Publisher's Synopsis
In this volume, I present to you a selection of just a portion of America's forgotten heroes. They are the individuals and teams of the Negro Leagues of Baseball. These were a large group of men who, within a chiefly hostile society, endeavored to play the game anyway. Why? There were a number of reasons they placed themselves on display only to endure abuse and threat of physical violence. Some wanted to prove that they and the fellow members of their race were as good, if not better, at the game than their white counterparts. Some did it to squeak out a meager living for themselves and families, moving from team to team as organizations folded. But many did it for a more obvious reason. They loved the game of baseball and wanted to spend their lives playing the sport. No matter what reason they had, they endured terrible living conditions, constant ridicule, and little acknowledgment or admiration for their often elite skills; talents that rivaled the best the Major Leagues had to offer. In any case, the memory of the majority of these men, saving Jackie Robinson, have faded into the abyss of myth and history. I am here to make their story heard. I wrote this book to remind my audience of the incredible quality of baseball these men exhibited for a nation that, at the time, would only sparingly appreciate them. Yes, they were American heroes because they paved the way for Jackie Robinson. Mr. Robinson ironically only played one season in the Negro Leagues, to break through baseball's and society's racial barrier via America's game. Yes, Jackie only accomplished his great feat because he stood on the shoulders of these giants of humanity. Enjoy reading about these superb athletes and pioneers of baseball.
