Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Santa Monica Press, and Chris Epting for the advanced reader copy of the book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

I love all things baseball. I’ve made several treks to historic baseball sites such as the Field of Dreams in Iowa. One of our goals as we’re traveling around the country in our camper is to visit different major and minor league ballparks. This book is right up my alley.

Author Chis Epting has done extensive research into various historic locations as they pertain to baseball across the country. This is the third edition of the book. Epting had help from fans across the nation who suggested locations to him. The result is a very large book that is also very detailed. Epting also updated it to cover stadiums that were torn down since the previous edition was published.

Each state is treated separately, so if you’re visiting an area you can find landmarks in that location. Epting also suggests things to look for when you are a ballpark chaser like us, visiting major league stadiums across the county. Epting doesn’t just cover major league baseball, but also the minor leagues, the Negro League, little league, and various historical and local teams that popped up across the country from time to time.

The details are interesting. Many of the stadiums that once housed important games are gone. Epting talks about what’s missing and where can find markers for some of those, as well as why the stadiums were so important. Some of the history of the places are incredibly detailed. If you like reading about baseball, even if you’re not going to visit these places, there’s a lot to find in the book.

Also listed are where various Hall of Fame players are buried. Each state has a section at the end for Hall of Famers and where they are buried. There are also pictures of players and places that enrich the history even more.

It’s really amazing how much is around us. I expected to read a lot about certain places, like New York and California. I didn’t realize how much baseball history there is in other places. The history of minor leagues, Negro league, and barnstorming teams gave rise to sites to see in places I never would have dreamed baseball was played.

If you are a baseball fan, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. It’s not just the places, but the history behind them that’s fascinating.