SOUTHERN LEAGUE A True Story of Baseball, Civil Rights, and the Deep South's Most Compelling Pennant Race

The author, a former professional ballplayer, examines the integration of the Barons, a minor league baseball team in Birmingham, Alabama, in the mid-1960s. The reporting is excellent, the writing is clear, and Fleet Cooper’s narration is outstanding. What did it take for an integrated team to survive in the bastion of segregation that was the Deep South? Colton does a wonderful job researching the players and manager of one team that dealt with racism off the field (mostly) while trying to win a pennant race on the field. These voices from players, managers, owners, and others are a varied lot: bitter, angry, Latin-accented, soft-spoken. Cooper gives each full attention, carving out identities for everyone involved in this tumultuous time. It’s a great example of excellent narration capping a well-done book. M.B. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2013]