"Lavishly detailed, rich in anecdotes and thoroughly researched, Dirk Baker presents the life, the times and the ultimate tragedy of William 'Kid' Gleason, the dauntless manager of the Chicago White Sox at the moment of his greatest triumph--accompanied by the national disgrace of the 1919-1920 Black Sox Scandal. Thrust into an impossible position of defending his eight corrupted players or revealing his suspicions, Gleason took the high road and stood tall with great personal sacrifice. The grinding saga of the Black Sox likely cost the Kid the chance of Baseball Hall of Fame immortality if this 1919 team held together. The White Sox were on the cusp of forging a dynasty team, and Gleason, as the beloved father figure to this mix of cantankerous, socially divided and angry players would most certainly have led them to pennants into the 1920s. We will never know of course, fate being what it is. But if there is a true hero to this sordid story it is Kid Gleason and author Dirk Baker has revived the spirit and humanity of this nearly forgotten baseball figure."--Richard C. Lindberg, Chicago White Sox historian and author of Total White Sox.