Category Archives: media appearances

Gratz, PA — Former major league pitcher Carl Scheib, who is the youngest player in American League history, having taken the mound for Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s in 1943 at the age of 16, will be at the Gratz Community Center July 7th, 2016 at 7 PM. Carl’s biographer, Lawrence Knorr, will present his latest book Wonder Boy – The Story of Carl Scheib: The Youngest Player in American League History. Lawrence and Carl will then answer questions and sign copies of the book which will be for sale through the Gratz Historical Society. Carl will then donate some of his memorabilia to the Gratz Historical Society Museum.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Carl Scheib, from Gratz, PA, was a young farm boy of 16 who was signed to a major league contract by Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics. Carl enjoyed 11 years in the major leagues, interrupted by his service in World War II. When he made his first appearance in 1943, he was the youngest player in modern major league history. The following season, Joe Nuxhall of the National League’s Cincinnati Reds, pitched 2/3 of an inning at age 15, breaking Carl’s major league record, but Carl retained his American League record.

Known as a good-hitting pitcher, Carl hit .396 in 1951 and .298 in 1948. He hit five home runs in his career, including a grand slam.

As a pitcher, Carl was a key hurler on the 1948 Philadelphia Athletics, going 14-8 during a tight pennant race. He also went 11-7 in 1952, and saved 11 games in 1951. Behind his “pitch- to-contact” approach, the A’s set the all-time record for double plays in a season with 217 in 1949, a record that still stands.

Wonder Boy chronicles the rapid rise of Carl Scheib from his high school days at Gratz and his contributions to Dalmatia in the West Branch League, to his subsequent major league career, facing such players as Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, Bobby Doerr, Satchel Paige, Bob Lemon, Larry Doby, Bob Feller, Luke Appling, Early Wynn, Mickey Mantle and many more.

Mechanicsburg, PA – Sunbury Press is hosting a book release party at its headquarters at 50 West Main Street in Mechanicsburg on Friday February 1, 2013 from 6 pm to 9 pm. Authors William Martin(Quoting Liberally), C James Gilbert (A Deeper Sense of Loyalty) and Robert Miller (The Cogan Legend) will be presenting and signing their books.

VIP Guests (from 6 to 9 PM):Robert E. Miller, the author of the early Pennsylvania murder mystery “The Cogan Legend” will talk about his debut novel.

About The Cogan Legend:
The Cogan, a mysterious stretch of Pennsylvania with towering hills, swooping trees and narrow roads, claims the life of a lovely young woman, best friend to Ann Fairchild, a passionate, headstrong girl of 18. Barely escaping with her life, Ann succumbs to shock and is unable to recall exactly what happened that cold, wintry day in the Cogan. Meanwhile, Ann’s new suitor, Army Lieutenant Phillip Matter, hunts for the killer. Driven by guilt and shame for not saving the girls from harm that day, he grows increasingly more frustrated as he scours the Cogan for a killer he knows is still there.

Ann’s own guilt gnaws at her. It’s because of her that Rachel is dead. She’s the one to blame! She’s the one whose escapes tarnished the Fairchild name, and she’s the one who disobeyed her father and lied. She had to be punished. It was she who then convinced Rachel to accompany them to this rural setting. And it was she who wheedled and cajoled and begged her father to take the trip that led through the Cogan.

The Lieutenant thought it would be easy to find the killer, he was mistaken. With a stroke of luck on that last day of the search the soldiers capture the killer dragging him from his hiding place. The killer extracts a promise from the Lieutenant. He is taken to Sunbury where a judge, without evidence to the contrary, sentences him to hang by his neck until dead.

Ann’s memory rejects that gruesome day, until she remembers that he is innocent. A desperate effort to reach Sunbury to save Poll Soll proves futile by seconds and instead she witnesses his hanging.

After a time for healing Ann and Phillip marry but the promise that Lieutenant Matter wishes he’d never made turns his happy life miserable and threatens to take away everything he loves and lives for if he doesn’t fulfill it.

C James Gilbert, author of his debut Civil War era novel will present “A Deeper Sense of Loyalty.”

About A Deeper Sense of Loyalty:
In 1860, James Langdon, a southern boy from Macon, Georgia, is all set to celebrate his eighteenth birthday after graduating from school in New York. He has been groomed to handle the business end of his father’s large cotton plantation. A deeply religious lad with an uncharacteristic aversion to slavery, James’s father raised him to believe that unlike other negroes, the workers on Langdon Plantation were sharecroppers and not slaves.

When James finds out that his father has deceived him, it sets up a conflict between the two men that takes a war to settle. When hostilities break out in 1861, he leaves home, ostensibly to serve the Southern cause. Instead, he embarks on his own mission to help slaves escape to Canada.

Now considered to be a traitor and an outlaw by the South, danger is his constant companion; certain death awaits him should he be caught. Although he is powerless to go against his conscience, he is equally ridden with guilt for turning his back on his heritage. James knows that when the war ends, there will still be one last confrontation left for him: facing his father.

Author William Martin

Professor William Martin has been dubbed “the Ultimate Quotographer of the American Left.” will be discussing recent political events and presenting his most recent books “Quoting Liberally” and “Quotes from the Underground”.

About Quotes from the Underground:
“Quotes from the Underground – Radical Wisdom in Small Doses” is a remarkable resource and must-read for writers, researchers, activists and indeed anyone who embraces progressive values and hopes to rescue politics from corporate control.” — Joel Bakan, author of The Corporation and Childhood Under Siege

“William Martin does it again with this splendid new volume of insights, wisdom, bon mots, and just plain common sense from those who are working to improve our collective lot.” – David Morris, co-founder of the Institute for Local Self Reliance

I highly recommend this uplifting compendium of wisdom for achieving social justice, protecting the environment, and renewing our democracy. Worth taking in large doses. — Jill Stein, Green Party USA candidate for President

“Quotes from the Underground is . . . a stock of patriotic wisdom that should be nailed to the door of the New York Stock Exchange!” — Charlie Cray, research specialist with Greenpeace USA and the director of the Center for Corporate Policy

“There’s something to irritate just about everyone in this delightful collection of verbal prickly burrs.” — Alfie Kohn, author of FEEL-BAD EDUCATION: . . . And Other Contrarian Essays on Children and Schooling

I’m a quote collector. They inspire and instruct me. Thank you, William Martin, for compiling this book of quotes. I plan to use them liberally.
— Gloria Feldt, former president of Planned Parenthood, speaker, and author of No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power

“An excellent read–or rather lots of them–for atheists and others who care about liberty and our fellow human beings. Words from hundreds of wise people like Richard Dawkins, Ellen DeGeneres, Steve Allen, and George Orwell, to make you laugh, think–or both.” — Ed Buckner, former president of American Atheists

“William Martin’s excellent chronicle of quotations from the American Left needs to be lifted above ground and spread across the land. Read, absorb, and take action!” — Jim Hightower, nationally syndicated columnist, radio commentator, author, and editor of the Hightower Lowdown

About Quoting Liberally:
Dr. William Martin has been a college professor at Temple University and Monmouth University and has worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a press secretary, school auditor, and management consultant. He has published the other books of quotations, The Best Liberal Quotes Ever, What Liberals Believe, and Quotes from the Underground: Radical Wisdom in Small Doses. A national columnist calls Martin “the ultimate quotographer of the American Left.” He lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and sells books at Zabby Books @ Amazon.com.

Some samples from the book:
In the Soviet Union, capitalism triumphed over communism. In this country, capitalism triumphed over democracy. – Fran Lebowitz
A Romney presidency will be awesome unless you’re poor, sick, gay, female, Mexican or a dog. – Andy Borowitz
If homosexuality is a disease, let’s all call in queer to work: “Hello. Can’t work today, still queer.” – Robin Tyler
I hate the word homophobia. It’s not a phobia. You are not scared. You are an asshole. – Unknown
The idea that the blame for our government’s dysfunction is equally shared by the parties just is a giant, steaming mound of horse shit. – Bill Maher
Science flies you to the moon. Religion flies you into buildings. – Richard Dawkins

All authors will be signing copies of their books after their presentations.

Snacks and drinks will be provided.

The event will be held at:
50 West Main St
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

The location is directly across the street from the Brath & Hughes Art Gallery. about a half block west of the Gingerbread Man. There is plenty of free public parking in the rear.