Product Description

Shoeless Joe Jackson's rise from the cotton mills of the American South to the big cities of the North is a classic American tale of rags to riches. Born of sharecropping parents in South Carolina, Jackson's perfect swing and legendary fielding ability would make him a star in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, Jackson's legend was interrupted by his alleged involvement in baseball's darkest chapter, the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, which ultimately banished him to participation in outlaw baseball leagues. Kelly Boyer Sagert recounts all phases in this legendary hitter's life—from mill worker to major league outfielder, to a central figure in a national scandal, and later, to his ventures as an entrepreneur and sometime ballplayer. In analyzing the life and surrounding cultural contexts of Jackson's time, the author examines how Shoeless Joe became the controversial but enduring legend that he is today. A timeline, bibliography, statistical appendix, and narrative chapter on the making of Jackson legend enhance this biography.

It has been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in professional sports. Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters presents biographies on Greenwood's selection for the twelve best hitters in Major League history, written by some of today's best baseball authors. These books present straightforward stories in accessible language for the high school researcher and the general reader alike.

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Joseph Jefferson Jackson (July 16, 1888 ? December 5, 1951), nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century. He is remembered for his performance on the field and for his association with the Black Sox Scandal, in which members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox participated in a conspiracy to fix the World Series. As a result of Jackson's association with the scandal, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, Major League Baseball's first commissioner, banned Jackson from playing after the 1920 season.Jackson played for three different Major League teams during his 12-year career. He spent 1908-09 as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics and 1910 with the minor league New Orleans Pelicans before being traded to Cleveland at the end of the 1910 season. ... Read more

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Chapters: Reggie Jackson, Joe Dimaggio, Frank Robinson, Yogi Berra, Mark Mcgwire, Don Mattingly, Jim Rice, Lou Piniella, Gene Tenace, Terry Pendleton, Willie Stargell, Eddie Murray, Rod Carew, Johnny Pesky, Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson, Tony Oliva, Dave Parker, Rocky Colavito, Dave Magadan, Hensley Meulens, Bobby Doerr, Ted Kluszewski, Tony Pérez, Bobby Bonds, Clint Hurdle, Gary Matthews, Tommy Henrich, Mickey Vernon, Don Baylor, Harvey Kuenn, Art Howe, Chris Chambliss, Billy Williams, Dwayne Murphy, Harry Walker, Bob Watson, Nellie Fox, John Mclaren, Steve Henderson, Jack Clark, Walt Hriniak, Lloyd Mcclendon, Denny Walling, Tony Muser, Gary Gaetti, Jim Frey, Jesse Barfield, Lenny Harris, Lefty O'doul, Hal Mcrae, Lee Elia, John Vukovich, Dale Sveum, Carney Lansford, José Morales, Jim Lefebvre, Manny Mota, Charley Lau, Deron Johnson, Mike Cubbage, Rick Down, Brook Jacoby, Butch Wynegar, Lee May, Tim Wallach, Kevin Seitzer, Gene Clines, Bob Skinner, Dave Clark, George Hendrick, Rudy Jaramillo, Alan Cockrell, Hank Sauer, Luis Salazar, Billy Demars, Bill Robinson, Mike Easler, Ron Jackson, Minnie Mendoza, Dave Engle, Rick Schu, Mike Aldrete, Thad Bosley, Doug Rader, Scott Ullger, Mickey Hatcher, Jay Ward, Jack Howell, Denis Menke, Terry Crowley, Ralph Rowe, Tommy Mccraw, Ty Van Burkleo, Joe Vavra, Kevin Long, Gerald Perry, Merv Rettenmund, Sean Berry, Jim Presley, Joe Sparks, Bruce Fields, Deacon Jones, Greg Biagini, Harry Spilman, Clarence Jones, Rick Renick, Mike Barnett, Greg Walker, Mitchell Page, Don Slaught, Jeff Pentland, Ben Hines, Jim Skaalen, Rick Eckstein, Al Vincent, Derek Shelton. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 525. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson (born May 18, 1946), nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason, is a ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=59396 ... Read more

Product Description
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson was one of baseball's greatest hitters and most colorful players. Born Joseph Jefferson Wofford Jackson on July 16, 1888, in Pickens County, South Carolina, Jackson went to work in a textile mill when he was around six years old, and got his start in baseball playing for the Brandon Mill team at the age of 13 earning $2.50 a game. He emerged as the star of the team and a favorite of fans with his hitting and throwing abilities, and moved up to play in the Carolina Association, where he received his nickname "Shoeless" because the blisters on his feet forced him to play in his stockings. He then made his move to the major leagues, signing on with the Philadelphia Athletics and rising to fame. This work chronicles Jackson's life from his poor beginnings to his involvement in the scandal surrounding the 1919 World Series to his life after baseball and his death December 5, 1951, with most of the work focusing on his baseball career. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Say it's so Joe!!
David Fleitz has captured in a snapshot the essence of the life of Joe Jackson.He was born in rural South Carolina in the late 19th Century and died in 1951 in his home state.
Shoeless Joe Jackson, has since become the precursor to the modern baseball slugger.His batting stance was copied by the ultimate baseball slugger, that being Babe Ruth.Mr. Jackson's batting skills in Cleveland and Chicago are legendary.He really was the first hitter to take a full cut at the ball.His batting prow ness was not out of the small ball era.
Mr. Fleitz goes into great detail about Shoeless Joe's career.After reading this thorough dissertation, I feel that Mr. Jackson belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame.He was a good man who probably deserved better.Like the tragedy of Pete Rose it probably will not happen.However I hope in the great wisdom of the "Old Timers Committee" they will see that Joe Jackson belongs in the hallowed chambers at Cooperstown.
This book was well written and very readable.If you love the history of baseball, you'll love this book

Impressed apart from conclusion
Fleitz does a fine job of describing the atmosphere of the early days of baseball and is usually objective in his treatment of Jackson as a player and as a person. I recommend the book for anyone who is a Jackson affectionado and/or enjoys human drama in a sports context. However, I was very disappointed in the final pages where Fleitz offers his opinion that Jackson wouldn't have cared about the Hall of Fame anyway because he was basically a Southern, good old boy from a poor background who cared only about hanging out with friends and family near the old homeplace. My great uncle worked in those same Greenville, SC cotton mills as a 9-yr old boy for almost no wages but ambition did not die there among the textile looms.

A balanced, thoughtful book
There has been a lot said and written about Joe Jackson by a variety of people - baseball people, baseball historians, scholars of the 1919 World Series, residents of the South (particularly South Carolina), and others.There's also been a variety of books produced about Jackson, most with his point of view or the "point of view he would have had," whatever that might have been at any point in time.It was with some skepticism that I picked up Fleitz's book and started to read, half expecting to see the same arguments that I've read before - Jackson as a victim, as the greatest player not in the Hall of Fame but for one mistake, and how he went back to South Carolina and scratched out a living (or was very successful, depending on which book you read).

Fleitz's book was a most pleasant surprise - it offers information that I haven't found anywhere else, and gives more "flesh" and substance to the person that was Joe Jackson than any previous account of his life that I had read.One point is the relationship that he had with his wife: always shown as the doting couple, Fleitz writes that this wasn't always the case.In baseball, he shows that Jackson wasn't the near-mythological player that he had been portrayed, and that he did fail at any number of clutch situations.By the same token, Jackson is also frequently mentioned as a batting role model to any number of famous players.The reactions of contemporaries thoughtout the book is also delightful feature.

A primary focus of the book is in the 1919 World Series and Jackson's role in that.Through the years Jackson has garnered significant numbers of supporters claiming that he was innocent; Fleitz offers evidence and opinions that he may not have been that innocent at all.There is also the issue of his initial acceptance of the gamblers' money.As with many people, I have my opinions of the World Series fix and Jackson's involvement.Prior to Fleitz's book, the opinion was a little fuzzier; after reading the book, it's become a little clearer.Was he innocent or guilty?Read the book and make your decision - it's well worth your time.

The definitive Joe Jackson book
Great book. Separates the myth and the legend of Shoeless Joe Jackson from the "average Joe" and looks at his banishment from baseball in an honest, objective light. Author does an outstanding job of dissecting Jackson's behavior and possible motives throughout the scandal of the 1919 Black Sox.
But more importantly, more personal information about Joe is available on Joe throughout the pages of this text than any I have ever seen. This is a fantastic accomplishment as there is a lot of sappy, sentimental fluff out there about Joe Jackson and this book really made me feel as though I knew Joe, in addition to understanding what he was about.
This book is by far and away the best baseball book of the year (along with Reed Browning's Cy Young) and is amongst the best and most important baseball books ever written. If you're a serious baseball fan, you will enjoy SHOELESS!!

The Shoeless Joe You Didn't Know
Baseball biographies come in all types, from boring descriptions of the player's performance in games, to tantalizing disconnected details of the player's life outside the lines, to full-fledged development of the player's life history and personality. This new book by David Fleitz falls more toward the latter. I recommend it to all baseball fans, especially ones (like me) who are fascinated by the lesser-known stars of the pre-Ruthian world.

Much of the book is devoted to Jackson's role in the Black Sox scandal, putting it into historical context and digging into the actions and motives of some of the key figures. The passages involvingCharles Comiskey are especially revealing.

The road between city life and country life was much longer back then. Early baseball has many stories of the difficulties rural men faced when thrust into MLB's urban landscape. Because of his great physical skills, the illiterate Jackson is a highly compelling example of these stories. I now feel like I've met Jackson. Among the best baseball biographies I've read. ... Read more

Product Description

When Joe Stoshack hears about Shoeless Joe Jackson -- and the gambling scandal that destroyed the star player's career -- he knows what he has to do. If he travels back in time with a 1919 baseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sox Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson would finally take his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

But can Stosh prevent that tempting envelope full of money from making its way to Shoeless Joe's hotel room before the big game?

Customer Reviews (33)

Fun Fantasy Reading
My 9 year old son and I really enjoyed reading this one. He loves baseball and enjoyed this historical fiction story. We recommend it to other boys of a similar age who love baseball. For older boys though, the story might be alittle far-fetched.

Great Time-Travel Book
Shoeless Joe and Me is one of my favorite books! The book is about a kid who can Time-Travel by using Baseball Cards. He tries to go back in time to stop the Black Sox Scandal. The Black Sox Scandal was when 8 players on the White Sox were tricked by gamblers into losing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds on purpose.

Even if you don't like Baseball, I'm sure you will love this book. I loved it SO much that I couldn't take my face away from the book. I recommend this book to ANYONE, as long as they love a good book. It is part of a series, which include:

Honus and Me
Jackie and Me
Babe and Me
Mickey and Me
Abner and Me
Satch and Me

Brian's Review
One of my students wrote the following review:
If you are a baseball fan you should read this book. This book is about a kid with a power. He can go back in time. He goes to 1919 to make the White Sox win the World Series by not letting Shoeless Joe Jackson take money. What will happen next?
It was so fun to read it! I couldn't stop reading this book. It is a long book but it is fun when you read it. There are more books that this author wrote about baseball.
-Brian

CHVK
Haven't you ever wanted to go back in time to prevent something that happened to you? Shoeless Joe Jackson was one of the best baseball players in 1919. His career was destroyed by a gambling scandal. Joe Stoshack was a young boy and he heard about the famous player from a guy named Flip who worked at the baseball card shop he always went to. Flip told Joe that Jackson was not allowed to make the Hall of Fame because of the scandal he was in. Flip gave him Joe Jackson baseball card and the little boy thought to himself what it would be like to go back in time to see what the scandal was all about and even maybe prevent it from happening. He thought if it works in movies then it should work now. The next day Joe Stoshack found himself going back to the 1919's and found Joe Jackson at the stadium. He talked to Joe and asked him to leave the game before it started. He told Joe if he didn't something bad would happen. He told Joe he came back from the future and he knew that if the great Joe Jackson did anything to lose this game, he would never get all the rewards he deserved. He wanted to prevent the "Black Sox Scandal" from happening so Shoeless Joe Jackson could get into the Hall of Fame.
I would rate this book a 5, on a scale of 5, with 5 being the best. Grades 4th and up would love it and its great family story.

Shop for Shoeless Joe! by: TF from North Boulevard School
The book I am reviewing is Shoeless Joe & Me written by Dan Gutman. I think this book deserves five stars because Dan Gutman doesn't stretch the book and he does not rush it. This book is about a boy named Joe Stoshack who can travel through time with baseball cards. The problem in this story is that when Joe had lost a game because of a bad call, he complains to the sponsor of his team, Flip Valetini. He says that it wasn't fair, and Flip tells him about the Black Sox sandal and Joe Jackson. Now he wants to fix it. But the rest... you will have to figure out. I would recommend this book to anyone from 3rd to 5th grade that loves fantasy books. ... Read more

Product Description
This immensely readable biography tells the story of Shoeless Joe Jackson, generally considered baseball's greatest natural hitter ever--but who was implicated in the most notorious sports scandal in American history. of photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson Belongs in the Hall of Fame
Donald Gropman is the leading historian on the life of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.In his revised edition of the book, Gropman gives an objetive look at the life of Joe Jackson, including the scandal that ended his career.Gropman's argument leaves little doubt that this legend belongs in the baseball hall of fame.Quite simply, the hall of fame is incomplete without him.

The other members of the Black Sox sought to add Jackson to the fix.Jackson never committed.Jackson even went so far as to tell Sox owner Charles Comiskey and attempted to sit out the World Series to demonstrate his innocence.These actions which would have exonerated him were rejected.Comiskey just felt Jackson was hearing rumors.When the scandal hit full force, Comiskey tried to save his players. Unfortunately, Comiskey's lawyer was only interested in saving Comiskey, not the players.The great tragedy is that Comiskey, depite his Richard Nixon-like tactics, is in the hall of fame while "Shoeless" Joe Jackson is not.

Gropman lays out a tremendous amount of evidence that supports Jackson's innocence.Despite this mountain of evidence and growing support for Joe Jackson's reinstatement, baseball's commissioners have largely ignored the case for Joe Jackson.

This book sets the standard for "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's life as well as the case for his reinstatement into baseball and his induction into the hall of fame.With the additions of transcripts, letters, and other pieces of evidence, this book is more than worth its price.Gropman also provides information for joining the Shoeless Joe Jackson Society and fighting to clear his name.I would encourage you to join.

Excellent Biography
Mnay biographies focus on human interest rather than factual information.This is not one of those.This book is meticulously researched and presents all the facts Mr. Gropman came across.The reader can make his or her own conclusion based on the facts the author presents, but the facts will probably lead the reader to conclude that Joe Jackson was not involved in the Black Sox scandal that nearly ruined baseball.

Mr. Gropman clearly demonstrates what many authors are unable to do: the ability to present an opinion based on fact, rather than speculation.I was impressed with this book because it provided me with much information on Joe Jackson's life, particularly on whether he was or wasn't involved in the scandal.The facts lead to the conclusion, not the other way around, and I like that.Baseball fans interested in the history of the game should read this book.They will enjoy it.

Shoeless Joe should be in the Hall
I loved this book!Joe Jackson should be in the hall of fame!After reading this book and all the insights to his life, I have become a huge fan of Shoeless Joe.This book will tell you all about his involment withthe "Black Sox".Like how he tried to tell Comiskey about thescandle before the 1919 series.And, how he also tried to give the moneyto Comiskey before the news hit the papers.If you want to know about oneof the best players you need to read this book.By the way it was a lifetime band from baseball....his life ended in December 1951.

easy and pleasant reading about the great shoeless joe.
The book sheds tremendous light on shoeless joe jackson and his era. the book gives deeper insight into the black sox scandal of 1919.Jack M. Purvin,M.D.

Must-read for those wanting Jackson in the Hall of Fame!
Gropman states early on that he intends to provethat Jackson had no involvement in the Black Soxscandal of 1919 and succeeds.He demonstrates the hows and whys of Jackson's "involvement" and shows why Jackson took money when he didn't participate in the fix.Though Gropman goes out of his way to glorify Jackson in some instances, for the mostpart this is highly readable, well-researched bio of "Shoeless Joe" and demonstrates once and for all that Jackson belongs in the Hall of Fame. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Some very good stories...
I enjoyed this book as any Kinsella fan would.I found some of the stories true gems, but others I found somewhat uninteresting.This is not Kinsella's greatest selection, but it shows a different side of the authorand some of the stories are more adult oriented content. I enjoyed thestories 'Fiona the First', 'Shoeless Joe Jackson Comes to Iowa', 'A Pictureof the Virgin' and 'A Blacksmith Shop Caper' as the real good ones.Thosealone are worth the book, so you won't be disappointed overall.

Chapter 1 of novel SHOELESS JOE is this book's title story!
"Fiona the First," the opening story in this collection, wascited for excellence byStanley Elkin and Shannon Ravenel in the 1980edition of BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES.

Speaking to bibliographer AnnKnight in 1983, Kinsella admitted that a few details from this story aresemi-autobiographical:"The lady who keeps saying, 'He can put hisshoes under my bed,' I saw at a Vancouver Mounties game in Seattle in1954."And, "the business about the stewardess trying to giveaway a baby happened to me and a young lady at the Vancouver InternationalAirport in 1970 or '71."

These stories celebrate particularrelationships: between father and son, brother and sister, perfectstrangers, a spiritual icon and her admirers, doctor and patient, fatherand daughter, bowling buddies, etc.They are classic Kinsella.No fan ofhis opus will want to overlook these initial, "adult-oriented"adventures into the regions of Magic Realism. These tales are Icarusflyers; they tempt the sun to melt their wings.

This is the best book I have ever read.
I first saw the movie Field of Dreams when I was in the 3rd grade, I loved the movie so much.Then in the 6th grade my teacher started to read us the book, but never even came close to finishing, I was disappointed.Then, this year (10th grade) I read it over Christmas break, and I couldn't put it down.I have never read a book that could calm me down and not make me sleepy.I had to get my wisdom teeth out and I was currently reading that book, everytime I got nervous I read the book and it relaxed me!I recomend this to anyone who likes baseball or just loves to read.Even if you don't like to read I still recomend it!It is better than the movie and I still think the movie is good, there is just to much to capture.I could read that book again and again!So, I recomend it to everyone! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (30)

Very Superficial
If you know the basic story, you're not going to learn anything here.Eight Men Out is a much better account of the 1919 World Series and there are better biographies of Shoeless Joe.Also, this is the only historical work I can ever recall reading that did not contain citaions for all of the quotes.The author also has an unusual manner of using quotes.

Some good info, OK reading
I've read 3 or 4 books on Joe Jackson and/or the 1919 scandal and seen enough movies (8 Men Out, Field of Dreams), to have been familiar with the story of Jackson and the Black Sox. This book gave a little more biographical information about Jackson. It was interesting to know more about his upbringing and early career. However, while a fast read, I don't think this is sterling prose. Seems a little biased toward Jackson, which we are probably all guilty of as time goes by. I do agree with the implicit endorsement by the author of Jackson for the Hall of Fame. It does seem that his illiteracy and ignorance made him an easy target for the gamblers, his corrupt teammates and---later---Comiskey's attorneys. Jackson's grand jury testimony provided as an appendix is probably the best thing about the book. I had never seen that before and found it fascinating.

I would recommend Eliot Asinof's (which the author does too) "Eight Men Out" as a better, more balanced account. Also a very, very good movie if you'd rather not read the book. A great ficitional account, I thought, was "Hoopla" by Harry Stein, which came out a few years ago. I think both of those do a better job in giving us the feel for Chicago and America in those days. A good case is made in both for Buck Weaver as another reluctant participant in the scandal who was probably penalized a little more severely than he deserved.

Simply awful
Nothing more than sappy baseball nostalgia masquerading as a biography.Totally useless.

FASCINATING AND FAST READ
"Atremendous account.. . I must refer anyone who has any interest in the Black Sox Scandal to Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. There is a shiny gold sticker on the jacket of Frommer's book, by the way, announcing that it contains "Never before published -- Joe Jackson's complete Grand Jury Testimony.". . .The testimony is worth reading.Frommer quotes Joe Jackson: "I never said anything about it [the plot to throw the Series] until the night before the Series started. I went to see Mr Comiskey and begged him to take me out of the lineup .... If there was something going on I knew the bench was the safest place, but he wouldn't listen to me...." I would love to fill about ten pages with excerpts from Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, but will not. Get the book. It's a fascinating and fast read.

Poorly written dishwater biography, not worth reading
I might as well have read the back of a baseball card as have read the book, for all the insight into Jackson's personality it gave me.This book simply read like an extended sports column; I suppose that is all well and good if sports columns are all you ever read, but I expect more from a biography than a collection of blow-by-blow accounts of the games Jackson played in.The man, after all, spent 13 of his 62 years playing in the big leagues.There is scant discussion of his later years.Does Frommer suppose that the reader is not interested in how Jackson came to terms with his status as a disgraced former big-league ballplayer?One is left with the impression that Frommer did not even attempt to scratch the surface when dealing with Jackson's later years.

Couple this with Frommer's clumsy writing style, lack of citations, and bizarre style of quotation, and one is left with a book that was not worth the time spent reading it.I was left with no greater insight into Jackson the man than before I first picked up the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Highlights the extraordinary career of Joseph Jefferson Jackson, more well-known asShoeless Joe.Related from the imagined perspective of his wife Katie, Just Joe examines the life of a couple devoted to baseball, and more importantly, to each other. The career of Jackson, especially his batting prowess and his involvement in the 1919 World SeriesBlack Soxscandal, is well known. However, what is largely unknown is how Joe and Katie Jackson gracefully weathered the criticism and condemnation from fans and the first commissioner of the game, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. With a quiet dignity, Jackson relied on his fabled Black Betsy bat, scorchingblue dartersand winning the hearts of fans long after his major league days were over. Through it all, Katie Jackson offers a heartfelt portrait of her man and their life and times. ... Read more

Product Description
Size 9X12" Hardcover Sturdite with gold foil, 300 pages 90lb. Luxor nonglare paper, large 16 point boldface type (Classic Schoolbook) text, illustrated with numerous photographs, many of which have never been published before, including a five color dust cover.

The book presents a new perspective on the life story of the world's greatest slugger and baseball's most unheralded natural talent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Read the book for research, now an admirer of the man
Last September I painted a mural of "Shoeless " Joe Jackson in his home town---Greenville, South Carolina.His name meant nothing to me until I went to the library to do research for the painting.There I discovered I might be the only person in the world who was unaware of "Shoeless."

Never interested in sports, I thought I was reading about the legendary hero only to acquaint myself with the visual particulars of the man and the game of baseball in the early 1900's.Before I finished the first book I was hooked----not by the sport, but by the deeply moving life story of Joe himself.

Further research led me to read Joe Thompson's GROWING UP WITH "SHOELESS" JOE JACKSON, The Greatest Natural Player In Baseball History.Here was an account, written in the personal first person that makes one feel the intimacy of a hometown boy's acquaintance, and love for the subject. There was no turning back then.I became an ardent fan of "Shoeless" Joe.

Thompson has written in the voice of the South Carolina native he is. Unpretentiously he tells, not only the history of Jackson's baseball career, but of the man as a child of impoverished mill worker parents. He speaks of a small boy who was never sent to school, and who was sweeping the floors of Brandon Mill when only seven years old.He makes you hear the taunts "Shoeless" endured because he never learned to read or write.He makes you proud of the little mill kid who, in spite of everything, made it to the major leagues.And he makes you weep for the wretched debacle which cost an innocent "Shoeless" his brilliant career.

In 1996 the Brandon Mill Baseball Field in West Greenville was finally named for "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.Thompson's vivid fury that publicity and general media coverage was as lackluster as the bitterly cold day of the dedication, fairly sizzles on the pages of his book.

Thompson's infectious outrage that "Shoeless" has been slighted by his own hometown has persuaded me to become involved in the renewal of the once thriving business district of the mill village.Many more murals depicting "Shoeless'" career, and the textile history of the area, are on the drawing boards.

Buddy Hunt, who commissioned the original mural, is opening a coffee shop, Cuppa Joe, so fans will have a place to stop and chat when visiting.Hunt owns a number of large empty buildings across the street from where "Shoeless" Joe owned a liquor store.His hope is to attract investors, restaurateurs and shop keepers---all with sports, or related themes---to the long neglected area.

I have met the author of GROWING UP WITH "SHOELESS" JOE JACKSON, and am proud that he not only approves of the renewal project, but is helping to bring it about.

Whether or not you are a sports fan, this book will tug at your heartstrings, for it is a rich and poignant history written by a hometown boy who tells it like it is.

Polly Hunt Neal

A true testament to Joe Jackson the Man!
In baseball there are some memorable moments, Carlton Fisk hitting the game winning home run in the 1975 World Series for example. In baseball there are also some darker moments, The Black Sox Scandal is probably themost notable of these.

In the book Growing Up with Shoeless Joe, authorJoe Thompson takes you inside baseball's past and gives you a first ratelook at the Greatest Natural Hitter baseball has ever seen. Thompson's bookis the first I have ever read that is more than the typical slander on JoeJackson.

Thompson takes a look into the man, more than the ball player,and allows you to see a side of Jackson never before revealed. WhatThompson gives the reader is by far the best accounting of a true hero inthe game of baseball.

This book is so much more than a story about aWorld Series in 1919; it's so much more than a story about baseball. Thisbook is about the man Joe Jackson and the side of him most of us have neverseen. I am extremely proud to be allowed to review this book

Growing Up With Shoeless Joe
This book is very unusual. When I received it and began reading it, I felt as though I'd been duped. The font is abnormally large making it look initially like a book meant for young adults or children. As I read I wascompletely shocked to see many misspelled words, subject verbdisagreements, problems with modifiers, incomplete sentences, you name it.I considered sending it back, but I'm a serious fan of Shoeless Joe, so Ikept on reading and discovered something very interesting. This book isn'tthe product of a huge publishing conglomerate, in fact, it's a trulyhome-spun effort. I examined the credits and realized the author publishedit himself much the same way an underground band would market it's ownmusic. Members of his family provided the photos. It looks like he may havehad friends proofread and edit it. It seems to have been printed locally aswell. The upside is that it has a "down home" charm that a truefan of Joe Jackson can appreciate. I'm sure Joe would considerate it aliterary masterpiece. I'm currently writing a one-man-play about Joe, andI've found things in this book that I haven't read before. After allowingmyself to digest its differences, and accept what it really is, I canhonestly say I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks very much Mr Thompson.

If you only read one book about Joe, this is the one to read
As web master of the Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame (http://www.blackbetsy.com/), the Official web site of the Shoeless Joe Jackson Society, I highly recommend this book.I have been to every town and city that Joe played ball in and have read most, if not all newspaperaccounts of the day and every book on Joe Jackson.Unlike the other bookson Joe Jackson, this one is written by someone that actually knew Joe andit shows in this great work.Joe Thompson grew up in the forties in theBrandon Mill community where Joe Jackson ran a liquor store.Jackson wouldtake Joe and his friends to the school yard and teach them how to playbaseball.Jackson also taught them lessons about life of which JoeThompson speaks about in this book.This book is more than just about JoeJackson the ballplayer, it about Joe Jackson the man.This book will giveyou insight into the man, to let you know that he held no grudge againstbaseball.It will show you that he would go out of his way to help hisfellow man and he gave of himself to help young kids grow up and lead aproductive life.This is a must read for Jackson fans, as well as baseballfans in general.......get the real story about Joe Jackson!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
After the Civil War, the Yankee textile industry began a steady transfer south, bringing with it the tradition of a mill village, usually owned by the mill’s owner, where the workers and their families lived. The new game of baseball quickly became a foundation of mill village life. A rich tradition of textile league baseball in South Carolina is here reconstructed from newspaper accounts and interviews with former players and fans. Players such as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and Champ Osteen made their marks as “lintheads” in these semipro leagues. The fierce rivalries between competing mills and the impact of the teams on mill life are recounted. Appendices list club records and rosters for many of the teams from 1880 through 1955. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Left me sadly nostalgic.
I accidently stumbled upon Thomas Perry's book, "Textile League Baseball," while conducting some research on a bit of hometown trivia.Oddly, in the 1950's and 60's you could hear the Chicago White Sox broadcasts in my hometown of Greenville, SC on radio station, WMRB-1490 AM. As I grew older I wondered why where Chicago games broadcast into the Deep South. My interest was rekindled in 2006 when an investor purchased and relocated the last house that Shoeless Joe Jackson lived in.Unbeknownst to me, Jackson's house was located just two blocks from where I attended elementary school. His house was eventually moved to downtown and became the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum.I pondered, was the Shoeless Joe Jackson's legacy connected to the broadcasts?Were the broadcasts the result of a fan base that had developed around Shoeless Joe? A posting on Facebook speculated that the Brandon Mills baseball team (where Shoeless Joe Jackson played) might have adopted the Chicago White Sox as their team. I purchased Thomas Perry's book in the hope he could shed some light on my quest.

Perry's book intrigued me because I was born in Greenville.At one time, upstate South Carolina was considered the textile center of the world.I only lived two miles from Brandon Mill where my wife and her parents worked prior to its closure.Perry explained, not only was baseball a part of the textile community, but why textile mills sprang up where they did.He stated you frequently found a textile mill near a water source as running water was necessary to generate electricity.The mill was the heart of the community and its employees were not viewed just as workers, but as family.Textile mills were often located in remote areas lacking convenient access to entertainment and other amenities.

Thomas Perry states that baseball became a fundamental part of textile village life and was an outlet to the grueling work scheduled.The games fostered competition and community pride for players and spectators.Teams sprang up in every corner of the region and by 1908 the first league was born.As time wore on, teams and leagues would form and fold, but the interest never waned.Spectators would travel for miles by foot, horse drawn buggy, or train just to watch Textile Baseball. The Textile League baseball glory years were the 1930's.Many believed their level of play was equal to Major League baseball and teams were not shy to send a prospective player packing if he wasn't up to their standards.Mill owners recruited good players and sometimes would bend employment rules to the benefit of the team.Indeed, owners were investing capital and resources to make the teams competitive and attendance would frequently exceed a thousand per game.

Perry also identified the great players of the league with chapters devoted to Champ Osteen and Shoeless Joe Jackson.In addition, he offers an appendix of Textile League players who made it to the majors.Unfortunately, I could find not collaborating evidence of textile mills adopting Major League teams.This was an immediate source of disappointment.The very fact that Perry didn't mention this is probably because the teams didn't adopt.However, much to my delight, I did find the names of two baseball players: my former pastor, Dan Greer of Washington Avenue Baptist Church, and my father-in-law, John Blackston.Both were listed in the second appendix, Records and Rosters.

Perry cites several reasons for the demise of the Textile Leagues in the chapter titled the Decline and Fall: mill owners began to sell houses in the mill villages destroying community pride; post WW II prosperity meant more folks bought automobiles making a trip to the lake, mountains, etc. more preferable than a walk to the ball field; television; mill management allocated less money as teams lost money due to less attendance; disparity among the teams, as larger mills could field better ball players; and the final death nail occurred in 1959 when South Carolina applied an Admission Tax to the gate receipts.

Reading the chapter Decline and Fall left me feeling profoundly sad.I'm not sure why except that it reminded me of each time I visit Greenville.As I travel through the city, I notice all the abandoned mills with their rusting water towers appearing as headstones marking a bygone era.I certainly don't relish the times when the Ready River would change colors when mills could dump their waste dye.But I do reminisce about the hustle and bustle of the mill activity and the community spirit that once thrived.

Even though the book didn't help me collaborate a Chicago White Sox radio broadcast and Shoeless Joe Jackson connection, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.(I eventually confirmed that Shoeless Joe had nothing to do with the Sox broadcasts.It turned out to be just an odd coincidence.) The book did have one distraction however. I was annoyed at the statistical and performance details the author would include in his attempt to highlight some of the more memorable or significant games.I suppose box score numbers are helpful in some circumstances, but I found them distracting. Descriptions are entertaining in the sports pages but make for dull reading in a history book.Nevertheless, in one instance those details come in handy when an associate told me of a relative who played for Easley.A quick check of the book found the player, Wayne Johnson of the Brooklyn Dodgers, on page 72 facing Lou Brissie from Monaghan who was owned by the Philadelphia Athletics.So I suppose I should repent of my egotistical view and be thankful for that added detail.

If you love baseball and are a student of sport history or folklore, Thomas Perry's book belongs on your bookshelf.

Lack of Information
Book should include names of all players who played in the League.I myself played for the Royston GA and Lavonia GA teams in 1950 & 1951.No names of any of the players who played on these teams was printed.I am sure that there was available a roster of these players available.The teams played in the Anderson City League along with Abney Mills, Orr and the rest of the mills.More research should have been done on this book to make it complete and more salable.However, a good book.

Great Research!
Tom is passionate about the subject and it shows in his meticulous research in Textile League Baseball. Life around the old mills and the teams that sprang up from these tight mill communities, made for some wonderful and exciting times in our state in the old days - and Tom has captured the feel of this period beautifully! I have owned this volume since it was first published in 1993 & still often refer back to it. Thanks for a great book!
Bruce Mayer, Sumter, SC

A Great Volume for Textile Baseball Buffs
Tom Perry is to be commended for performing so well with an arduous task.His book provides much information about teams and players in the South Carolina Upstate during the days of Textile League baseball.Without the research Tom has done, this generation and those to come would know less and less about this era of mill baseball that produced so many great teams and players in addition to making the monotony of mill life much more palatable to the workers.In addition to his text, his listing of yearly teams along with their records and rosters make this volume extremely helpful as a reference book. What Tom undertook was no easy task.But baseball fans owe a thank you to this author whose work will continue to be valuable source for generations to come. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Shoeless Joe Jackson, Jim Rice, Ken Harrelson, Willie Randolph, Al Rosen, Larry Doby, Bobby Richardson, Preston Wilson, Jared Burton, Matt Wieters, Dewayne Wise, Orlando Hudson, Bobo Newsom, Willie Aikens, Marty Marion, Wayne Tolleson, Lamarr Hoyt, Reggie Taylor, Pep Harris, Gorman Thomas, Pokey Reese, Van Lingle Mungo, Mookie Wilson, Kirby Higbe, Sammy Taylor, Art Fowler, Reggie Sanders, Bill Voiselle, Tom Martin, Marcus Mcbeth, Dooley Womack, Matthew Lecroy, Red Borom, Del Pratt, Neil Chrisley, Mike Sharperson, Bryce Florie, Willie Jones, Harry Byrd, Red Smith, Cal Cooper, Bob Hazle, Ernie White, Bill Spiers, Leroy Stanton, Gookie Dawkins, Jimmy Jordan, Doc Mcjames, Lou Brissie, Dan Driessen, Johnny Riddle, Red Marion, Terry Blocker, Pat Crawford, Billy O'dell, Hal Jeffcoat, Tim Hosley, Aaron Robinson, Flint Rhem, Jerry Martin, John Buzhardt, Drew Meyer, Rob Stanifer, Bobby Bolin, Britt Reames, Ike Hampton, Steven Jackson, Bill Landrum, D. T. Cromer, Tripp Cromer, Ty Cline, Tom Dunbar, Chick Galloway, Jason Hammel, Brian Williams, Reggie Williams, Terrell Wade, John Stefero, Herm Winningham, Ford Garrison, Brett Jodie, Charley Smith, Nate Snell, Freddy Sale, Mike Derrick, Pembroke Finlayson, Mickey Livingston, Eric Moody, Gene Richards, Rich Batchelor, Tom Colcolough, Gary Lance, Danny Clyburn, Don Buddin, Art Jones, Tim Jones, Frank Walker, Pelham Ballenger, John Bass, Jesse Fowler, Doug Strange, Barney Martin, John Mcmakin, Marv Rackley, Mike Anderson, Carl Sitton, Logan Drake, Mike Cook, George Jeffcoat, Billy Williams, Fritz Von Kolnitz, Blackie Carter, Roxy Snipes, Cad Coles, Jim Fairey, Ed Durham, Jeff Twitty, Jaime Bluma, Joe Landrum, Jack Owens, Ben Johnson, Ed Chaplin, Jimmie Coker, John Duffie, Mike Page, Kent Anderson, Norm Mcmillan, Don Hood, Jim Ray, Roy Mahaffey, Don Dillard, Al Shealy, Spades Wood, Ken Gerhart. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 392. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=149419 ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Baseball Digest, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2910 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The legend of Bo Jackson: once a five-tool star in the making, former outfielder had his promising baseball career cut short by injury.(Biography)
Author: Joe Posnanski
Publication: Baseball Digest (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 66Issue: 7Page: 50(6)

Article Type: Biography

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Product Description
When Joe Stoshack hears about Shoeless Joe Jackson-and the gambling scandal that destroyed the star player's career-he knows what he has to do. If he travels back in time with a 1919 haseball card in his hand, he just might be able to prevent the infamous Black Sax Scandal from ever taking place. And if he could do that, Shoeless Joe Jackson would finally take his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But can Stosh prevent that tempting envelope full of money from making its way to Shoeless Joe's hotel room before the big game? ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Notable Sports Figures, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 3779 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Takes a close look at the people in sports who have captured attention because of success on the playing field, or controversy off the playing field. This work features biographies on more than 600 people from around the world and throughout history who have had an impact not only on their sport, but also on the society and culture of their times. It also includes not only the record-breakers that dominated and changed their sport, but also the controversial figures that made headlines even apart from athletic events. ... Read more