(Pete Peterson)

Christmas is coming, so that means it's time for Pete Peterson's annual holiday edition of Reading Baseball.

The self-proclaimed, fashion challenged retired SIU-Carbondale professor tells us about a certain piece of neckwear he's sure to get under his tree again this year.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard "Pete" Peterson, co-author, with his son Stephen of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.