Singles and Smiles

How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball's Color Barrier

Gaylon H. White

This book brings to light the story of a Negro League and Pacific Coast League star, his struggles to make it in the majors, and his crucial role in integrating baseball’s premier minor league.

Artie Wilson once was the best shortstop in baseball. In 1948 Artie led all of baseball with a .402 batting average for the Birmingham Black Barons, the last hitter in the top level of pro ball to hit .400. But during much of his career, Organized Baseball passed Artie by because he was black.

In Singles and Smiles: How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball's Color Barrier, Gaylon H. White provides a fascinating account of Wilson’s life and career. An All-Star in the Negro Leagues, in 1949 Artie became only the second black player in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the first to play for the Oakland Oaks. Wilson soon became one of the league’s most popular players with white and black fans alike through his consistent play and optimistic, upbeat attitude. In 1951 Artie finally got a chance to play in the majors with the New York Giants, but after batting a mere twenty-four times he urged Giants manager Leo Durocher to send him back to the minors and bring up a former Black Barons teammate to take his place—Willie Mays.

While Jackie Robinson deserves all the credit he has received for breaking baseball’s color barrier at the major-league level, this book pays tribute to those such as Artie Wilson who changed the game in the minors—pioneers in their own right. Featuring in-depth interviews with Artie alongside interviews with almost thirty of Artie’s teammates and opponents—including Willie Mays and Carl Erskine—Singles and Smiles imparts a treasure trove of stories that will entertain and inspire baseball fans of all generations.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 270 • Trim: 6¼ x 9⅜

978-1-5381-0790-4 • Hardback • March 2018 • $44.00 • (£35.00)

978-1-5381-0791-1 • eBook • March 2018 • $41.50 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Sports & Recreation / Baseball / History, Sports & Recreation / Baseball / General, Sports & Recreation / Baseball / Biography, Biography & Autobiography / Sports

Singles and Smiles

How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball's Color Barrier

Hardback

eBook

Summary

This book brings to light the story of a Negro League and Pacific Coast League star, his struggles to make it in the majors, and his crucial role in integrating baseball’s premier minor league.

Artie Wilson once was the best shortstop in baseball. In 1948 Artie led all of baseball with a .402 batting average for the Birmingham Black Barons, the last hitter in the top level of pro ball to hit .400. But during much of his career, Organized Baseball passed Artie by because he was black.

In Singles and Smiles: How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball's Color Barrier, Gaylon H. White provides a fascinating account of Wilson’s life and career. An All-Star in the Negro Leagues, in 1949 Artie became only the second black player in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the first to play for the Oakland Oaks. Wilson soon became one of the league’s most popular players with white and black fans alike through his consistent play and optimistic, upbeat attitude. In 1951 Artie finally got a chance to play in the majors with the New York Giants, but after batting a mere twenty-four times he urged Giants manager Leo Durocher to send him back to the minors and bring up a former Black Barons teammate to take his place—Willie Mays.

While Jackie Robinson deserves all the credit he has received for breaking baseball’s color barrier at the major-league level, this book pays tribute to those such as Artie Wilson who changed the game in the minors—pioneers in their own right. Featuring in-depth interviews with Artie alongside interviews with almost thirty of Artie’s teammates and opponents—including Willie Mays and Carl Erskine—Singles and Smiles imparts a treasure trove of stories that will entertain and inspire baseball fans of all generations.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 270 • Trim: 6¼ x 9⅜

978-1-5381-0790-4 • Hardback • March 2018 • $44.00 • (£35.00)

978-1-5381-0791-1 • eBook • March 2018 • $41.50 • (£35.00)

Subjects: Sports & Recreation / Baseball / History, Sports & Recreation / Baseball / General, Sports & Recreation / Baseball / Biography, Biography & Autobiography / Sports

Author

Gaylon H. White was a sportswriter for the Denver Post, Arizona Republic and Oklahoma Journal before working in the corporate world for nearly forty years. He is the author of The Bilko Athletic Club: The Story of the 1956 Los Angeles Angels (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014) and co-author with Ransom Jackson of Handsome Ransom Jackson: Accidental Big Leaguer (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016).

Reviews

Artie Wilson was one of the guys who watched out for me when I played for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948. In turn, I watched Artie. That year, he hit .402! That was a lesson in hitting that I always remembered.
— Willie Mays, legendary Hall of Famer, 2-time National League MVP, 12-time Gold Glove Award winner, and 24-time All-Star

I broke into the big leagues in 1947—the same year Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Jackie had a belly-full of guts and didn’t give an inch to all the pitchers who threw at him. Artie Wilson showed the same courage, winning the Coast League batting title his first season in Organized Baseball.Singles and Smilesrecognizes Artie for doing in the minors what Jackie did in the majors.
— Wally Westlake, power-hitting outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and five other major-league teams, 1947-1956

Artie Wilson was my idol growing up in Puerto Rico. He inspired me to be a ballplayer. Singles and Smiles is a well-deserved tribute to a great man and player, and a beautiful dresser. Artie was amazing in everything he did.
— Orlando Cepeda, Hall of Fame first baseman, 1958 National League Rookie of the Year, 1967 National League MVP, and seven-time National League All-Star

Breaking up a double play at second base is a lost art. That’s too bad because we’ll never see another Artie Wilson—the greatest I ever saw at evading guys like me trying to knock him into the next county. I enjoyed reading about Artful Artie, and so will you.
— Gale Wade, former Chicago Cub and minor league star renowned for rolling-block slides at second base

I always had the feeling Artie Wilson shaved several years off his age a la Satchel Paige. He was like Satch in other ways, too—a barrier breaker and great example for the black players that followed.
— Chuck Stevens, first baseman, St. Louis Browns, the first to get a hit off of the legendary Satchel Paige in the majors

I’m delighted the story of Artie Wilson is being told. He was amazing both on and off the field—a role model for younger Birmingham Black Baron players like me and Willie Mays. We were rookies on the highly-respected 1948 team that raised the bar of excellence for our race, our city, and ourselves.
— Bill Greason, former pitcher, Birmingham Black Barons, and first black to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals

Artie Wilson might not have been blessed with the baseball career he deserved—damn segregation—but all these years later, he's finally got the biography he deserves.
— Rob Neyer, author of Rob Neyer’s Big Book of Baseball Legends