Baseball greats, including Willie Mays and Ozzie Smith, discuss fielding and defensive strategies, and recall their greatest plays Falkner is a noted sportswriter who has coauthored a well-known account of the Japanese Babe Ruth, Sadaharu Oh ( LJ 6/1/84). In this new, vastly entertaining, and insightful book, Falkner turns his attention to the art of baseball defense. Through interviews and anecdotes he shows how defense, though underestimated and overlooked by many fans, is an essential ingredient for success. A great defensive player does not have to be an all-star hitter to make a contribution--witness, for instance, ex-Baltimore Oriole shortstop Mark Belanger, a weak hitter who played great shortstop for 18 years. The art of defense requires skill and imagination--qualities that Falkner exhibits in his fine writing. Recommended for most sports collections. - Paul Kaplan, Highland Park P.L., Ill. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.