About this item
From New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss comes the remarkable true story of Glenn Burke, a "hidden figure" in the history of sports: the inventor of the high five and the first openly gay MLB player. Perfect for fans of Steve Sheinkin and Daniel James Brown. On October 2nd, 1977, Glenn Burke, outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, made history without even swinging a bat. When his teammate Dusty Baker hit a historic home run, Glenn enthusiastically congratulated him with the first ever high five. But Glenn also made history in another way--he was the first openly gay MLB player. While he did not come out publicly until after his playing days were over, Glenn's sexuality was known to his teammates, family, and friends. His MLB career would be cut short after only three years, but his legacy and impact on the athletic and LGBTQ community would resonate for years to come.
About the Author
The New York Times bestseller Strong Inside is the first book by Andrew Maraniss. Andrew studied history at Vanderbilt University as a recipient of the Fred Russell - Grantland Rice sportswriting scholarship, graduating in 1992. He then worked for five years in Vanderbilt's athletic department as the associate director of media relations, dealing primarily with the men's basketball team. In 1998, he served as the media relations manager for the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays during the team's inaugural season, and then returned to Nashville to join MP&F Public Relations, where he became a partner. Andrew is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Nashville. The son of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author David Maraniss and trailblazing environmentalist Linda Maraniss, Andrew was born in Madison, Wis., grew up in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas and now lives in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife, Alison, and their two young children. Follow Andrew on Twitter @trublu24 and visit his website at www.andrewmaraniss.com. Strong Inside was a recipient of the 2015 RFK Book Awards "Special Recognition" honor and the 2015 Lillian Smith Book Award. A Middle Grade version of the book (ages 10-14) will be published by Philomel in January 2017.
