Baseball in Alabama: Tales of Hardball in the Heart of Dixie

Alabama sports.  With those two words, maybe the first thing that comes to mind is college football:  Bear Bryant's houndstooth hat, Nick Saban hoisting another National Championship trophy, Bo Jackson leaping over a pile of linemen for an Auburn Iron Bowl win.  Yet, Alabama has made an incredible mark in the National Pastime.   Thirteen players with Alabama roots and connections have been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Amazing, especially when you consider that some states have no native sons in the Hall.  Baseball in Alabama:  Tales of Hardball in the Heart of Dixie (The History Press) explores this rich history by presenting profiles of ten Alabamians who achieved big league excellence.  These profiles are based on in-depth interviews with the players and include Hall of Famer Billy Williams (Whistler) and former Atlanta Brave Tim Hudson (Salem).   The book also contains sections looking back on minor league and college baseball history in the state, including Hall of Famer Alan Trammell's development in the minor leagues as a Montgomery Rebel and Dave Magadan remembering the Crimson Tide rolling in the 1983 College World Series.  Former Auburn baseball coach Hal Baird starts the action with a Foreword describing his baseball experiences in the state.  Publication date:  May 28.   Batter up!