Midwest Writers Room
Podcast from the Wisconsin Writers Association. We discuss all things writerly, with an emphasis on the unique flavor of works that originate in the Midwest.
Midwest Writers Room
Chapter Break with Tom Alesia
BIO:
A longtime Madison newspaper features writer, Tom Alesia wrote one of 2022’s bestselling baseball books, Beauty at Short: Dave Bancroft, the Most Unlikely Hall of Famer and His Wild Times in Baseball’s First Century, described by Wisconsin Public Radio host Larry Meiller as “such a fun book – I really loved this.” The Des Moines Register added, “Alesia does more than offer statistics; he brings Bancroft to life!”
Alesia won the National Music Journalism Award and many other national and regional awards. A 35-time marathon finisher and a cancer survivor since 1998, he lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, Susan. They have a son, Mark, and three dogs.
SYNOPSIS:
Expected to fail—and they almost did—in summer 2001, the Madison Mallards became summer-collegiate baseball’s most popular team. Since 2002, the Mallards have become the biggest box-office hit among hundreds of similar teams nationwide, drawing more than 4.3 million fans in team history. Baseball Like It Oughta Be is the phenomenal story of how owner Steve Schmitt, a rural Wisconsin shoe sales marvel, and his young, aggressive staff turned dust into gold.
Celebrating their 25th year, the Mallards have an entertaining and hilarious history that combines marketing prowess, customer service, and anything-goes promotions with stories ranging from Gary Coleman’s outrageous appearance to slugger Pete Alonso’s amazing season as a Mallard. Schmitt and team president Vern Stenman turned a downtrodden ballpark into a must-experience destination. The Mallards never went bananas on the field while churning out future pro players. Along the way, they’ve become one of America’s most extraordinary sports teams.
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