The Moonlight Graham Show

This episode is fast. Really fast. You might need to play it at .5 speed it's so fast. I mean when you start talking about NFL caliber speed like this week's Moonlighter has, it is hard to even compare. Rico Gafford's wheels took him from a state title in high school to lining up in the same offense as some of the most talented players in the NFL.

This week's Moonlighter filled a critical role for 11 different major league teams over the course of a 21-year professional career. With that many years under his belt, LaTroy Hawkins had to evolve as a player and adapt to his role on the team a few different times. This interview covers the range of his career and his perspective on what the major league game is like now over 30 years after he was drafted.

Chris Norton has taken his incredible story and turned it into his life's work. He started the Chris Norton Foundation to support others facing neurological injuries and challenges. He is a motivational speaker and his story has been published and is now a documentary. You can watch 7 Yards on Amazon Prime or Netflix.

This week Tim, Tom, and Big Ben are joined by Mrs. Moonlight herself. The crew shares their favorite guests and moments from the podcast over the first 200 episodes. There have been Cyclones and Hawks, ballplayers and runners, Olympians and pros, and plenty of stories you probably hadn't heard before. Tori, Tom, and Big Ben also get to grill Tim a little about where the pod has been and a look to the future. Needless to say, everyone at the Moonlight Graham Show has enjoyed the ride and appreciates the listeners who tune in each week.

March Madness is in full swing and this week Tim sits down with a Cyclone who has seen just about every side of college basketball. Klay Edwards grew up in small-town eastern Iowa but found his home in Ames. During his time in the cardinal and gold, he saw the end of Johnny Orr's career, the Tim Floyd era, and the start of the Eustachy years. His Cyclones won the last Big 8 Conference tourney, played in the NCAA tournament a few times, and saw several changes in the program.

Our Moonlighter this week is on a whole different level when it comes to video games. Nick Overton got his start playing games like Halo about 20 years ago and now makes a killing as a professional gamer.

Most of our Moonlighters come on the pod to share tales of the glory days. They relive the season or game that made their career. They can philosophize about the moments that made them love sports and the life lessons that the world of sports taught them. It isn't often that we get a guy on the mic whose biggest accomplishments on the wrestling mat might still be in front of him.

Alan Roach's career has been as interesting as it has been busy. Since leaving central Iowa radio, Roach has taken the microphone all over the world. From the Olympics to the Super Bowl, Roach's voice has echoed throughout the greatest stadiums and arenas in sports.

Moonlight Graham is ready to do what no one (and certainly no podcast) has been able to do; fix the game of baseball.

One of our favorite Moonlighters returns to the pod this week to cover the many unique projects he has going on. Many listeners will remember Paul Shirley from his Cyclone playing days in the late 1990s and early 2000s or his travels as a basketball player for 12 separate ball clubs. More recently though, Paul Shirley has made a name for himself as a writer.

This week's Moonlighter just knows how to win. Heck, Harlan just about had to add gold to its school colors during his senior year. The winning didn't stop with his high school graduation though. His experiences as a high school player and college athlete prepared him for helping lead a perennial D-II football power. After a decade as an assistant, he has taken the reins of his own football program and Joel Osborn is looking to keep the Ws coming.

Every office has that guy who used to be an athlete or maybe even spent a little time chasing his or her dream in professional sports. Tim heard a little bit about one of those guys in his office who grew up in West Des Moines and spent some time in professional football after his playing days at Kansas State.

These days everything feels so divided. It's like the hot takes of sports talk radio and posts on social media have had to get even hotter just to stand out. On top of that, social media went from finding people like yourself to seeking out those you disagree with just to start a fight. Heck, the word troll has taken on a whole new meaning.

The Bohannon name is synonymous with basketball. The four Bohannon brothers know how to put the biscuit in the basket. This week, we have the second oldest and perhaps the most multi-talented of the crew on the podcast this week. Zach Bohannon had a terrific basketball career for the Wisconsin Badgers and Linn Mar Lions before hanging up his sneakers and becoming a professional fan for his Hawkeye brother Jordan.

Lookingbill brings the types of insights only a teammate can to break down that team, the expectations for that year, and the tragic loss of his friend. The Hawkeyes had to regroup as a team for a game at Michigan State just 9 days after Street's death. January 31st 1993 was the first time the the Haweyes played at home without #40 on the floor. Tim and Wade breakdown that game vs. the Fab Five in Carver-Hawkeye and the life and legacy of Chris Street.

Most of our Moonlighter's get to look back on their careers and share their thoughts in the past tense. Most stories get a little bit better with time and a few retellings. Every once in a while we pull in an active athlete in the midst of their career with a few achievements under their belt and and their sights set on what's next. This week's guest brings a little bit of everything. Daniel Tillo is just getting his professional baseball career started, but he has been forced to take a step back while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

There is always a lot of talk about coaching trees, especially when it comes to college football. In Iowa, we often hear about Hayden Fry's incredible legacy with his 1980s Hawkeye football coaching staffs but those guys all had different last names. The Woodley Tree is pretty much synonymous with coaching in Iowa as Mike and his sons have led programs in central and eastern Iowa with a great deal of success. One of those Woodley boys invited Tim into the Grand View football offices recently to talk about a life in coaching.

Season 10 opens with a guy who has a story or two to tell. Over the course of 45 years, Steve Loney has seen just about everything at every level of football and always comes home to his passion for Iowa State football. Loney brings some of his favorite stories and insights from the sideline and to the Moonlight Graham Show.

At the core of Field of Dreams is a story about a father and son. So what better way to wrap up this season than to focus on Moonlight Tim's soon to be new job; Dad. Brother Andy and Tom join Tim for a conversation about what it means to be a good dad.

While it might be a little different than Sunset Park and Hoosiers, Iowa certainly has more than a few white men that can jump coming out of Iowa hoops. This week Moonlighter Jack Brownlee returns to the studio to help Tim come up with the all-time Iowa NBA team. Some of the greats, like Kyle Korver, Fred Hoiberg and Nick Collison, quickly come to mind but the research required some deep dives. Tim and Jack had to put on their wannabe GM hats to make some tough choices when putting together the official Moonlight all-time Iowa NBA list.

This week's Moonlighter won an underdog tournament to become the biggest underdog in the biggest golf tournament in the US. Jack Newman won the 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links tournament to earn a tee time at the Masters. Newman went to Hoover High School in Des Moines and got his start playing Waveland. After a very successful high school career, he went on to play golf in college at Michigan State University.

For being the home of the Field of Dreams, Iowa has had its fair share of stars shining bright under the Friday night lights. This week, Tim and Tom did their research and prepared an all time 2-deep lineup of Iowans who played in the NFL. This wasn't your average fantasy draft! We scoured the internet looking for players who were born, bred, and corn-fed Iowans and then compared position groups looking to make the best lineup possible.

This week's Moonlighter started his career in Iowa, circled the globe, and ended up on top of the world. Nick Nurse played in the red and gold of the Kuemper Knights but more recently has been sporting the gold of his NBA championship ring as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. His journey to the top of the basketball world included stops around the US and Europe before arriving in Canada. No matter how far he travels, Nick Nurse is an Iowan that the whole state is proud to claim.

This week's Moonlighter is a doubleheader in his own right. Scott Schebler was on the podcast in Ep. 49 and comes back in Ep. 179 as part of our series with DMACC. Scott Schebler came out of DMACC's Boone Campus in 2010 and has spent the last ten years in professional baseball.

His pursuit of professional baseball took him outside of the state and through seven countries before hanging up his spikes and starting work as a paralegal. Tim and J.D. sat down recently in the Scholten for Congress RV that has traveled all across Iowa's 4th congressional district as he campaigns for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.

When thinking about baseball in Iowa, two things quickly come time mind: Bob Feller and Field of Dreams. As a podcast which has prided itself on exploring the untold stories of sports in Iowa, we wanted to do a deep dive on the best baseball players in Iowa since the Heater from Van Meter.

Underdogs come in all shapes and sizes. This week's underdog started out as a size small but grew into one of the most impactful players in the NFL. Fred Jackson grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area but had to relocate to a slightly smaller metro area to get an opportunity in college football. Jackson's underdog story is unique because he went from not even playing for his high school team to being one of the most productive players in the NFL.

While Troy Davis is clearly the most notable Cyclone from the mid-1990s, the offensive line clearing the 8 or 9 guys in the box for TD was pretty talented. This week, the Moonlight Graham Show welcomes one of the best Cyclone offensive linemen from that time period, Tim Kohn. While the Cyclones didn't collect a lot of wins during his time in Ames, Tim Kohn made a name for himself as a talented tackle with a high ceiling.

Ethan Bryan was first on the podcast in 2018 when he was in the process of playing catch every day for an entire year. Now, it is our pleasure to bring the author Ethan Bryan onto the podcast to discuss his newly released book, "A Year of Playing Catch".

This week's Moonlighter is a West Coast product that has taken to the midwest. Alex Redmond grew up in Southern California and attended UCLA. Redmond spent the last 5 seasons in Cincinnati and spent the 2018 season as the starting right guard for the Bengals. His experiences as a wrestler and physical toughness have helped him overcome injuries and keep himself in the game. Between UCLA and Cinncinati, Redmond has had to grind each day to take full advantage of each opportunity he has been given.

Most of our Moonlighters have hung up the cleats and turned out the lights in the locker room for the last time. This week we sit down with a guy who is just coming onto the scene. Reid Sinnett is a local product who is currently getting ready for his first NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sinnett has made his way as a backup who has earned every opportunity since 8th grade and now is sitting behind the greatest QB in history, Tom Brady. Reid Sinnett took some time out of the most unusual preseason in league history to talk to Tim and Tom.

This week, our Moonlighter has a basketball career that has taken him from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, around the world, and back again. Travis Diener grew up in Wisconsin and went to Marquette University where he and the Golden Eagles went all the way to the Final Four. For most, taking your home-state college to the Final Four would be a great ending to a Cinderella story. But for this Moonlighter, that was just another step in his journey. Travis Diener has played professional basketball for more than a decade between the NBA and Europe, but one of the biggest shots of his career came in a nearly empty arena.

Growing up in small-town Walker, IA, and attending North Linn High School, Hilmer was a do-it-all guy for the Lynx. While many top-level high school athletes have to make a choice and focus on a single sport, Hilmer didn't. Now as an Upper Iowa Peacock, he continues to pursue his passion on both the diamond and the hardwood. Jake Hilmer is a one of a kind athlete that just happens to play two sports.

Everyone knows about his short-lived Major League career, but Archibald Graham has so much more to his story. In this episode, Tim and resident historian Tom take a deep dive into Archibald Moonlight Graham's legacy. We know of Moonlight Graham because author W.P. Kinsella came across a random entry in a baseball encyclopedia, but the good people of Chisolm, MN celebrate Doc 'Moonlight' Graham Days each year to celebrate so much more than baseball.

Caleb Thielbar grew up in Minnesota always wanting to play in the big leagues. On May 20th of 2013, he made his debut for his hometown Twins. Sounds like a dream story. But Moonlight Graham rarely focuses on someone's direct path to success. This week, Tim sits down with Thielbar a little over 7 years later as he makes his return to the Bigs from an injury and a long, winding rehab.

Author Jacob Kornhauser joins the Moonlight Graham Show to talk about his latest book. "The Cup of Coffee Club" includes a myriad of stories. Some read like a tragedy while others are just bad luck. Some players shined in their debut while others were barely a blip in the boxscore. Every story has its own twists. Kornhauser chased down the tales of 11 members of the club to tell their story and was a little surprised that many of the memories were more sweet than bitter.

This week brings an Iowa icon into the studio, Scott Siepker. The Carroll County native sits down with Tim to talk all things Iowa. Siepker has made a name, and brand for himself, by celebrating the Iowa lifestyle and being passionate about Iowa. Siepker's is a very talented jack of all trades. From appearances on the Murph and Andy Show on Fridays to working on original film projects, Siepker is known for his storytelling, comedy, and some really stupid Quickie Polls. I love playing the villain Like Scott Siepker himself, this interview has a little bit of something for everyone. Growing up in Carroll County, Siepker's family has a hypothetical background with moonshine that has spurred a passion film project about prohibition in Iowa. His short lived career as a (self proclaimed) 3-point threat playing alongside Adam Haluska and talented golfer are part of his love of sports and the Carroll Tigers. Siepker's greatest claim to fame so far is probably the character he created; the Iowa Nice Guy. The viral videos sharing what we all know to be true, that Iowans are the greatest people in America, and show off his satirical skills. The Iowa Nice Guy is like the inner voice of all Iowans who are too nice to say what they are really thinking about Nebraska. The Iowa Nice Guy made his way onto ESPN and popped up across social media platforms. Creating a character focused on Iowa was part of a larger belief of Siepker's to prove that an actor, director, producer, and filmmaker can thrive in Iowa. His documentary on Jack Trice and Nile Kinnick, stage work, and countless other projects are proving him correct.

Judd Gibb has had a great deal of success as a golfer in the last 30+ years. Gibb was a 2x NCAA Regional Qualifier when he was golfing at Iowa State in the late 80s and early 1990s. After graduating, he went on to play in mini-tours in the 90s and won many awards in the 2000s. Gibb was the Iowa PGA Section Player of the Year 5 times and teacher of the year 2 times along with many tournament wins to his name. Adding on to those accolades, Gibb will be inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame next month. Gibb loves being a golf teacher and is more focused on enjoying this experience than worrying about taking home the title. As he gets ready for the first round he has shared the driving range with Tiger Woods and the practice green with Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy. Gibb qualified for the PGA Championship by finishing in the top-20 in the final 2019 national professional of the year standings. He is paired with Mark Hubbard and Australian Lucas Herbert, who is just a few years older than his son Andrew.

Tony Watson played for the Mustangs of DC-G and had one of the most dominant seasons in high school baseball as a senior in 2003. Throwing three no-hitters and giving up only 1 run, Watson made a name for himself and was selected in the 23rd round of the 2003 MLB draft by the Marlins. Instead of heading South, Watson took his talents to Lincoln to play for Nebraska at one of the highpoints in Cornhusker baseball history. Watson played alongside 8 guys that went into the majors, including Joba Chamberlin and Alex Gordon who was the number 2 pick that year. After a successful run for the Huskers, including that 2005 CWS season, Watson was drafted by the Pirates in the 9th round of the 2007 draft. Hard work and consistent success in the minors led to a dream 2011 debut. In his first of 43 appearances in the 2011 season, Watson struck out the first two batters he faced in his MLB career. The highpoint of his time in Pittsburgh was the 2014 season in which he had a 10-2 record, 78 appearances, and being named an All-Star. In 2017, Watson was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and ended up playing a critical role in the World Series, picking up 2 wins on the biggest stage in baseball. After winning a ring in LA, Watson moved down the round to join his current team in San Fransico. Watson carries 35 wins and a career 2.80 ERA into the COVID shortened season. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee"

This week Tim and Tom returned to the undisclosed sauna to trade takes on what has made them love sports as players, coaches, fans, and parents. As we have seen after going without the last several months, sports are an important part of our lives for many reasons. Being on a team both teaches you many skills and builds relationships that will last a lifetime. Competing, whether it is on your high school's JV team or D-I, builds the kind of confidence and perseverance that just can't be taught in a classroom or anywhere else. Sports bring people together. Coaches matter. Being a good teammate matters. Sports matter. Sports are making a comeback. High school baseball and softball are gearing up for the postseason, the PGA and NASCAR are already back and the MLB, NBA, and WNBA are about to start their shortened seasons. So in honor of sports returning to our socially-distanced lives, we dive deep into everything we love about sports. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee"

Dwight Siebler found success in the minors in 1959 and into the early 1960s, averaging more than 1 strikeout per inning in over 400 innings pitched. That success in the minors earned him his first call up in 1963. Siebler went on to play in 48 games for the Twins, including 8 starts and 2 complete games. One of the high points of Twins' history was the 1965 World Series Team. Some of the all-time great Twins led the team to the series against the LA Dodgers, including Harmon Killebrew, Zoilo Versalles, and Tony Oliva. Though he played in 30 games in AAA and 7 games for the Twins, due to roster rules, Siebler didn't actually get to play in the World Series. Siebler moved between AAA and the majors from 1963-1967 and played against legends like Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Carl Yastrzemski. Anyone getting ready for baseball will love stories about facing the legends of baseball and suiting up with some of the all-time great Twins. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee"

Jenny Harestad was a senior at ISU in 1999-2000 when she tried out and Clare Flattery was a junior at UNI when she auditioned 2 years ago. Jenny and Clare saw advertisements for mascot tryouts and gave it a shot even though they had never been a mascot before. With the help of MC Hammer and some improv skills, Jenny and Clare wowed at their respective auditions. Once earning the mantle of mascot, or rather the giant head, there is a mascot code of conduct they had to abide by. Clare couldn't even reveal her secret identity until wearing the paw-feet at her UNI graduation. They had to attend games and community events in character and in the sweatiest suit you can imagine. Clare and Jenny have tons of hilarious stories from their time in costume, including a hockey game against the Culver's ice cream cone. There is so much more to being a mascot than what you see on the big screen at games. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee"

Denise Long Rife was known for her work ethic and long hours of practice. As a forward in 6 on 6 basketball, her job was to score without worrying about running the court or playing defense. She took her practice so seriously that the park where she shot baskets while it was -11 degrees is now named after her. The countless hours of shooting helped her on her way to the national scoring record. After scoring over 6000 points in high school, including many games over 100 points, Long Rife was one of the most prolific scorers in prep basketball history. One of the highlights of her career was the championship game during her senior year which was seen by millions of people. However, her scoring total wasn't the only history she made. After her senior season, Denise was working on a bulletin board at school when a classmate told her she had been drafted. Long Rife didn't follow the NBA and had never even heard about the San Francisco Warriors. She took the opportunity to go out to California and played for the women's league that Franklin Mieuli, the owner of the Warriors, was starting. Her selection drew national attention and she was written about in Sports Illustrated and was a guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

This week's Moonlighter story starts the way many stories do but ends up alongside a host of Hall of Famers. Steve Dreyer called himself a pretty good high school baseball player who just wanted to keep playing after high school. However, as the 4th guy in the rotation at Ames High, not too many programs were knocking on his door. Dreyer's desire to keep playing and willingness to work just kept opening doors for him. Dreyer ended up on the UNI baseball team after being encouraged to attend a tryout by a former teammate. After 3 days of trying out as an infielder, Dreyer made the team because he could play 3rd base and pitch. His freshman season for the Panthers was a rocky road. An ERA over 12 was evidence of being put into some tough spots, including facing Robin Ventura with the bases loaded. Over the course of his sophomore year though, Dreyer was starting to improve as a pitcher and found himself feeling more in control. Dreyer made a big jump from his freshman year to his sophomore year, and by the time he reached his junior year, he was UNI's top arm. Before his junior year, Dreyer went to an open scouting day in central Iowa. Dreyer topped 90 when his turn on the mound came and the scouts had to ask him who he was and where he went to school. That introduction gave scouts a reason to start watching UNI baseball a little more closely. Dreyer led the Panthers to some impressive showings against bigger programs like Notre Dame and Creighton and major league baseball was becoming an option. Fast forward to draft day in June 1990, and the Texas Rangers made the call after selecting him in the 8th round. Dreyer's time in the minors was pretty short and very successful as he worked his way into the majors after about 2 years. By 1993, Dreyer had some success in AA and joined the AAA team in New Orleans. With the support of his coaches, Dreyer found his stride and earned an opportunity in Arlington. Joining the Texas Rangers 1993 meant playing alongside Nolan Ryan, Pudge Rodriguez, Jose Canseco, and Rafael Palmeiro. Dreyer played in 15 games for the Rangers over the 1993 and 1994 seasons, including 9 starts. Dreyer continued to play professionally until 1997. Now, Dreyer is still hanging around the ballpark, but now it's as a fan of his son, Jack, who is a standout pitcher for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

Roman Weinberg is passionate about baseball and the Field of Dreams site. Weinberg started as an intern in 2014 at the Field of Dreams and has worked his way up to his current role. His responsibilities on and off of the field include all kinds of duties, but things have been changing quickly with the development of the major league ballpark and the addition of the Baseballism store over the last year. The Field of Dreams site has evolved since the movie was filmed in 1989. The Ghost Players, tours, private events, Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters games, and many more events have kept the field busy over the years, but in this interview, Tim and Roman talk about the 3rd life that the Major League game has brought to the field. The magic of the field hasn't worn off for these guys and the countless tourists that Weinberg gets to visit with. The Field of Dreams is a special place for countless baseball fans. Roman Weinberg may not have a name like Costner or Kinsella, but he plays a vital role in maintaining the magic. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

This week's Moonlighter takes a weekend hobby to a new level. Tom Coyne isn't just an avid golfer. He literally wrote the book on golfing in Ireland, Scotland, and is in the process of writing the book on golf in America. Tom Coyne has published four books: A Gentleman's Game, Paper Tiger, A Course Called Ireland, and A Course Called Scotland. His first book, A Gentleman's Game was turned into a 2001 movie that was nominated for an Espy. For his second book, Coyne put himself in the tee box. He isn't just a hack though, Coyne keeps careful score, avoids the foot wedge, and isn't flagging down the beer cart girl. For Paper Tiger, Coyne took his training very seriously in an effort to make the PGA Tour. His Scotland trip concluded with his attempt to qualify for the British Open. In his travels across Ireland and Scotland, Coyne was walking roughly 25 miles per day. His fifth book, A Course Called America is due out in 2021. Coyne played every US Open course in the United States and making sure to play a course in every state for his America book, including Waveland Golf Course in Des Moines. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

When he came to the podcast in season 2, Merritt had won the 2015 Quicken Loans National, finishing just ahead of Rickie Fowler, and was establishing himself as a top 100 player. Merritt rode the Moonlight bump to a second PGA win in 2018 at the Barbosal Championship in Kentucky. That win was made more difficult by pain and pressure in his left arm that made even swinging a club painful. Days after winning the Barbasol Merritt had surgery to remove a blood clot that stretched from his chest to his elbow. Six days after surgery Merritt was teeing off at the 2018 PGA Championship. The discovery of the blood clot and surgery led to the diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome and the removal of a rib in January in 2019. Merritt is fully recovered and competing on the Tour as it comes back from COVID related cancellations. His last finish was tying for 24th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and he most recently competed at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

Tim Flattery talks with Joey Mellows, the mustachioed englishman who quit his job to watch baseball. Are you a proud supporter of the Moonlight Graham Show? Buy the "Moonlighter Tee" - https://www.moonlightgrahamshow.com/buy-swag/moonlighter-tee-1

This week's Moonlighter is actually a two for one. Our story starts with baseball historian Pete Gorton has spent countless hours digging deeper into the annals of history and finding stories that most don't even know exist. Gorton has unearthed more information about players, games, and records than most anyone else will ever know. However, there was one story he came across that grabbed his attention. In fact, Gorton is part of a network that has likely rediscovered the greatest baseball player you have never heard of: John Donaldson. Pete Gorton has basically committed himself to getting John Donaldson into the Hall of Fame. Much of Donaldson's career was long before Major League Baseball was integrated and before Negro Leagues even existed. Donaldson was a pitcher and outfielder who was one of the most sought after town team talents in the upper midwest. Gorton first came across the story of John Donaldson when he was contributing to a book on the history of Black baseball in Minnesota. That brief introduction to John Donaldson in 2004 has taken over Gorton's baseball mind for the last 16 years.