When a sore-armed pitcher from New Jersey ventured forth to European lands in the early 1980s, little did he suspect that the experience would influence America's national sport as played abroad. Neither did he suspect that his efforts would provide the material for a timeless book that deserves a place in baseball history.

Soon after his arrival in Europe, Jeff Archer discovered that the sport had mutated into a microcosm of whichever country it was played in. Games are played in cow pastures, dumps and swamps. Curious situations arise such as the dilemma of pub attendance versus game attendance in Britain, as well as the sixth inning tea break.

Strike Four also includes chapters devoted to the progress of world baseball, a handy glossary of baseball terms, membership figures for the IBA, and an insightful article revealing the myths and truths surrounding baseball's origins.