Once upon a time, independent professional ball clubs zig-zagged across America, plying their trade in big cities and small villages alike. Some of the players were world-class athletes while others were vicious mercenaries, and here Scott Simkus sets out to share their stories and use a critical lens to separate fact from fiction. With an eye for colorful details and meaningful stats, Simkus recounts how Babe Ruth, Rube Waddell, and John McGraw crossed bats with the Cuban Stars, Tokyo Giants, Brooklyn Bushwicks, and dozens of famous Negro league teams.