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Joe Jackson: A Biography
Shoeless Joe Jackson's rise from the cotton mills of the American South to the big cities of the North is a classic American tale of rags to riches. Born of sharecropping parents in South Carolina, Jackson's perfect swing and legendary fielding ability would make him a star in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, Jackson's legend was interrupted by his alleged involvement in baseball's darkest chapter, the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, which ultimately banished him to participation in outlaw baseball leagues. Kelly Boyer Sagert recounts all phases in this legendary hitter's life―from mill worker to major league outfielder, to a central figure in a national scandal, and later, to his ventures as an entrepreneur and sometime ballplayer. In analyzing the life and surrounding cultural contexts of Jackson's time, the author examines how Shoeless Joe became the controversial but enduring legend that he is today. A timeline, bibliography, statistical appendix, and narrative chapter on the making of Jackson legend enhance this biography.
It has been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in professional sports. Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters presents biographies on Greenwood's selection for the twelve best hitters in Major League history, written by some of today's best baseball authors. These books present straightforward stories in accessible language for the high school researcher and the general reader alike.
It has been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in professional sports. Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters presents biographies on Greenwood's selection for the twelve best hitters in Major League history, written by some of today's best baseball authors. These books present straightforward stories in accessible language for the high school researcher and the general reader alike.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published October 30, 2004
2 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Boyer Sagert
25 books3 followersKelly Boyer Sagert is a freelance writer and eager reader, as well as a chocolate lover, socks avoider, cemetery wanderer, summer preferer, moonlight advocate, baseball fan and fledgling poet. She does not crochet, study calculus or yodel. She is married with two grown sons—and all three of them are pretty cool people to have alongside you on your life’s journey.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 18, 2016
Joe Jackson is a biography on the baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson. He is one of the best baseball players to ever play the game, and was kicked out of baseball for cheating. I think, since this happened to Joe, the theme of this book is not to cheat. He gets caught cheating, and he gets kicked out of his baseball, and loses a lot of respect.
In the beginning of the book, it describes his early life. He grew up in a small town, going to school and working in the family mill. He played baseball with some of the town kids. He eventually got to the point where he was too good to play with kids his own age, so he started playing with adults from the mill. They would play games on Saturday afternoons after working in the mill. Jackson, with his scrawny build, displayed amazing power with his bat, and speed in the outfield. He would raise money by everybody in the stands pitching in a quarter when he hit a home run. In the middle of the book, it describes Jackson’s rise to the big leagues, and the war going on at the time. War and economy affected the game of baseball. Towards the end of the book, it describes how Jackson got caught cheating and why he was banned from playing professional baseball. The main idea of the book is not to cheat. If Jackson would not have bet on his team, he would have still been able to play baseball and would have made it into the hall of fame.
Joe Jackson is a professional baseball player. He was born and raised in South Carolina, and had the nickname “Shoeless Joe” because he once played a game barefoot because his new spikes hurt his feet. Jackson is hard working because he worked hard to become the baseball player he was, and he worked hard in the mill back home to help out his family. Jackson is also caring because he cared about his family. Jackson also is a professional. He played baseball at a very high level and he always did it with great focus.
My advice for someone who would read this book is don’t read it if you aren't interested in the history of the game. Shoeless Joe was a huge part of baseball history and if you don't appreciate baseball for the game that it is, or you aren't interested in the history of America’s pastime, then read this book.
In the beginning of the book, it describes his early life. He grew up in a small town, going to school and working in the family mill. He played baseball with some of the town kids. He eventually got to the point where he was too good to play with kids his own age, so he started playing with adults from the mill. They would play games on Saturday afternoons after working in the mill. Jackson, with his scrawny build, displayed amazing power with his bat, and speed in the outfield. He would raise money by everybody in the stands pitching in a quarter when he hit a home run. In the middle of the book, it describes Jackson’s rise to the big leagues, and the war going on at the time. War and economy affected the game of baseball. Towards the end of the book, it describes how Jackson got caught cheating and why he was banned from playing professional baseball. The main idea of the book is not to cheat. If Jackson would not have bet on his team, he would have still been able to play baseball and would have made it into the hall of fame.
Joe Jackson is a professional baseball player. He was born and raised in South Carolina, and had the nickname “Shoeless Joe” because he once played a game barefoot because his new spikes hurt his feet. Jackson is hard working because he worked hard to become the baseball player he was, and he worked hard in the mill back home to help out his family. Jackson is also caring because he cared about his family. Jackson also is a professional. He played baseball at a very high level and he always did it with great focus.
My advice for someone who would read this book is don’t read it if you aren't interested in the history of the game. Shoeless Joe was a huge part of baseball history and if you don't appreciate baseball for the game that it is, or you aren't interested in the history of America’s pastime, then read this book.
October 4, 2012
This book was about a awesome hitters in the game of baseball. He was born on July 16, 1888 in "upcountry" of South Carolina. In the first few chapters of the book it explains about his life. It got interesting when Joe Jackson apperently was involved in the 1919 world series scandal. Since Joe was invovled in the fixing of the 1919 world series he was banished from Mlb for life.
I gave this 4 stars because it was a great book and it talks about the fixing of the 1919 world series.
"All you have to do to raise a smile from Connie Mack is to mention Jackson's name."(Sagert)
This relates to class because it was funny how Joe was invovled in this kind of scandal when he was such a good player.
I would recommend it to whoever likes baseball or just sports.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews