The small and midsized cities of western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia reached their peaks of population and prosperity in the second quarter of the 20th century. The baseball teams from these towns formed the Middle Atlantic League, the strongest circuit in the low minors and the one with the most alumni to advance to the majors.This thorough history chronicles the MAL through three distinct phases from its 1925 inaugural season to its dissolution in 1952. During the first ...

“A Native American rejoinder to Richard White and Jesse Amble White**’s California Exposures*.”—Kirkus Reviews*Rewriting the history of California as Indigenous.Before there was such a thing as “California,” there were the People and the Land. Manifest Destiny, the Gold Rush, and settler colonial society drew maps, displaced Indigenous People, and reshaped the land, but they did not make California. Rather, the li...

Jesus's Great Commission is one of the key pillars of the church's evangelistic work and has been the guiding principle for missionaries throughout church history. In 40 Questions About the Great Commission, scholars Daniel Akin, Benjamin Merkle, and George Robinson unpack the meaning, history, theology, and practical applications of Jesus's command to go and make disciples. Ideal for personal or group study, this volume will reignite your passion for evangelism while answering ke...

In the wake of the 1919 White Sox scandal and the suspension for life of eight players, baseball saw a precipitous decline in popularity, especially among America's youth. To combat this, a group of World War I veterans who were members of the newly formed American Legion created an organization to promote teenage interest in baseball. Led by John L. Griffith, who became the first commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, the Legion undertook the revival of baseball. In the 1920s and through...

Perhaps you feel like you've lost the fire and enthusiasm of your faith and you're trapped, going through the motions without any authentic spiritual experience.As someone who once felt this way, author Nate Akin draws on his own experience and biblical teaching to look at five priorities that will encourage your heart and fan the flame of your love for Christ.

Before there was such a thing as "California," there were the People and the Land. Manifest Destiny, the Gold Rush, and settler colonial society drew maps, displaced Indigenous People, and reshaped the land, but they did not make California. Rather, the lives and legacies of the people native to the land shaped the creation of California. We Are the Land is the first and most comprehensive text of its kind, centering the long history of California around the lives and legacies of ...

Southern Methodist University in Dallas is one of numerous prestigious universities in Texas. The school’s football team was the pride of the university and the city. Before the late 1970s, however, the relatively small school had trouble recruiting and struggled to keep up with the big-time football universities that were often more than double its size. Under pressure to compete, the SMU football program engaged in ethics, rules, and recruiting violations for years. When the corruption c...

It seems unlikely that James Naismith, who grew up playing “Duck on the Rock” in the rural community of Almonte, Canada, would invent one of America’s most popular sports. But Rob Rains and Hellen Carpenter’s fascinating, in-depth biography James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball shows how this young man—who wanted to be a medical doctor, or if not that, a minister (in fact, he was both)—came to create a game that has endured for over a century.James Naismith reveals how Na...

South Carolina has a proud tradition of high school football stretching back to the 1890s, making the sport one of the most celebrated in the state. Discover how Florence High School-- sometimes dubbed the Yellow Jackets or the Golden Tornados--won the first four state titles, a record that has been tied but never broken. And learn about the aftermath of a 1922 game between Columbia and Charleston, when violent Columbia fans hurled eggs at the Charleston train as the players left for home....

This book will chronicle the history of baseball at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown has earned the distinction of being the most influential institution regarding baseball in Rhode Island. Fields, players, coaches are also included. Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are the stories revolving around students and baseball games. Racial Integration on the ball field at Brown University is also explored, as well as women who played baseball at Pembroke College ...

First published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons in 1949, Franklin “Whitey” Lewis’s The Cleveland Indians begins with the organization’s early years as the Cleveland Forest Citys, covers the 1920 World Series victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers, and concludes with the excitement of the 1948 pennant race.This early team history covers such Cleveland legends as Cy Young, from his days in Tuscarawas County and Canton and his time with the Cleveland Spiders; Bob Feller, his discovery and ...

The true life story of one of early twentieth century's baseball legends—a Most Valuable Player and Hall of Famer who was as difficult as he was talented.A relentless competitor, Rogers Hornsby—arguably the finest right-handed hitter in baseball's history—was supremely successful on the baseball field but, in many ways, a failure off it.In this biography, Charles Alexander turns his skilled eye to this complex individual, weaving the stories of his personal...