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Exploring the national pastime Fergus man authors book on baseball trivia By Matt Bewley Daily Journal -- Fergus Falls, MN Did you know that baseball great Roger Maris is actually a native Minnesotan? Or that Archie "Moonlight" Graham was, in reality, not a native Minnesotan, as claimed in the movie, Field of Dreams? You certainly would know these
things, and much more, if you read Glen Herness' new book, "From Minnesota to
the Major Leagues," an entertaining and
informative guide which covers every native of our state who ever made it to
"The Show."
Herness, a Fergus Falls resident and former baseball player in Ashby, has compiled 156 pages of fun facts, little-known trivia and career stats on Minnesota major leaguers that reads like a who's-who in baseball history, dating all the way back to 1884. He has been compiling information and statistics for some 25 years, mostly as a hobby. He decided to pull it all together last fall into a single, definitive study of Minnesota natives in the majors. "I did it for myself, mostly, but I knew there were a lot of (baseball) fans out there who would also get a lot of enjoyment out of it," said Herness. He spent six months writing his book, researching player histories through a wide range of sources, including the venerable Baseball Encyclopedia and the Internet. A big fan of the game, he not surprisingly considered the project "all fun." In his section on baseball nicknames, Herness found that while some of the great nicknames relate to the player's skills on the field, such as Babe Ruth's famous "Sultan of Swat" moniker, some were related to their hometowns, their complexions, or even simply to describe some memorable moment in their careers, like "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Still others, like Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones, just leave the reader wondering. Herness has also written a section that would spark controversy among any baseball fans -- naming the all-time "Minnesota All-Star Team". Herness is presently at work on his second book, "From Iowa to the Major Leagues," which will be out this fall. By the time he's completely finished, he said, his Diamond States Collector Series will include coverage of all 50 states. The first book is currently available on-line at www.baseballisthegame.com or you can pick up a copy at BJ's in Fergus Falls, or Violet's Gifts in Ashby. Curious about which of Minnesota's sons played and bunked with "The Babe" or what Fergus Falls' own Dave Goltz's career stats are? Herness can supply the facts. |
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Copyright © 2007 Herness Publishing
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