Baseball's Forgotten Heroes

"Baseball's Forgotten Heroes is a refreshing book full of great baseball stories not found elsewhere." -- David Nemee, baseball historian and author of Great Baseball Feats, Facts, and Firsts Art Pennington, a Negro League all-star in the 1940s, used to tell opposing pitchers to "throw it and duck." Bruno Haas, in his first major league game, set a still-standing record with 16 walks; he then went on to star in the minor leagues, pitching his last game at the age of 55. Bill Lange was considered Ty Cobb's equal by many people. Pennington, Haas, and Lange are three of the little-known, but fascinating men profiled in Baseball's Forgotten Heroes: One Fan's Search for the Game's Most Interesting Overlooked Players. One-armed outfielder Pete Gray granted author Tony Salin a rare interview, as did legendary minor-league sluggers Joe Bauman and Joe Hauser. Salin presents the stories of over a dozen former players, many in their own words. They share memories of playing with and against many of baseball's top stars including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams. Salin also tells the stories of players such as Chuck Connors, television's "Rifleman," who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, and Paul Hines, a Triple Crown winner who turned to pickpocketing after his baseball career ended. Baseball's Forgotten Heroes proves that the most interesting stories aren't necessarily about the game's immortals. Tony Salin's writings have appeared in Baseball Digest, The Sacramento Bee, and other publications. He lives in San Francisco, California.