Short Synopsis
A grand-slam combination: an iconic bestselling author remembers the man who integrated baseball.

Full Synopsis
The idea of integrating baseball began as a dream in the mind of Branch Rickey. In 1947, as president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, he defied racism on and off the field to bring Jackie Robinson into the major leagues, changing the sport and the nation forever. Rickey's is the classic American tale of a poor boy from Ohio whose deep-seated faith and dogged work ethic took him to the pinnacle of success, earning him a place in the Hall of Fame and in history.

Bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Jimmy Breslin is a legend in his own right. In his inimitable anecdotal style, he provides a lively portrait of Rickey and his times, including such colorful characters as Dodgers' owner George V. McLaughlin (dubbed "George the Fifth" for his love of Scotch); diamond greats Leo Durocher, George Sisler, and Dizzy Dean; and Robinson himself, a man whose remarkable talent was equaled only by his resilience in the face of intolerance. Breslin brings to life the heady days when baseball emerged as the national pastime in this inspiring biography of a great American who remade a sport—and dreamed of remaking a country.

"Dick Hill delivers a gritty, enthusiastic account.…Breslin culls the important nuggets from Rickey's life, and Hill shapes them. Together they craft the story of one of baseball's vanguards." ---AudioFile

"What Breslin has done, with his usual gritty perception, is revive a story of enormous consequence." ---The New York Times

"Three-time Audie Award winner Dick Hill's smooth voice brings Breslin's profanity-laced text to life with an engaging, pitch-perfect narration that evokes a 1940s radio broadcast." ---Library Journal Audio Review

"This is a wonderful book, bringing new life to a much-told story." ---Booklist Starred Review

"Insightful, humorous, and biting at times." ---Library Journal Starred Review

"Hill reads this brief baseball bio with a welcoming informality that gives listeners a rich, sentimental appreciation of Branch Rickey. . . . Breslin observed this dramatic turning point in baseball history and Hill does justice to this authoritative account." ---Booklist Audio Review

"Quirky, idiosyncratic, oddly balanced and surpassingly entertaining." ---Kirkus

"Breslin's gift for easy-to-read yet hard-hitting prose will touch even those who aren't baseball fans." ---Publishers Weekly

Booklist Review

Library Journal Review