Bibb Falk

The Man Who Replaced Shoeless Joe

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About the Book

Born in Austin, Texas, in 1899, Bibb August Falk was the classic stereotype of a Texan, standing six feet. He brimmed with confidence and played the game of baseball with swagger. He played three years of varsity football and baseball at the University of Texas before being signed by the Chicago White Sox following graduation in 1920. Falk reported to the Sox that summer without having played a single minor league game. In just a couple of months, he—an untested rookie—would confront the challenge of replacing Shoeless Joe Jackson, newly banned from organized ball for complicity in the 1919 World Series scandal.
Retiring from the major leagues in 1931 after a brilliant career, Falk returned to the University of Texas in 1940 as head baseball coach and became a Longhorn legend. During his 25 years as head coach, his teams won two National Championships, 15 Southwest Conference titles and four co-championships. When Bibb Falk died in June 1989, at the age of 90, he was the last surviving member of the 1920 Chicago White Sox.

About the Author(s)

William A. Cook is the author of numerous books, including 11 on baseball history, and has appeared in productions on ESPN2 and the MLB Network. A former health care administrator and township councilman in North Brunswick, New Jersey, he resides in Manalapan, New Jersey.

Bibliographic Details

William A. Cook
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 216
Bibliographic Info: 18 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2015
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9691-4
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1857-9
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Table of Contents


Introduction  1

1. From the Forty Acres to Chicago  7

2. The 1919 World Series  17

3. Breaking In with the Black Sox  26

4. Replacing a Legend  46

5. Touring the Orient  66

6. Bibb Falk Establishes Himself as a Big Leaguer  73

7. Another ­Post-Season Tour  81

8. Traded to Cleveland  85

9. Falk Joins the Army Air Corps  102

10. Bibb Falk Becomes a Longhorn Legend  113

11. Looking Back  147

Afterword: College Baseball Coaches;

No Ticket to the Show  164

Appendices—A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H  183

Chapter Notes  189

Bibliography  193

Index  195