"As a professional writer of detective stories, I string along with the ballplayers. I love a ball game"

This quote by Rex Stout speaks to the connection in between his occupation as a writer and his love of baseball. As a professional author of detective stories, he recognizes with the idea of stringing along clues to fix a secret. In this quote, he is using the metaphor of a ballgame to describe his writing process. He is saying that he follows the clues, similar to a ballplayer follows the ball, in order to create a compelling story. This quote likewise speaks with his love of baseball, which is likely a source of inspiration for his writing. Baseball is a video game of technique and thriller, and it is simple to see how these elements might be incorporated into an investigator story. By linking his profession and his passion, Rex Stout is expressing his gratitude for the game of baseball and its impact on his writing.