Cleveland Indians: Yesterday & Today by Phil Trexler, Foreword by Bob Feller, Preface by Rick Mannin (2009) Hardcover

Everybody loves an underdog, and few teams can claim to have as many decks stacked against them as the Cleveland Indians. Despite winning only two World Series in more than 100 years, the Indians have captured the hearts of their fans. With riveting text and action-packed photos, Cleveland Indians: Yesterday & Today gives you the inside scoop on the franchise's storied history, from the early years featuring Nap Lajoie and Tris Speaker to the glory days of Bob Feller and Al Rosen to the modern era of Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome. Here are some of the other memorable characters you'll meet in the book:The original Cleveland Indian, Louis Sockalexis, a member of the Penobscot tribe who hit .338 for the Cleveland Spiders in 1897 and inspired the change in the team's nickname in 1915.Larry Doby, the first African American player to join the American League and the first African American to hit a home run in a World Series game.Bill V

Phil Trexler is a writer for the Akron Beacon Journal. In his nearly 20 years of journalism experience, the native Clevelander has covered general news and local sporting events, including the 1995 and 1997 World Series and the 1997 All-Star Game. His work has garnered more than two dozen awards, and he has been a guest analyst for CNN, FOX News, NBC, and other broadcast news organizations.

Bob Feller has been the face of the Cleveland Indians for more than 70 years, making his big-league debut in 1936 at the age of 17. The fireballing right-hander struck out 2,581 batters in his 18 seasons as an Indian, and collected 266 victories. Feller pitched three no-hitters and played for nine American League All-Star Teams before being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Cleveland's first-round draft pick in 1972, Rick Manning played center field for the Indians from 1975 to 1983. Manning's stellar outfield play earned him a Gold Glove in 1976. Although he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 1983 season, he returned to the Indians in 1989 as a television commentator. Twenty years after calling his first game, Manning is still in the booth, adding color to 150 Indian games per year.