Answer Is Baseball

Essentially a book of baseball trivia arranged in question-and-answer format, this poses enough baffling queries that fans will find themselves caught up in the contest. For instance, what pitcher has enjoyed the highest winning percentage against the New York Yankees? (The answer will astound every follower of the sport.) What was the claim to fame of Louis Sockalexis and why did his promising career end so suddenly? Which brothers hit the most home runs in major league history and which brothers were second? Salisbury uses his queries to introduce brief essays on the game and has his say about the tragedy of Tony Conigliaro (the author is a Red Sox fan), the advent and collapse of the Players League and baseball card mania. About Salisbury we are told only that he ``has a great author's name, America is his heart, and baseball in his blood.'' (Mar.)