Holway brings passion and compassion to his account of Josh Gibson's life. It is hard for a baseball fan not to be passionate about a ballplayer who could have set records and raised the earned-run averages of major league pitchers, but who was denied his chance to showcase his skills in major league ballparks because of his skin's color. Holway is a classic fan who has devoted much of his life to the lore and history of baseball.

Holway is plainly partisan in his account of Gibson, noting Gibson's athletic feats and comparing them to other, less gifted players, yet he is also honest about the uglier sides of Gibson's life.

In this honesty lies Holway's artistic achievement. His presentation of Gibson as a man among men is compassionate without being cloying; he reveals Gibson's humanity even while noting his exceptional ability. In part, this means...