Author Phil S. Dixon Holds Book Signing Following TYA's 'MONARCHS' 5/15

Following Theatre for Young America's 2pm performance of The Monarchs of KC on May 15, 2010, author Phil S. Dixon will be available at 3pm to sign copies of his new book about Buck O'Neil entitled, John "Buck" O'Neil, The Rookie, The Man, The Legacy, 1938. The book signing will take place in the lobby of the H&R Block City Stage located on level B in Union Station at 30 W. Pershing Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64108. The book will be available for purchase at that time, as well as two other of Mr. Dixon's works: Phil Dixon's American Baseball Chronicles, Great Teams, The 1931 Homestead Grays, Volume I and Wilber "Bullet" Rogan and the Kansas City Monarchs.

About the Book:
The summer of 1938 was a pivotal year for baseball and American history. In that same year, John Jordon "Buck" O'Neil, was a rookie first baseman playing his first season in the Negro American League. Born in Carrabelle, Florida, raised in Sarasota and nicknamed Buck, it had taken five years and five different teams before the Kansas City, Monarchs finally signed O'Neil to a contract. Before he could get the starting assignment, though, O'Neil had to dethrone one of the Negro Leagues' hardest hitting first basemen, Eldridge Mayweather. In 1938, a time when African-American hall of fame ballplayers worth millions could be purchased for pennies on the dollar, times were hard and the baseball was tough. Kansas City's Monarchs were a blend of youth and maturity, and one of the best teams in the Negro American League. Oddly, Kansas City, in spite of winning records against every team in the Negro American League, failed to win the first-half or second-half pennant. For the first time ever John "Buck" O'Neil, Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe and James "Gabby" Kemp and many others are united together to speak on this celebrated season. With interviews from Monarchs' Hall of Fame players Willard "Sonny" Brown and Hilton Smith, along with Monarchs' greats Newt Allen and Byron "Mex" Johnson and many others, readers are taken on a road trip around America. Along the way readers, just as the team did in 1938, come in contact with segregation and racism as the book helps everyone to relive the Glory Days of the Negro Baseball Leagues while experiencing the hardships of life in America. Illustrated with over forty historic photographs, John "Buck" O'Neil, the rookie, the man, the legacy 1938 is a welcome addition to every baseball fans reading list.

About the Author:
Phil S. Dixon is widely regarded as one of America's foremost experts on baseball history. He has authored seven previous books on the Negro Baseball leagues; The Ultimate Kansas City Baseball Trivia Quiz Book (Bon A Tirer Publishing), The Negro Baseball Leagues a Photographic History, 1867-1955 (Amereon House), The Monarchs 1920-1938 Featuring Wilber "Bullet" Rogan The Greatest Ballplayer in Cooperstown (Mariah Press) and Phil Dixon's American Baseball Chronicles, Vol. III, The 1905 Philadelphia Giants and others. He has won the prestigious Casey Award for the Best Baseball Book of 1992, and a SABR MacMillan Award for his excellence in baseball research. A knowledgeable and entertaining speaker, Dixon lectures regularly to colleges, High schools, community groups and is routinely quoted in print and broadcast media. Formerly in the Public Relations Department of the Kansas City Royals, Dixon is a founder and member of the Board of Governors for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. He remains relentless in his pursuit of equality for African-American athletes in baseball and sports in general.

For anyone wanting to see The Monarchs of KC performance at 2pm on that day, call Theatre for Young America at 816.460.2083 to reserve tickets. Group and single tickets may also be purchased from Union Station at 816.460.2020. Single tickets can be reserved online at www.unionstation.org. The single ticket price is $8.00. Groups of 15 or more are $5.00 per person with a reservation.

About The Monarchs of KC:
Set in the locker room of the abandoned stadium where the Monarchs once played, this musical production raises the ghosts of great baseball players of the Negro Leagues to play one last great contest to conquer the supposed supremacy of the all-white Major Leagues. An all-star dream team, managed by Rube Foster, includes John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil, Leroy Satchel" Paige, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Wilbur "Bullet" Rogan, Josh Gibson, Jackie Robinson, and Toni Stone, a female player who held her own in the largely male world of professional baseball. Theatre for Young America's Artistic Director, Gene Mackey wrote the book. Kansas City legend, Danny Cox wrote the music which includes such songs as "Baseball is a Working Man's Game", "Everybody Gets Three Strikes", and "I Dreamed I Was in the Majors". Nationally known entertainer Lonnie McFadden portrays Satchel Paige. Tiffany Sipple, Rece Bailey and Evan Lovelace complete the cast.

Theatre for Young America is a professional theater company, which primarily employs local actors, many of who are members of Actors Equity Association.

Theatre for Young America, Inc., is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Gifts are tax deductible.

For more information, visit www.tya.org.

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