Baseball is well covered in literature. The obsession with America’s Pastime has produced many great books. Bucky: A Story of Baseball in the Deadball Era by Fred Veil is no exception. The book is a work of fiction that uses the available historical record to follow Fred “Bucky” Veil through his professional baseball career. 

Bucky Veil found his way to the Major Leagues like many players in the early years of baseball, through skill and luck. Veil was skilled at getting batters out. Pitching for local teams his abilities were undeniable. He began moving up from local leagues to bigger and bigger leagues until the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him. 

The Pirates were coming off a dominant 1902 season in which they easily won the National League Pennant. Early in the season, Bucky felt like he did not belong among these great players. However, like most Rookies, this began to change the better he played. In 1903, Veil pitched in 12 Games, Made 6 Starts, Finished 6 Games, threw 4 Complete Games, with 70.2 Innings Pitched, 35 Runs allowed, 30 Earned Runs, 1 Home Run, 36 Walks, 20 Strikeouts, against 298 Batters Faced, while posting a 5-3 Record, 3.82 ERA, and 1.500 WHIP. Bucky made 1 Start between May 31 and August 2 due to illness. It looked like he was beginning a great career. 

Unfortunately, Malaria derailed Bucky’s career. Veil pitched in only one Major League game in 1904. Bad luck hinders many careers. After a year off the mound, Veil returned to pitch for the 1905 and 1906 Columbus Senators of the American Association. He did well, but his time in the Major Leagues was over. 

The story of Bucky Veil’s baseball career is presented in an unique way. Fred Veil writes about his grandfather’s baseball career. This familiar connection allows for a closer connection regarding Veil’s personal life away from the diamond. The humanizing of Veil as he meets and marries his wife and begins his life away from his hometown helps connect readers with the players. We face many of the same challenges, but ballplayers do it under an ever increasing microscope. 

Fred Veil mixes in accurate information with a fictionalized account of his grandfather’s life, including Bucky’s interactions with future Hall of Famers Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, and Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss. This blending of fact and fiction create an entertaining story about a player that could easily be lost to history. Readers can simply enjoy the story and fully immerse themselves in this baseball book that is written like so few others.

Bucky: A Story of Baseball in the Deadball Era by Fred Veil is an entertaining read. It helps baseball readers who may not venture into the fiction section very often, expand their literary horizons. Fred Veil has written an excellent book, for which his grandfather would be proud. Fred Veil gives baseball readers something new to enjoy. Bucky: A Story of Baseball in the Deadball Era earns a 7 out of 10, a Triple. 

DJ