Grasping the Ring II

Gene A. Budig tells the personalized stories of nine exceptional Americans&mdash;people who knew what they wanted in life and followed difficult paths to achieve admirable ends. In this sequel to his earlier book, <i>Grasping the Ring</i>, Budig profiles Rachel Robinson, widow of baseball"s Jackie Robinson and a remarkable woman in her own right; Bill Veeck, a showman and owner of three baseball teams who helped teach fans how to laugh and have fun at the ballpark; Bob Costas, the longtime sports announcer and commentator; Gene Autry, the "Singing Cowboy," former owner of the California Angels, and noted philanthropist; Bob Gibson, a Hall-of-Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals known as a fierce competitor; Billy Beane, a well-known baseball insider made famous in the Michael Lewis book <i>Moneyball</i>; Jerry West, one of professional basketball"s all-time finest players; Stan Kasten, one of the great minds in baseball and current president of the Washington Nationals; and Bud Selig, the current commissioner of Major League Baseball. What emerges in Budig"s engaging narrative is that these individuals were ahead of their time, and these essays paint a vivid and sometimes troubling picture of what they endured to become leaders of stature.