When in 1911 Phillies pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander set the National League record for wins by a rookie (28), it was a sign of things to come. This biography sheds light on the pitcher and the man, focusing on Alexander's personal life, especially his complex relationship with his wife, Aimee, as well as their marriages and divorces.  Meer

In this text John Skipper talks with 35 former Chicago Cubs who relive their ball-playing days and speculate on the eternally middling and undeniable popular Northsiders.  Meer

Charles ""Dazzy"" Vance became known as the strike out king after leading the National League in strikeouts seven years in a row. Although this famed baseball pitcher started with his rookie year at age 31, he retired at age 44 without achieving his goal of winning 200 games.  Meer

They are known by a variety of names, many of them unprintable. Like the big league players, they are the very best in their profession and spend years honing their craft, yet some fans pretend to believe they are incompetent boobs.  Meer

The Cubs' journey to the National League pennant in 1945 is detailed here. The author interviewed nine surviving members of the 1945 Cubs, including pitchers Erickson, Hank Borowy, Hank Wyse and Claude Passeau, second baseman Don Johnson, shortstop Lenny Merullo, backup catcher Dewey Williams, first baseman Phil Cavaretta, and more.  Meer

Barry Goldwater was a staunch conservative more interested in advancing the conservative cause than running for president. A “Draft Goldwater” campaign three years in the making catapulted him to the Republican nomination in 1964, despite bitter opposition within the party.  Meer

Charlie Gehringer is regarded by many as the best two-strike hitter of all time. This work follows Gehringer's career from the day a scout spotted him on the sandlots of Michigan in 1923 to his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1949 and into his life after baseball.  Meer

A biographical dictionary that includes entries based on interviews, data and anecdotes from owners, coaches, and players on the more than 600 men who have managed major league teams over the past 125 years.  Meer

The state of Iowa has become an unexpected and unparalleled proving ground for would-be presidential candidates just starting out on the road to the White House.  Meer

The 1912 presidential election is the only one in American history in which candidates included a president, a former president and a future president.  Meer