Satchel The Life And Times Of An American Legend – Audiobook Online By: Larry Tye
New York Times Bestseller. The enchanting, brilliantly researched story of athlete, performer, philosopher and boundary-breaker Leroy “Satchel” Paige
“Among the rare biographies of an athlete who transcends sport… brings us people as well as myths.” (Boston Globe)
Very few reliable records or bulletins survive about the players in the Black League. Through persistent detective work, award-winning author and journalist Larry Tye uncovers the truth about this majestic and enigmatic pitcher, interviewing more than 200 Negro Leaguers and Major Leaguers, says Talk to family and friends who have never told their story before, and trace back Paige’s Footsteps Across the Continent.
This is the moving story of the child born to a laundry woman in Alabama with 12 mouths to feed, the boy nicknamed “Satchel” for his enterprising job as a railroad porter, Young man playing baseball on the street and in reform school, invents his signature hesitant pitch while throwing bricks at rival gang members.
Tye sees Paige take America by storm and become the superstar hurdler of the Black League, a wonder man who has set records so startling that it looks like a misprint. all the money he earned and left the ticket for “Mrs. Paige” was chosen by a different woman at each game. In unprecedented detail, Tye reveals how Paige, traumatized and angry when Jackie Robinson beat him in the Juniors, emerged at 42 to help propel the Cleveland Indians to the World Tournament. He threw his last pitch from a mound at the major tournament by an unbelievable rate of 59. (“Age is a matter of reason,” he said. “If you don’t mind, that doesn’t matter.”)
More than just a gripping tale of a baseball adventure, Satchel rewrites the history of our sport’s assimilation, with Satchel Paige in the lead role. This is a powerful portrait of an American hero who used a disturbing stereotype to disarm critics and racists, floating humorous legends about himself – even for his own age – to deflect the investigation and remain elusive, and in the process, he methodically built his own legend. “Don’t look back,” he famously said. “Something can be achieved on you.” Separating fact from legend, Satchel is a remarkable achievement, as big as this larger-than-life man.
Great storytelling about the most legendary pitcher in game history. The author weaves facts about Satchel while paying homage to the legendary aspects that have captivated fans for generations. Ultimately, this book is a tragedy of what America has missed by excluding the greats of the Black League.
Satchel is a detailed and well-written account of the life of Satchel Paige. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves baseball and, in particular, to anyone who loves the history of our past America. I have learned a lot from this book and I personally enjoyed doing so. The narrator is excellent, and I am looking forward to hearing this wonderful book about such an interesting and talented man.
