, then that would be acknowledging that a code actually exists at all. Ross Bernstein, the author of 40 sports books, brings it all to life with the help of some 100 current and former Major Leaguers who he interviewed for the project. The game of baseball is governed not only by an official rulebook, but also, and maybe more importantly, by an unwritten rulebook which is otherwise known as the code. It's the game within the game. So, just what is the baseball code? It is a system of intimidation, retribution and retaliation between pitchers and hitters; all in an effort to keep the game on an even playing field. Fear, and the fear of excruciating pain, plays a huge role in baseball. It takes a brave man to stand in front of a 95 mph fastball and not be intimidated when it comes flying straight towards his face. That fear, of being hit and injured, is what keeps the players honest. It is the basis for the code. The wheels of the code are sent into motion when any number of certain situations occur on the field. For instance, when a teammate gets plunked, retaliation of some sort is required -- typically a retaliatory plunking of a similar caliber player on the opposing team. This of course changes if the game is a National League game, where pitchers are required to bat and there are no designated hitters. Pitchers in the NL understand that they are fair game if they so choose to drill a batter. These nuances between the American and National Leagues are all a part of the intricacies of the code. With regards to the actual act of plunking the batter, there are many messages and meanings to consider. For starters, it is generally understood that when retaliating, it is a no-no to throw above the shoulders. There is a fine line between "chin music," and a rising fast ball to the head which leaves the batter no chance to duck out of the way. One is a nonverbal threat, a warning shot over the bow, so to speak. The other, meanwhile, is extremely serious and can permanently injure or even kill the batter. Other innuendos which may require retaliation include such things as a hard slide to break up a double play at second base; or a batter celebrating too much after hitting the ball out of the park and then taking his sweet time to trot around the bases. This is considered very disrespectful to the pitcher and will be dealt with the next time the batter comes to the plate. N