THE BEST LITTLE TOWN IN THE WORLD THE CROWLEY MILLERS AND MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN THE 1950S

BY GAYLON H. WHITE

“This book shares a time in the history of Acadia Parish and Acadiana that many of us have forgotten or never knew. Thank you Gaylon White for bringing to life a great time in our history.”— Lewis Cook, legendary football coach, Notre Dame High School in Crowley, Louisiana, member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

“Very interesting read, and very nice to bring out athletic heroes in small towns!”— Eric Hetzel, born and living in Crowley; , , 1985 first round draft pick out of Louisiana State University

The Best Little Baseball Town in the World: The Crowley Millers and Minor League Baseball in the 1950s tells the fun, quirky story of Crowley, Louisiana, in the fifties, a story that reads more like fiction than nonfiction. The Crowley Millers’ biggest star was Conklyn Meriwether, a slugger who became infamous after he retired when he killed his in-laws with an axe. Their former manager turned out to be a con man, dying in jail while awaiting trial on embezzlement charges. The 1951 team was torn to pieces after their young centerfielder was struck and killed by lightning during a game. But aside from the tragedy and turmoil, the Crowley Millers also played some great baseball and were the springboard to stardom for George Brunet and Dan Pfister, two Crowley who made it to the majors.

Interviews with players from the team bring to light never-before-heard stories and inside perspectives on minor league baseball in the fifties, including insight into the social and racial climate of the era, and the inability of baseball in the fifties to help players deal with off-the-field problems. Written by respected minor-league baseball historian Gaylon H. White, The Best Little Baseball Town in the World is a fascinating tale for baseball fans and historians alike.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gaylon H. White was a sportswriter for the Denver Post, Arizona Republic and Oklahoma Journal before working in the corporate world for nearly forty years. He is the author of The Bilko Athletic Club: The Story of the 1956 (2014) and Singles and Smiles: How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball’s Color Barrier (2018), and co- author with Ransom Jackson of Handsome Ransom Jackson: Accidental Big Leaguer (2016), all published by Rowman & Littlefield and featured on White’s website, www.GaylonWhiteBaseball.com. SPECIAL OFFER 30% DISCOUNT OFFER OFF LIST PRICE PLEASE ORDER USING THIS CODE: RLFANDF30 Hardback • 978-1-5381-4115-1• $38.00 list price (sale price $26.60) eBook • 978-1-5381-4116-8 • $36.00 list price (sale price $25.20) To order, visit www.rowman.com, call 800-462-6420, or print and mail our order form ORDER FORM (Billing in U.S. dollars) Please send me the following book right away: ISBN Title Price Qty. Cost The Best Little Baseball Town in the Hardback: after discount: World: The Crowley Millers and Minor 978-1-5381-4115-1 $26.60 League Baseball in the 1950s The Best Little Baseball Town in the Ebook: after discount: World: The Crowley Millers and Minor 978-1-5381-4116-8 $25.50 eBooks can only be League Baseball in the 1950s ordered online.* Promo Code* RLFANDF30 Shipping Costs (see below) CA, CO, CT, IL, MD, ME, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX residents, please add sales tax Total

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