Voices from the Negro Leagues: Conversations with 52 Baseball Standouts of the Period, 1924-1960
Baseball players are generally great interviewees, and the 52 players from the Negro leagues interviewed here by veteran author Kelley are no exception. The book is divided into two sections: the first comprises those who played prior to Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier; the second section features those who continued to play in the Negro leagues after Robinson's debut. Among the highlights is an interview with Cuban native Minnie Minoso, who turned down a $30,000 bonus from the Mexican league for $500 and the chance to come to the U.S. Frazier Robinson, Satchell Paige's preferred catcher for many years, has some great tales regarding the man many consider the best pitcher ever, black or white. All the subjects recall their youth with fondness and surprisingly little bitterness toward a system that prevented them from achieving the fame and fortune they deserved. Kelley also provides biographies of each subject for context and whatever statistics are available. A wonderful book that should be exceedingly popular among fans with an interest in the game's history.Wes Lukowsky