After Jackie now available!

 July 3, 2021

Hi, Everyone!

     This will be just a quick post to pass along some fun news: After Jackie: 15 Pioneers Who Helped Change the Face of Baseball is now available in electronic version through all major booksellers.  The e-book version actually came out July 1. The paperback will be available in late fall in time for the holiday book buying season. This year, because of the pandemic and the fact that so many people are not going to bookstores yet, publishers are really pushing e-books at this time because, well, the past year has found more and more readers purchasing books to read on their electronic devices.  This makes sense -- and is probably a trend that will continue in future years.  E-books take up virtually no space, are easy to download and store, and the screens on electronic devices are getting much better and easier to read.  Right now, some books appear in e-book format only.  In future years, that number will really climb.  Publishers also really like this trend because there are no warehouse/storage feels associated with new releases, no shipping fees, and they now don't have to twist arms to get books placed on the shelves in bookstores. In other words, in most cases it is a "win-win" situation for publishers - and dramatically increases their profit margin. E-books also allow them to take chances with books they normally might now have published.  Yes, there are still many costs related to getting an e-book ready to be sold, but this cost is WAY lower than getting a print book on the shelf. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't particularly wild about the idea of After Jackie appearing as an e-book so far in advance of the hard copy showing up in bookstores.  However, this is the heart of the baseball season, so it does make good sense to have the book ready to go right now, even if it is only in e-book format.  

     Here's the link to the listing on Amazon Books:   https://www.amazon.com/After-Jackie-Fifteen-Pioneers-Baseball-ebook/dp/B096147LVF/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=After+Jackie%3A+15+Pioneers+who+helped+change+the+face+of+baseball&qid=1625337258&sr=8-1

     I also wanted to share a few of the comments folks have already said about the book.  I'll list these below --

“In both baseball history, and American history, Jackie Robinson holds an enduring place of honor and respect.  While nothing will ever diminish his standing, it is also true that those who followed him in integrating their respective teams, faced their own versions of the obstacles and racism Robinson encountered.  And, like Jackie, they were distinct individuals with personal lives and stories beyond their on-field performances and symbolic significance. With that in mind, After Jackie contains vivid and moving stories.  It is also a contribution to the historical record.”

Bob Costas

Ford C. Frick Award recipient and member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame

 

 

 

“Every baseball fan knows Jackie Robinson and all he accomplished.  Lesser known are the other players who broke their team’s color barriers.  Jeff Copeland takes a look at these men and their place in baseball history, as well as their unique stories.  A fun and interesting read for any baseball fan.”

Cassidy Lent

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

 

 

 

    “Jackie Robinson was first in the Majors, but fifteen other players were the first to play as persons of color with baseball’s other big league teams in the mid-century era.  In After Jackie, Jeffrey S. Copeland recounts their achievements, not only on the field, but in their lives.  And not just regarding sports, but about the full context of race and society during the America of those years.  Here are all the good stories, some legendary and others never heard before -- and more than a few surprises.  A superb book – for everyone who loves sports, history, and stories of courage and determination.  Play ball!”

    Jerome Klinkowitz, author of Short Season, Basepaths, and Owning a Piece of the Minors.

 

 

 

     “Jeff Copeland's book is an important addition to the history of baseball. While every fan knows the story of Jackie Robinson, Jeff goes into incredible detail telling the stories of the men who followed Jackie in helping break baseball's color barrier. What these men endured and what it meant to the future of baseball can never be forgotten.” -- Rob Rains, editor of STLSportsPage.com and author of Baseball Samurais: Ichiro Suzuki And The Asian Invasion; Intentional Walk; James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Baseball; and Ozzie Smith: The Road to Cooperstown. 

      I hope all of you enjoy the book.  I sure had a great time doing the background research!  Take care -- and stay safe!

      Happy Reading!

JSC

Up next: After Jackie!

 April 17, 2021

Hi, Everyone,

     I hope this note finds all of you well and riding out these very odd and unsettling times we are in.  As most of you know, my "day job" is being a university professor. Here at our school we've had all sorts of ups and downs caused by the pandemic.  We're also still trying to adjust to the "new normal," which involves classes and people being together in all sorts of combinations: in-person, through Zoom, Skype, BlueJeans, FaceTime - and even old-fashioned phone calls.  The technology side of this has been a real challenge for many.  For my 8:00 a.m. class, which was being hosted through Zoom one morning during the jaws of the pandemic, my students were Zooming in from their dorm rooms or apartments close to campus. Imagine my surprise when two of them, a young man and a young woman, weren't fully clothed.  I said something immediately, and both were horrified -- because they thought they could see me but we couldn't see them!  Ah, the innocence of youth....

     I feel lucky that members of my extended family who have had Covid did not have severe cases.  I can't say the same about my students, some of whom became seriously ill -- and are still dealing with the effects of the virus today. I wish them all the best as they continue their medical challenges. Like so many others, I'm longing for some return to normalcy, but who knows when that will be?  In the meantime, I just hope people will be kind, caring, and understanding to all.

     While "cooped up" this past year, I was able to finish the book I had started right before the pandemic hit. I'll attach the "mock-up" of the cover to this message so you can see a general idea of what it will look like. This mock-up shows Jackie Robinson in the middle, and the "other fifteen" men in small circles around Jackie's image.  Also, the "book blurbs" (testimonials) from other writers and sports personalities that will go on the cover aren't on this mock-up. Finally, the full title of the book is: After Jackie: Fifteen Pioneers Who Changed the Face of Baseball.  The idea for the book actually came about one night, pre-pandemic, when I was eating supper in a restaurant that had a baseball game on the television in the corner of the room.  Between bites, I saw the right fielder make an error, and the announcer said, "That looked like the second coming of Carlos Paula." Nobody else in the room got the obscure reference, but I did.  The announcer's words caused me to laugh and almost choke to death on my food.   The player the announcer referred to, Carlos Paula, played for the Washington Senators in the mid-1950's.  Carlos was a tremendous hitter who could have had a long and glorious career -- except for one thing: He never could quite get the hang of catching the dang ball.  As a result, he made quite a few errors, much to the dismay of his manager, his teammates, and even the fans.  After hearing the announcer bring up Mr. Paula's name, something also dawned on me: Carlos was the first person of color to play for the Washington Senators of the American League.  That got me to thinking about something.  Nearly everyone, and not just baseball fans, has at least some knowledge of Jackie Robinson and his legacy.  However, Jackie was a pioneer on one of just 16 teams in Major League Baseball when he took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.  So, I immediately started wondering who the "other fifteen" were who helped break down the color barrier for the other teams.  In a nutshell, that's how the idea for this book came to me.  In doing the research, a great deal of which was done at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, I discovered the "other fifteen" went through much of what Jackie went through, but each also had a special story to tell about his journey into baseball.  In the book, a chapter is devoted to each of the "other fifteen" men, and their stories are incredible, which made the book a labor of love to write.  After Jackie will be released soon in electronic form, and a paperback version will then follow.  I'll let everyone know when it is available.  I can't wait - I loved writing this book!

     I'll write more again soon.  In the meantime, please take care -- and stay well!

JSC