{"product_id":"cuban-star-9780809037209","title":"Cuban Star","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn\u003ci\u003e Cuban Star, \u003c\/i\u003e an interpretive account of Alejandro \"Alex\" Pompez's life in context, Adrian Burgos, Jr. follows Pompez's--and baseball's--path through the twentieth century's changing social and racial landscape. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e When the selection committee voted Alex Pompez into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, some cried foul. A Negro-league owner during baseball's glory days, Pompez was known as an early and steadfast advocate for Latino players, helping bring baseball into the modern age. So why was his induction so controversial? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Like many in the era of segregated baseball, Pompez found that the game alone could never make all ends meet. To finance his beloved team, the New York Cubans, he delved headlong into a sin many baseball fans find unforgivable--gambling. He built one of the most infamous numbers rackets in Harlem, eventually arousing the ire of the famed prosecutor Thomas Dewey. But he also led his Cubans, with their star lineup of Latino players, to a Negro-league World Series championship in 1947. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In this effervescent biography, the historian and sportswriter Adrian Burgos, Jr., brings to life the world of professional baseball during a time of enormous change. Following Pompez from his early days to the twilight of his career, Burgos offers a glimpse inside the clubhouse as both owners and players struggled with the new realities of the game. That today's rosters are filled with names like Rodriguez, Pujols, Rivera, and Ortiz is a testament to Pompez and his lasting influence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdrian Burgos, Jr., is an associate professor of history at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the author of \u003ci\u003ePlaying America's Game: Baseball, \u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eLatinos, and the Color Line\u003c\/i\u003e. His work has been featured on NPR and ESPN's \u003ci\u003eSportsCenter\u003c\/i\u003e, in \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times \u003c\/i\u003eand the \u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e, and in other media outlets.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Farrar, Strauss \u0026 Giroux-3pl","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50845432742162,"sku":"9780809037209","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_bbf4ceda-895b-4b65-9716-b79727ebb8c9.jpg?v=1737350773","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/cuban-star-9780809037209","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}