Black Writers/Black Baseball

This revised edition is an anthology of 10 African American sportswriters who covered baseball’s Negro Leagues in the first part of the 20th century. The writers include Sam Lacy, Wendell Smith, Frank A. Young, Joe Bostic, Chester L. Washington, W. Rollo Wilson, Dan Burley, Ed Harris, A.S. “Doc” Young and Romeo Dougherty. The men represented here were pioneers in their own right. Writing for black weekly newspapers, they faced the same conditions as the leagues’ players, from discrimination to endless travel. Yet it was through their writings that the public, both black and white were given an up-close, inside look at the day-to-day happenings of Negro League baseball.

Jim Reisler has written books covering such topics as baseball, the deaf, and sportswriters. He lives in Irvington, New York.

Jim Reisler
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 212
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2907-3
Imprint: McFarland

Foreword (by Don Newcombe)      1

Preface      3

Introduction: Forgotten Voices      5

SAM LACY: A Legend      13

WENDELL SMITH: The Best of His Generation      37

FRANK A. YOUNG: Chicago’s Boss of the Sports World      61

JOE BOSTIC: A Crusader of His Time      80

CHESTER L. WASHINGTON: From Writer to Millionaire      97

DR. W. ROLLO WILSON: The Red Smith of His Day      115

DAN BURLEY: The Most Versatile Black Journalist of His Generation      130

ED HARRIS: A Brief Star      148

ROMEO DOUGHERTY: Poet of Press Row      162

A.S. “DOC” YOUNG: “Always Thinking of Something”      175

Suggested Reading      191

Index      203

“this collection is important for any baseball historian”—Aethlon; “a worthwhile read for communication, sport communication, and sports media courses and courses in sports history and sport studies”—International Journal of Sport Communication; “illuminates the richness of Negro League competition”—Sports Collectors Digest; “the first real study of the men who chronicled the Negro Leagues”—USA Today Baseball Weekly; “this worthy contribution is warmly recommended”—Library Journal; “ a look at a day when sports and baseball writing was more of a trade than a profession”—Chicago Defender; “honors the work of black sportswriters”—The Houston Post.