In this episode, Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown, the daughter of baseball hall-of-famer Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, shares heartfelt stories about her father and her journey in writing a memoir to honor his life, his humble nature, and his dedication to family and education. She reflects on his career in the Negro Leagues, the challenges he faced during the Jim Crow era, and the legacy he left behind.
LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPART
Receive a 25% discount on Rosilyn's book from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/fans-called-him-turkey-i-called-him-dad/
BOOK & DESCRIPTION
Fans Called Him "Turkey," I Called Him Dad: A Daughter Remembers Baseball Hall of Famer Norman Thomas Stearnes. McFarland, softcover (2023) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/fans-called-him-turkey-i-called-him-dad/
Baseball Hall of Famer Norman Thomas “Turkey” Stearnes (1901–1979) batted more than .400 three times, led the Negro Leagues in home runs seven times and holds the all-time Negro Leagues record for career home runs. Despite his legendary achievements on the field, Stearnes worked off-seasons in Detroit’s auto plants, including one owned by Walter Briggs, who also owned the Detroit Tigers—a team Stearnes couldn’t play for because he was black. Written by his eldest daughter, this first biography of “Turkey” Stearnes intimately recounts his life and career and gives overdue recognition to one of the greatest all-around players in the history of baseball.
ABOUT ROSILYN
Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown is a native Detroiter whose passions are baseball, music and educating people about her dad and the Negro Leagues. During her employment at Detroit Public Schools, as an educational tool for the students, she wrote a musical entitled “For the Love of the Game,” featuring her dad, “Turkey” Stearnes, his close friend Satchel Paige, and her uncle “Double Duty” Radcliffe.
ABOUT MCFARLAND
McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have about 8000 unique works for sale and each year publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.com
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