Read the recent article in the
Sports Section of the New York Times
and how it relates to today's drug testing in Major League Baseball
Review
"Baseball, like life, can sometimes be a cruel and
vicious business. The game is wonderful. Some of the people in it from
time to time are not worthy of the game. This is the fascinating story of
how a false rumor of drug use ruined a fine player's career. I loved the
book."
-Fay Vincent, former Commissioner, Major League Baseball
Summary
In 1996, Matt Dahlgren made a promise to his late grandfather. When Babe Dahlgren passed away, he left behind a nearly completed manuscript. He wanted more than anything to tell his story. And so begins the endearing story between a grandfather and his grandson. Rumor in Town is more than just a journey throughout a fascinating career in baseball. It’s a captivating look at Babe Dahlgren’s life, from tragedy and poor beginnings in San Francisco where, by the age of 6, he set his sights on a dream. It is a look at his days in the Pacific Coast League striving to get to the other side of the country to that dream —the Big Leagues. There are stories from the many dugouts, clubhouses, and trains that blazed across America—stories about Hall of Fame players and managers; and the historic day he replaced his boyhood idol, Lou Gehrig. But it’s more than that. It is about the failures of Kenesaw Mountain Landis and Albert “Happy” Chandler to punish the likes of Joe McCarthy and Branch Rickey for spreading a rumor throughout baseball while Babe played under a cloud of suspicion. Rumor in Town uncovers moments where a bond was fostered between a boy and his grandpa. Etched in Matt’s memory are true stories from the greatest era the game has ever seen. So too are the frozen moments in time shared with Babe when he passed these stories down. How Matt watched him speak highly with boyish smiles of the game he held so dear, yet cry over the painful scars it left behind because of a rumor that he ultimately took to his grave. A wrong Matt promised to right.
About the Author
Matt Dahlgren grew up in Irvine, California, a short 45-minute drive from his grandfather, Babe Dahlgren. With Big League dreams himself, Matt played high school and college baseball as a catcher and eventually signed with the West Virginia Coal Sox of the Frontier League in 1993. But after only 1 month, the Coal Sox went bankrupt and Matt returned to Southern California where he continued his love for the game by coaching young high school and college players for several years before entering the business world of sales and marketing. In 2003, Matt proposed to his girlfriend Jenny kneeling at first base in Yankee Stadium. They were married in 2004 and currently reside in Irvine with their beautiful little girl, Abigail.
