by Marty Appel
First published 1999
Mike "King" Kelly steps up to the plate in 1880s America, where baseball is still finding its footing and fame means something entirely new. The son of a Civil War veteran, Kelly brings natural talent and irresistible charm to the diamond, but his love of drinking and the high life threatens to overshadow his skills. As he innovates new plays and bends rules with only one umpire watching, Kelly discovers he can capture crowds like no player before him. He signs the first autographs, writes the first player autobiography, and wins two batting championships on his way to the Hall of Fame. But Kelly must navigate the tension between his growing celebrity and the demands of the game itself. His greatest challenge becomes learning that his true legacy lies not in his personal fame but in the popularity he brings to baseball across America.
Genres: biography, american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, baseball, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figure
Setting: America
Period: 1880s
244 pages · Kindle Edition · Scarecrow Press