Out From Under the Shadow of the Babe!: One hundred and ten baseball profiles of players NOT named Babe Ruth!

Book Synopsis: As arguably the game’s greatest player, Babe — along with other “top tier” stars from baseball’s Golden ages — cast a long shadow over virtually everyone else who has ever played the game. Comparisons to the Babe are still commonplace today. A tape measure home run is a “Ruthian blast.” Great player production is characterized as “Ruthian in scope.” His “Called Shot” in the 1932 World Series (did he or didn’t he?) is still one of the most discussed topics in all of baseball lore; as are his home runs for little Johnny Sylvester in the 1926 World Series, and his 1925 “bellyache heard ‘round the world.” These are just a small sampling of the influence he still exerts, 75 years after his death. Among his many records, one that may never be broken is his career .689 slugging average. It’s “off the charts,” and the only way to describe it is as, well, “Ruthian.”

Many of the game’s lesser stars — hopelessly overshadowed by the great Bambino, and with accomplishments and stories of their own to tell — are in danger of being lost over the passage of time. As each year goes by, their memories fade a bit further into the recesses of history. The author has tried to do his part to halt this seemingly inevitable process. Thus was the genesis of his fourth book, Out From Under the Shadow of the Babe, One hundred and ten baseball profiles of players NOT named Babe Ruth. This somewhat quirky title fully captures my intentions.

Whenever one delves into the career of former ballplayers, invariably he or she will often find some interesting story or detail from his career. The author tried to capture that aspect in these selections. After you finish the book, it is hoped you’ll share the author's enthusiasm for reading stories about the many fine ballplayers who are not household names…and who are not named “Babe Ruth!”