Richard Bogovich – författare

The British rock band The Who has been hailed as the world's greatest live rock and roll act, if not the greatest rock band, period. In the band's prime, its members--Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Peter Townshend--frequently clashed, but their conflicts also resulted in ten years of remarkable music. In 1990, The Who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.Profiled here are the people who influenced, were influenced by, or were in some other way connected with one or more members of The Who. Readers will find a vast array of entries, ranging from musicians such as Billy Idol, who took part in live performances of Tommy and Quadrophenia, and AC/DC guitarist Angus Young, who said Pete Townshend was the only guitarist ever to influence him, to behind-the-scenes people such as Glyn Johns, the English recording engineer and producer who helped create the acclaimed "Who's Next" (1971) and "Quadrophenia" (1973), and Nicky Hopkins, the much in-demand pianist who was among The Who's earliest studio collaborators. Seemingly unrelated personalities such as Muppets creator Jim Henson are in--he is believed to have modeled The Muppet Show's maniacal drummer Animal after The Who drummer Keith Moon.

This is the first full-length biography of Kid Nichols (1869-1953), who won 30 or more games a record seven times and was the youngest pitcher to reach 300 career victories. Much new light is shed on Nichols' early life in Madison, Wisconsin, along with important influences and experiences as a teenager living in Kansas City.Nichols' professional career is documented by drawing heavily from publications of the era and his own words. The high regard in which he was held by fans, teammates and even opponents is contrasted with his contentious relationship with team owners. Nichols' period of restlessness, ambition and risk-taking following his long stint with Boston's National League team is detailed, as is the campaign to get him into the Hall of Fame. The book includes previously unpublished photos from his descendants' archives, many more than a century old.

Widely considered the best black player of the 19th century, Hall-of-Famer Frank Grant challenged baseball's color barrier in the 1880s to play for all-white professional teams--two of which fought a legal battle for his services. This first full-length biography documents Grant's career highlights, including successful games against Major League teams and at-bats against Hall-of-Fame pitchers. Stories overlooked for more than a century are examined, including a falsified anecdote that obscured one of Grant's best games from history. New light is shed on the early years of the Cuban Giants, the first black pro ball club.