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WEE WILLIE SHERDEL: THE CARDINALS' WINNINGEST LEFT-HANDER
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WEE WILLIE SHERDEL
THE CARDINALS' WINNINGEST LEFT-HANDER By John G. Coulson with John T. Sherdel FriesenPress (June 11, 2018) Wee Willie Sherdel was a very humble, courageous left-handed pitcher who became one of the all-time great southpaws in St. Louis Cardinals history. The son of a German blacksmith in a small Pennsylvania village, Willie’s dream was to become a major league pitcher – a rather big dream for a small boy. Not the most talented or biggest, he worked hard and learned from greats like Eddie Plank, Branch Rickey and Grover Cleveland Alexander. Sherdel’s best years were in the 1920s while Rickey was developing the farm system concept and the Cards were playing in two World Series. Known for his slow ball, Willie was given the honor of pitching the first game against Ruth, Gehrig and the powerful Yankees in both Series. Although labeled a hard-luck pitcher in the Series, Sherdel performed many great feats on the diamond. Since his retirement in 1932, he remains the Redbirds’ winningest left-hander and fourth all-time winner. Willie also has pitched the third-most games and the fourth-most innings. Like all pitchers, he loved to talk about his hitting. Among Cardinals’ pitchers, Sherdel owns the fourth-most career home runs and the fifth-best batting average for his .337 in 1923. His contemporaries included over 90 Hall of Famers and some of the greatest players of all-time including Ruth, Gehrig, Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby. |
"A meticulously researched labor of love, [Wee Willie] is packed with generous helpings of era-specific details." - Foreword Clarion Reviews
"...A treat for bookish, die-hard Cardinals fans." -Kirkus Reviews
HANOVER RAIDERS: MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA
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HANOVER RAIDERS
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN HANOVER, PENNSYLVANIA By John G. Coulson John G Coulson & Sheridan Printing; 1st edition (2008) This is the story of the Hanover community and its passion for baseball, the national pastime. The book traces the game's roots in Hanover after the Civil War ended. It touches upon the early years of local clubs and Hanover's first experience with semi-professional baseball, the Hanover Tigers of the 1896 Cumberland Valley League. It is also the history of the Raiders, the pride of Hanover. Originally named the Hornets, the Hanover Raiders participated in the Class D Blue Ridge League from its inception in 1915 to its premature ending in 1930 because of the stock market crash and the Great Depression. The story is much more than just baseball scores. It is a reflection on baseball's importance to the town's well-being. Raider players were treated like matinee idols within the community. There were colorful characters, major league stars, and hall of fame greats who walked upon the diamond on High Street. There were opening day parades, games that ended in near riots, victory celebrations on the Hanover Square, and players who died under tragic circumstances. |
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