Never a Bad Game: Fifty Years of the Southern League

by Mark McCarter

Fans of the Southern League have seen it all since the circuit was founded 50 years colorful characters, charming ballparks, and some of the best baseball players showing their potential. From Matt Moore and Cal Ripken, Jr. to Michael Jordan and Jose Canseco, Mark McCarter has seen them all and tells their stories with grace, humor, and style in Never a Bad Fifty Years of the Southern League. McCarter, the award-winning columnist for the Huntsville Times and the Alabama Media Group, shares his tales of the Southern League, his beat since 1976. From chapters on can't-miss prospects like Cal Ripken, Jr. and Jose Canseco to the some of the most colorful players in the minors, like Joe Charboneau, including a host of the biggest names in baseball (Bo Jackson, Chipper Jones, and Derrek Lee), Never a Bad Fifty Years of the Southern League is a fascinating account of the people who make baseball a unique part of the American scene. With a foreword by the Atlanta Braves' Craig Kimbrel, Never a Bad Fifty Years of the Southern League is a must-read for any baseball fan.

276 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2014

Reviews

[Armand Rosamilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (formerly Suns) fan, I found a lot of great gems in this book about the history of not only my team but the entire league. Players who never made it to the Big Leagues as well as those who cruised through the Southern League on their way to fame and fortune are all included, and the intimate stories about playing minor league ball from players, office staff and coaches is amazing.

[Gene Bowker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories of the minor leagues

Good writing and interesting antidotes about the players and teams of the southern league. I used to enjoy lookouts games when I lived near Chattanooga