Ferguson "Fergie"Jenkins is much more than just another retired baseball player. He is a proud father, grandfather, and husband. He is an avid hunter and fisherman. He is an in-demand promotional personality, who estimates he has signed more than 1 million autographs in his life. Most importantly, he is one of the most interesting, multifaceted men to have played America's National Pastime--ironic considering he grew up in, and remains a citizen of, Canada. In fact, Fergie is the only Canadian member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, having been inducted after a 19-year major-league pitching career in which he logged nearly 300 wins and struck out more than 3,100 batters.

This new biography tells the fascinating tale of a ballplayer who followed an unlikely path to Cooperstown--one filled with tough choices, dramatic twists, and special people who left their mark on this unique man. A multisport athlete, Fergie chose baseball over hockey and basketball--though he later played professionally for the Harlem Globetrotters. Growing up black in a multiethnic and tolerant Ontario community, he didn't experience racial prejudice until he started playing minor-league ball in the American South, yet he held his head high in the face of unfair treatment. As his athletic career skyrocketed, he also faced personal tragedies that would have crushed lesser men. Through it all, Fergie maintained faith, hope, and good cheer. Today he is loved as much for his warm personality and commitment to raising funds for good causes as he is for his baseball career.

But what a career he had! Pitching for the Phillies, Cubs, Red Sox, and Rangers, Fergie was one of those rare pitchers who effectively combined power, productivity, and longevity. His story spans a memorable era in baseball, from the 1960s through the 1980s, and includes strong connections with some of the greatest names in the history of the game. Whether he is talking about playing for Leo Durocher or pitching to Reggie Jackson, Fergie's intimate details about the big games and the bigger personalities will captivate anybody who loves baseball.