Placing sports history within a larger context, this book provides biographical information about Effa Manley, the Black business manager and co-owner of the Newark Eagles, while tracing the story of the Negro leagues from their nineteenth-century beginnings to their final years. The discussion most fully explores the tumultuous 1940s, including Jackie Robinson's breakthrough into the major leagues, which led to the recruitment of other outstanding players from the Negro leagues (usually without compensating the teams) and the subsequent collapse of the leagues. Williams convincingly portrays Manley as a smart, savvy, dauntless Black woman who was passionate about her work and about creating opportunities for others in her community. The writing shifts focus according to the subject at hand, precisely describing pivotal plays during baseball games, as well as offering broad perspectives on topics such as the Great Migration. The appended source-notes section meticulously documents information and quotes within the text. Occasional archival photos illustrate the book. A well-organized, detailed introduction to Effa Manley, who was the first woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

September 1946. Effa Manley is in the stands of New York City's Polo Grounds to watch a Negro World Series game between the Kansas City Monarchs and the Newark Eagles. She is the owner of the Eagles, a league executive, and a highly successful Black woman of the 1930s and 1940s, and this game is a celebration of "Black baseball, of Black community, of new Black money that had come streaming into the community via the war and accompanying hiring sprees." Manley is passionate about the game and envisions the Negro Leagues in partnership with Major League Baseball as farm teams that would "keep Black baseball in operation, and...also support integration by providing a steady stream of Black talent for the Majors." It is not the direction that baseball went, but Williams's story of Effa Manley and baseball is a dramatic narrative tapestry of America in Manley's time: the Harlem Renaissance; Booker T. Washington; Marcus Garvey; Babe Ruth and the Yankees; Negro Leagues greats Satchel Paige, Larry Doby, Moses Fleetwood Walker, and Josh Gibson; the Great Depression; and on into the era of integrated baseball with the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1945. A large font, spacious page design, and well-selected black-and-white photographs -- along with the fascinating history -- make for an inviting read and a good match with Nelson's We Are the Ship (rev. 5/08). Back matter includes an author's note, extensive source notes, a thorough bibliography, and an index. Dean Schneider

A smart and determined woman becomes an unlikely influence in baseball's Negro Leagues.Effa Brooks came of age in the early 20th century as baseball was becoming the leading sport in the United States. A passionate baseball fan and Black civil rights activist, she married Abe Manley, a businessman. As baseball evolved and racial segregation became entrenched within it, African Americans developed their own teams and leagues, such as the Negro National League through which Effa and Abe acquired a franchise for the Brooklyn Eagles. Effa's activism had honed her abilities as a manager, and after early struggles, the Manleys were able to make progress, moving the team to Newark and winning the 1946 Negro World Series. However, the integration of Major League Baseball undercut the leagues that had nurtured African American baseball players; they could not survive the loss of stars and fans. Effa's role at this critical time in American sports, as a light-skinned Black woman who was able to get jobs reserved for Whites but who believed in Black unity, is an interesting one, as she used her personality and position to fight racism and sexism. The narrative presents substantial historical context about baseball and society, sometimes overwhelming Effa's individual story. However, it does provide keen insight into the intersections of race, sports, business, and the efforts of those like her who challenged these powerful forces.A fascinating contribution to baseball and racial history. (author's note, endnotes, bibliography, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Gr 6-9 An important hole in baseball literature is addressed in this nonfiction recollection of businesswoman Effa Manley's role in the rise and fall of the Negro Leagues. Effa's role as a light-skinned woman who grew up in a biracial family and fought for rights for Black people and women is portrayed through detailed narratives and passionate quotes from her career as a co-owner of the Newark Eagles with her husband Abe Manley. The narrative explores the 19th-century beginnings of the Negro Leagues, to the recruitment of Black players to the major leagues, to its ultimate downfall. The biography of Effa Manley's life is intertwined with, and sometimes overwhelmed by, the history of the Negro Leagues as a whole. Endnotes and sources are very detailed and the narration reads like a textbook with a small amount of archival photos and pull quotes. The conclusion features a story about Effa purchasing a mink cape with her final paycheck, which is dramatic and endearinghowever it leaves a big gap for readers. The remainder of Effa's life is not addressed, nor is her inclusion into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. VERDICT A detailed history of Negro League baseball focusing on Effa Manley's life and a supplemental addition to middle school sports collections. Emily Bayci-Mroczek, Naperville P.L.-Naper Boulevard Lib., IL