Monroe City Blues

By Marino Amoruso

Johnny DiAngelo is a talented 18-year old pitcher who dreams of playing baseball in the major leagues. In 1963, he gets that chance when he is signed by the Washington Senators. Johnny travels by bus from Brooklyn, NY to their Class D League located in Monroe City, Georgia. As he heads further south, Johnny encounters segregation and prejudice, which is disturbing and unreal to him. The natural beauty of the towns he passes through have been tarnished by racism for almost two centuries. The Monroe City Blues team catcher, Lyle Agee is the first black player in the history of the Southern Baseball Conference. He and Johnny become close friends, making them and the whole team targets of the white supremacist group in town. The coach of the Blues team; "Dobie" Carey is a 70-year old ex-minor league pitcher who becomes a mentor and father figure to Johnny and Lyle. Dobie, leading by example, help them and their teammates deal with the harsh realities of Southern life. Dobie not only coaches baseball he also teaches them about being good men. While in Monroe City, Johnny can't help but fall in love with Emily James who works at the local luncheonette. As the daughter of a career Air Force officer, Emily has lived around the world, but she never met anyone with a heart as big as Johnny - or as she calls him "Johnny Angel." Set against our National Pastime of baseball during the 1960's; an extraordinarily volatile time in modern American history, MONROE CITY BLUES is a tale of love, loss, loyalty and tolerance. Most of all, it's about never giving up on your dreams.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1482560038
• ISBN13: 9781482560039
• Release Date: February 2013
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"