I Was Right On Time - Softcover

O'neil, Buck; Conrads, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 068483247X ISBN 13: 9780684832470

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 1997

Synopsis

From Babe Ruth to Bo Jackson, from Cool Papa Bell to Lou Brock, Buck O'Neil has seen it all. As a first baseman and then manager of the legendary Kansas City Monarchs, O'Neil witnessed the heyday of the Negro leagues and their ultimate demise. In I Was Right on Time, he charmingly recalls his days as a ballplayer and as an African-American in a racially divided country. Whether he's telling of his barnstorming days with the likes of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson or the day in 1962 when he became the first African-American coach in the major leagues, O'Neil takes us on a trip not only through baseball's past but through America's as well.

About this title

Review:

The beauty of former Negro League star Buck O'Neil's autobiography is its tone: it's filled with thankfulness for the life he's had. Born into an era of racial segregation, O'Neil--truly an inspirational presence in the Ken Burns documentary Baseball--has a right to be bitter for the opportunities denied him; instead, he is at peace with the opportunities he took. A man of unmistakable dignity, O'Neil is a marvelous storyteller, and I Was Right On Time reads like a fireside chat. He spins tales of baseball's barnstorming era, offers memories of his all-time Negro League all-star team, and weaves deft portraits of the stars he played with (and against), most affectionately his good friend and long-time teammate Satchel Paige. Still, O'Neil doesn't whitewash the past. He has stared down injustice and confronted insult, yet instead of lecturing, he opts to inform. Now in his 80s, O'Neil, as chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, remains a living part of baseball memory. I Was Right On Time gives that memory a rich, resonant voice.

About the Author:

Buck O'Neil is currently the chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. A former all-star player and manager for the Kansas City Monarchs, O'Neil has the distinction of being the first African-American to hold a coaching position in major-league baseball. A former scout for the Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals, O'Neil now resides in Kansas City, Missouri.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 068483247X
• ISBN 13: 9780684832470
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272