Album Notes

This is the audio book version of the 1994 book of the same name, described by Sports Illustrated as "amazing!" The book follows the incredible 36-year career (1919-1954) of Double Duty Radcliffe, nicknamed because he was a legendary as a pitcher and catcher.

The book is narrated by the author, with long quotes by Double Duty and many other Negro League players of the 1910s, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Radcliffe belted more than 400 homers and won more than 500 games as a pitcher; he was named an All-Star as a pitcher and catcher three times each, won the 1943 Negro League MVP Award at age 41, pitched and caught several no-hitters, and was one of Negro League baseball's biggest drawing cards for decades. Radcliffe batted over .400 in exhibitions against Major Leaguers, integrated two semipro leagues in 1948, managed an integrated team in 1934 that swept a three-game series against a Major League All-Star team, and was a key member of three of the greatest teams in Negro League history--the 1930 St. Louis Stars, '31 Homestead Grays, and '32 Pittsburgh Crawfords.

Radclffe played with and against the biggest names in black and white baseball, including Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Honus Wagner, Willie Mays and many more!

This audio book also covers the half-century following Radcliffe's playing career, as Double Duty lived to the ripe old age of 103, and was a pistol to the very end! The author/narrator spent 10 days with Double Duty and two other Negro League legends in 1992, which led to the writing of the Radcliffe biography, and gave the author thrills to last a lifetime!