Joe Cambria
Author | : Paul Scimonelli |
Publisher | : McFarland |
Total Pages | : 313 |
Release | : 2023-03-24 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781476648415 |
ISBN-13 | : 1476648417 |
Rating | : 4/5 (15 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: One of the most prolific scouts in baseball history, Joe Cambria almost single-handedly saved the Washington Senators from ruin. Signing a stream of young players from Cuba--as many as 20 per season for three decades--he fed the team affordable talent and kept them competitive during World War II, when many front-liners went to the front lines. Cambria subverted baseball's color line years before Jackie Robinson broke it, signing light-skinned Cubans--many of African descent--who could pass in the all-white Major Leagues. This first ever biography traces his memorable career, including the shady hiring practices and flamboyant deals that drew rulings from the bench of Kenesaw Mountain Landis.