Cuban Star: How One Negro-League Owner Changed the Face of Baseball
“Once again, Adrian Burgos has written a fascinating book about the stories behind the stories of the game of baseball. If you are at all curious about why the most common names in the major leagues are Martinez and Rodriguez, this elegant volume is for you.” —Ken Burns “When I came to the Giants organization in 1955, Alex Pompez went to bat for me in a way no one else ever did. He took me and the other young Latino players under his wing, teaching us English and guiding us through the racially charged terrain of the majors at the time. In this long-overdue book, Adrian Burgos vividly portrays Pompez as he was: a great, flawed man and a steadfast lover of the game.” —Orlando Cepeda, Hall of Fame First Baseman “I know Adrian Burgos as a dedicated academic, historian, teacher, and true baseball fan. InCuban Star, he's done a masterful job of casting light on a key Latin American baseball executive who has for too long gone unnoticed. A great read!” —Dave Winfield, Hall of Fame Outfielder “The story of Alex Pompez gives readers a very different take on the integration of major league baseball from the feel good version that focuses on Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson. There were losers as well as winners, and Pompez and other black baseball entrepreneurs have been largely ignored until now.” —Roger Daniels, author ofGuarding the Golden Door: American Immigration Policy and Immigrants since 1882 “One of the best baseball books of the new millennium . . . [Burgos] is a terrific writer and knows when he has a great subject.” —Allen Barra,San Francisco Chronicle “A wonderfully detailed portrait . . . The research is impeccable. The context provided is nuanced and rich . . . This book is indispensable for anyone who wants to understand the Latinization of Major League Baseball.” —Luis Clemens,NPR.org “Highly recommended for those studying baseball and African American or Latino studies.” —Robert Cottrell,Library Journal(starred review)