the extraordinary baseball season of 1944 comes vividly to life. The Maverick of baseball entrepreneur Bill Veeck returns from World War II decided to form one of the best teams of negro players, he buys the Philadelphia Athletics from irascible owner Connie Mack. The caveat is that if the team doesn't turn a profit in its first year, it reverts back to Mack. That means A's must be transformed into a winner, and in the war years, the only sources of good players are the Negro Leagues. Veeck begins with a bitter, alcoholic Josh Gibson and then adds Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, and Buck Leonard all of whom think they'll be playing on a Philly Negro League team. The Veeck shenanigans continue, and he opens the season with his groundbreaking
