Top Gifts for Die-Hard Baseball Fans Under $50

Baseball is America's national pastime, but unfortunately for the millions of die-hard fans out there, the season does not go year 'round. However, that does not mean you cannot make the baseball fan in your life happy this holiday season with some great baseball-themed gifts. For traditional gear such as standard team hats and posters of current players, the best resource is your favorite team's website through MLB.com. However, here I'd like to focus on more unique gifts. As a helpful guide, I'd like to present a short list of great gift ideas all under $50:

BOOKS - For the literate or cerebral baseball fan, there are almost always a good selection of quality books out there that examine the game's past , present, and future, and this year is no different. For those who love one of baseball's great writers, a book featuring the best of Roger Kahn will be released a week before Christmas called Beyond the Boys of Summer ($16.95, McGraw-Hill). For the Sabermatician in the bunch (if you don't know what a Sabermatician is, skip this sentence), Bill James is releasing his popular Bill James Handbook ($21.95, ACTA) in a 2007 edition in late November. Some good biographies are hitting the shelves soon, their topics ranging from semi-obscure players such as Eddie Waitkus (the topic of Baseball's Natural by Joe Theodore, $14.95, U. of Nebraska) to overblown megastars like Mickey Mantle (the topic of Mickey Mantle, an illustrated biography by his children, $35.00, Stewart, Chabari, and Chang). What looks to be a fun read from the historical standpoint is Thomas Barthel's Baseball Barnstorming and Exhibition Games: 1901-1962 ($29.95, MacFarland). If there's a baseball-loving teacher on your gift list, a fantastic collection of essays edited by Edward Reiley is coming out called Baseball in the Classroom ($29.95, MacFarland) that should be worth a read for the pedagogical-minded. The week after Christmas sees the release of three baseball books with ethnic interest: Jews and Baseball by Burton Boxerman and Benita Boxerman ($39.95, MacFarland), A History of Cuban Baseball by Peter Bjarkman ($39.95, MacFarland), and Crossing the Line: Black Major Leaguers, 1947-1959 by Larry Mofi ($15.95, U. of Nebraska). All of these titles are available through mainstream book outlets such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

CLOTHING - For amazing retro-style baseball gear, the Cooperstown Collection is still the place to beat. Though the prices can be steep, and you're not going to get a jersey for cheap, the looks are fantastic and the clothes last a long time. Most of their hats are $24.95, and make a great bargain. A good outlet to start your search is Dugout-Memories.com. The selection features almost every cap ever worn on a Major League field, plus a lot of minor league and Negro League teams as well. Want a Cubs hat from the 30s? You got it. The Homestead Grays vintage look? That's there, too. Want a hideous Padres or Brewers hat from the 70s? They got those too, all fitted, all classic. Complete the vintage look with a great shirt from Moonlight Graham (www.moonlightgraham.com, a variety of shirts are under $50), a great little company now in its sixth year of making quality, vintage baseball shirts that I highly recommend. For non-licensed, cheeky material, a search through CafePress.com is needed. CafePress harnesses the creativity of ordinary people and some of the products are true gems. Aside from the expected cliched shirts like "Yankees Suck," there are some fantastic gems, such as the "Balco Labs" team jersey in orange and black, number 25, with the name "CHEATER" (available at $19.99 through http://www.cafepress.com/cardsclubhouse). I have no idea who they're talking about.

OTHER - For simple paper products like magnets or bookmarks with a Deadball-era theme, Deadballart.com is a great place to look around for stocking stuffers. Dugout-Memories is also good with a variety of accessories and posters. For a really cool poster idea, check out Ballpark Blueprints (ballparkblueprints.com). The idea is that they take blueprints, specifications, and pictures of the great cathedrals of baseball and make artwork out of them, and it works (all are under $25.00). For a great DVD, remember that in the weeks immediately after the World Series, a DVD will be released by MLB.com featuring the memories of the past season, and that would be a must if your team takes home the grand prize.

In conclusion, I hope I've given you some great places to look for quality, unique baseball gear. But I'd like to remind the reader of what might be the best gift under $50 of all: a simple promise to do whatever it takes to get your favorite fan to opening day. Sure, the tickets and the parking and the beer might cost well more than $50, but a simple oath is free, and if you put the effort into arranging that they can go to the first game of the year, you'll have hit a home run.