Charlie Murphy

Jason Cannon worked in collegiate sports information before turning to teaching and writing. He is the author of A Time for Reflection: The Parallel Legacies of Baseball Icons Willie McCovey and Billy Williams and his articles have appeared in NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture.

"Everything a great biography should be: impeccably researched, fair, eminently readable, and ultimately as satisfyingly instructive as having personally known the subject oneself."—Spitball Magazine "Besides writing a very readable book, Cannon has done the kind of research that a good biography requires."—James E. Overmyer, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture "Charlie Murphy is an excellent addition to the existing body of work in book-length baseball biography. Cannon masterfully moves beyond his subject's on-field baseball achievements, often the singular focus of a baseball biography, by providing a well-balanced mix of Murphy's off-field contribution to the baseball industry, his cultural influence, and an exploration of his character."—Charlie Bevis, Journal of Sport History "[Cannon's] biography is thoroughly researched, relying not only on voluminous Chicago newspaper archives but on National League meeting minutes form the Hall of Fame library. Charles Murphy himself may never wind up in Cooperstown but Jason Cannon has given him is due."—Andrew Milner, The Inside Game“Over the first couple of decades of the twentieth century, Cubs owner and general manager Charles Murphy was as significant as any executive in baseball and one of its most interesting characters. Jason Cannon perceptively unwraps the man who oversaw Cubs championship seasons and was a principal actor in some of the era’s most notable controversies and boardroom battles.”—Daniel R. Levitt, coauthor of In Pursuit of Pennants: Baseball Operations from Deadball to “Moneyball” “Impeccably researched and masterfully written, Charlie Murphy tells the story of one of baseball’s most well-known, forgotten owners. Only after you’ve read it do you realize how much you didn’t know of Murphy and his impact on the game.”—Willie Steele, editor of NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture “Part exuberant showman and part irreverent iconoclast, Charles W. Murphy eventually aroused the ire of players, fans, and even the baseball establishment with his controversial decisions, which eventually led to his undoing. Jason Cannon deftly uses hundreds of articles, documents, interviews, and other original sources to look past Murphy’s reputation as an egotistical blowhard and reassess both his personal life and professional career. In so doing, the author reveals a detailed narrative of the Progressive Era and a compelling, richly nuanced portrait of one of baseball’s most colorful characters.”—Jack Bales, author of Before They Were the Cubs "This is a remarkable book full of baseball information for all fans to enjoy. The book is easy to read and should be on the bookshelf of every baseball fan, baseball historian and especially those with Chicago Cubs fandom."—Tom Knuppel, Knup Sports "As for the complete story of Murphy, from his beginnings to his ownership of the Cubs and the fractured relationships at the time of his ouster, Cannon does a very good job of bringing him to life to the reader and illustrating an accurate picture of the business side of the game at that time."—Lance Smith, Guy Who Reviews Sports Books

• Introduction: “He Was a Showman”1. Wilmington2. On to Cincinnati3. “A Real Wonder-Story”4. “He Is One of Us”5. Champions6. Supremacy Again7. The War of 1908–98. A Pair of Presidents9. The Final Pennant10. “Murphy Alone Is My Enemy”11. “All Is Fair in Love and War”12. “The Malicious Mistake of Mr. Murphy”13. Show Business14. NarrativesEpilogueAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex