Bibb Falk: The Man Who Replaced Shoeless Joe

by William A. Cook

Overview

Born in Austin, Texas, in 1899, Bibb August Falk was the classic stereotype of a Texan, standing six feet. He brimmed with confidence and played the game of baseball with swagger. He played three years of varsity football and baseball at the University of Texas before being signed by the Chicago White Sox following graduation in 1920. Falk reported to the Sox that summer without having played a single minor league game. In just a couple of months, he--an untested rookie--would confront the challenge of replacing Shoeless Joe Jackson, newly banned from organized ball for complicity in the 1919 World Series scandal.

Retiring from the major leagues in 1931 after a brilliant career, Falk returned to the University of Texas in 1940 as head baseball coach and became a Longhorn legend. During his 25 years as head coach, his teams won two National Championships, 15 Southwest Conference titles and four co-championships. When Bibb Falk died in June 1989, at the age of 90, he was the last surviving member of the 1920 Chicago White Sox.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786496914
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	05/01/2015
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

William A. Cook is the author of numerous books, including 11 on baseball history, and has appeared in productions on ESPN2 and the MLB Network. A former health care administrator and township councilman in North Brunswick, New Jersey, he resides in Manalapan, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 From the Forty Acres to Chicago 7

2 The 1919 World Series 17

3 Breaking In with the Black Sox 26

4 Replacing a Legend 46

5 Touring the Orient 66

6 Bibb Falk Establishes Himself as a Big Leaguer 73

7 Another Post-Season Tour 81

8 Traded to Cleveland 85

9 Falk Joins the Army Air Corps 102

10 Bibb Falk Becomes a Longhorn Legend 113

11 Looking Back 147

Afterword: College Baseball Coaches; No Ticket to the Show 164

Appendices-A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H 183

Chapter Notes 189

Bibliography 193

Index 195