This book brings to light the story of a Negro League and Pacific Coast League star, his struggles to make it in the majors, and his crucial role in integrating baseballs premier minor league.Artie Wilson once was the best shortstop in baseball. In 1948 Artie led all of baseball with a .402 batting average for the Birmingham Black Barons, the last hitter in the top level of pro ball to hit .400. But during much of his career, Organized Baseball passed Artie by because he was black.InSingles and Smiles: How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball's Color Barrier, Gaylon H. White provides a fascinating account of Wilsons life and career. An All-Star in the Negro Leagues, in 1949 Artie became only the second black player in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the first to play for the Oakland Oaks. Wilson soon became one of the leagues most popular players with white and black fans alike through his consistent play and optimistic, upbeat attitude. In 1951 Artie finally got a chance to play in the majors with the New York Giants, but after batting a mere twenty-four times he urged Giants manager Leo Durocher to send him back to the minors and bring up a former Black Barons teammate to take his placeWillie Mays.While Jackie Robinson deserves all the credit he has received for breaking baseballs color barrier at the major-league level, this book pays tribute to those such as Artie Wilson who changed the game in the minorspioneers in their own right. Featuring in-depth interviews with Artie alongside interviews with almost thirty of Arties teammates and opponentsincluding Willie Mays and Carl ErskineSingles and Smilesimparts a treasure trove of stories that will entertain and inspire baseball fans of all generations.

Gaylon H. Whitewas a sportswriter for theDenver Post,Arizona RepublicandOklahoma Journalbefore working in the corporate world for nearly forty years. He is the author ofThe Bilko Athletic Club: The Story of the 1956 Los Angeles Angels(Rowman& Littlefield, 2014) and co-author with Ransom Jackson ofHandsome Ransom Jackson: Accidental Big Leaguer (Rowman& Littlefield, 2016).