Podcast appearances and mentions of bob d angelo

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Today we are joined by Bruce Berglund, author of The Fastest Game in the World: Hockey and the Globalization of Sports (University of California Press, 2020). In this sweeping look at hockey, Bruce Berglund examines how a niche sport became a global favorite. Hockey has crossed cultures from North America to Europe and Asia, and has been a political flashpoint several times, most notably during the Summit Series of 1972 and the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Berglund’s research combs the archives of Central and Eastern Europe, and he gives a thorough overview of hockey from its beginnings in the nineteenth century. The impact of players like Wayne Gretzky, the influence of youth leagues and the emergence of women in the sport are areas that Berglund explores. Berglund weaves his research with his own personal experiences with hockey to create a compelling narrative. An “anxious child of the Cold War,” Berglund examines the rise of the Soviet hockey team — the Red Machine — and how it took over the international game. Berglund also explores the beginnings of hockey, which descended from a game called bandy. He demonstrates that hockey, while a passion for fans in Canada, has spread worldwide. The Stanley Cup, long a Canadian point of pride, now resides in Tampa, Florida, showing how even in warm-weather climates, hockey has made inroads. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

Today we are joined by Paul Knepper, author of the book, The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All (McFarland, 2020). Knepper, a first-time author who has a background in law and was an unabashed Knicks fan during the 1990s, takes a look at a talented, tough New York Knicks squad that was always in contention to win an NBA title but never reached the pinnacle. Drawing on more than 88 interviews with players, coaches and executive, Knepper traces the rise of a team that reached the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons and made it to the NBA Finals twice. The Knicks thrived under the intense coaching of Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, who in appearance presented different looks but were nearly mirror images of one another in terms of ability, intensity and attention to detail. The Knicks had colorful players and heated rivalries. They were unable to get past the Chicago Bulls, who dominated the 1990s, and also had memorable battles with the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat. Knepper brings the reader into the locker room and the front office, bringing the players to life with personality sketches. The Knicks were led by Patrick Ewing, a dominant force on a team that lacked a consistent second shooter. Knepper takes the reader back to a time when basketball in New York was passionate and exciting. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Paul Knepper, author of the book, The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All (McFarland, 2020). Knepper, a first-time author who has a background in law and was an unabashed Knicks fan during the 1990s, takes a look at a talented, tough New York Knicks squad that was always in contention to win an NBA title but never reached the pinnacle. Drawing on more than 88 interviews with players, coaches and executive, Knepper traces the rise of a team that reached the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons and made it to the NBA Finals twice. The Knicks thrived under the intense coaching of Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, who in appearance presented different looks but were nearly mirror images of one another in terms of ability, intensity and attention to detail. The Knicks had colorful players and heated rivalries. They were unable to get past the Chicago Bulls, who dominated the 1990s, and also had memorable battles with the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat. Knepper brings the reader into the locker room and the front office, bringing the players to life with personality sketches. The Knicks were led by Patrick Ewing, a dominant force on a team that lacked a consistent second shooter. Knepper takes the reader back to a time when basketball in New York was passionate and exciting. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, author of Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar (Akashic Books, 2020). Lottie Dod is not a familiar name among casual sports fans but should be. She won the first of her five Wimbledon titles when she was 15 and dominated tennis before walking away. Sticking to one game, she believed, was “appalling.” Dod then took up golf, winning a major women’s golf title. She also won a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Olympics. Dod also dabbled in skating, endurance bicycling, mountain climbing and even toboggan racing. Unlike Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dod, however, was born before the golden age of sports, so few people have seen photographs or videos from her prime. Garbo-esque in later life, Dod kept to herself after her sports career. But her achievements sprang from the belief that there were no obstacles in her path. Abramsky, a freelance journalist who specializes in politics, is also an obsessive tennis fan. He stumbled upon Dod while visiting Wimbledon’s museum and was enchanted by her ability and career. Abramsky combines descriptive writing with research that pulls back the curtain to reveal an athlete whose feats remain stunning 60 years after her death and more than a century after her glory days. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, author of Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar (Akashic Books, 2020). Lottie Dod is not a familiar name among casual sports fans but should be. She won the first of her five Wimbledon titles when she was 15 and dominated tennis before walking away. Sticking to one game, she believed, was “appalling.” Dod then took up golf, winning a major women’s golf title. She also won a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Olympics. Dod also dabbled in skating, endurance bicycling, mountain climbing and even toboggan racing. Unlike Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dod, however, was born before the golden age of sports, so few people have seen photographs or videos from her prime. Garbo-esque in later life, Dod kept to herself after her sports career. But her achievements sprang from the belief that there were no obstacles in her path. Abramsky, a freelance journalist who specializes in politics, is also an obsessive tennis fan. He stumbled upon Dod while visiting Wimbledon’s museum and was enchanted by her ability and career. Abramsky combines descriptive writing with research that pulls back the curtain to reveal an athlete whose feats remain stunning 60 years after her death and more than a century after her glory days. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, author of Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar (Akashic Books, 2020). Lottie Dod is not a familiar name among casual sports fans but should be. She won the first of her five Wimbledon titles when she was 15 and dominated tennis before walking away. Sticking to one game, she believed, was “appalling.” Dod then took up golf, winning a major women’s golf title. She also won a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Olympics. Dod also dabbled in skating, endurance bicycling, mountain climbing and even toboggan racing. Unlike Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dod, however, was born before the golden age of sports, so few people have seen photographs or videos from her prime. Garbo-esque in later life, Dod kept to herself after her sports career. But her achievements sprang from the belief that there were no obstacles in her path. Abramsky, a freelance journalist who specializes in politics, is also an obsessive tennis fan. He stumbled upon Dod while visiting Wimbledon’s museum and was enchanted by her ability and career. Abramsky combines descriptive writing with research that pulls back the curtain to reveal an athlete whose feats remain stunning 60 years after her death and more than a century after her glory days. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, author of Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar (Akashic Books, 2020). Lottie Dod is not a familiar name among casual sports fans but should be. She won the first of her five Wimbledon titles when she was 15 and dominated tennis before walking away. Sticking to one game, she believed, was “appalling.” Dod then took up golf, winning a major women’s golf title. She also won a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Olympics. Dod also dabbled in skating, endurance bicycling, mountain climbing and even toboggan racing. Unlike Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dod, however, was born before the golden age of sports, so few people have seen photographs or videos from her prime. Garbo-esque in later life, Dod kept to herself after her sports career. But her achievements sprang from the belief that there were no obstacles in her path. Abramsky, a freelance journalist who specializes in politics, is also an obsessive tennis fan. He stumbled upon Dod while visiting Wimbledon’s museum and was enchanted by her ability and career. Abramsky combines descriptive writing with research that pulls back the curtain to reveal an athlete whose feats remain stunning 60 years after her death and more than a century after her glory days. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, author of Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar (Akashic Books, 2020). Lottie Dod is not a familiar name among casual sports fans but should be. She won the first of her five Wimbledon titles when she was 15 and dominated tennis before walking away. Sticking to one game, she believed, was “appalling.” Dod then took up golf, winning a major women’s golf title. She also won a silver medal in archery at the 1908 Olympics. Dod also dabbled in skating, endurance bicycling, mountain climbing and even toboggan racing. Unlike Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dod, however, was born before the golden age of sports, so few people have seen photographs or videos from her prime. Garbo-esque in later life, Dod kept to herself after her sports career. But her achievements sprang from the belief that there were no obstacles in her path. Abramsky, a freelance journalist who specializes in politics, is also an obsessive tennis fan. He stumbled upon Dod while visiting Wimbledon’s museum and was enchanted by her ability and career. Abramsky combines descriptive writing with research that pulls back the curtain to reveal an athlete whose feats remain stunning 60 years after her death and more than a century after her glory days. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr Jonathan Gelber, author of the book Tiger Woods’s Back and Tommy John’s Elbow: Injuries and Tragedies That Transformed Careers, Sports and Society (Skyhorse Publishing, 2019). Gelber is an orthopedic surgeon with the Olmstead Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota. A long time athlete, Gelber examines several athletes through the prism of the “Cobra Effect, ”a phenomenon that occurs when an attempted solution to a problem results in an unintended consequence. And sometimes, that solution might even make the original problem worse. Drawing on his vast medical background, Gelber looks at athletes such as Len Bias, Hank Gathers, Magic Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Lyle Alzado and more. And, of course, Tiger Woods and Tommy John. The situation of every athlete Gelber examines, he asserts, usually has two effects: the obvious one, and a secondary outcome that was unexpected. The flawed evangelism of Alzado, who used steroids and later had brain cancer, or the death of Bias, which resulted in a change in drug laws in the United States, are two pieces of a fascinating narrative that is certain to provoke more discussion about athletes, sports and society. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reachedatbdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr Jonathan Gelber, author of the book Tiger Woods’s Back and Tommy John’s Elbow: Injuries and Tragedies That Transformed Careers, Sports and Society (Skyhorse Publishing, 2019). Gelber is an orthopedic surgeon with the Olmstead Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota. A long time athlete, Gelber examines several athletes through the prism of the “Cobra Effect, ”a phenomenon that occurs when an attempted solution to a problem results in an unintended consequence. And sometimes, that solution might even make the original problem worse. Drawing on his vast medical background, Gelber looks at athletes such as Len Bias, Hank Gathers, Magic Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Lyle Alzado and more. And, of course, Tiger Woods and Tommy John. The situation of every athlete Gelber examines, he asserts, usually has two effects: the obvious one, and a secondary outcome that was unexpected. The flawed evangelism of Alzado, who used steroids and later had brain cancer, or the death of Bias, which resulted in a change in drug laws in the United States, are two pieces of a fascinating narrative that is certain to provoke more discussion about athletes, sports and society. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reachedatbdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr Jonathan Gelber, author of the book Tiger Woods’s Back and Tommy John’s Elbow: Injuries and Tragedies That Transformed Careers, Sports and Society (Skyhorse Publishing, 2019). Gelber is an orthopedic surgeon with the Olmstead Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota. A long time athlete, Gelber examines several athletes through the prism of the “Cobra Effect, ”a phenomenon that occurs when an attempted solution to a problem results in an unintended consequence. And sometimes, that solution might even make the original problem worse. Drawing on his vast medical background, Gelber looks at athletes such as Len Bias, Hank Gathers, Magic Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Lyle Alzado and more. And, of course, Tiger Woods and Tommy John. The situation of every athlete Gelber examines, he asserts, usually has two effects: the obvious one, and a secondary outcome that was unexpected. The flawed evangelism of Alzado, who used steroids and later had brain cancer, or the death of Bias, which resulted in a change in drug laws in the United States, are two pieces of a fascinating narrative that is certain to provoke more discussion about athletes, sports and society. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reachedatbdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr. Mitchell Nathanson, author of the book Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original (University of Nebraska Press, 2020). Nathanson, a professor of law at the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports at Villanova University, examines the life of Jim Bouton, a journeyman pitcher whose 1970 book, “Ball Four,” was a lightning rod for controversy and became one of the best sports books of all time. Nathanson examines the dynamics behind the crafting and publishing of “Ball Four,” Bouton’s diary of the 1969 major league baseball season. He examines the contributions of Leonard Shecter, the former New York Post sportswriter who helped shape Bouton’s narrative. More importantly, Nathanson presents a more well-rounded portrait of Bouton, a free-thinking man who marched to his own beat and was not afraid to buck the establishment. Bouton’s youth, his early successes with the New York Yankees and fall from grace are chronicled. Well-researched with interviews from key figures in his lifetime, “Bouton” provides context and reveals the man behind a work that was vilified fifty years ago as a “kiss-and-tell” book but is now lauded as a sports classic. Nathanson brings fresh perspective and delivers an unvarnished, critical view of Bouton. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr. Mitchell Nathanson, author of the book Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original (University of Nebraska Press, 2020). Nathanson, a professor of law at the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports at Villanova University, examines the life of Jim Bouton, a journeyman pitcher whose 1970 book, “Ball Four,” was a lightning rod for controversy and became one of the best sports books of all time. Nathanson examines the dynamics behind the crafting and publishing of “Ball Four,” Bouton’s diary of the 1969 major league baseball season. He examines the contributions of Leonard Shecter, the former New York Post sportswriter who helped shape Bouton’s narrative. More importantly, Nathanson presents a more well-rounded portrait of Bouton, a free-thinking man who marched to his own beat and was not afraid to buck the establishment. Bouton’s youth, his early successes with the New York Yankees and fall from grace are chronicled. Well-researched with interviews from key figures in his lifetime, “Bouton” provides context and reveals the man behind a work that was vilified fifty years ago as a “kiss-and-tell” book but is now lauded as a sports classic. Nathanson brings fresh perspective and delivers an unvarnished, critical view of Bouton. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr. Mitchell Nathanson, author of the book Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original (University of Nebraska Press, 2020). Nathanson, a professor of law at the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports at Villanova University, examines the life of Jim Bouton, a journeyman pitcher whose 1970 book, “Ball Four,” was a lightning rod for controversy and became one of the best sports books of all time. Nathanson examines the dynamics behind the crafting and publishing of “Ball Four,” Bouton’s diary of the 1969 major league baseball season. He examines the contributions of Leonard Shecter, the former New York Post sportswriter who helped shape Bouton’s narrative. More importantly, Nathanson presents a more well-rounded portrait of Bouton, a free-thinking man who marched to his own beat and was not afraid to buck the establishment. Bouton’s youth, his early successes with the New York Yankees and fall from grace are chronicled. Well-researched with interviews from key figures in his lifetime, “Bouton” provides context and reveals the man behind a work that was vilified fifty years ago as a “kiss-and-tell” book but is now lauded as a sports classic. Nathanson brings fresh perspective and delivers an unvarnished, critical view of Bouton. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr. Mitchell Nathanson, author of the book Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original (University of Nebraska Press, 2020). Nathanson, a professor of law at the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports at Villanova University, examines the life of Jim Bouton, a journeyman pitcher whose 1970 book, “Ball Four,” was a lightning rod for controversy and became one of the best sports books of all time. Nathanson examines the dynamics behind the crafting and publishing of “Ball Four,” Bouton’s diary of the 1969 major league baseball season. He examines the contributions of Leonard Shecter, the former New York Post sportswriter who helped shape Bouton’s narrative. More importantly, Nathanson presents a more well-rounded portrait of Bouton, a free-thinking man who marched to his own beat and was not afraid to buck the establishment. Bouton’s youth, his early successes with the New York Yankees and fall from grace are chronicled. Well-researched with interviews from key figures in his lifetime, “Bouton” provides context and reveals the man behind a work that was vilified fifty years ago as a “kiss-and-tell” book but is now lauded as a sports classic. Nathanson brings fresh perspective and delivers an unvarnished, critical view of Bouton. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dr. Mitchell Nathanson, author of the book Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original (University of Nebraska Press, 2020). Nathanson, a professor of law at the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports at Villanova University, examines the life of Jim Bouton, a journeyman pitcher whose 1970 book, “Ball Four,” was a lightning rod for controversy and became one of the best sports books of all time. Nathanson examines the dynamics behind the crafting and publishing of “Ball Four,” Bouton’s diary of the 1969 major league baseball season. He examines the contributions of Leonard Shecter, the former New York Post sportswriter who helped shape Bouton’s narrative. More importantly, Nathanson presents a more well-rounded portrait of Bouton, a free-thinking man who marched to his own beat and was not afraid to buck the establishment. Bouton’s youth, his early successes with the New York Yankees and fall from grace are chronicled. Well-researched with interviews from key figures in his lifetime, “Bouton” provides context and reveals the man behind a work that was vilified fifty years ago as a “kiss-and-tell” book but is now lauded as a sports classic. Nathanson brings fresh perspective and delivers an unvarnished, critical view of Bouton. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Brad Balukjian, author of the book The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife (University of Nebraska, 2020). A combination of Charles Kuralt and Lawrence Ritter, Balukjian’s work examines 14 baseball players pulled from a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards. Balukjian takes the reader on a cross-country tour to meet these now-retired players, who have dealt with being out of the spotlight in different ways. Some stories have a melancholy tone, while others demonstrate that life does not end when a player hangs up his uniform for the last time. Balukjian is a savvy observer of people, and his interactions with the former players are sprinkled with personal observations and the author’s own personal issues. There is a chapter devoted to each player, plus a narrative of Balukjian’s visit with former employees at the Topps factory in Duryea, Pennsylvania. Balukjian owns a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California at Berkeley, and he spent a year in Tahiti working on his doctorate. He currently is director of the Natural History and Sustainability Program and teaches biology at Merritt College in Oakland, California. Regardless of his academic standing, Balukjian remains a baseball fan at heart and still remembers the excitement of opening cards during the wax pack era. Not only did Balukjian thumb through a pack of cards; he met most of the men pictured on them and shared their compelling stories. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Brad Balukjian, author of the book The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife (University of Nebraska, 2020). A combination of Charles Kuralt and Lawrence Ritter, Balukjian’s work examines 14 baseball players pulled from a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards. Balukjian takes the reader on a cross-country tour to meet these now-retired players, who have dealt with being out of the spotlight in different ways. Some stories have a melancholy tone, while others demonstrate that life does not end when a player hangs up his uniform for the last time. Balukjian is a savvy observer of people, and his interactions with the former players are sprinkled with personal observations and the author’s own personal issues. There is a chapter devoted to each player, plus a narrative of Balukjian’s visit with former employees at the Topps factory in Duryea, Pennsylvania. Balukjian owns a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California at Berkeley, and he spent a year in Tahiti working on his doctorate. He currently is director of the Natural History and Sustainability Program and teaches biology at Merritt College in Oakland, California. Regardless of his academic standing, Balukjian remains a baseball fan at heart and still remembers the excitement of opening cards during the wax pack era. Not only did Balukjian thumb through a pack of cards; he met most of the men pictured on them and shared their compelling stories. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Brad Balukjian, author of the book The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife (University of Nebraska, 2020). A combination of Charles Kuralt and Lawrence Ritter, Balukjian’s work examines 14 baseball players pulled from a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards. Balukjian takes the reader on a cross-country tour to meet these now-retired players, who have dealt with being out of the spotlight in different ways. Some stories have a melancholy tone, while others demonstrate that life does not end when a player hangs up his uniform for the last time. Balukjian is a savvy observer of people, and his interactions with the former players are sprinkled with personal observations and the author’s own personal issues. There is a chapter devoted to each player, plus a narrative of Balukjian’s visit with former employees at the Topps factory in Duryea, Pennsylvania. Balukjian owns a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California at Berkeley, and he spent a year in Tahiti working on his doctorate. He currently is director of the Natural History and Sustainability Program and teaches biology at Merritt College in Oakland, California. Regardless of his academic standing, Balukjian remains a baseball fan at heart and still remembers the excitement of opening cards during the wax pack era. Not only did Balukjian thumb through a pack of cards; he met most of the men pictured on them and shared their compelling stories. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Brad Balukjian, author of the book The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife (University of Nebraska, 2020). A combination of Charles Kuralt and Lawrence Ritter, Balukjian’s work examines 14 baseball players pulled from a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards. Balukjian takes the reader on a cross-country tour to meet these now-retired players, who have dealt with being out of the spotlight in different ways. Some stories have a melancholy tone, while others demonstrate that life does not end when a player hangs up his uniform for the last time. Balukjian is a savvy observer of people, and his interactions with the former players are sprinkled with personal observations and the author’s own personal issues. There is a chapter devoted to each player, plus a narrative of Balukjian’s visit with former employees at the Topps factory in Duryea, Pennsylvania. Balukjian owns a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California at Berkeley, and he spent a year in Tahiti working on his doctorate. He currently is director of the Natural History and Sustainability Program and teaches biology at Merritt College in Oakland, California. Regardless of his academic standing, Balukjian remains a baseball fan at heart and still remembers the excitement of opening cards during the wax pack era. Not only did Balukjian thumb through a pack of cards; he met most of the men pictured on them and shared their compelling stories. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He is currently a digital news producer for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Alexander Barnes, who co-wrote Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War (Schiffer Publishing, 2019) with Peter F. Belmonte and Samuel O. Barnes. Blending sports and military history, the authors revisit the national pastime and the Doughboys who were fervent fans. Using primary sources and rare photographs, Barnes and his co-authors tell a compelling tale. Keeping soldiers occupied during the lull between military battles was always a goal for commanders, and what better diversion for red-blooded American men than baseball? Play Ball! takes readers to the front lines of the Great War, where games were sometimes played within shouting — and shooting — distance of the enemy. The authors are baseball fans and historians of World War I. Al Barnes served in the Marines and Army National Guard for 30 years and had a tour of duty during Desert Storm. He currently is the historian for the Virginia National Guard Command. Al’s son, Sam Barnes, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from James Madison University, and works as an archivist at Army Logistics University in Virginia. Peter Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and also served in Desert Storm. He earned his master’s degree in history from California State University, Stanislaus. Together, these three historians provide a new window into baseball overseas during the Great War. Bob D’Angelo is a digital content editor with Cox Media Group. He earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Alexander Barnes, who co-wrote Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War (Schiffer Publishing, 2019) with Peter F. Belmonte and Samuel O. Barnes. Blending sports and military history, the authors revisit the national pastime and the Doughboys who were fervent fans. Using primary sources and rare photographs, Barnes and his co-authors tell a compelling tale. Keeping soldiers occupied during the lull between military battles was always a goal for commanders, and what better diversion for red-blooded American men than baseball? Play Ball! takes readers to the front lines of the Great War, where games were sometimes played within shouting — and shooting — distance of the enemy. The authors are baseball fans and historians of World War I. Al Barnes served in the Marines and Army National Guard for 30 years and had a tour of duty during Desert Storm. He currently is the historian for the Virginia National Guard Command. Al’s son, Sam Barnes, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from James Madison University, and works as an archivist at Army Logistics University in Virginia. Peter Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and also served in Desert Storm. He earned his master’s degree in history from California State University, Stanislaus. Together, these three historians provide a new window into baseball overseas during the Great War. Bob D’Angelo is a digital content editor with Cox Media Group. He earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Alexander Barnes, who co-wrote Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War (Schiffer Publishing, 2019) with Peter F. Belmonte and Samuel O. Barnes. Blending sports and military history, the authors revisit the national pastime and the Doughboys who were fervent fans. Using primary sources and rare photographs, Barnes and his co-authors tell a compelling tale. Keeping soldiers occupied during the lull between military battles was always a goal for commanders, and what better diversion for red-blooded American men than baseball? Play Ball! takes readers to the front lines of the Great War, where games were sometimes played within shouting — and shooting — distance of the enemy. The authors are baseball fans and historians of World War I. Al Barnes served in the Marines and Army National Guard for 30 years and had a tour of duty during Desert Storm. He currently is the historian for the Virginia National Guard Command. Al’s son, Sam Barnes, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from James Madison University, and works as an archivist at Army Logistics University in Virginia. Peter Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and also served in Desert Storm. He earned his master’s degree in history from California State University, Stanislaus. Together, these three historians provide a new window into baseball overseas during the Great War. Bob D’Angelo is a digital content editor with Cox Media Group. He earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Alexander Barnes, who co-wrote Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War (Schiffer Publishing, 2019) with Peter F. Belmonte and Samuel O. Barnes. Blending sports and military history, the authors revisit the national pastime and the Doughboys who were fervent fans. Using primary sources and rare photographs, Barnes and his co-authors tell a compelling tale. Keeping soldiers occupied during the lull between military battles was always a goal for commanders, and what better diversion for red-blooded American men than baseball? Play Ball! takes readers to the front lines of the Great War, where games were sometimes played within shouting — and shooting — distance of the enemy. The authors are baseball fans and historians of World War I. Al Barnes served in the Marines and Army National Guard for 30 years and had a tour of duty during Desert Storm. He currently is the historian for the Virginia National Guard Command. Al’s son, Sam Barnes, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from James Madison University, and works as an archivist at Army Logistics University in Virginia. Peter Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and also served in Desert Storm. He earned his master’s degree in history from California State University, Stanislaus. Together, these three historians provide a new window into baseball overseas during the Great War. Bob D’Angelo is a digital content editor with Cox Media Group. He earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Alexander Barnes, who co-wrote Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War (Schiffer Publishing, 2019) with Peter F. Belmonte and Samuel O. Barnes. Blending sports and military history, the authors revisit the national pastime and the Doughboys who were fervent fans. Using primary sources and rare photographs, Barnes and his co-authors tell a compelling tale. Keeping soldiers occupied during the lull between military battles was always a goal for commanders, and what better diversion for red-blooded American men than baseball? Play Ball! takes readers to the front lines of the Great War, where games were sometimes played within shouting — and shooting — distance of the enemy. The authors are baseball fans and historians of World War I. Al Barnes served in the Marines and Army National Guard for 30 years and had a tour of duty during Desert Storm. He currently is the historian for the Virginia National Guard Command. Al’s son, Sam Barnes, earned his bachelor’s degree in history from James Madison University, and works as an archivist at Army Logistics University in Virginia. Peter Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and also served in Desert Storm. He earned his master’s degree in history from California State University, Stanislaus. Together, these three historians provide a new window into baseball overseas during the Great War. Bob D’Angelo is a digital content editor with Cox Media Group. He earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. Bob earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Ron Keurajian, author of the book Baseball Hall of Fame Autographs: A Reference Guide (Second Edition)(McFarland, 2018). Keurajian is a commercial banker by trade but has spent 35 years documenting and cataloging autographs. This second edition, which expands on his original 2012 work, contains more than 100 new pages of information, and he analyzes 988 autographs. That includes autographs and forgeries of every baseball Hall of Famer, from Hank Aaron to Robin Yount. Keurajian also devotes a chapter to autographs of the top 50 players not in the Hall Fame, plus a chapter about the signatures of the infamous 1919 Black Sox who fixed the 1919 World Series. Digging into probate, court, military and deed records in more than 30 states, Keurajian provides historical perspective behind every autograph. He does not mince words when it comes to exposing forgeries and backs up his assertions with evidence. Many of the autographs shown in the book are reproduced from the Hall of Fame archives and includes the collections of Frederick Long and August Hermann. “The autograph hobby is not for the faint of heart,” Keurajian writes, while cautioning the novice collector to be careful and “collect what you like, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.” It’s sound advice, an Keurajian is a collector and student of signatures who speaks from experience. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Ron Keurajian, author of the book Baseball Hall of Fame Autographs: A Reference Guide (Second Edition)(McFarland, 2018). Keurajian is a commercial banker by trade but has spent 35 years documenting and cataloging autographs. This second edition, which expands on his original 2012 work, contains more than 100 new pages of information, and he analyzes 988 autographs. That includes autographs and forgeries of every baseball Hall of Famer, from Hank Aaron to Robin Yount. Keurajian also devotes a chapter to autographs of the top 50 players not in the Hall Fame, plus a chapter about the signatures of the infamous 1919 Black Sox who fixed the 1919 World Series. Digging into probate, court, military and deed records in more than 30 states, Keurajian provides historical perspective behind every autograph. He does not mince words when it comes to exposing forgeries and backs up his assertions with evidence. Many of the autographs shown in the book are reproduced from the Hall of Fame archives and includes the collections of Frederick Long and August Hermann. “The autograph hobby is not for the faint of heart,” Keurajian writes, while cautioning the novice collector to be careful and “collect what you like, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.” It’s sound advice, an Keurajian is a collector and student of signatures who speaks from experience. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Ron Keurajian, author of the book Baseball Hall of Fame Autographs: A Reference Guide (Second Edition)(McFarland, 2018). Keurajian is a commercial banker by trade but has spent 35 years documenting and cataloging autographs. This second edition, which expands on his original 2012 work, contains more than 100 new pages of information, and he analyzes 988 autographs. That includes autographs and forgeries of every baseball Hall of Famer, from Hank Aaron to Robin Yount. Keurajian also devotes a chapter to autographs of the top 50 players not in the Hall Fame, plus a chapter about the signatures of the infamous 1919 Black Sox who fixed the 1919 World Series. Digging into probate, court, military and deed records in more than 30 states, Keurajian provides historical perspective behind every autograph. He does not mince words when it comes to exposing forgeries and backs up his assertions with evidence. Many of the autographs shown in the book are reproduced from the Hall of Fame archives and includes the collections of Frederick Long and August Hermann. “The autograph hobby is not for the faint of heart,” Keurajian writes, while cautioning the novice collector to be careful and “collect what you like, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.” It’s sound advice, an Keurajian is a collector and student of signatures who speaks from experience. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Ron Keurajian, author of the book Baseball Hall of Fame Autographs: A Reference Guide (Second Edition)(McFarland, 2018). Keurajian is a commercial banker by trade but has spent 35 years documenting and cataloging autographs. This second edition, which expands on his original 2012 work, contains more than 100 new pages of information, and he analyzes 988 autographs. That includes autographs and forgeries of every baseball Hall of Famer, from Hank Aaron to Robin Yount. Keurajian also devotes a chapter to autographs of the top 50 players not in the Hall Fame, plus a chapter about the signatures of the infamous 1919 Black Sox who fixed the 1919 World Series. Digging into probate, court, military and deed records in more than 30 states, Keurajian provides historical perspective behind every autograph. He does not mince words when it comes to exposing forgeries and backs up his assertions with evidence. Many of the autographs shown in the book are reproduced from the Hall of Fame archives and includes the collections of Frederick Long and August Hermann. “The autograph hobby is not for the faint of heart,” Keurajian writes, while cautioning the novice collector to be careful and “collect what you like, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.” It’s sound advice, an Keurajian is a collector and student of signatures who speaks from experience. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by César Brioso, author of the book Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball In Cuba (University of Nebraska Press, 2019). Blending the love for baseball fans in Cuba had during the 1950s with the political upheaval that led to Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959, Brioso weaves a fascinating tale. Brioso focuses on the last two seasons of the Havana Sugar Kings of the International League (1958-1959) and the last three seasons of the Cuban League (1958-1961). In the 1950s, Havana was a city teeming with rabid baseball fans, swanky hotels, luxurious casinos, and warm, tropical weather. Influential baseball men in Cuba like Bobby Maduro believed Havana was on the short list to earn a major league franchise when baseball expanded. But what happened politically signaled the death knell for those dreams. Castro may have been a big sports fan, but political events in Cuba would take “a sinister turn” as he and the Communists in his regime tightened their grip on the Caribbean island. Brioso’s extensive research, plus more than 20 interviews with former players, Maduro’s son, and even a man who spent a year as the batboy for the transplanted Sugar Kings in Jersey City, New Jersey, gives the reader a unique perspective about Cuba. Former major leaguers interviewed included Orlando Peña, Pedro Ramos, Cookie Rojas and Luis Tiant. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by César Brioso, author of the book Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball In Cuba (University of Nebraska Press, 2019). Blending the love for baseball fans in Cuba had during the 1950s with the political upheaval that led to Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959, Brioso weaves a fascinating tale. Brioso focuses on the last two seasons of the Havana Sugar Kings of the International League (1958-1959) and the last three seasons of the Cuban League (1958-1961). In the 1950s, Havana was a city teeming with rabid baseball fans, swanky hotels, luxurious casinos, and warm, tropical weather. Influential baseball men in Cuba like Bobby Maduro believed Havana was on the short list to earn a major league franchise when baseball expanded. But what happened politically signaled the death knell for those dreams. Castro may have been a big sports fan, but political events in Cuba would take “a sinister turn” as he and the Communists in his regime tightened their grip on the Caribbean island. Brioso’s extensive research, plus more than 20 interviews with former players, Maduro’s son, and even a man who spent a year as the batboy for the transplanted Sugar Kings in Jersey City, New Jersey, gives the reader a unique perspective about Cuba. Former major leaguers interviewed included Orlando Peña, Pedro Ramos, Cookie Rojas and Luis Tiant. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by César Brioso, author of the book Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball In Cuba (University of Nebraska Press, 2019). Blending the love for baseball fans in Cuba had during the 1950s with the political upheaval that led to Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959, Brioso weaves a fascinating tale. Brioso focuses on the last two seasons of the Havana Sugar Kings of the International League (1958-1959) and the last three seasons of the Cuban League (1958-1961). In the 1950s, Havana was a city teeming with rabid baseball fans, swanky hotels, luxurious casinos, and warm, tropical weather. Influential baseball men in Cuba like Bobby Maduro believed Havana was on the short list to earn a major league franchise when baseball expanded. But what happened politically signaled the death knell for those dreams. Castro may have been a big sports fan, but political events in Cuba would take “a sinister turn” as he and the Communists in his regime tightened their grip on the Caribbean island. Brioso’s extensive research, plus more than 20 interviews with former players, Maduro’s son, and even a man who spent a year as the batboy for the transplanted Sugar Kings in Jersey City, New Jersey, gives the reader a unique perspective about Cuba. Former major leaguers interviewed included Orlando Peña, Pedro Ramos, Cookie Rojas and Luis Tiant. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by César Brioso, author of the book Last Seasons in Havana: The Castro Revolution and the End of Professional Baseball In Cuba (University of Nebraska Press, 2019). Blending the love for baseball fans in Cuba had during the 1950s with the political upheaval that led to Fidel Castro’s rise to power in 1959, Brioso weaves a fascinating tale. Brioso focuses on the last two seasons of the Havana Sugar Kings of the International League (1958-1959) and the last three seasons of the Cuban League (1958-1961). In the 1950s, Havana was a city teeming with rabid baseball fans, swanky hotels, luxurious casinos, and warm, tropical weather. Influential baseball men in Cuba like Bobby Maduro believed Havana was on the short list to earn a major league franchise when baseball expanded. But what happened politically signaled the death knell for those dreams. Castro may have been a big sports fan, but political events in Cuba would take “a sinister turn” as he and the Communists in his regime tightened their grip on the Caribbean island. Brioso’s extensive research, plus more than 20 interviews with former players, Maduro’s son, and even a man who spent a year as the batboy for the transplanted Sugar Kings in Jersey City, New Jersey, gives the reader a unique perspective about Cuba. Former major leaguers interviewed included Orlando Peña, Pedro Ramos, Cookie Rojas and Luis Tiant. Bob D’Angelo was a sports journalist and sports copy editor for more than three decades and is currently a digital national content editor for Cox Media Group. He received his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He is the author of Never Fear: The Life & Times of Forest K. Ferguson Jr. (2015), reviews books on his blog, Bob D’Angelo’s Books & Blogs, and has reviewed books for Sport  In American History. Can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Howard W. Rosenberg, author of Ty Cobb Unleashed: The Definitive Counter-Biography of the Chastened Racist (Tile Books, 2018). In this deeply researched volume, Rosenberg achieves what many biographers have failed to do: to put Cobb into the context of his times. That means seeing Cobb not as a man of the twenty-first century, but as he was perceived during and after his 24-year career in major league baseball. Rosenberg pulls no punches as he critiques several recent biographies about Cobb and demonstrates how some information in those works were either glossed over or lifted out of context. He also provides balance, giving credit where it is due as he focuses on several books. Rosenberg compiles an impressive list of facts, figures, notes, quotes and anecdotes about Cobb, particularly after his playing days. There are also plenty of vintage photographs and vintage editorial cartoons. Rosenberg lets his research do the talking and tackles the extent of Cobb’s racism. While the Georgia Peach was not a monster in terms of race relations, he certainly was no angel, either. Rosenberg takes the reader on a jaunty ride that can be as exciting — or frightening — as Ty Cobb tearing around the base paths, using his brains and athleticism to defeat his opponents. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Howard W. Rosenberg, author of Ty Cobb Unleashed: The Definitive Counter-Biography of the Chastened Racist (Tile Books, 2018). In this deeply researched volume, Rosenberg achieves what many biographers have failed to do: to put Cobb into the context of his times. That means seeing Cobb not as a man of the twenty-first century, but as he was perceived during and after his 24-year career in major league baseball. Rosenberg pulls no punches as he critiques several recent biographies about Cobb and demonstrates how some information in those works were either glossed over or lifted out of context. He also provides balance, giving credit where it is due as he focuses on several books. Rosenberg compiles an impressive list of facts, figures, notes, quotes and anecdotes about Cobb, particularly after his playing days. There are also plenty of vintage photographs and vintage editorial cartoons. Rosenberg lets his research do the talking and tackles the extent of Cobb’s racism. While the Georgia Peach was not a monster in terms of race relations, he certainly was no angel, either. Rosenberg takes the reader on a jaunty ride that can be as exciting — or frightening — as Ty Cobb tearing around the base paths, using his brains and athleticism to defeat his opponents. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Howard W. Rosenberg, author of Ty Cobb Unleashed: The Definitive Counter-Biography of the Chastened Racist (Tile Books, 2018). In this deeply researched volume, Rosenberg achieves what many biographers have failed to do: to put Cobb into the context of his times. That means seeing Cobb not as a man of the twenty-first century, but as he was perceived during and after his 24-year career in major league baseball. Rosenberg pulls no punches as he critiques several recent biographies about Cobb and demonstrates how some information in those works were either glossed over or lifted out of context. He also provides balance, giving credit where it is due as he focuses on several books. Rosenberg compiles an impressive list of facts, figures, notes, quotes and anecdotes about Cobb, particularly after his playing days. There are also plenty of vintage photographs and vintage editorial cartoons. Rosenberg lets his research do the talking and tackles the extent of Cobb’s racism. While the Georgia Peach was not a monster in terms of race relations, he certainly was no angel, either. Rosenberg takes the reader on a jaunty ride that can be as exciting — or frightening — as Ty Cobb tearing around the base paths, using his brains and athleticism to defeat his opponents. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Howard W. Rosenberg, author of Ty Cobb Unleashed: The Definitive Counter-Biography of the Chastened Racist (Tile Books, 2018). In this deeply researched volume, Rosenberg achieves what many biographers have failed to do: to put Cobb into the context of his times. That means seeing Cobb not as a man of the twenty-first century, but as he was perceived during and after his 24-year career in major league baseball. Rosenberg pulls no punches as he critiques several recent biographies about Cobb and demonstrates how some information in those works were either glossed over or lifted out of context. He also provides balance, giving credit where it is due as he focuses on several books. Rosenberg compiles an impressive list of facts, figures, notes, quotes and anecdotes about Cobb, particularly after his playing days. There are also plenty of vintage photographs and vintage editorial cartoons. Rosenberg lets his research do the talking and tackles the extent of Cobb’s racism. While the Georgia Peach was not a monster in terms of race relations, he certainly was no angel, either. Rosenberg takes the reader on a jaunty ride that can be as exciting — or frightening — as Ty Cobb tearing around the base paths, using his brains and athleticism to defeat his opponents. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jack Gilden, author of the book Collision of Wills: Johnny Unitas, Don Shula, and the Rise of the Modern NFL (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this groundbreaking book, Gilden takes the reader back to the Baltimore Colts of the mid-1960s, led by the best quarterback in the game (Johnny Unitas) and an up-and-coming coach (Don Shula) who would win more games than any other NFL coach and would preside over the  NFL’s only perfect season. What should have been a harmonious relationship between a player and coach with similar goals — winning titles — instead became a contentious coexistence where both men barely concealed their contempt for one another. The Colts reached the NFL championship game in 1964, lost a bizarre playoff to Green Bay in 1965, and were shut out of the playoffs in 1967 despite an 11-1-2 record. The team went 15-1 in 1968 to win the NFL title but then lost to the upstart New York Jets of the AFL in Super Bowl III.  Based on solid research and interviews with former players and coaches — including Shula — Gilden peels back the fog of 1960s football to bring two giants of the game into sharper focus. With a backstory of the turbulent changes in American culture of the 1960s also coming into play, Gilden provides a different and absorbing view of two American idols. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jack Gilden, author of the book Collision of Wills: Johnny Unitas, Don Shula, and the Rise of the Modern NFL (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this groundbreaking book, Gilden takes the reader back to the Baltimore Colts of the mid-1960s, led by the best quarterback in the game (Johnny Unitas) and an up-and-coming coach (Don Shula) who would win more games than any other NFL coach and would preside over the  NFL’s only perfect season. What should have been a harmonious relationship between a player and coach with similar goals — winning titles — instead became a contentious coexistence where both men barely concealed their contempt for one another. The Colts reached the NFL championship game in 1964, lost a bizarre playoff to Green Bay in 1965, and were shut out of the playoffs in 1967 despite an 11-1-2 record. The team went 15-1 in 1968 to win the NFL title but then lost to the upstart New York Jets of the AFL in Super Bowl III.  Based on solid research and interviews with former players and coaches — including Shula — Gilden peels back the fog of 1960s football to bring two giants of the game into sharper focus. With a backstory of the turbulent changes in American culture of the 1960s also coming into play, Gilden provides a different and absorbing view of two American idols. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jack Gilden, author of the book Collision of Wills: Johnny Unitas, Don Shula, and the Rise of the Modern NFL (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this groundbreaking book, Gilden takes the reader back to the Baltimore Colts of the mid-1960s, led by the best quarterback in the game (Johnny Unitas) and an up-and-coming coach (Don Shula) who would win more games than any other NFL coach and would preside over the  NFL’s only perfect season. What should have been a harmonious relationship between a player and coach with similar goals — winning titles — instead became a contentious coexistence where both men barely concealed their contempt for one another. The Colts reached the NFL championship game in 1964, lost a bizarre playoff to Green Bay in 1965, and were shut out of the playoffs in 1967 despite an 11-1-2 record. The team went 15-1 in 1968 to win the NFL title but then lost to the upstart New York Jets of the AFL in Super Bowl III.  Based on solid research and interviews with former players and coaches — including Shula — Gilden peels back the fog of 1960s football to bring two giants of the game into sharper focus. With a backstory of the turbulent changes in American culture of the 1960s also coming into play, Gilden provides a different and absorbing view of two American idols. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David George Surdam, co-author with Michael J. Haupert of the book The Age of Ruth and Landis: The Economics of Baseball during the Roaring Twenties (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this work, which blends a liberal mix of sports and economics, Surdam and Haupert provide a straightforward narrative that does not bog the reader down with too many numbers. The Age of Ruth and Landis provides plenty of stories about the 1920s’ two most dominant figures in major-league baseball, but also includes chapters about gambling, the teams’ financial ledgers, competitive balance, the running salary battles between players and owners, and the impact of the minor leagues. The book also touches on ethnic diversity and the Negro Leagues during the 1920s. Baseball numbers have always fascinated Surdam, who found a new edition of the MacMillan Baseball Encyclopedia as a youth. “Sheer delight,” said Surdam, who is a professor of economics at Northern Iowa University. The authors use figures from a congressional investigation into baseball in 1951 to provide fascinating insights about what teams were making money. Babe Ruth changed the way baseball was played, and Kenesaw Mountain Landis changed the way the game was ruled. But economics after World War I dictated who the true winners and losers of baseball really were. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David George Surdam, co-author with Michael J. Haupert of the book The Age of Ruth and Landis: The Economics of Baseball during the Roaring Twenties (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this work, which blends a liberal mix of sports and economics, Surdam and Haupert provide a straightforward narrative that does not bog the reader down with too many numbers. The Age of Ruth and Landis provides plenty of stories about the 1920s’ two most dominant figures in major-league baseball, but also includes chapters about gambling, the teams’ financial ledgers, competitive balance, the running salary battles between players and owners, and the impact of the minor leagues. The book also touches on ethnic diversity and the Negro Leagues during the 1920s. Baseball numbers have always fascinated Surdam, who found a new edition of the MacMillan Baseball Encyclopedia as a youth. “Sheer delight,” said Surdam, who is a professor of economics at Northern Iowa University. The authors use figures from a congressional investigation into baseball in 1951 to provide fascinating insights about what teams were making money. Babe Ruth changed the way baseball was played, and Kenesaw Mountain Landis changed the way the game was ruled. But economics after World War I dictated who the true winners and losers of baseball really were. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David George Surdam, co-author with Michael J. Haupert of the book The Age of Ruth and Landis: The Economics of Baseball during the Roaring Twenties (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this work, which blends a liberal mix of sports and economics, Surdam and Haupert provide a straightforward narrative that does not bog the reader down with too many numbers. The Age of Ruth and Landis provides plenty of stories about the 1920s’ two most dominant figures in major-league baseball, but also includes chapters about gambling, the teams’ financial ledgers, competitive balance, the running salary battles between players and owners, and the impact of the minor leagues. The book also touches on ethnic diversity and the Negro Leagues during the 1920s. Baseball numbers have always fascinated Surdam, who found a new edition of the MacMillan Baseball Encyclopedia as a youth. “Sheer delight,” said Surdam, who is a professor of economics at Northern Iowa University. The authors use figures from a congressional investigation into baseball in 1951 to provide fascinating insights about what teams were making money. Babe Ruth changed the way baseball was played, and Kenesaw Mountain Landis changed the way the game was ruled. But economics after World War I dictated who the true winners and losers of baseball really were. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David George Surdam, co-author with Michael J. Haupert of the book The Age of Ruth and Landis: The Economics of Baseball during the Roaring Twenties (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). In this work, which blends a liberal mix of sports and economics, Surdam and Haupert provide a straightforward narrative that does not bog the reader down with too many numbers. The Age of Ruth and Landis provides plenty of stories about the 1920s’ two most dominant figures in major-league baseball, but also includes chapters about gambling, the teams’ financial ledgers, competitive balance, the running salary battles between players and owners, and the impact of the minor leagues. The book also touches on ethnic diversity and the Negro Leagues during the 1920s. Baseball numbers have always fascinated Surdam, who found a new edition of the MacMillan Baseball Encyclopedia as a youth. “Sheer delight,” said Surdam, who is a professor of economics at Northern Iowa University. The authors use figures from a congressional investigation into baseball in 1951 to provide fascinating insights about what teams were making money. Babe Ruth changed the way baseball was played, and Kenesaw Mountain Landis changed the way the game was ruled. But economics after World War I dictated who the true winners and losers of baseball really were. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Skip Desjardin, author of the book September 1918: War, Plague, and the World Series (Regnery History, 2018). In this work, which blends sports and history together, Desjardin looks at the historic and turbulent events of September 1918 that affected Boston. The Red Sox won their fourth World Series in seven years, but the specter of World War I had shortened the baseball season. Players, disgruntled by the idea that they would be shortchanged in the regular season and the World Series, went on a brief strike before Game 4. A young Babe Ruth was a masterful pitcher but coming into his own as a hitter, but during the World Series, manager Ed Barrow was reluctant to use his left-handed star in the lineup when he was not pitching. Overseas, a Massachusetts volunteer unit led the first unified U.S. fighting unit into battle in France, while teenager David Putnam established himself as America’s flying ace during his short life. At home, an outbreak of Spanish influenza erupted in Boston and its suburbs, causing death at an alarming rate. Desjardin also touches on the women’s suffrage movement, spearheaded by Maud Park, who gained an audience with President Woodrow Wilson; the actions of Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Calvin Coolidge; and baseball players’ exemption from the “work or fight” order until after the World Series. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Skip Desjardin, author of the book September 1918: War, Plague, and the World Series (Regnery History, 2018). In this work, which blends sports and history together, Desjardin looks at the historic and turbulent events of September 1918 that affected Boston. The Red Sox won their fourth World Series in seven years, but the specter of World War I had shortened the baseball season. Players, disgruntled by the idea that they would be shortchanged in the regular season and the World Series, went on a brief strike before Game 4. A young Babe Ruth was a masterful pitcher but coming into his own as a hitter, but during the World Series, manager Ed Barrow was reluctant to use his left-handed star in the lineup when he was not pitching. Overseas, a Massachusetts volunteer unit led the first unified U.S. fighting unit into battle in France, while teenager David Putnam established himself as America’s flying ace during his short life. At home, an outbreak of Spanish influenza erupted in Boston and its suburbs, causing death at an alarming rate. Desjardin also touches on the women’s suffrage movement, spearheaded by Maud Park, who gained an audience with President Woodrow Wilson; the actions of Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Calvin Coolidge; and baseball players’ exemption from the “work or fight” order until after the World Series. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Skip Desjardin, author of the book September 1918: War, Plague, and the World Series (Regnery History, 2018). In this work, which blends sports and history together, Desjardin looks at the historic and turbulent events of September 1918 that affected Boston. The Red Sox won their fourth World Series in seven years, but the specter of World War I had shortened the baseball season. Players, disgruntled by the idea that they would be shortchanged in the regular season and the World Series, went on a brief strike before Game 4. A young Babe Ruth was a masterful pitcher but coming into his own as a hitter, but during the World Series, manager Ed Barrow was reluctant to use his left-handed star in the lineup when he was not pitching. Overseas, a Massachusetts volunteer unit led the first unified U.S. fighting unit into battle in France, while teenager David Putnam established himself as America’s flying ace during his short life. At home, an outbreak of Spanish influenza erupted in Boston and its suburbs, causing death at an alarming rate. Desjardin also touches on the women’s suffrage movement, spearheaded by Maud Park, who gained an audience with President Woodrow Wilson; the actions of Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Calvin Coolidge; and baseball players’ exemption from the “work or fight” order until after the World Series. Bob D’Angelo earned his master’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University in May 2018. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jesse Berrett, author of Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics (University of Illinois Press, 2018). Berrett is a high school history teacher at University High School in San Francisco. He earned a PhD in History at the University of California, Berkeley, and has worked as a rock critic, television columnist, and book reviewer. In his new book, Berrett looks at the National Football League of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and how President Richard M. Nixon channeled his love for football into a useful tool to achieve political goals. Going to college football games like the 1969 Texas-Arkansas clash, talking baseball or drawing up plays for NFL coaches was not only a truly passionate response by Nixon, but also a productive wedge issue that allowed the president to connect with the audience he most coveted — conservative, middle-class American fans, particularly in the South. Nixon always identified with the underdog, and using sports metaphors about teamwork, character and a strong ethic were themes he hammered home in his speeches. Nixon is a major theme in this book, and the sports angle provides a fresh perspective on a conflicted, fascinating political figure. But Pigskin Nation also looks at how NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle saw a marketing bonanza and used politics to help pro football surpass major league baseball as America’s go-to sport. Bob D’Angelo just completed work for his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jesse Berrett, author of Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics (University of Illinois Press, 2018). Berrett is a high school history teacher at University High School in San Francisco. He earned a PhD in History at the University of California, Berkeley, and has worked as a rock critic, television columnist, and book reviewer. In his new book, Berrett looks at the National Football League of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and how President Richard M. Nixon channeled his love for football into a useful tool to achieve political goals. Going to college football games like the 1969 Texas-Arkansas clash, talking baseball or drawing up plays for NFL coaches was not only a truly passionate response by Nixon, but also a productive wedge issue that allowed the president to connect with the audience he most coveted — conservative, middle-class American fans, particularly in the South. Nixon always identified with the underdog, and using sports metaphors about teamwork, character and a strong ethic were themes he hammered home in his speeches. Nixon is a major theme in this book, and the sports angle provides a fresh perspective on a conflicted, fascinating political figure. But Pigskin Nation also looks at how NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle saw a marketing bonanza and used politics to help pro football surpass major league baseball as America’s go-to sport. Bob D’Angelo just completed work for his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jesse Berrett, author of Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics (University of Illinois Press, 2018). Berrett is a high school history teacher at University High School in San Francisco. He earned a PhD in History at the University of California, Berkeley, and has worked as a rock critic, television columnist, and book reviewer. In his new book, Berrett looks at the National Football League of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and how President Richard M. Nixon channeled his love for football into a useful tool to achieve political goals. Going to college football games like the 1969 Texas-Arkansas clash, talking baseball or drawing up plays for NFL coaches was not only a truly passionate response by Nixon, but also a productive wedge issue that allowed the president to connect with the audience he most coveted — conservative, middle-class American fans, particularly in the South. Nixon always identified with the underdog, and using sports metaphors about teamwork, character and a strong ethic were themes he hammered home in his speeches. Nixon is a major theme in this book, and the sports angle provides a fresh perspective on a conflicted, fascinating political figure. But Pigskin Nation also looks at how NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle saw a marketing bonanza and used politics to help pro football surpass major league baseball as America’s go-to sport. Bob D’Angelo just completed work for his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Jesse Berrett, author of Pigskin Nation: How the NFL Remade American Politics (University of Illinois Press, 2018). Berrett is a high school history teacher at University High School in San Francisco. He earned a PhD in History at the University of California, Berkeley, and has worked as a rock critic, television columnist, and book reviewer. In his new book, Berrett looks at the National Football League of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and how President Richard M. Nixon channeled his love for football into a useful tool to achieve political goals. Going to college football games like the 1969 Texas-Arkansas clash, talking baseball or drawing up plays for NFL coaches was not only a truly passionate response by Nixon, but also a productive wedge issue that allowed the president to connect with the audience he most coveted — conservative, middle-class American fans, particularly in the South. Nixon always identified with the underdog, and using sports metaphors about teamwork, character and a strong ethic were themes he hammered home in his speeches. Nixon is a major theme in this book, and the sports angle provides a fresh perspective on a conflicted, fascinating political figure. But Pigskin Nation also looks at how NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle saw a marketing bonanza and used politics to help pro football surpass major league baseball as America’s go-to sport. Bob D’Angelo just completed work for his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Averell “Ace” Smith, The Pitcher and the Dictator: Satchel Paige’s Unlikely Season in the Dominican Republic (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). Smith is a political consultant and a lifelong baseball fan who became enamored with the game when he bought a copy of the 1956 edition of The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball at a school rummage sale. In a descriptive and richly detailed narrative, legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, along with several Negro League stars, are enticed to play in a tournament in the Dominican Republic. Paige, offered an eye-popping $30,000, is amazed by the lack of racial discord on the island, the relaxed baseball schedule and the ease in obtaining good food, wine and women. But there is a dark side. Paige is playing for Ciudad Trujillo in a tournament created to support and celebrate the “re-election” of the country’s ruthless dictator, Rafael Trujillo. And “El Jefe” does not like to lose. So, when Paige and his teammates struggle early in the tournament, Trujillo assigns the leader of his death squads to join team management. The message is clear: “You’d better win.” The all-stars do, by the barest margins, and Paige and his teammates return to the United States. Although they are banned from the Negro Leagues, a barnstorming tour is much more profitable. This book combines politics, racial issues and some of the best men who ever played the game. Bob D’Angelo is about to receive his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Averell “Ace” Smith, The Pitcher and the Dictator: Satchel Paige’s Unlikely Season in the Dominican Republic (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). Smith is a political consultant and a lifelong baseball fan who became enamored with the game when he bought a copy of the 1956 edition of The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball at a school rummage sale. In a descriptive and richly detailed narrative, legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, along with several Negro League stars, are enticed to play in a tournament in the Dominican Republic. Paige, offered an eye-popping $30,000, is amazed by the lack of racial discord on the island, the relaxed baseball schedule and the ease in obtaining good food, wine and women. But there is a dark side. Paige is playing for Ciudad Trujillo in a tournament created to support and celebrate the “re-election” of the country’s ruthless dictator, Rafael Trujillo. And “El Jefe” does not like to lose. So, when Paige and his teammates struggle early in the tournament, Trujillo assigns the leader of his death squads to join team management. The message is clear: “You’d better win.” The all-stars do, by the barest margins, and Paige and his teammates return to the United States. Although they are banned from the Negro Leagues, a barnstorming tour is much more profitable. This book combines politics, racial issues and some of the best men who ever played the game. Bob D’Angelo is about to receive his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Averell “Ace” Smith, The Pitcher and the Dictator: Satchel Paige’s Unlikely Season in the Dominican Republic (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). Smith is a political consultant and a lifelong baseball fan who became enamored with the game when he bought a copy of the 1956 edition of The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball at a school rummage sale. In a descriptive and richly detailed narrative, legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, along with several Negro League stars, are enticed to play in a tournament in the Dominican Republic. Paige, offered an eye-popping $30,000, is amazed by the lack of racial discord on the island, the relaxed baseball schedule and the ease in obtaining good food, wine and women. But there is a dark side. Paige is playing for Ciudad Trujillo in a tournament created to support and celebrate the “re-election” of the country’s ruthless dictator, Rafael Trujillo. And “El Jefe” does not like to lose. So, when Paige and his teammates struggle early in the tournament, Trujillo assigns the leader of his death squads to join team management. The message is clear: “You’d better win.” The all-stars do, by the barest margins, and Paige and his teammates return to the United States. Although they are banned from the Negro Leagues, a barnstorming tour is much more profitable. This book combines politics, racial issues and some of the best men who ever played the game. Bob D’Angelo is about to receive his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. Bob currently is a national digital content editor for Cox Media Group. Bob can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information and reviews, be sure to visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You're always from away,” and yet Lewiston's citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston's mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D'Angelo is working on his master's degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo's Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Amy Bass, author of the book One Goal: A Coach, A Team, and the Game that Brought a Divided Town Together (Hachette Books, 2018). This is the fourth book for Bass, who is director of the honors program and a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle in New York. One Goal is the story of a high school soccer team in Lewiston, Maine, that helped bring together a racially divided city. Lewiston, overwhelmingly white, became the home base for thousands of Somali refugees. Longtime residents of Lewiston were uncomfortable with people whose language, religion and customs were markedly different. A popular saying in Maine was “You’re always from away,” and yet Lewiston’s citizens were having trouble adjusting to this latest group of immigrants from far away. Enter longtime Lewiston High School soccer coach Mike McGraw, who saw the potential in the young Somalis playing in pickup games in the city. Molding the group into a cohesive unit, McGraw and his squad weathered racial taunts from opponents and a less-than-ringing endorsement from Lewiston’s mayor to bring an elusive soccer state championship to a traditionally hockey-mad area. Bass shows how trust, faith, hard work and some uncanny soccer ability helped bring glory and pride to a town that still struggles with coexistence between very different cultures. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David Rapp, author of the book Tinker to Evers to Chance: The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America (University of Chicago Press, 2018). Rapp spent 30 years as a journalist in the Washington. D.C., area and was the former editor of Congressional Quarterly, where he oversaw that publications transition from print to digital publishing. Rapp blows the dust off the legends of the Chicago Cubs’ iconic double play combination of the early 20th century: shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny “The Crab” Evers, and first baseman Frank “The Peerless Leader” Chance. They formed the foundation of a National League juggernaut that won four pennants, two World Series and a major-league record for victories in a season. Rapp humanizes all three men, showing how they survived during a rough-and-tumble era of baseball that was undergoing a transition—just like the United States was at the turn of the century. Each man brought a distinctive local culture with him to Chicago: Tinker was an urbanite from Kansas City; Evers hailed from the heavily Irish-American city of Troy, New York; and Chance traveled east from the laid-back Central Valley of California. All three men were intense—Tinker and Evers had several fights and never spoke to one another off the field—but they proved that teammates with a common goal do not have to like one another. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David Rapp, author of the book Tinker to Evers to Chance: The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America (University of Chicago Press, 2018). Rapp spent 30 years as a journalist in the Washington. D.C., area and was the former editor of Congressional Quarterly, where he oversaw that publications transition from print to digital publishing. Rapp blows the dust off the legends of the Chicago Cubs’ iconic double play combination of the early 20th century: shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny “The Crab” Evers, and first baseman Frank “The Peerless Leader” Chance. They formed the foundation of a National League juggernaut that won four pennants, two World Series and a major-league record for victories in a season. Rapp humanizes all three men, showing how they survived during a rough-and-tumble era of baseball that was undergoing a transition—just like the United States was at the turn of the century. Each man brought a distinctive local culture with him to Chicago: Tinker was an urbanite from Kansas City; Evers hailed from the heavily Irish-American city of Troy, New York; and Chance traveled east from the laid-back Central Valley of California. All three men were intense—Tinker and Evers had several fights and never spoke to one another off the field—but they proved that teammates with a common goal do not have to like one another. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by David Rapp, author of the book Tinker to Evers to Chance: The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America (University of Chicago Press, 2018). Rapp spent 30 years as a journalist in the Washington. D.C., area and was the former editor of Congressional Quarterly, where he oversaw that publications transition from print to digital publishing. Rapp blows the dust off the legends of the Chicago Cubs’ iconic double play combination of the early 20th century: shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny “The Crab” Evers, and first baseman Frank “The Peerless Leader” Chance. They formed the foundation of a National League juggernaut that won four pennants, two World Series and a major-league record for victories in a season. Rapp humanizes all three men, showing how they survived during a rough-and-tumble era of baseball that was undergoing a transition—just like the United States was at the turn of the century. Each man brought a distinctive local culture with him to Chicago: Tinker was an urbanite from Kansas City; Evers hailed from the heavily Irish-American city of Troy, New York; and Chance traveled east from the laid-back Central Valley of California. All three men were intense—Tinker and Evers had several fights and never spoke to one another off the field—but they proved that teammates with a common goal do not have to like one another. Bob D’Angelo is working on his master’s degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob DAngelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sridhar Pappu, author of the book The Year of the Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain and the End of Baseball’s Golden Age (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017). Pappu is The Male Animal columnist for The New York Times, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and The Atlantic. Blending two interesting pennant races against the backdrop of a turbulent year in world history, Pappu examines 1968 not only as a landmark season in sports, but also views it through social, cultural and racial lenses. Denny McLain became the first pitcher to win 30 or more games in 34 seasons, and Bob Gibson posted an incredible 1.12 ERA. The Detroit Tigers would rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the World Series to win in seven games, beating Gibson in the Series’ finale. But those achievements were tempered by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The deadlock in the Vietnam War helped topple a president, and the Democratic National Convention charged with finding his replacement dissolved into clashes between Chicago police and antiwar demonstrators. Worldwide, the Tet Offensive in Vietnam and the Soviets’ crushing of dissidents in Czechoslovakia added to the turbulence. Pappu deftly juggles sports and world events to present an absorbing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sridhar Pappu, author of the book The Year of the Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain and the End of Baseball’s Golden Age (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017). Pappu is The Male Animal columnist for The New York Times, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and The Atlantic. Blending two interesting pennant races against the backdrop of a turbulent year in world history, Pappu examines 1968 not only as a landmark season in sports, but also views it through social, cultural and racial lenses. Denny McLain became the first pitcher to win 30 or more games in 34 seasons, and Bob Gibson posted an incredible 1.12 ERA. The Detroit Tigers would rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the World Series to win in seven games, beating Gibson in the Series’ finale. But those achievements were tempered by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The deadlock in the Vietnam War helped topple a president, and the Democratic National Convention charged with finding his replacement dissolved into clashes between Chicago police and antiwar demonstrators. Worldwide, the Tet Offensive in Vietnam and the Soviets’ crushing of dissidents in Czechoslovakia added to the turbulence. Pappu deftly juggles sports and world events to present an absorbing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Sridhar Pappu, author of the book The Year of the Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain and the End of Baseball’s Golden Age (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017). Pappu is The Male Animal columnist for The New York Times, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and The Atlantic. Blending two interesting pennant races against the backdrop of a turbulent year in world history, Pappu examines 1968 not only as a landmark season in sports, but also views it through social, cultural and racial lenses. Denny McLain became the first pitcher to win 30 or more games in 34 seasons, and Bob Gibson posted an incredible 1.12 ERA. The Detroit Tigers would rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the World Series to win in seven games, beating Gibson in the Series’ finale. But those achievements were tempered by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The deadlock in the Vietnam War helped topple a president, and the Democratic National Convention charged with finding his replacement dissolved into clashes between Chicago police and antiwar demonstrators. Worldwide, the Tet Offensive in Vietnam and the Soviets’ crushing of dissidents in Czechoslovakia added to the turbulence. Pappu deftly juggles sports and world events to present an absorbing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Paul Hensler, author of the book The New Boys of Summer: Baseball’s Radical Transformation in the Late Sixties (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017). Paul is a baseball historian and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He has also written The American League in Transition, 1965-1975: How Competition Thrived When the Yankees Didn’t, and has written for NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture and the Baseball Research Journal. Hensler, who owns a masters degree in history, examines the issues that were percolating not only in Major League Baseball as the 1960s drew to a close, but also the political, social and cultural upheaval caused by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement and the baby boomers who were coming of age. Baseball was on the verge of expansion, was dealing with an ineffective commissioner and was in the early stages of a labor movement that would radically change the game. American society and culture were in flux, Hensler writes, and armed with meticulous research and a wealth of sources, he presents a view of baseball history that has been overlooked. From the “Year of the Pitcher” to the “Amazin’ Mets,” Hensler takes the reader through one of the most turbulent years in American history. It was a line of demarcation for baseball, too, and Hensler provides a refreshing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Paul Hensler, author of the book The New Boys of Summer: Baseball’s Radical Transformation in the Late Sixties (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017). Paul is a baseball historian and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He has also written The American League in Transition, 1965-1975: How Competition Thrived When the Yankees Didn’t, and has written for NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture and the Baseball Research Journal. Hensler, who owns a masters degree in history, examines the issues that were percolating not only in Major League Baseball as the 1960s drew to a close, but also the political, social and cultural upheaval caused by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement and the baby boomers who were coming of age. Baseball was on the verge of expansion, was dealing with an ineffective commissioner and was in the early stages of a labor movement that would radically change the game. American society and culture were in flux, Hensler writes, and armed with meticulous research and a wealth of sources, he presents a view of baseball history that has been overlooked. From the “Year of the Pitcher” to the “Amazin’ Mets,” Hensler takes the reader through one of the most turbulent years in American history. It was a line of demarcation for baseball, too, and Hensler provides a refreshing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Paul Hensler, author of the book The New Boys of Summer: Baseball’s Radical Transformation in the Late Sixties (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017). Paul is a baseball historian and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He has also written The American League in Transition, 1965-1975: How Competition Thrived When the Yankees Didn’t, and has written for NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture and the Baseball Research Journal. Hensler, who owns a masters degree in history, examines the issues that were percolating not only in Major League Baseball as the 1960s drew to a close, but also the political, social and cultural upheaval caused by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement and the baby boomers who were coming of age. Baseball was on the verge of expansion, was dealing with an ineffective commissioner and was in the early stages of a labor movement that would radically change the game. American society and culture were in flux, Hensler writes, and armed with meticulous research and a wealth of sources, he presents a view of baseball history that has been overlooked. From the “Year of the Pitcher” to the “Amazin’ Mets,” Hensler takes the reader through one of the most turbulent years in American history. It was a line of demarcation for baseball, too, and Hensler provides a refreshing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Paul Hensler, author of the book The New Boys of Summer: Baseball’s Radical Transformation in the Late Sixties (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017). Paul is a baseball historian and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He has also written The American League in Transition, 1965-1975: How Competition Thrived When the Yankees Didn’t, and has written for NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture and the Baseball Research Journal. Hensler, who owns a masters degree in history, examines the issues that were percolating not only in Major League Baseball as the 1960s drew to a close, but also the political, social and cultural upheaval caused by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement and the baby boomers who were coming of age. Baseball was on the verge of expansion, was dealing with an ineffective commissioner and was in the early stages of a labor movement that would radically change the game. American society and culture were in flux, Hensler writes, and armed with meticulous research and a wealth of sources, he presents a view of baseball history that has been overlooked. From the “Year of the Pitcher” to the “Amazin’ Mets,” Hensler takes the reader through one of the most turbulent years in American history. It was a line of demarcation for baseball, too, and Hensler provides a refreshing narrative. Bob D’Angelo earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Brett L. Abrams, author of the book Terry Bradshaw: From Super Bowl Champion to Television Personality (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017). It is part of a series called Sports Icons and Issues in Popular Culture. Abrams, an archivist of electronic records in Washington. D.C., does more than just document the football career of Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who won four Super Bowl titles during the 1970s with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Abrams goes beyond the nuts and bolts of a successful athletic career and explores Bradshaw’s foray into country and gospel singing, his acting in movies, his adventure as a part owner of a NASCAR team, and finally, his long and successful run as a NFL color commentator and later a studio analyst first for CBS, and then for Fox. Maligned during his playing career for a perceived lack of intelligence—a prejudicial view of Southerners mostly held by people north of the Mason-Dixon line, Bradshaw played off his L’il Abner, good o’l boy image to craft his own niche in the entertainment field. As Abrams writes in this well-researched book, Bradshaw demonstrated what it took for an entertainer to master many of those entertainment industries in the late 20th century. More people may now know Bradshaw as an enthusiastic football analyst, but he is much more than that. Bob D’Angelo is working on his masters degree in history at Southern New Hampshire University. He earned his bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Florida and spent more than three decades as a sportswriter and sports copy editor, including 28 years on the sports copy desk at The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune. He can be reached at bdangelo57@gmail.com. For more information, visit Bob D’Angelo’s Books and Blogs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices