Published: 09/01/2020
Frank Garland published a new book titled "Arky: The Baseball Life of Joseph Floyd "Arky" Vaughan."
Gannon University’s Frank Garland, program director of journalism communication and Gannon Knight adviser, has published a new book titled Arky: The Baseball Life of Joseph Floyd “Arky” Vaughan.
The book, published by McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers, captures the life and professional career of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Arky Vaughan.
Bursting onto the scene as a 20-year-old rookie, Arky Vaughan quickly established himself as the next great Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop. In 1935 his .385 batting average eclipsed even that of the immortal Honus Wagner, who was a steadying influence for Vaughan during his 10 seasons with the Pirates. Vaughan never hit under .300 with Pittsburgh and his versatility later made him an asset to the Brooklyn Dodgers. One of the quietest men in baseball, the nine-time All-Star eschewed the limelight but received plenty of attention for his on-field performance, for his one-man mutiny against Brooklyn manager Leo Durocher, and for walking away from the game to take care of his family and his beloved ranch during World War II. Drawing on dozens of articles, personal writings, recorded interviews and his daughter's unpublished biography, this book covers the life and career of an often overlooked Hall of Famer who died in a tragic boating accident at age 40.
Garland published his first book, Willie Stargell: A Life in Baseball in 2013.
About Frank Garland
Frank Garland is the journalism communication program director at Gannon University in Erie, Pa., where he has taught for 16 years. Prior to coming to Gannon, Garland worked for 30 years as an award-winning news, features and sports reporter at several Northern California newspapers, including The Modesto Bee and The Record, based in Stockton, Calif. Raised in Pittsburgh, Garland is a lifelong Pirates fan who spent seven summers researching and writing the definitive biography of Pirates Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, titled "Willie Stargell: A Life in Baseball" and published in April 2013 by McFarland and Co. Inc.