Description
When Ernie Banks passed away in 2015, he was regarded as one of the most beloved men in baseball history. Making his start as a shortstop with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues as a teenager, Banks went on to become the first African American to play for the Chicago Cubs. Known affectionately as "Mr. Cub," he brought exceptional talent and boundless optimism to the game of baseball, earning him a Presidential Medal of Freedom and a place in the Hall of Fame. In Let's Play Two: The Life and Times of Ernie Banks, Doug Wilson explores the life of one of baseball's most immortal figures, from his humble beginnings as a young boy living in the segregated South to his last few years and the public battles over his remains and will. Drawing on interviews of those close to Banks from all stages of his life, Wilson presents a portrait of the baseball player not just as an athlete, but also as a complex man with ambitious goals and hidden pains. Ernie Banks's enthusiasm and skill transcended issues of race and helped him to become one of the most highly-regarded men in baseball. Offering details that have never before been printed, this book discusses Banks's athletic prowess as well as the legacy he left behind. Let's Play Two is the essential Ernie Banks biography for sports fans and historians alike.
About the Author
Doug Wilson is a former college baseball player and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He is the author of Fred Hutchinson and the 1964 Cincinnati Reds (2010), The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych (2013), Brooks: The Biography of Brooks Robinson (2014), and Pudge: The Biography of Carlton Fisk (2015). His books have been finalists for the Casey Award and SABR's Seymour Medal as the best baseball books of the year and The Bird was selected by the Library of Michigan as a Michigan Notable book for 2014.Wilson lives in Columbus, Indiana.
Reviews
Wilson is a former college baseball player, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, and the author of four previous books on baseball. He's a serious student of the game, a meticulous researcher, and a fine writer . . . Wilson provides details of Banks' North Dallas youth, his stint with the Kansas City Monarchs, and his emergence in the fifties as one of baseball's first Black stars . . . Wilson gets behind Banks' cheerful persona to reveal the man's deep-seated melancholy, again using interviews to bring out a complex personality. A well-constructed, empathetic biography. * Booklist *
As I read this book it brought Ernie back to life. Playing next to Ernie for two years was one of the highlights of my career. -- Ransom Jackson Jr., two-time Major League Baseball All-Star, Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Growing up in Hammond, Indiana, Ernie was my idol. How many kids was he the idol of back then? Thousands! But at one time he talked with me at our Little League Banquet. He autographed a program from our banquet that said, "I'll see you in the Big Leagues." Nine years later he welcomed me to the Big Leagues. Nine years later, he still remembered. How neat is that?! RIP, Mr. Cub! -- Darrel Chaney, World Series champion, Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves
Ernie Banks was one of the greatest and most colorful characters ever to play the game. However, Doug Wilson takes readers beyond his "Let's Play Two" persona to detail the full scope of Banks' life that had its share of ups, downs, and challenges. Cubs fans, baseball fans, will want to read this complete look at "Mr. Cub." -- Ed Sherman, long-time Chicago Tribune sportswriter
Wilson skillfully provides his readers with a balance of insightful detail about Banks' playing days and personal life. . . . the detail with which Wilson masterfully depicts Banks will leave readers convinced that Banks was nothing other than a man who humbly appreciated every accomplishment he achieved in his lifetime. . . . Wilson's Ernie Banks comes alive in a way that allows readers to immerse themselves in his tremendous strength, agility, and talent that the man known as Mr. Cub always brought to the game. * Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine *
Book Information
ISBN 9781538112298
Author Doug Wilson
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 558g
Dimensions(mm) 239mm * 164mm * 26mm
About the Author
Doug Wilson is a former college baseball player and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He is the author of Fred Hutchinson and the 1964 Cincinnati Reds (2010), The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych (2013), Brooks: The Biography of Brooks Robinson (2014), and Pudge: The Biography of Carlton Fisk (2015). His books have been finalists for the Casey Award and SABR's Seymour Medal as the best baseball books of the year and The Bird was selected by the Library of Michigan as a Michigan Notable book for 2014.Wilson lives in Columbus, Indiana.
Reviews
Wilson is a former college baseball player, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, and the author of four previous books on baseball. He's a serious student of the game, a meticulous researcher, and a fine writer . . . Wilson provides details of Banks' North Dallas youth, his stint with the Kansas City Monarchs, and his emergence in the fifties as one of baseball's first Black stars . . . Wilson gets behind Banks' cheerful persona to reveal the man's deep-seated melancholy, again using interviews to bring out a complex personality. A well-constructed, empathetic biography. * Booklist *
As I read this book it brought Ernie back to life. Playing next to Ernie for two years was one of the highlights of my career. -- Ransom Jackson Jr., two-time Major League Baseball All-Star, Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Growing up in Hammond, Indiana, Ernie was my idol. How many kids was he the idol of back then? Thousands! But at one time he talked with me at our Little League Banquet. He autographed a program from our banquet that said, "I'll see you in the Big Leagues." Nine years later he welcomed me to the Big Leagues. Nine years later, he still remembered. How neat is that?! RIP, Mr. Cub! -- Darrel Chaney, World Series champion, Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves
Ernie Banks was one of the greatest and most colorful characters ever to play the game. However, Doug Wilson takes readers beyond his "Let's Play Two" persona to detail the full scope of Banks' life that had its share of ups, downs, and challenges. Cubs fans, baseball fans, will want to read this complete look at "Mr. Cub." -- Ed Sherman, long-time Chicago Tribune sportswriter
Wilson skillfully provides his readers with a balance of insightful detail about Banks' playing days and personal life. . . . the detail with which Wilson masterfully depicts Banks will leave readers convinced that Banks was nothing other than a man who humbly appreciated every accomplishment he achieved in his lifetime. . . . Wilson's Ernie Banks comes alive in a way that allows readers to immerse themselves in his tremendous strength, agility, and talent that the man known as Mr. Cub always brought to the game. * Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine *
Book Information
ISBN 9781538112298
Author Doug Wilson
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 558g
Dimensions(mm) 239mm * 164mm * 26mm
