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McCook native writes book on baseball heroes
NORTH PLATTE, Nebraska -- True American heroes are becoming harder to find. In his most recent book, Clearing the Bases, Major League Baseball's American League past president and former university chancellor, Gene A. Budig, selects nine individuals who truly fit the "Hero" model and in his words, "did it with grit and class."
Edited by John Foreman and published by The News-Gazette, this tightly written work offers compelling and often candid biographical sketches of Cal Ripken, Bobby Brown, George Brett, Joe Torre, Mike Ilitch, Marty Springstead, Bill Madden, and Frank Robinson.
The book also includes a very enlightening forward that was written by former National League president Len Coleman that sheds new light on the legacy of Jackie and Rachel Robinson.
Significantly, Dr. Budig knows his subjects well having worked directly with each person highlighted in the book.
"It is a story about historic figures who have made baseball history," Dr. Budig said about his subjects.
Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig regards Clearing the Bases as "one of the finest baseball books that I have read during the past five years."
Clearing the Bases is available online through Amazon.com or through the publisher, The News-Gazette, 15 Main Street, Champaign, IL 61820, or through its website at www.news-gazette.com. It should be noted that all author royalties will go to educational charities.
This is Dr. Budig's third book that profiles successful leaders. His first book entitled Grasping the Ring included essays about George M. Steinbrenner, Larry Doby, Tom Osborne, Roy Williams, Gale Sayers, Jerry Reinsdorf, Bob Kerry, Al Neuharth, and Bob Dole. His sequel, Grasping the Ring II, featured stories about Rachel Robinson, Bill Veeck, Bob Costas, Gene Autry, Bob Gibson, Billy Beane, Jerry West, Stan Kasten and Allen "Bud" Selig.
Dr. Gene A. Budig was raised in McCook Nebraska, a small community in southwest Nebraska. He is a graduate of McCook Community College, and completed undergraduate, master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. In the biography of this book, he states that he "is living a full life." He has served as a newspaper man, a professor, baseball president, and retired as a major general in the Air National Guard/United States Air Force. For over 23 years, Dr. Budig headed up three major universities-Illinois State University, West Virginia University, and the University of Kansas.
Today he continues to teach, periodically writes columns for a large number of American newspapers, serves as a presidential advisor at the College Board in New York City and is co-owner of the Charleston RiverDogs--a Charleston, South Carolina minor league baseball team affiliated with the New York Yankees.
For additional information, please contact the Mid-Plains Community College Public Information Office.