Baseball

by D. Rae Gayken (Author)

Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, is also home to some of the worlds most devoted baseball fans. Marshall Braynard and his sister, Jane, are two of those devoted fans. They love watching baseball games from the best seats in the stadium, the bleachers. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Marshall catches the game winning homerun baseball. This catch sets in motion a series of events, which leads Marshall and Jane on a search for a missing Ernie Banks baseball card. Join this high-energy brother and sister team as they tear things apart, humiliate each other, and in the end, work together to acquire a common goal.

by Michael Dahl (Author), Christina E. Forshay (Illustrator)

From the arrival at the stadium to the last goodnight, Goodnight Baseball is a sweet, nostalgic tale--told in gentle, fun rhyme--about the thrill of a baseball game.

by Patrick Steele (Author)

When the struggling Boston Braves relocated to Milwaukee in March 1953, the city went wild for its new baseball team. Soon, the Braves were winning games, drawing bigger crowds than any team but the Brooklyn Dodgers, and turning Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and Warren Spahn into Hall of Famers. Within five years the team would win a World Series and two pennants.

Author Biography

Patrick W. Steele is an associate professor of history at Concordia University Wisconsin. He is a member of the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association.

by Mark C. Healey (Author)

Baseball may be the great American pastime, but in New York, it is a religion. Names like Ruth, Mays, Gehrig, Wright and Robinson live in the hearts and minds of New York fans like apostles. From the street corner to the subway car, debates about which Yankee, Giant, Dodger or Met is better than another have raged on for more than one hundred years. Now, the best of the best are chosen for each position as New York's all-time greatest team is imagined. Shoo-ins like the Babe and Jackie have their stories told with a fresh perspective. The compelling case for Mike Piazza, not Yogi Berra, as catcher is sure to spark arguments. Sportswriter Mark Healey crafts the Gotham baseball team through captivating tales of the legends of the New York game.

Author Biography

Mark C. Healey has been a journalist for more than twenty-five years. He is currently the editor in chief of The Wave, an award-winning newspaper in Rockaway Beach, New York. He lives in New York with his wife, Cailin, and his three children, Julia, Jack and Jessica. This is his first book.

by Gary Koca (Author)

The Chicago Cubs are undoubtedly one of major league baseball's most storied and historic franchises. Despite their complete lack of success since last appearing in a World Series in 1945, they remain one of baseball's most popular teams, with millions of fans throughout the United Stated and all over the world. The Cubs are one of baseball's longest continually running major league baseball teams, tracing their origins to the beginning of the National League in 1876. While the National Association - founded in 1871 - included the Boston (Atlanta) Braves, both teams have been in existence since the official beginning of the National League in 1876. However, the Cubs are the longest continually-running franchise in the same city in the history of baseball, since the Braves have played in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. Despite this overall lack of success since 1945, the Chicago Cubs have fielded some of the best baseball players in the history of major league baseball. Players like A.G. Spalding, Cap Anson, Mordecai Brown, and Tinker to Evers to Chance are featured in this book along with the more recent Cub greats that include Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, and Ryne Sandberg. This book will cover those specific players rather than the team as a whole, focusing of course on their years as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Author Biography

Gary Koca has had a love of baseball for as far back as he can remember. Professionally, he worked in human resources for 42 years, either as a Federal government employee or contractor. He has written hundreds of position papers, proposals, articles for journals, letters, and many other written products during that time. Now retired and able to devote more time to his love of those two subjects, his major character flaw is being a life-long fan of the Chicago Cubs. Gary is married with two daughters and four grandchildren and lives in suburban Chicago.

by Keith Craig (Author)

Herbert Jefferis Pennock (1894-1948) was a Hall of Fame pitcher for the dynastic 1920s New York Yankees. Considered one of the best left-handed pitchers in history, Pennock won 241 games on the mound, never lost in his five World Series starts, and came within four outs of pitching the first no-hitter in a World Series in 1927. More than just a great pitcher, Pennock was well-respected by teammates and locals alike. He was known as a principled, practical gentleman, with an intellect that matched his pitching skills and a humanity that bested both.

Author Biography

Keith Craig is a freelance writer, formerly of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News. He is the author of New Garden Township (2010) and has written for regional magazines such as Kennett Square Today, West Chester Today, and Newark Life, as well as the weekly newspaper of Chester County, Pa.

by William H. Johnson (Author)

Hal Trosky played first base (and was team captain) for the Cleveland Indians during the Great Depression. His career stretched from the heyday of Babe Ruth through the end of World War II. It was a time when the American League had perhaps the three greatest ever first basemen--Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg--whose feats consigned Trosky to the footnotes of history. Yet at his peak he played comparably to other pros, leading the American League in RBIs in 1936.

Trosky left baseball at 34, his career cut short by migraine headaches, and was elected to the Indians' All-Time team in 1969. Drawing on family archives and exhaustive research, this first ever biography covers his early years in Iowa, his Major League career and his post-baseball life.

Author Biography

SABR member William H. Johnson is a retired naval flight officer. He has coauthored a book, and written an array of newspaper and magazine articles, on the story of baseball in eastern Iowa. He lives in Freeport, Florida.

by Keith Scott (Author)

What if God is hiding in plain sight? This is the question that author Keith Scott asks in his book about finding God's presence in our lives. Here I Am flips the response that Abraham and Moses gave to God's call, imagining it as God's response to our question, "Where are you?" The book shows that God reveals himself in human nature, history, science, classical and popular culture, and in our common customs and habits. Along the way the reader also discovers answers to some of the most vexing issues facing believers, like the problem of evil, Darwin's theory of evolution, and the meaning of salvation. Here I Am looks for the answers and finds them--and him--all around us.

by Bobby Olszewski (Author)

What if the secret to winning in business has been sitting on a baseball field all along?

In Grand Slam Leadership, Dr. Bobby Olszewski brings the timeless lessons of America's pastime to modern leadership, communication, and organizational success. Blending decades of executive experience, public service, strategic communication, and his lifelong love of baseball, Dr. Olszewski delivers a playbook that helps leaders win with character, clarity, and purpose.

Endorsed by three Major League Baseball legends, Grand Slam Leadership bridges the gap between sports and business in a way that is authentic, practical, and deeply inspiring.

Barry Larkin - Hall of Famer, MVP, MLB All-Star, World Series Champion
"A powerful book about winning the right way."

Johnny Damon - MLB All-Star, Two-Time World Series Champion
"A championship mindset on every page."

AJ Pierzynski - FOX Sports, MLB All-Star, World Series Champion
"A book as strategic and honest as the game."

Across 55 short, compelling lessons, you will learn how to:
- Communicate with clarity when the game is on the line
- Build teams that trust, perform, and deliver in big moments
- Develop a winning culture based on consistency and accountability
- Navigate setbacks, pressure, and adversity with confidence
- Lead with purpose, integrity, and authenticity
- Create momentum, drive engagement, and inspire results
- Make strategic decisions using data, discipline, and emotional intelligence

Each chapter connects a real baseball principle to a proven leadership strategy, combined with business insights, memorable stories, and actionable takeaways you can use immediately.

Whether you lead a business, nonprofit, government team, classroom, or community organization, this book equips you with the mindset and tools to elevate performance and inspire others to succeed.

Step up to the plate. Your leadership legacy starts here.

by John Bell (Author)

This 502 page book is a statistical history of the Georgia-Alabama, Georgia-Florida, and Georgia State Baseball Leagues spanning from 1906 to 1963. It features player statistics for nearly every player who ever pitched, batted, or took the field in one or more of these leagues. Also featured are recaps of each year and league, team rosters of each team, season and all-time league leaders and records, league all-star teams, maps of each league by year, players who played/managed at the major league level, and more. See the stats of Willie McCovey from his first professional baseball assignment in Sandersville, Georgia in 1955. Check out the early managerial numbers of Earl Weaver when he played and managed for Fitzgerald and Dublin in 1957 and 1958. Another Hall-of-Famer named Red Schoendienst made his professional debut down in Albany, Georgia in 1942. Numerous big leaguers got their start playing class-D baseball in one of the small Georgia cities. League cities in Georgia include: Albany, Americus, Baxley, Brunswick, Carrollton, Cedartown, Columbus, Cordele, Douglas, Dublin, Eastman, Fitzgerald, Griffin, Hazlehurst, Jesup, LaGrange, Lindale, Lyons, Moultrie, Newnan, Rome, Sandersville, Sparta, Statesboro, Thomasville, Thomson, Tifton, Valdosta, Vidalia, and Waycross. Cities who participated from other states include from Alabama: Alabama City, Anniston, Attalla, Dothan, Gadsden, Huntsville, Lanett, Opelika, Selma, Talladega, Tallassee, and Valley; and from Florida: Gainesville, Panama City, and Tallahassee. This book is loaded from cover to cover with statistics and information about these three great class-D minor leagues. Sorry, there aren't any pictures except on the cover. Hoping to have a photographic history of the leagues in the near future.

by Joshua Rhoades (Author)

"From Dugout to Devotion: Spiritual Lessons from Baseball" invites you to step onto the diamond not just as a fan of the game, but as a seeker of deeper truths. Baseball is more than just a sport; it's a reflection of life itself, filled with moments of triumph, defeat, perseverance, and grace. As the bat cracks against the ball and the crowd holds its breath, there's more at play than just the game. Beneath the surface, baseball is rich with spiritual parallels that speak to the heart of our faith journey.

In every pitch, swing, and catch, there are lessons that echo the very principles of our Christian walk. The dugout, a place of preparation and strategy, mirrors our need for spiritual readiness and the importance of being grounded in God's Word. Just as players study their opponents and prepare for the game, we too must equip ourselves with spiritual wisdom and understanding to navigate the challenges we face in life. The devotion that drives a player to train, to push through pain and fatigue, mirrors the perseverance we are called to have in our faith-a devotion to God that requires discipline, dedication, and trust.

This book takes you on a journey through the innings of life, drawing out spiritual insights from the game of baseball that can transform your walk with the Lord. It's about more than just the love of the game; it's about finding God's hand in every play, every challenge, and every victory. Whether you're standing in the batter's box, facing a curveball life has thrown your way, or running the bases, striving toward your goals, the lessons gleaned from baseball can guide you in your spiritual journey.

Through the pages of "From Dugout to Devotion," you'll discover how the discipline, teamwork, and perseverance required on the field are the same virtues needed in our spiritual lives. The patience of waiting for the right pitch, the courage to swing even when the outcome is uncertain, and the resilience to get back up after a strikeout all mirror the spiritual truths we encounter in our walk with Christ. Each chapter delves into these parallels, offering encouragement, wisdom, and practical applications to help you grow in your faith.

Whether you're a lifelong baseball fan or new to the sport, this book will open your eyes to the deeper spiritual lessons that can be found in the game. It will challenge you to see your faith in a new light, to draw strength from the timeless truths embedded in the game, and to apply these lessons to your own life. As you turn the pages, you'll be inspired to approach your faith with the same passion and dedication that drives a baseball player to strive for excellence. "From Dugout to Devotion" is more than just a book-it's a call to deepen your relationship with God through the timeless lessons found in America's favorite pastime. So, step up to the plate, and let the game begin.

by Commander Ro Comeau United States Navy (Foreword by), Walter A. Beede (Author)

"A MUST READ for all baseball parents!" - Reader Review Parents, do you want your child to have as much fun as possible when they start playing baseball? Youth baseball is the second most popular boys' sport in the United States. Yet the classic sandlot and neighborhood pickup games have largely been replaced by "pay-to-play" travel baseball, which often begins as early as age 6. The Myth: Many parents believe that travel baseball and early specialization are essential for developing advanced skills and securing a college scholarship. The Reality: Any travel team coach or instructor who tells parents of children ages three through twelve that lessons and travel ball guarantee a college scholarship is primarily interested in one thing: your money. As the parent of two sons who played college baseball and a former NCAA head baseball coach, I've seen the pressure and stress the over-structured world of travel baseball places on young athletes and their families. This book offers a better path forward. For children ages three through twelve, baseball should be about one thing: having fun. The "hamster wheel" of travel ball is a business model, not a development model. This book shares practical alternatives that help parents prioritize enjoyment over pressure. Drawing on my childhood memories and my experiences as a baseball dad, I highlight simple, meaningful activities-like playing catch with your child-that build skills while creating lasting family memories. Children at this age thrive when playing with family and friends in a relaxed environment. Baseball should be an outlet for creativity, exercise, and learning, both in success and failure. Some of my greatest childhood memories came from neighborhood pickup games and local Little League. Don't let the travel ball trap you in those joyful moments. Get your copy of Fun Over Fear today and start approaching your child's passion for baseball the right way!

by Terry Egan (Author), Stan Friedmann (Illustrator), Mike Levine (Illustrator)

Heroes On and Off the Field
Mark McGwire. Sammy Sosa. Cal Ripken, Jr. Mike Piazza. Ken Griffey, Jr.
They share more than fame and fortune and awesome talent. They're also the Good Guys of baseball, terrific role models in a world where that can't be said of a lot of sports heroes.
Theirs are just some of the inspiring stories Terry Egan, Stan Friedmann, and Mike Levine tell in The Good Guys of Baseball. Some of the names may not be as familiar as others, but all represent the very best values of sportsmanship, courage, and dedication. And they remind us why baseball will always be America's favorite pastime.

Back Jacket

Heroes On and Off the Field

Mark McGwire. Sammy Sosa. Cal Ripken, Jr. Mike Piazza. Ken Griffey, Jr.

The share more than fame and fortune and awesome talent. They're also the Good Guys of baseball, terrific role models in a world where that can't be said of a lot of sports heroes.

Theirs are just some of the inspiring stories Terry Egan, Stan Friedmann, and Mike Levine tell in The Good Guys of Baseball. Some of the names may not be as familiar as others, but all represent the very best values of sportsmanship, courage, and dedication. And they remind us why baseball will always be America's favorite pastime.

Author Biography

Terry Egan is the author of Good Guys of Baseball, a Simon & Schuster book.

by John Graf (Editor), Larry Lester (Author), Duke Goldman (Author)

From Rube to Robinson brings together the best Negro League baseball scholarship that the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) has ever produced, pulled from its journals, Biography Project, and award-winning essays. The book includes a star-studded list of scholars and historians, from the late Jerry Malloy and Jules Tygiel, to award winners Larry Lester, Geri Strecker, and Jeremy Beer, and a host of other talented writers. The essays cover topics ranging over nearly a century, from 1866 and the earliest known Black baseball championship, to 1962 and the end of the Negro American League.

Todd Peterson's "May the Best Man Win: The Black Ball Championships 1866-1923" opens the volume and looks at championships that preceded the Colored World Series of 1924. The late Jerry Malloy covers an early circuit in "The Pittsburgh Keystones and the 1887 Colored League." Malloy points out that the short-lived league garnered the acceptance of the National Agreement of 1883, something no other Black organization was able to do.

Not only did Black baseball begin earlier than most fans of the sport may realize, it took root in places that might not be expected either. Steven R. Hoffbeck and Peter Gorton tell the story of legendary southpaw John Donaldson, who pioneered baseball in Minnesota and who would eventually be part of the NNL's 1920 inaugural season with the Kansas City Monarchs.

Two seminal Negro Leagues researchers-Dick Clark and John Holway-place the 1921 NNL season in context, including a sidebar from the original 1985 article detailing SABR's Negro Leagues Committee's efforts to compile a statistical history.

Of course there are also profiles of some of the Negro Leagues' now-mythic figures: Sol White (by Jay Hurd), Rube Foster (by Larry Lester), and Oscar Charleston. Jeremy Beer contributes his article "Hothead: How the Oscar Charleston Myth Began," which rebuts the notion that Charleston was a brawler in need of anger management.

Ballparks and venues also get a look, with a major league field and a Negro League field included. James Overmyer's "Black Baseball at Yankee Stadium" describes the tenant/landlord relationship of Negro Leagues teams with the New York Yankees during the 1930s and 40s, while Geri Driscoll Strecker's "The Rise and Fall of Greenlee Field" is a cradle-to-grave biography of the Pittsburgh Crawfords' stadium.

The final section of the book covers integration and the socio-economics of Black baseball. Leading off is Larry Lester's masterful "Can You Read, Judge Landis?" which refutes the contention that Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was blameless for the persistence of baseball's segregation. MLB's official historian John Thorn and the late Jules Tygiel weigh in with "Jackie Robinson's Signing: The Real, Untold Story." And Japheth Knopp's "Negro League Baseball, Black Community, and the Socio-Economic Impact of Integration" explores Kansas City as a case study in the effects of integration.

Brian Carroll's "Early Twentieth Century Heroes: Coverage of Negro League Baseball in the Pittsburgh Courier and the Chicago Defender" studies the cooperation among the African American press, local business communities, and baseball men such as Rube Foster to form the Negro National League, and later, the Eastern Colored League. And Duke Goldman presents an in-depth and meticulously referenced recap of the winter meetings and in-season owners meetings from the formation of a second Negro National League in 1933 through the last gasp of the Negro American League in 1962.

by Robert-Allan Arno (Author), LaMonte McLemore (Author)

A beloved figure, LaMonte McLemore, founder of the 6-time Grammy winning vocal group legends smiled, "The 5th Dimension is forever," while musing about their appearance in the 2021 Oscar-winning documentary "Summer of Soul." Mr. McLemore left us on February 3, 2026, at age 90 and this memoir warmly celebrates a trailblazing life from humble beginnings to world stages. "Mac" has been described as the music industry's "bronze Clark Gable." The visionary not only delivered "The 5th's" elegantly hip Champagne Soul as the quintet's smooth bass for over 40 years but is also known for his 5 decades with JET magazine, as the photographer for the enticing "Beauty of the Week" feature.

LaMonte shares the secrets behind mega-hits like "Up-Up and Away," "Stoned Soul Picnic" and "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In," anthems for a generation which uplifted our country during tumultuous times. He also goes deep for the fans and provides exclusive commentary on The 5th Dimension discography, spotlighting such favorites as "Wedding Bell Blues," "One Less Bell to Answer," "A Love Like Ours," "Love Hangover," "Black Patch," plus albums like the iconic "Magic Garden," the seminal "Portrait," and the mysterious "Earthbound."

The journey to becoming one of the most popular singing groups of The Rock n' Roll era--one that crossed over racial, generational and record chart boundaries--came by way of "Hobo Flats," where Mac and friends hung their resourceful hats and dreamed big. His Cherokee Grandma's feisty wisdom was a guiding force that weaves throughout the book, the catalyst for LaMonte's various acclaimed exploits. McLemore, who played baseball in the Dodgers Farm system, hits a home run presenting a memoir peppered with tasty anecdotes about countless celebrity colleagues from Frank Sinatra to Diana Ross, Ray Charles to Richard Pryor. There's even a secret recipe! Mac's love of women is also explored, with sensitivity and a classy wink.

The memoir's 12 chapters unfold authentically in LaMonte's voice, nobody presents a story like the rib-tickling raconteur. Running the gamut from heartwarming vernacular to sophisticated savvy, the book's style easily reflects the celebrity's earliest roots and wondrous trajectory to stardom. "From Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension" is a literary work as told to Robert-Allan Arno, an east coast-based media personality who is a trusted expert in "all things 5th Dimension." Included, an exhilarating 50-photo centerfold of rare and/or never-before-seen pictures from Mr. McLemore's personal collection, as well as a detailed album and singles Discography appendix of The 5th Dimension. His Grandma's Top 10 wisdom is a welcomed addendum.

An inspiring, historic tale of unbridled humor and touching pathos, LaMonte doesn't quit until he makes you laugh...and think.

REVIEWS:

Johnny Mathis: "When a tall, handsome young man came to my house many years ago to photograph me for Elegant magazine, I had no idea that his other job as a singer would propel him and his fellow members of The 5th Dimension to world fame. I am so proud of LaMonte."

Nancy Sinatra: "The 5th Dimension had it all--great voices, engaging personalities, and oh-so-easy on the eyes."

Harry Elston, The Friends of Distinction: "Even as his best friend, I learned things about LaMonte that I didn't know; I was also laughing my a**s off! Well-written by Robert-Allan Arno...you won't be able to put this book down!

by Tom Clavin (Author), Danny Peary (Author)

A legend during the Golden Era of the 1950s, Brooklyn Dodgers baseball player and New York Mets manager Gil Hodges is at the center of this masterful sports biography, which delves into the life, achievements, and sterling character of one of baseball's most overlooked stars.

Author Biography

Tom Clavin and Danny Peary are the national bestselling coauthors of Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero. Tom has also written or co-written ten other books, as well as being a former reporter for the New York Times. He lives in East Hampton, New York. Danny is a writer/researcher for "The Tim McCarver Show," and an author of numerous books and articles. He lives in New York City.

by Jody L. and Gabriel a. Lopez (Author)

by Stan Fridstein (Author)

UPDATED FOR THE 2018 BASEBALL SEASON!

When Stan Fridstein and his son decided to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, they never realized how challenging it would be to find useful information that would help craft the most memorable experiences.

There are hidden treasures in each stadium, like the 8 miles of zippers that connect the artificial turf in Toronto's Rogers Centre, the Primanti Steak Sandwich at Pittsburgh's PNC Stadium, the best team store in Major League Baseball at Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark, the lone red seat in the right field bleachers at Fenway Park where Ted Williams hit the longest home run in Boston history, and so much.

Learn where to spend your non-baseball stadium time. The games are generally about 3 hours long...that leaves a lot of time for sports fans to explore the amazing sites and hidden treasures in the markets that house the MLB teams.

When should you stay near the stadiums and when should you stay elsewhere? How do you secure special private ballpark tours? How do you plan the logistics of each trip? Where is the best food in each venue? Which seats do you want to avoid due to the sun or wind in certain stadiums?

So many questions and there was no comprehensive, easy to follow resource available when Stan and his son began their quest.

Stan promised himself that when he and his son completed their journey, they would create a guide for others interested in visiting many or all MLB ballparks. Whether you're doing it alone, with a buddy or with your kid, this invaluable book provides everything you'll need to create the most extraordinary possible baseball road trips.

You won't want to miss a single experience and this wonderful guide has you covered.

Author Biography

Stan Fridstein is a lifelong baseball fan. As for his career in baseball, it was tragically cut short when as a 10 year old, he discovered he couldn't hit a curve ball. However, this malady did nothing to diminish his enthusiasm for the game. Going Yard is a calling for Stan. His financial goal is to "not lose too much money" on the book. However, he believes that helping others realize the remarkable experiences he shared with his son will be reward enough. And if that doesn't work, there's always the good karma that comes out of helping others.

by Art Zehr (Author)

If God had a baseball team, would you qualify to be on it? God gave author, Art Zehr, a dream about His allstar team. He showed Art who the allstar players are in the Bible, what their batting line-up was, and what positions they played. Art explains how God manages His team; how He chooses, calls, and commissions players; and who some of His allstars are today. Read the book to find out what this means for your life. Find out how your name can be listed on the roster. Also find out what was going on in Art's life when he had the dream and what an amazing impact it had on him.

by Tim Peeler (Editor), Timothy Dwight Mitrovich (Editor), George Mitrovich (Author)

From the Author:

"We may be indifferent to the first reality but we hold to the second as surely as we cling to any fundamental essential in the American character; for it defines us and elevates us to a level higher than what is otherwise the commonplace of our existence."

- George Mitrovich, Elysian Fields Quarterly: The Baseball Review, Volume 22, Number 1, 2005

-Larry Lucchino, Boston Red Sox President/CEO Emeritus

My Friend George Mitrovich

"DC" Boomed the voice on the other end of the telephone...."I need you in Chicago. Dr. Charles can't make it, you will be terrific!!!" Well let's face it, we both knew that I wasn't an adequate substitute for the great Dr. Charles Steinberg of the Boston Red Sox and yet George knew my response: "Of Course"....

"DC" Boomed the voice on the other end of the telephone... - "I need you in San Diego - All-Star Game Luncheon - Peter Gammons had to cancel - You will be terrific!!!" We both knew that I wasn't an adequate substitute for the great Peter Gammons and yet George also knew my response.

"Of Course"

"DC" a long unusual pause, "I want you to be a eulogist. The outcome is dire but I am resolute. " And with that and a tear in my eye, we both knew my response.

I met George Mitrovich through the Great Fenway Park Writers Series. His ability to host, entertain, regale stories of his life and make everyone in the room feel included and important was uncanny. An elegant gentleman with a zest for life and for the people he met along the way, the likes of which we shall not soon see again. I thank him for his friendship, for the friends I met through him, and the friends of friends who are now also my friends. With great admiration, your friend, DC

-Donna Cohen, Great Fenway Park Writers Series

In tribute to our friend, George Mitrovich (1935-2019)

A man of surpassing intellect, opinions, passions and pursuits, including but hardly limited to the vagaries of politics, civics and baseball, George Mitrovich was an immutable force in San Diego's civic fabric for more than a half-century and perhaps longer.

Mr. Mitrovich died July 24, 2019, at age 83, days before he was to turn 84.

Aside from baseball, which George rightly viewed as analogous to life itself, he was a whirlwind of interests and expertise on innumerable topics that freely entered his every-day conversations at the slightest provocation.

His was a world without limits on whatever he deemed intellectually stimulating and worthy of impassioned dialogue and further discussion, his sharp wit and high-pitched laugh never far behind.

A life-long Democrat who prided himself on his reasoned outlook and who valued respectful give-and-take with friends who might inexplicably hold opposing views, George earned his political stripes with several national figures, led by his role as press aide to the presidential campaign of 1968 of Senator Robert F. Kenn

by Roger Angell (Author), Richard Ford (Author)

Roger Angell has been writing about baseball for more than forty years . . . and for my money he's the best there is at it," says novelist Richard Ford in his introduction to Game Time. Angell's famous explorations of the summer game are built on acute observation and joyful participation, conveyed in a prose style as admired and envied as Ted Williams's swing. Angell on Fenway Park in September, on Bob Gibson brooding in retirement, on Tom Seaver in mid-windup, on the abysmal early and recent Mets, on a scout at work in backcountry Kentucky, on Pete Rose and Willie Mays and Pedro Martinez, on the astounding Barry Bonds at Pac Bell Park, and more, carry us through the arc of the season with refreshed understanding and pleasure. This collection represents Angell's best writings, from spring training in 1962 to the explosive World Series of 2002.

Back Jacket

A New York Times Notable Book
Roger Angell's explorations of the summer game are built on acute observation and joyful participation, conveyed in a prose style as admired as Ted Williams's swing. Angell on Fenway Park in another wild September, on Bob Gibson brooding in retirement, on Tom Seaver in mid-windup, on the abysmal early and recent Mets, on a scout at work in back-country Kentucky, on Pete Rose and Willie Mays and Pedro Martinez, on the astounding Barry Bonds at Pac Bell Park, and more, carry us through the arc of the seasons with refreshed understanding and pleasure. This new selection represents Angell's prime writings, short and long, from spring training in 1962 to the explosive World Series of 2002.
"Angell is the best baseball essayist around. His relaxed prose glides across the page with a confident grace that most writers-let alone baseball writers-would kill for."-Chicago Tribune
Roger Angell is a writer and fiction editor with the New Yorker. His baseball books include The Summer Game, Five Seasons, Late Innings, Season Ticket, Once More Around the Park, and A Pitcher's Story: Innings with David Cone. He lives in New York.

by Travis Haney (Author), Brady Thomas (Foreword by)

The Gamecocks baseball team's surprising, heart-pounding run to the 2010 College World Series title seemed to many as if it could not be paralleled, in its excitement or its overall meaning to the school and the state of South Carolina. In 2011, though, they topped what they had already done, returning home champions and parading in style to the State House steps. In 2010, they honored the life of 7-year-old Bayler Teal, a cancer victim who died during the College World Series. In 2011, they celebrated the life of Omaha native Charlie Peters, a 13-year-old cancer survivor who served as a batboy for the team. The Gamecocks celebrated with a traditional dogpile near the pitcher's mound, Peters jumped on top of the mass of players and coaches.

by Kary R. Shumway (Author)

Many parents coach youth baseball because no one else will volunteer. The team needs a coach and you decide to take on the job. It's not an easy decision, but it is the right one for you, your child and the team. You may not know all the rules, maybe you weren't a star player in high school, but you have the most important ingredient - you have a willingness to learn and create a great experience for the kids.The Coach's Guide is a summary of coaching fundamentals and practical steps to get you started. You'll learn what you can expect as a coach, and what is expected of you. You'll learn practice planning fundamentals and tips for coaching your own kid. The guide also includes a season checklist to keep you on track, a sample letter to baseball parents, and tips to help you craft your own coaching style. The Lessons guide serves as an introduction to the Coach to Coach series. From Coach to Coach guides are age-specific, and include only the essential drills appropriate for your players. The guides focus on a manageable number of practice plans for each skill category - base running, throwing, hitting, and fielding - you won't be buried with hundreds of drills, wondering which ones work best.In short, the guides include everything a new or veteran coach will need to get ready for the baseball season ahead. From Coach to Coach, I wish you a successful and enjoyable season!All materials are available for download at CoachtoCoachBooks.com.

by Tom Tunison (Author), Gary Kaschak (Author)

Born with a rare hip disease that goes undiscovered until he is six years old, Tom Tunison faces years of bed rest, wheelchairs and crutches. Forced into

making life-changing adjustments, the once active boy begins watching New York Yankees telecasts during his recovery, forming an unlikely bond with Yankees rookie catcher, Thurman Munson.

Fascinated with Yankees history, its Hall of Fame players and baseball statistics, Tunison begins a lifelong commitment and study of Munson's career that is sidetracked suddenly with the untimely death of his hero- a tragedy that propels Tunison onto a course of action full of heart-breaking tragedy, heart-warming triumph and personal discovery.

In a journey laced with incredible "coincidences," Tunison blends trust, faith and an inner-voice as his guide all the way to the hallowed grounds of Cooperstown.

by Thomas Pranio (Author)

How to apply your Baseball mechanics, experience and sensibilities to Golf.

by David Driver (Author), Lacy Lusk (Author)

This unique book is a look at the past, present, and future of baseball in Virginia, a state which has produced five Hall of Famers and several World Series stars. It also looks at the history of minor league baseball in the big cities of Norfolk and Richmond, as well as smaller cities such as Lynchburg, Salem, and Fredericksburg. In addition, the book looks at what makes Virginia unique with amateur leagues that have been around for decades, including the Valley Baseball League and the Rockingham County Baseball League, which began in 1924.

by Chris Smith (Author)

One mother with a teenage boy said "Gods, Gloves, Popups, and Ponies" was like a manual for her son! Baseball dazzles us with its complexity and beauty but also for its ability to mirror so much of the human spirit. The ups and downs of the game along with its style and grace have forever been a source of inspiration to baseball fans and especially to the young people of this country. Gods, Gloves, Pop-ups, and Ponies explores the effect baseball can have on the development of a young man's path to manhood. It is first about how a young man discovers what it means to be awakened from the fog of his adolescent life in his life-changing summer chasing the Pony League title in 1975. It then brings the story to the present moment as we learn how baseball can help shape a young man's character as the young boy is now a coach and we are taken through a season with the high school-baseball players he helps guide and direct. Through his many years allowing the game of baseball to mold and define his character the author brings to us a rare look at just how powerful the lessons found on the field can be to the creation of outstanding young men.

by Travis Haney (Author), Mark Calvi (Foreword by), Chad Holbrook (Foreword by)

After more than one hundred years of craving a champion, the University of South Carolina finally has one. The 2010 Gamecock baseball team won six consecutive games over eight summer nights to take the College World Series and lay claim to the school's first major national championship. From dancing around in a dark locker room to singing "Silent Night"? on the team bus after every victory in Omaha, these Gamecocks were as fun-loving as they were talented. And they did it all in the name of one special boy, seven-year-old Bayler Teal. Bayler passed away before he could see his beloved Gamecocks triumph, but the team's victory is a tribute to their number one fan. Join the Post and Courier's Travis Haney as he recounts this incredible team's historic season.

by Kary R. Shumway (Author)

Coaching seven and eight-year-old ballplayers is a lot of fun. This is where baseball starts getting real - they keep score, record outs, and the kids start to understand what the game is about. This guide will help you build solid practice plans, get ready for game day, and give you a clear path to follow for a successful season. There are many baseball guides out there - what makes this one different? From Coach to Coach guides are age-specific, and include only the essential drills appropriate for your players. The guides focus on a manageable number of practice plans for each skill category - base running, throwing, hitting, and fielding - you won't be buried with hundreds of drills, wondering which ones work best.The guides include quick start practice plans, season checklists, and other resources that you can use to get practicing today (or as soon as the snow melts). In short, the guides include everything a new or veteran coach will need to get ready for the baseball season ahead. From Coach to Coach, I wish you a successful and enjoyable season!All materials are available for download at CoachtoCoachBooks.com.

by Kary R. Shumway (Author)

In Majors, the players are eleven and twelve-years-old, and some of the kids will be taller than you are. It is a little intimidating, but you're still the coach and you're in charge. You are in charge, right? Well, at least you have the clipboard and you're the one who brings the equipment bag to the game, so you look like you're in charge. You'll need to teach skills on pitching and catching, along with more advanced hitting and fielding drills. This guide will help you build solid practice plans, get ready for game day, and give you a clear path to follow for a successful season. Read the guide, be prepared for anything. Even a six foot tall 12 year old. There are many baseball guides out there - what makes this one different? From Coach to Coach guides are age-specific, and include only the essential drills appropriate for your players. The guides focus on a manageable number of practice plans for each skill category - base running, throwing, hitting, and fielding - you won't be buried with hundreds of drills, wondering which ones work best.The guides include quick start practice plans, season checklists, and other resources that you can use to get practicing today (or as soon as the snow melts). In short, the guides include everything a new or veteran coach will need to get ready for the baseball season ahead. From Coach to Coach, I wish you a successful and enjoyable season!All materials are available for download at CoachtoCoachBooks.com.

by Kary R. Shumway (Author)

Coaching Tee Ball is awesome...except when you have no clue what you're doing. Fear not, this guide will get you started, and give you a clear path to follow for a successful season. There are many baseball guides out there - what makes this one different? From Coach to Coach guides are age-specific, and include only the essential drills appropriate for your players. The guides focus on a manageable number of practice plans for each skill category - base running, throwing, hitting, and fielding - you won't be buried with hundreds of drills, wondering which ones work best.The guides include quick start practice plans, season checklists, and other resources that you can use to get practicing today (or as soon as the snow melts). In short, the guides include everything a new or veteran coach will need to get ready for the baseball season ahead. From Coach to Coach, I wish you a successful and enjoyable season!All materials are available for download at CoachtoCoachBooks.com.

by Kary R. Shumway (Author)

Now, the game is really on. The kids are allowed to pitch, and in most leagues they can steal bases, too. For nine and ten-year-old ballplayers, it's really starting to look like organized baseball. Parents and players expect a little more from the coach at this age level. You'll need to teach skills on pitching and catching, along with more advanced hitting and fielding drills. This guide will help you build solid practice plans, get ready for game day, and give you a clear path to follow for a successful season. Take a deep breath, Coach. Read the guide, follow the plans and you'll be ready.There are many baseball guides out there - what makes this one different? From Coach to Coach guides are age-specific, and include only the essential drills appropriate for your players. The guides focus on a manageable number of practice plans for each skill category - base running, throwing, hitting, and fielding - you won't be buried with hundreds of drills, wondering which ones work best.The guides include quick start practice plans, season checklists, and other resources that you can use to get practicing today (or as soon as the snow melts). In short, the guides include everything a new or veteran coach will need to get ready for the baseball season ahead. From Coach to Coach, I wish you a successful and enjoyable season!All materials are available for download at CoachtoCoachBooks.com.

by Josh Lewin (Author)

Baseball's winter meetings have never before been captured from the inside--set against the backdrop of big league owners, executives, and players surrounded by money and beat writers--with everyone pushing to get a little attention, wealth, or talent. Rumors fly, journalists jabber, cameras flash as everyone tries to figure out what's going on inside the halls of the Opryland Hotel.Written by an insider who started on the outside, Getting in the Game takes the reader inside the scramble to get a job in the baseball industry by following the stories of three job seekers hoping to break into the game as announcers, front office staff, or anything they can get. Lewin also probes the motivations and perspectives of three baseball executives looking to hire new employees as they sort through the piles of résumés, tapes, and CDs to get down to their short lists of prospective candidates.Told in a real-time diary format, Lewin occasionally breaks from the action to explain some of the back stories everyone on the inside already knows: How did minor league baseball go from minor league to big business? What's going on in the various seminars? Lewin also interviews a few baseball lifers, pays a visit to the Winter Meetings Trade Show (where teams pick their tchotchkes for their summer giveaways), and tells you about the secret lives of mascots.

by Kevin Morrisey (Author), Elizabeth Morrisey (Author)

God's Lineup is a collection of testimonies from Major League baseball players and how Christ has impacted their lives on and off the field. There are trying times in the sport of baseball and among Christians. This book is a breath of fresh air for both baseball fans and Christians. It illustrates how all people, including the top baseball players, face trying times and how being saved has changed them and the way they play the game.

Each chapter focuses on one ball player and tells the story about how their life was before knowing Christ, how they came to know Him and how their life has changed.

by Billy Bean (Author), Chris Bull (With)

More than ten years after its original publication, Going the Other Way remains deeply moving, and more timely than ever.

By virtue of a relentless work ethic, exceptional multi-sport talent, and a quick left-handed swing, Billy Bean made it to the majors, where he played from 1987 to 1995--an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres. But as a gay man in the brutally anti-gay world of baseball, closeted to teammates and family, Bean found himself unable to reconcile two worlds that he felt to be mutually exclusive. At the young age of 31, in the prime of his career, even as he solidified his role as a major-league utility player, Bean walked away from the game that was both his calling and his livelihood.

At once heartbreaking and farcical, ruminative and uncensored, this unprecedented memoir points the way toward a more perfect game, one in which all players can pursue their athletic dreams free of prejudice and discrimination.

Author Biography

In 2014 Billy Bean was appointed Major League Baseball's first Ambassador for Inclusion, in which role he is at the fore of the League's efforts for a fair and equitable workplace throughout all of baseball.
Chris Bull is cofounder of Gay Cities: Your Travel and City Guide and editorial director of Queerty.com, the most popular LGBT blog in the world.

by Jim Leeke (Author)

2018 SABR Baseball Research Award Winner

Author Biography

Jim Leeke, a former news journalist and U.S. Navy veteran, has covered Major League Baseball for a Northern California suburban daily. He is the author of several books, including Nine Innings for the King: The Day Wartime London Stopped for Baseball, July 4, 1918 and Ballplayers in the Great War: Newspaper Accounts of Major Leaguers in World War I Military Service.

by George Genovese (Author), Dan Taylor (Author)

Few would dispute the pitching greatness of Sandy Koufax--but was Paul Pettit better? Jim Baxes was once compared to the great Pie Traynor yet few baseball fans have ever heard of him. John Elway was undeniably one of the greatest quarterbacks in pro football history but could he have been an even better baseball player?

For most fans greatness is measured in trophies and awards and confirmed by consistency over time. During his 70 years in baseball, renowned scout George Genovese witnessed some of the most talented players ever to play the game--some of them unknown to fans. He recalls the careers of unsung greats like Nestor Chavez, Matt Harrington and Derek Tatsuno, who never gained lasting fame despite unrivaled talent.

Author Biography

The late George Genovese was regarded by peers as the greatest baseball scout of all time. His playing career spanned 16 seasons and included a stint in the major leagues. Following 11 seasons as a minor-league manager, Mr. Genovese developed a level of proficiency many believe will never be duplicated. His profession's highest honor, the lifetime achievement award bestowed by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, bears his name. He lived in North Hollywood, California. Dan Taylor is a former award-winning television sportscaster. The origins of his announcing work stretch back to summer involvement with minor-league baseball. He lives in Fresno, California.

by Barry Weinberg (Author)

What an amazing journey for Edith and Harold's only Son!
I have spent 33 years in the Major Leagues, traveling around the world eating
at the best restaurants, such as Tramonti in Delray Beach, Florida to La
Scarola in Chicago IL to Hunan Homes in San Francisco, CA.

I have shared meals with some of the world's greatest people such as Neil
Armstrong, Charles Barkley, Bob Knight, Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Stan
Musial, Red Schoendienst, Jack Buck and so many more.

My spectacular journey includes stories from behind-the-scenes of my
professional baseball career that, until now, were only told in clubhouses,
dugouts, or when out to dinner with me.

Life is a journey...enjoy the meal!
Bon Appetit!

by J. M. Theberge (Author)

Fantasy Baseball Bible - An advanced guide for Fantasy Baseball owners to take their game to the next level. Author JM Theberge shares over 25 years of proven strategies and techniques that have enabled him to be a dominant owner-year after year. You will learn about all aspects of Fantasy Baseball: -Taking full advantage of your league rules -How and where to get critical player info -How to correctly evaluate players -How to prepare for your auction -How to manage your team at the auction -Week to week team management -Advanced trading philosophies -And much more...... This book is intended for a current owner looking to become a champion. It is not intended for beginners. Fantasy Baseball Bible will prepare you with what you need to be the "one to beat" in your league.

by Leslie A. Heaphy (Editor), Mel Anthony May (Editor)

Women have been involved in baseball from the game's early days, in a wide range of capacities. This ambitious encyclopedia provides information on women players, managers, teams, leagues, and issues since the mid-19th century. Players are listed by maiden name with married name, when known, in parentheses. Information provided includes birth date, death date, team, dates of play, career statistics and brief biographical notes when available. Related entries are noted for easy cross-reference. Appendices include the rosters of the World War II era All American Girls Professional Baseball League teams; the standings and championships from the AAGPBL; and all women's baseball teams and players identified to date.

Author Biography

Leslie A. Heaphy is an associate professor of history at Kent State University, Stark Campus, in Canton, Ohio. Mel Anthony May lives in Newbury, Ohio.

by Tom Delise (Author), Jay Seaborg (Author)

This is the first book-length biography of Ned Hanlon, a Hall of Famer but yet an underappreciated figure in baseball history. As a first generation Irish-American, Ned Hanlon left behind a childhood in the cotton mills to become a star player in the major leagues and the famous manager of the colorful 1890s Baltimore Orioles. He traveled the world on an all-star team and was a key member of the first attempt by baseball players to unionize, which led to the creation of the upstart Players' League.

Hanlon was an innovative and shrewd tactician whose strategies and ideas helped baseball transition from its rough infancy into the modern game we know today. As one of the premier baseball minds of his time, "Foxy Ned" also exerted a profound influence on the sport through the managerial tree he established, which includes Hall of Fame managers such as John McGraw, Miller Huggins, and Connie Mack.

Author Biography

Tom Delise taught high school English for 40 years and lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Jay Seaborg is a retired history teacher living in Mount Airy, Maryland.

by Vince Gennaro (Author)

by Rick Huhn (Author)

In what is sure to be the definitive book on Eddie Collins's life and long career, author Rick Huhn covers the Hall of Fame player's experiences from childhood through his days at Columbia University, his tenure with the great Athletics clubs of 1906-1914, the highs and lows of a championship and scandal with the White Sox, and his return to the A's during their final run at greatness. By the time his 25-year playing career had ended, he was a pivotal performer on five all-time great clubs, dominating his position like no one before (or since), and earning a reputation for intelligent, selfless play that followed him to Cooperstown.

Also covered in detail is his tenure with the Boston Red Sox, a team he served variously as part owner, vice-president and general manager until 1951, when after 45 years in major league baseball a stroke ended his career and, weeks later, his life.

Author Biography

Rick Huhn, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, is also the author of The Sizzler: George Sisler, Baseball's Forgotten Great. He lives in Westerville, Ohio.

by Shawn Paul Eckhart (Author)

The Seattle Mariners are celebrating forty years of playing ball, a time of thrills and promise, and frustration. Be reminded of the team's revolving personnel, from key franchise stalwarts, to those handed jobs only to lose them soon afterward. This book delivers the background environment during the offseasons, and the team's month-to-month performance during each season to serve as backdrop to the trades, signings, releases, waivers, drafts, and other transactions throughout the year.

by David W. Zang (Author)

Moses Fleetwood Walker was the first black American to play baseball in a major league. He achieved college baseball stardom at Oberlin College in the 1880s. Teammates as well as opponents harassed him; Cap Anson, the Chicago White Stockings star, is blamed for driving Walker and the few other blacks in the major leagues out of the game, but he could not have done so alone. A gifted athlete, inventor, civil rights activist, author, and entrepreneur, Walker lived precariously along America's racial fault lines. He died in 1924, thwarted in ambition and talent and frustrated by both the American dream and the national pastime.

Author Biography

David W. Zang has taught sports studies and American studies at the University of Maryland, The Pennsylvania State University, and Towson University.

by Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown (Author)

Baseball Hall of Famer Norman Thomas "Turkey" Stearnes (1901-1979) batted more than .400 three times, led the Negro Leagues in home runs seven times and holds the all-time Negro Leagues record for career home runs. Despite his legendary achievements on the field, Stearnes worked off-seasons in Detroit's auto plants, including one owned by Walter Briggs, who also owned the Detroit Tigers--a team Stearnes couldn't play for because he was black. Written by his eldest daughter, this first biography of "Turkey" Stearnes intimately recounts his life and career and gives overdue recognition to one of the greatest all-around players in the history of baseball.

Author Biography

Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown is a native Detroiter whose passions are baseball, music and educating people about her dad and the Negro Leagues. During her employment at Detroit Public Schools, as an educational tool for the students, she wrote a musical entitled "For the Love of the Game," featuring her dad, "Turkey" Stearnes; his close friend Satchel Paige; and her uncle "Double Duty" Radcliffe.

by Connie F. Sexauer (Author)

This study, based on newspapers, journals, oral interviews, and academic studies examines nineteenth and twentieth century cultural changes through the space and place of American baseball parks to expose how public buildings exemplify American culture. The argument put forth by author Connie F. Sexauer is: Connections can be made by examining these places to reveal economic, political, and social conditions of American society to reveal changes to the culture of the day.The park is an important source to follow American society in the twentieth century. Beyond the architectural structure and the neighborhood setting, how did people use the grounds and how can we understand society by inspecting this material cultural? How did the parks change the communities and the people who attended the games? How did the people attempt to control the setting? This book will examine cultural spaces in St. Louis, Missouri that attracted sports enthusiasts, Sportsman's Park at Grand and Dodier in use from 1866 to 1966, and Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium at Seventh and Spruce which opened in 1966 and closed in 2005, as well as the new stadium, Busch III that opened in spring 2006. Sexauer contends that the development of the ballpark design, the space and place of the ballpark parallels the general cultural development of American urban design and reflects the technological and cultural changes in twentieth century America and into the 21st century. Specifically baseball went from a poor man's exercise of fun to a multi-billion dollar industry in the course of a century with the unsuspecting American citizens feeding the pockets of the rich owners. This book will more clearly illuminate the importance of professional baseball in the cultural advance of American society.About the AuthorConnie F. SexauerDr. Sexauer has taught at the University of Wisconsin - Marathon County for the past 15 years. She teaches U. S. history and Gender Studies. She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a specialty in urban history. She was born and raised in St. Louis, MO and the subject of the St. Louis Cardinals has been a passion of hers for over fifty years. The subject of her latest book, From a Park to a Stadium, to a Little Piece of Heaven brings together her love of history, cultural studies, social change, and changes in sports. She has had articles published and delivered national papers on this subject of America's favorite pastime. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of this book will be donated to Cardinal Care.

by Roger Angell (Author)

Five Seasons covers the baseball seasons from 1972 through 1976, described as the "most significant half decade in the history of the game." The era was notable for the remarkable individual feats of Hank Aaron, Lou Brock, and Nolan Ryan, among others. It also presented one of the best World Series of all time (1975), including still the greatest World Series game ever played (Game Six).

Along with visiting other games and campaigns, Roger Angell meets a trio of Tigers-obsessed fans, goes to a game with a departing old-style owner, watches high-school ball in Kentucky with a famous scout, and explores the sad and astounding mystery of Steve Blass's vanished control. Angell's Five Seasons is a gem and a gift for baseball lovers of all ages.

Author Biography

Roger Angell (1920-2022) was a writer and fiction editor with the New Yorker. His works include The Summer Game (available in a Bison Books edition), Late Innings, and Game Time.

by Jules Tygiel (Author)

Few sports have as much power and magic as baseball, and few writers have addressed the history of the game as well as Jules Tygiel. In his role as a historian, Tygiel purposefully takes his eye off the ball and focuses on the broader cultural scene that surrounds the game: how developments in the game reflect American society and the ways in which our nation has changed over time. In doing so he captures a part of baseball that many have forgotten, a rich aspect of our American legacy.

In this collection of articles Tygiel illuminates significant events and issues in the history of baseball. He revisits the Jackie Robinson saga--his turbulent military service in World War II, the story behind his signing, and the evolution of his legacy. Tygiel examines the history of blacks in baseball--the Negro Leagues and baseball's Jim Crow era, race relations in baseball since 1947, and Roy Campanella's career and his life after the tragic automobile accident that left him paralyzed. Finally, Tygiel analyzes what baseball history has to offer--how it should be written, the intersection of television and baseball, and a reflection on the current state of the game.

Author Biography

Jules Tygiel is a professor of history at San Francisco State University. He is the author of Past Time: Baseball as History and Baseball's Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy.

by John C. Skipper (Author)

Frank Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of the 20th century. He was Rookie of the Year for the Cincinnati Reds in 1956, won the Triple Crown in 1966, led the Baltimore Orioles to four World Series appearances, and is the only player in baseball history to be voted Most Valuable Player in both the American and National leagues. When his playing career was over, he became the first black manager in both leagues and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. Amid these accomplishments, he continually strived for recognition--as if he had something to prove--and as a manager demanded respect from his players and his bosses. This is a biography of a man who "crowded the plate" in all aspects of his baseball life.

Author Biography

John C. Skipper, a political reporter for the Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette, has written numerous books on politics and baseball, including a history of the The Iowa Caucuses and acclaimed biographies of Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dazzy Vance and Charlie Gehringer.