Customer Reviews

Baseball's First Indian, Louis Sockalexis: Penobscot Legend, Cleveland Indian

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This new book by Ed Rice has everything--stats, rare photos of Louis Sockalexis and Hall-of-Famers such as "Cy" Young and Jesse Burkett, and game-by-game summaries. We learn about "Sock's" short, brilliant career as an outfielder with an arm like a rifle and the fastest feet in the league. But too much drinking and an ankle injury ruined Louis's speed and fielding. He was let go after 3 seasons and drifted around the minor leagues. Occasionally he played well but he never regained his former brilliance.

Sockalexis went home to Maine and worked as a logger and ferry operator. He also stopped drinking, and earned respect as an umpire for the rough Maine leagues. "Coach Sockalexis" taught young Penobscots the game and proudly sent five of them to the New England League.

Ed Rice gives us a nice glimpse into "Sock's" later years when he was much admired by friends and colleagues. His fellow tribesmen honor him to this day as a great athlete. Enjoy this interesting bio as you count the days to spring training!

This is the story of Louis Sockalexis, the first Indian ballplayer who had a great college career but fizzled out in the majors. Maine author Ed Rice tells us all about this player who became a national sensation in one short season. This exciting bio is crammed with baseball lore and play-by plays of Sockalexis's games with Holy Cross and the early Cleveland Indians. Without TV or radio, the fans had to imagine Sock's sizzling throws to the plate from deep right field and hot line drives. He was so fast he could steal bases at will. He had to face war whoops and taunting crowds, but like Jackie Robinson, he just quietly played the game. Sadly, drinking cut his career short but he holds a special place in baseball history as a pioneer and great player who could have become a champion if he'd lasted long enough. This book makes great reading during baseball season!

For part of one magical season in 1897, Louis Sockalexis, "Baseball's First Indian," had wings on his feet in the outfield. The fastest runner in the country, he ran down line drives and made spectacular diving catches followed by bullet-like throws to the plate. He went on a hot hitting streak that seemed unstoppable. Though he was showered with racial abuse at first, he soon won over the crowds with his calm demeanor and easy smile. It helped that he was rugged and handsome. If only the magic had lasted!

Louis had an alcohol addiction that soon made itself known. It wrecked his career when he injured himself and lost his lightning-quick speed and reflexes. The Cleveland Spiders (now Indians) gave him several chances to shape up, but he couldn't stop drinking. Finally they let him go in 1899. He drank himself off several minor league teams as well but occasionally showed flashes of his former brilliance. He played one complete season with the Lowell Tigers, posting a .288 average. In 1902 he went home to Indian Island for good. He quit drinking and won respect as an umpire and coach for Penobscot youths who were proud to learn from the best.

Of the three new books on Sockalexis, this one by Ed Rice is the most complete, covering each game of "Sock's" career and giving us a close look at his last years among his tribesmen, who honor his memory to this day. Mr. Rice grew up in Maine with the legend of Sockalexis close by, and decided many years ago his story was worth telling. This book is a remarkable portrait of a gifted ballplayer who's finally getting the attention he deserves.

This has been a remarkable year for books about Louis Sockalexis, the long-forgotten nineteenth century Penobscot outfielder. When he was signed with the Cleveland national team, he became the first Indian to play in the major leagues.

This book by Maine author Ed Rice tells Sock's story from a local point of view as well as extensively covering his outstanding career at Holy Cross and games with Cleveland, before drink and injury destroyed his career. Sockalexis broke the color barrier fifty years before Jackie Robinson, but his love of the high life and the overwhelming pressures of racism led him astray.

Mr. Rice's book is lavishly illustrated and vividly recreates the rough-and-tumble world of nineteenth-century baseball. The author also describes Sock's career in the minors, where he played better than people think, and his final years on Indian Island as a well-respected baseball coach and umpire.
This is a great piece of Americana and a must-read for baseball fans everywhere!

For years, Louis Sockalexis wasn't much more than a trivia question: who were the Cleveland Indians named for? Now there are THREE new books about him.

"Sock" was an outstanding athlete in his time and showed great promise. If drink hadn't ruined his major league career, he could have ranked as one of the all-time greats. Still, he deserves to be remembered as a baseball pioneer, the first Native American player not long after the Wild West was still killing off Indians. He had to put up with rough treatment from the crowds, but it didn't seem to bother him. In fact, he was well-liked by nearly everyone--too much, sad to say. Everyone wanted to buy him a round, and he loved to party. Finally, a foot injury wrecked his playing for good.

Ed Rice, a Maine author, includes a nice local view of Sockalexis's later life and interviews with people who knew him. There are fond memories and funny anecdotes about Sock, who never lost his ability to throw like a cannon or hit the ball out of the park. He coached a Penobscot team and sent five players to the New England leagues. He was such a good umpire you didn't dare argue with him. His last years were quiet but he always kept up with the latest news on baseball. They say when he died, he had clippings from his magical rookie year in his pocket. He's buried on Indian Island near Bangor, Maine, where fellow Mainers and visitors from all over can pay their respects to "Baseball's First Indian."

This is an outstanding book--I give it two thumbs up!

Who remembers Louis Sockalexis, who played right field for the Cleveland Indians way back when they were called the Spiders? Ed Rice remembers and tells us all about this player who became a national sensation in one short season. This exciting bio is crammed with baseball lore and play-by plays of Sock's games with Holy Cross and the Cleveland team. Sockalexis sparked such excitement on the field with his outstanding playing that sportswriters started calling the whole team the Indians. Crowds who jeered at him and mocked him with war whoops quickly cheered when they saw him throw runners out at the plate and pound out hits. He was so fast he could steal bases standing up.

Sockalexis was a handsome and popular guy, a big favorite with the women. He played like a superman until too much drinking destroyed his career. A few minor league teams let him play but he mostly drank too much with them too. Sometimes he played well and gave the small crowds a glimpse of what he used to be. Then he went home to Indian Island for the rest of his life. He became a coach and eagle-eyed umpire for the Maine leagues, which means he probably quit drinking.

Louis Sockalexis holds a special place in baseball history as a pioneer and great player who could have become a champion if he'd lasted long enough. This book belongs in every library!

On the cover of Ed Rice's new book, a handsome, serious young player stands in full uniform, holding his bat and looking ready to whack the ball out of the park. No feathers, no big nose, no huge buck-toothed grin, and his skin isn't fire-engine red. That's because he's no cartoon Indian, he's a real person. He's Louis Sockalexis, rightfielder, with an arm like a rifle and the fastest feet in the country. The Cleveland Indians may be named after him but their mascot has nothing to do with Sockalexis.

Sockalexis broke the color barrier in baseball in 1897 as the first Indian ballplayer. At first crowds booed him and made silly war-whoops, but when they saw his spectacular diving catches, home runs, and deadly accurate throws to the plate, their jeers turned to cheers. Soon he had many admirers--too many, sad to say. He drank too much, got careless, and hurt himself, wrecking his speed and reflexes for good.

Mr. Rice tells us all about "Sock's" last years after he went home to Maine. Louis quit drinking and taught his secret baseball tricks to the young players of his tribe. Five of them went to the New England Leagues and batted over .300, just like their coach. Sockalexis became known as a fair umpire for local games, and sometimes he would amaze people with his throwing skills. He had many loyal friends, and even today the Penobscot people are proud to tell visitors about their great ballplayer.

I give this book four stars!

Although "Baseball's First Indian" is the third Sockalexis book to appear in the past year, Ed Rice actually started this well-researched biography nearly 20 years ago. His book offers stats galore as well as an interesting account of Sock's later years in the minors, where he played better than most people think, despite his drinking.

I especially liked the warm-hearted portrait of Sock's final years on Indian Island, where he was an extremely popular coach, umpire, and community member. He even sang beautifully in the church choir! Though he will always be remembered as one of baseball's tragic figures, he was more than that to his Penobscot family and tribesmen--a model of dignity, grace and generosity to the end. A fitting tribute by a Maine author to a fellow Mainer!

What a shame...He coulda been the best there ever was. This book is not about Louis Sockalexis alone, it's about 19th century baseball, how it was played, what was said on the field, how managers drove their teams...
A fine book indeed.