SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SIGNS ON AS PROUD SPONSOR OF PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY BOOK TOUR. PREVIEW MAY 19^TH AT BOOK EXPO AMERICA

 GARY W. MOORE’S EXTRAORDINARY BOOK WILL CAPTURE THE HEART OF EVERY RED-BLOODED AMERICAN DREAMING OF MAKING IT TO “THE SHOW”

PHOENIX—Southwest Airlines gave customers a powerful preview of Gary W. Moore’s first book, PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY, in an excellent article in the February issue of SPIRIT Magazine.  Now the airline has gone a step further, offering to sponsor Moore’s book tour as much of the book was written while Moore was flying Southwest or waiting in Southwest terminals between flights.  PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY is the riveting story of one depression-era youth and his brush with destiny. Instead of experiencing the glory of the Major Leagues, war sent Gene Moore’s life careening off into an unexpected and unwanted direction. This book is a poignant look back at the life of Gary Moore’s father, Gene, a 15-year old baseball phenomenon, headed for stardom when he was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Gene’s destiny was interrupted by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From Sesser, IL to Tunisia, North Africa; from the capture of the infamous German sub U-505, to playing baseball with its imprisoned crew, PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY is baseball tragedy turned real-life triumph. Moore will be signing autographs and giving away baseball cards at the Casemate Booth #2248 at Book Expo America, May 19^th to 21^st 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 Moore’s father, Warren E. ‘Gene’ Moore. The elder Moore was recruited by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939 at fifteen years old, but his baseball dream was cut short when the United States entered WWII. Moore’s tale is a heartwarming story of a baseball tragedy, turned real-life triumph,” Marilee McInnis, Southwest Airlines, wrote. 

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 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.

            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.

            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.