Tuesday, May 23, 2017

JFK chronicle published by AP ahead of centennial

Originally posted on AP.org

The Associated Press has published “JFK: A Daily Chronicle of the White House Years,” an account of President John F. Kennedy’s 1,036 days as commander-in-chief, ahead of the 100th anniversary of his birth on May 29.

The chronicle, by Les Krantz with The Associated Press, is a complete timeline that recounts Kennedy’s brief but eventful presidency and the style and wit with which he shaped the hopes of a generation.
Written in the present tense to capture the immediacy of the events, the day-by-day reports are drawn from coverage at the time, beginning with JFK’s inauguration through his assassination in November 1963.

Former AP Washington Bureau Chief Walter Mears writes in the introduction:
It was a time of hope, youthful leadership—JFK’s new generation in power—but with clouds. U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was beginning. Kennedy sent an increasing number of military advisors there, and they were the first Americans involved in combat. The civil rights issue was a growing problem. Kennedy sought legislation, but it would not come on his watch.
In addition to recounting crises such as the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the chronicle includes lighter dispatches, such as the Kennedys’ 1961 trip to France, during which the president memorably quipped: “I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.”
“This comprehensive time capsule, told in real time, captures the youthful energy of JFK’s campaign and election as well as the mood of the country during times of tremendous challenges,” said Peter Costanzo, AP’s digital and archival publishing manager. “It’s a great addition to any Kennedy enthusiast’s library.”
The book contains nearly 200 photographs from AP’s archives, as well as recollections from AP journalists and photographers who covered JFK during his presidential campaign and his short time in the White House.
“JFK: A Daily Chronicle of the White House Years” is available in paperback and as an e-book exclusively on Amazon.

About AP

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the web: www.ap.org.

Contact

Lauren Easton 
Director of Media Relations 
The Associated Press 
212-621-7005
leaston@ap.org

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

AP publishes history of baseball’s ‘Banned’ players, coaches

Originally posted on AP.org

The Associated Press and Diversion Books have published “Banned: Baseball’s Blacklist of All-Stars and Also-Rans,” a comprehensive history written by former AP sports writer Hal Bock.

From Shoeless Joe Jackson to Jenrry Mejia, Bock delves deep into the ball players, umpires, coaches and others who were suspended from the game temporarily or, in some cases, indefinitely, using colorful anecdotes to paint a vivid picture of baseball's scandalous past.
For those who follow the current corporate era of businessmen players and billionaire owners, "Banned" serves as a reminder that America's pastime evolved from the days when gamblers filled the stands and influenced poorly paid scoundrels on the diamond.

John Thorn, Major League Baseball's official historian, writes in the introduction:
Hal Bock has chosen a subject of enduring fascination. Most of those banned from baseball over the years have been minor figures and, except for antiquarians, are shrouded in the mists of time. Other, more formidable players, prompt us — even decades after their deaths — to ponder the frailty of man, shake our heads and think what might have been.
Bock's thorough review spans from the late 1800s to present, covering everything from George Bechtel's expulsion for game fixing in 1876 — the first-ever player to be expelled — to the lifetime suspension handed down to Pete Rose in 1989 for betting on games, among other key moments.
Bock, a sports writer for more than 40 years, has covered myriad major sporting events, including 30 World Series, making him the ideal storyteller for this far-reaching retrospective.
"This is a fascinating and fun read about baseball's underbelly," said Peter Costanzo, AP's digital publishing and archival manager. "Hal's knowledge of the game, its history and his reverence for those who play it is evident on every page."
"Banned" includes an afterword by AP baseball writer Ronald Blum, as well as more than two dozen photographs from AP's archives.

About AP

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the web: www.ap.org.

Contact

Lauren Easton
Director of Media Relations
The Associated Press
212-621-7005
leaston@ap.org
Christine Saunders
Diversion Books
212-961-6390 ext. 101
christine@diversionbooks.com