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BASEBALL LEGEND
JIM MORRIS
WRITES FOREWORD FOR PLAYING
WITH THE ENEMY
The book debuts at
Book Expo America, May 19th in Washington, D.C.
GARY W. MOORE’S
FIRST BOOK WILL CAPTURE THE HEART OF EVERY RED-BLOODED AMERICAN
DREAMING OF MAKING IT TO “THE SHOW”
PHOENIX—Baseball
legend Jim Morris, former pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, has
a story every fan of baseball dreams about. When Jim Morris agreed
to write the foreword for Gary W. Moore’s extraordinary new book,
PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY, Moore was the one with a dream
come true!
“Gary Moore’s touching book about his
father’s baseball career, serves as a reminder that life is all
about second chances and people inspiring each other to chase their
dreams. . . . I loved Playing with the Enemy. You
will, too.”
Baseball legend Jim Morris,
Former pitcher for the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays
Moore’s
book tour, which officially begins September 15th in
Chicago, is generously sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Moore will
be signing autographs and giving away baseball cards at the Casemate
Booth #2248 at Book Expo America, May 19th to 21st
in Washington, D.C.
www.casematepublishing.com. The book is published by Savas
Beatie LLC, an independent publisher of distinguished
history-related books based in New York and California.
For more information visit
www.playingwiththeenemy.com or contact Moore’s publicist,
Carole@b-pr.com (during BEA, call 602 628 2666).
"Playing
with the Enemy is the real-life story of my father, Gene
Moore. As a fan of baseball, I have certainly followed Jim Morris’
career; I never imagined he would one day endorse my book. I am
humbled,” Gary Moore stated.
It was
true in the 1940s, and it is still true today: if you have talent,
someone will notice. In Gene Moore’s case, that “someone” was the
Brooklyn Dodgers.
As a teenager, Gene helped his Pop and older brother Ward on the
farm, and whenever possible played baseball with the guys on the
town team; some twice his age. The older fellows didn’t mind having
the Moore kid on their team because he could hit a baseball farther
than any of the rest of them. Gene Moore was 15 years old.
Word
spread halfway across the United States about the teenager who could
hit the ball a country mile. The Dodgers sent a scout to take a look
at this farm kid, barely old enough to shave and still awaiting his
first kiss, but brash enough to call the pitches from behind the
plate and motion to his teammates as to how they should position
themselves for certain batters.
Headed
for baseball stardom with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Gene’s destiny was
interrupted by Pearl Harbor. After playing ball for the Navy in the
Azores and North Africa, Gene and his team were sent to the States
for a special—and top secret—mission: guarding German sailors
captured from the infamous submarine, U-505. Unable to field a team,
Gene convinced his commander to allow him to teach the enemy how to
play baseball while he and his teammates waited for the war to end
so they could be called up to the Major Leagues. But Gene’s future
changed irrevocably in Louisiana. His life, and maybe our national
pastime, was forever altered.
Inspired by true events, PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY
is the riveting story of a depression-era youth and his brush with
destiny. Author Gary Moore, Gene’s son, did not learn of his
father’s remarkable odyssey through World War II and the hardships
of minor league baseball until the day before Gene’s death.
Confronted with evidence of a possible career in baseball, Gene
finally broke decades of silence and spent the next several hours
relieving himself of the heavy burden he had been carrying. The
stunning news sent the author on his own odyssey as he researched
his father’s life and interviewed dozens of people.
The astonishing story of Gene Moore’s life in and out of
baseball is an exciting and often heart-wrenching saga that will
capture the heart of every red- blooded American who can still smell
the fresh-cut summer grass or remember how it felt to tie on the
cleats while dreaming of making it to the big leagues. Jammed with
memorable characters from an extraordinary time in our country’s
history, PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY: A Baseball Prodigy, a World
at War and a Field of Broken Dreams is a story that will be
read and reread for generations to come.
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