Table of Contents
Author's Note vii
Prologue: Looking over Jordan 1
Chapter 1 Jamie Nichols 13
Chapter 2 The Slaughterhouse 21
Chapter 3 Tricky Ball 27
Chapter 4 The Turkey Stearnes Effect 39
Chapter 5 The Stars Come Out 49
Chapter 6 Willie's Girl 59
Chapter 7 We'll Always Have Cuba 69
Chapter 8 Lighting Up Big Leaguers 79
Chapter 9 "The Greatest Negro Baseball Team Ever Seen" 89
Chapter 10 Mutiny 101
Chapter 11 Beholding Josh Gibson 113
Chapter 12 See You in Chicago 123
Chapter 13 Snookering Satchel 133
Chapter 14 The Quintessential Crawfords 145
Chapter 15 Limbo 157
Chapter 16 The Dictator's Campaign for Reelection 167
Chapter 17 Railroad Tracks in the Outfield 179
Chapter 18 The Land of Opportunity 189
Chapter 19 Fishing on the Fourth of July 201
Chapter 20 Slugger in a Straitjacket 211
Chapter 21 Ground Balls to Jackie's Backhand 223
Chapter 22 Stepping Aside 235
Chapter 23 A Basket of Fruit 243
Chapter 24 Obscurity 257
Chapter 25 The Call That Changed Everything 267
Chapter 26 Cool Papa Bell Avenue 279
Epilogue 295
Acknowledgments 303
Bibliography 305
Photography Credits 323
Index 327