Catching Dreams: My Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues(Sports and Entertainment)

In a rare memoir about the Negro Leagues and its celebrated players, Frazier "Slow" Robinson offers an inspiring and often entertaining view of the black baseball diamond through a catcher's mask. In 1939, at the age of 29--after playing professional baseball for twelve years--Frazier Robinson caught the legendary Satchel Paige in barnstorming games from New Orleans to Walla Walla. Robinson played several more seasons in the Negro Leagues before finishing his career in Canada. While his career was a solid one, it was less spectacular than that of his friend and Hall-of-Famer, Satchel Paige, and so more typical of the experience of most Negro Leaguers. Richly embroidered with the threads of black society and of life as a black athlete in a racially divided nation, Robinson recounts his long career with the skill and ease of a natural storyteller. He covers, in remarkable detail, the personal perspective of the men, the teams, and the times that shaped this uniquely American subculture. From playing catcher for obscure industrial teams to barnstorming with Satchel Paige, he chronologically traces his nationwide path through the 1920s, '30s, '40s, and early '50s. The Foreword by John "Buck" O'Neil and Introduction by Gerald Early place Robinson squarely in the world of sports, African American culture, and American history.

About the Author :
Frazier "Slow" Robinson played professional baseball in parts of four decades beginning in the 1920s. He caught for Hall-of-Fame pitchers Satchel Paige and Leon Day and played with many other legendary Negro Leaguers. He died in 1997. Paul Bauer is a rare book dealer specializing in baseball. He lives in Kent, Ohio.

Review :
'Slow' Robinson serves up enough juicy anecdotes about his buddy Satchel Paige (and others) to make the journey worthwhile. It's the type of book to enjoy while sitting in a rocking chair and sipping ice tea, a meandering pleasure for a hot summer's day.-- "San Francisco Chronicle" [Robinson] recalls the details of games played half a century ago as vividly as if they happened yesterday. . . . By using his last years to immortalize these stories, he contributed as much to the game with a tape recorder as he ever did with a bat and glove. -- "The New York Times Book Review" Authentic Americana, with enough balls, strikes, players, and pennant chases to keep the hardcore fans happy. -- "Kirkus Reviews" There are those whose life stories are dominated by 'woulda.' 'shoulda, ' and 'coulda.' And there are others who accept life's twists and turns with grace. Frazier 'Slow' Robinson was among the latter. A journeyman catcher during the heyday of the Negro baseball leagues, Robinson just wanted to play ball . ... He minimizes the tough times to accentuate the camaraderie and the simple joy of being paid to play baseball. The racism that kept him from the major leagues and the bigots who scorned him couldn't diminish his appetite for life. -- "Booklist"