What would it take for someone to lie about an accomplishment that could easily be proven to be a lie? Apparently, very little. High profile politicians have stolen military valor by lying about their nonexistent war records. Well-known business executives have padded their resumes with academic degrees they never earned. But who would think of claiming they played professional baseball, that they even made it to the major leagues, when records can be easily accessed to prove their claim is false? And why would they do it? In this book, we learn about a bunch of seemingly normal guys who have lied about being former professional baseball players. These fakers are unmasked by author Rob Sheinkopf in his insightful and entertaining book, Baseball Imposters: The Dark Side of Fandom. Covering nearly a life’s worth of painstaking research, Sheinkopf lays out how these pretenders have spun webs of deceit that eventually entrap them. These stories are told with respect for America’s national pastime and for those who actually did make it to the major leagues The author tells these stories about the imposters with a sense of humor, sometimes with anger and contempt, but often with compassion for the liars and their families. Sheinkopf delves into the reasons these men faked their lives, tells us how to spot these prevaricators, and even suggests how we can avoid being physically harmed if we personally confront the liar. This book was fun to read. It held my attention from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it.

A great book that might leave you with a lot of questions

I’ve come across several baseball impostors over the years, Only I didn’t know it until I read Rob Sheinkopf’s entertaining book. The title caught my attention, so after reading the description, I wanted to know more. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down. Sheinkopf does a great job of keeping you amazed at the lengths otherwise respected businessmen will go through to steal the glory of playing Major League Baseball. At the same time, you can’t wait to turn the page and find out who’s next. I fully expected to see the name of a former colleague pop up. (I looked him up after Sheinkopf referenced the website.) This exceptional book isn’t only for baseball fans; we live in a world where fraud runs rampant, and Rob Sheinkopf teaches you not to take everything at face value, whether it’s the guy trying to sell you insurance or your chiropractor. Read this book, and you will be both entertained and educated.

This Book Is Great!

This is utterly fascinating–a terrific story about baseball and about one person’s study of a strange aspect of it.

Name game

I wish the names weren’t changed to protect the innocent.

A Fascinating study of human behavior.

Even if you are not a huge fan of baseball, you will be captivated by this book in the way that it exposes an intriguing side of humanity. Seemingly normal people who pad their baseball accomplishments the minor league, college or high school, or in some cases make up their major league career out of whole cloth. A truly fascinating book that is hard to put down once you start reading it.

A baseball book unlike any other

An interesting book for diehard baseball fans and casual fans alike!

Most baseball books are about those who played. This one is about those who didn’t—liars who claimed to have played Major League Baseball.

The stories in the book are pretty audacious and incredible, especially when considering the documentation that exists for pro players. Rob has been tracking down imposters since the 1980s and had run-ins with a handful of them.

If you’re interested in quirky baseball books, definitely check out “Baseball Imposters!”

Baseball Imposters is a fascinating and surprisingly compassionate exploration of deception within the world of baseball. Rob Sheinkopf blends humor, skepticism, and careful research to examine why some individuals fabricate careers in Major League Baseball—and how those stories often unravel.

What makes this book especially compelling is its human angle. Rather than simply exposing falsehoods, Sheinkopf considers the emotional and social forces behind them, making the stories both entertaining and unsettling. Eye-opening, well-researched, and thought-provoking, this is a must-read for baseball fans and anyone interested in the psychology of identity and truth.

When you think you’ve explored the fascinating corners of the baseball world, Rob reveals a new, previously unoccupied space. It’s a collection of characters who “could’ve gone pro” but just didn’t for some reason (spoiler: they suck at baseball and enjoy lying), but they decide to tell people they went pro anyway. I desperately wish to know the true identities of the “stolen valor” characters in this book, but understand why they cannot be revealed.

Mr. Sheinkopf is a gifted storyteller and writer, and I was elated to spend an afternoon with this book. I will be lending it to all my baseball amigos, addicts, and sickos so they too can read about these faux-professionals and ne’er do wells.

I’m not a big sports fan, but that’s not needed to find this book intriguing! I’m shocked that there have been enough cases of this baseball imposter syndrome to have a whole book (and fire hazard file cabinet) full of stories and notes related to Eddie Scissons Syndrome, or ESS. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised in the time when AI runs rampant and it seems like everyone is out to impress everyone else.

The introduction had me on BaseballReference.com looking up the one person I know who claimed to have played for the Yankees. I was grateful that the sweet man who used to attend the adult day center where I worked indeed has a listing on that page, with the death date and burial location matching what I know to be true.

Rob is a gifted writer, presenting all this information in an enjoyable way. Props for using the word “research” which means not only compiling information, but basing new conclusions with the found information. People use the word so flippantly, never actually “researching” anything but just reading about something and regurgitating facts that other people have already established.

I digress. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I could have chosen any other sports book, you’re right Rob. But I chose yours because it’s what sounds interesting to me!

Please note: I entered this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, but that has no influence on my review. I’ve won lots of books, but this flew to the top of my TBR pile thanks to the personal note from the author inside.

Baseball Imposters: The Dark Side of Fandom was an almost unbelievable collection of various characters posing as former MLB players. This book was an entertaining read and without giving away some of the more bizarre segments, truly unique. The posturing of men faking a career in America’s pastime is apparently far more common than I would have ever thought. I suppose all of us who dreamed of making it to the top of a sport want so much to revel in past glory but to manufacture a false narrative is upsetting to me, as it is to the author. This book is a culmination of decades of research and the “hunting down” of the truth behind claims of stardom. Author Sheinkopf retells these in a highly humorous and readable fashion that it is such a page turner. Covering tracks of falsehood is all a part of being a baseball imposter and the finality of being exposed an expected outcome with modern data and the MLB Handbook. But inevitably, some still try. I highly encourage you to read Baseball Imposters. It will amaze you.

I’ve come across several baseball impostors over the years, Only I didn’t know it until I read Rob Sheinkopf’s entertaining book. The title caught my attention, so after reading the description, I wanted to know more. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down. Sheinkopf does a great job of keeping you amazed at the lengths otherwise respected businessmen will go through to steal the glory of playing Major League Baseball. At the same time, you can’t wait to turn the page and find out who’s next. I fully expected to see the name of a former colleague pop up. (I looked him up after Sheinkopf referenced the website.) This exceptional book isn’t only for baseball fans; we live in a world where fraud runs rampant, and Rob Sheinkopf teaches you not to take everything at face value, whether it’s the guy trying to sell you insurance or your chiropractor. Read this book, and you will be both entertained and educated.

“I would never have guessed there are so many fascinating stories in the outrageous lies and gross exaggerations some men tell – many from esteemed occupations – in claiming they had once been major-league baseball players. Equally entertaining are the culprit’s reactions upon being exposed… angry denials, elaborate excuses, threats, and more.

Along the way, interesting insights into the psyche of men who feel the need to fabricate sports careers to impress others. This imposter baseball career phenomenon is common enough that there’s an actual name for it: Eddie Scissons Syndrome. This book is amazing… Five stars!”

Rob Sheinkopf’s brilliantly reported tales of big league deceit are often hilarious, frequently shocking, but always engrossing. Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop. Nothing is more entertaining than the fanciful delusions of Baseball Imposters.

Rob Sheinkopf has written a disturbingly charming book about a collection of men who claimed to have lived the baseball dream but really didn’t. Many of us wanted to be ballplayers at some time in our youth, but these guys took that aspiration and transformed it into a very different kind of fantasy baseball.

Baseball Imposters are Real

What would it take for someone to lie about an accomplishment that could easily be proven to be a lie? Apparently, very little. High profile politicians have stolen military valor by lying about their nonexistent war records. Well-known business executives have padded their resumes with academic degrees they never earned. But who would think of claiming they played professional baseball, that they even made it to the major leagues, when records can be easily accessed to prove their claim is false? And why would they do it? In this book, we learn about a bunch of seemingly normal guys who have lied about being former professional baseball players. These fakers are unmasked by author Rob Sheinkopf in his insightful and entertaining book, Baseball Imposters: The Dark Side of Fandom. Covering nearly a life’s worth of painstaking research, Sheinkopf lays out how these pretenders have spun webs of deceit that eventually entrap them. These stories are told with respect for America’s national pastime and for those who actually did make it to the major leagues The author tells these stories about the imposters with a sense of humor, sometimes with anger and contempt, but often with compassion for the liars and their families. Sheinkopf delves into the reasons these men faked their lives, tells us how to spot these prevaricators, and even suggests how we can avoid being physically harmed if we personally confront the liar. This book was fun to read. It held my attention from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it.