few thoughts/annotations after first 30 pages
By 1957 both teams had left New York. By 1964 the Polo Grounds no longer existed.
"Robinson" is Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in 1947. Played for the Dodgers his whole career. HOF 1962.
Waterson's comments to Cotter are interesting in that he praises the tradition and sameness of baseball ("you do what they did before you") in the presence of Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays, two black athletes that did more to transform the landscape of sports, pop culture, and society than anyone until Magic w/ aids and MJ's global branding.
"Bill Waterson" is the character. Bill Watterson is the author of Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson was in advertising before comics, not funhouse construction.
more on the way...
I don't always get the baseball connections, so thanks for posting this, it was really helpful :)