Brown Enough

Part historical fiction, part memoir, this novel takes place over a 10-week period in the summer of 1956 in a small town in the mid-west. It is based on a true story of the social and athletic achievements of an eleven-man mixed-race baseball team, seven African-American, three Hispanics, and one Caucasian. Under the leadership of an aging charismatic African-American manager, the Brown Bombers tolerate the nearness of racism as part of the price they pay for the privilege of playing the game they love. Some abuses are blatantly present while others are more subtle. However, the game itself offers a focus and comfort quiet apart from the daily lives of this diverse group of young men as they strive to perfect their baseball skills. A daily perspective of the team is delivered by a single white boy, determined by the manager to be “brown enough.” With a “magic” bat, a lucky arrowhead and an expanding fan base, the Bombers ultimately achieve a success beyond expectations.