ChapmanandMaclainWay’senergetictellingofoneofbaseball’sgreat,unheraldedstoriesisasmuchaboutindependentspiritasitisaboutthegame.WhenPortland,Oregon,lostitslongtimeminor-leagueaffiliate,BingRussell—whobrieflyplayedballprofessionallybeforeenjoyingasuccessfulHollywoodactingcareer—boughttheterritoryandformedasingle-Ateamtooperateoutsidetheconfinesofmajor-leaguebaseball.Whentheytookthefieldin1973,theMavericks—theonlyindependentteaminAmerica—startedwithtwostrikesagainstthem.WhatdidDeputyClemfromBonanzaknowaboutbaseball?OrPortland,forthatmatter?Theonlythingunitinghisplayers,recruitedatopentryouts,wasthatnootherteamwantedthem.Skepticsagreedthatitcouldneverwork.
ButBingunderstoodaballplayer’sdreams,andheunderstoodanaudience.Hisquirky,unkemptcastoffswongames,andtheywonfans,shatteringminor-leagueattendancerecords.Theirspiritwascontagious,andduringtheirshortreign,theMavericks—arestaurantownerturnedmanager,left-handedcatcher,andblackballedpitcheramongthem—broughtindependencebacktobaseballandembodiedwhatitwasallabout:theloveofthegame.
-J.N.
