ChapmanandMaclainWay’senergetictellingofoneofbaseball’sgreat,unheraldedstoriesisasmuchaboutindependentspiritasitisaboutthegame.WhenPortland,Oregon,lostitslongtimeminor-leagueaffiliate,BingRussell—whobrieflyplayedballprofessionallybeforeenjoyingasuccessfulHollywoodactingcareer—boughttheterritoryandformedasingle-Ateamtooperateoutsidetheconfinesofmajor-leaguebaseball.Whentheytookthefieldin1973,theMavericks—theonlyindependentteaminAmerica—startedwithtwostrikesagainstthem.WhatdidDeputyClemfromBonanzaknowaboutbaseball?OrPortland,forthatmatter?Theonlythingunitinghisplayers,recruitedatopentryouts,wasthatnootherteamwantedthem.Skepticsagreedthatitcouldneverwork.ButBingunderstoodaballplayer’sdreams,andheunderstoodanaudience.Hisquirky,unkemptcastoffswongames,andtheywonfans,shatteringminor-leagueattendancerecords.Theirspiritwascontagious,andduringtheirshortreign,theMavericks—arestaurantownerturnedmanager,left-handedcatcher,andblackballedpitcheramongthem—broughtindependencebacktobaseballandembodiedwhatitwasallabout:theloveofthegame.-J.N.如果您喜歡茶杯狐 cupfox(www.shebei119.com)分享的《被毆打的棒球雜種》,別忘了推薦給你的好友!
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