Walter "Smokey" Alston is best known for his long and successful
tenure as manager of the Dodgers-first in Brooklyn, then in Los
Angeles. Yet few fans are aware of his years in the minors, where
he honed the skills that would make him famous. Raised in rural
Ohio, Alston graduated from Miami University, where he was noticed
by scouts for the St. Louis Cardinals. Signed in 1935, he played on
minor league teams in the Cardinals' system. He went to bat in the
majors just once-and struck out. But Cardinals President Branch
Rickey recognized other talents in Alston and made him a
player-manager for several clubs. He steadily produced winning
teams and in 1946 led the racially integrated Nashua "Little"
Dodgers to a championship. In 1953, he was tapped to run the big
club and over the next 23 seasons led the Dodgers to nine pennants
and four World Series wins. This book traces Alston's rise through
the minor and major leagues to become a Hall of Famer with more
than 2000 career wins.
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