Now that we’re back in baseball season, it seemed fitting to get reacquainted with the game – which is what led me to Why is the Foul Pole Fair? (or, Answers to the baseball questions your dad hoped you wouldn’t ask) by Vince Staten.

With a name like that – I really expected to be the book to be a bunch of questions and answers. And I have to admit – after reading two or three chapters and waiting for the q&a to begin, I was kind of angry at the book. But it was then that I realized that Staten was taking a totally different approach.

Imagine going to a ballgame and finding yourself sitting next to someone who made great conversation and seemed to know a little bit about everything about baseball – like who the only two teams that don’t sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch are; or why July 20, 1858 is so important to the development of professional baseball. And yes, you will even find out why the foul pole is fair.

So sit yourself down with Why is the Foul Pole Fair? by Vince Staten and see how much you’ll find out about baseball – and get answers to all those questions your dad hoped you wouldn’t ask.