Willie Horton 23, Kevin Allen
Willie Horton 23, Kevin Allen
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Willie Horton: 23
Detroit's Own Willie the Wonder, the Tigers' First Black Great

Author: Kevin Allen, Willie Horton, Mickey Stanley, Jake Wood

Narrator: Bill Andrew Quinn

Unabridged: 8 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 01/17/2023


Synopsis

A compelling autobiography from one of Detroit's favorite sons

At fifteen, Willie Horton received his first contract offer to become a professional baseball player. At twenty, he smacked his first major-league home run. At twenty-four, Horton stood in full uniform on the hood of his car, in the midst of burning homes and overturned vehicles, and pleaded for an end to the violence of the 1967 Detroit riots.

In this new autobiography, Horton shares the fascinating story of his life and career, from growing up in Detroit's Jeffries Projects as the youngest of twenty-one children to winning a World Series with his hometown Tigers in 1968. Horton also candidly discusses the opposition he faced as a Black player, his fond memories of Al Kaline, the joy he felt in returning to the Tigers as a front office executive, and the many ways he still tries to give back to Detroit and his community.

By turns heartrending and hilarious, this timely chronicle is an essential contribution to baseball's written history.

About Kevin Allen

Kevin Allen is a Michigan-based writer who spent thirty-four seasons as USA Today's hockey beat writer. He has written several books and coauthored memoirs by sports figures, including Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Darren McCarty, Stu Grimson, and Mike Emrick.


Reviews

Willie, in a high school game (Northwestern vs Cass Tech) hit a home run off the same light tower in Tiger Stadium as Reggie Jackson! Jackson was in the 1971 All Star game; Willie did it as a high school sophomore! The stories and baseball lore run deep here. So too the tales of Detroit streets as a......more

Goodreads review by Jake

Thank you to Triumph Books for the desk copy in exchange for an honest review. A touching and insightful memoir from Willie Horton, a man who has spent his entire life trying to be a positive influence on his family and community through the game of baseball. Perfect for any baseball fan, but especial......more

Goodreads review by Alex

Some interesting anecdotes but pretty poorly written. Repetitive in spots.......more

Goodreads review by Tom

Nothing too over the top and a good autobio by Willie Horton that focuses a lot on the late 1960's, especially the 1968 season in which the Tigers won the World Series. He doesn't talk TOO much about Detroit and the Civil Rights movement that year, but does spend a few pages discussing how he went o......more