It was a steamy, summer day in July, 1954 and the country was sizzling. Factories were churning out goods, suburbs were sprouting in the countryside, babies were booming in maternity wards, and Americans were crowding the highways in chrome and steel sedans. Just about everybody liked Ike, rock and roll was poised to spread across the land, and a newspaper could be found in almost every living room while at night, so could the flickering light of a brand new black and white television. It was a time of post-World War II optimism and prosperity and the smoky, industrial powerhouse of Cleveland, Ohio mirrored this, a proud city in its golden age. It was also baseball s golden age and in Cleveland, the best of the game gathered at the huge stadium on Lake Erie for the annual All Star game. It could have easily been called a legends game as Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle Yogi Berra, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider stopped in Cleveland this sunny day, on their way to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Seven other players in the game and both managers were destined for enshrinement there as well. Despite the warmth of the day, the undercurrent of a Cold War flowed as the United States and Soviet Union were building nuclear weapons as fast as possible with neither side knowing where it all might end. Images of radioactive mushroom clouds drifted through the American consciousness while cities designated fallout shelters and schoolchildren ducked and covered for a war that no one wanted to imagine. At the same time, some Americans were pointing the long, accusatory finger of communism at fellow citizens as an icy, internal battle played out. One Summer Day in America presents a look back at July 13, 1954, a day that a record-setting All Star game was played in Cleveland. It s a story of the game and the players, as well as a snapshot of life and events happening in the country during a dynamic time. There are books on baseball and there are books on 1950 s events in America. However this book combines both themes. It is approximately half about the 1954 All Star game and related baseball topics and half about other events happening at the time. Front Cover National League All Stars Duke Snider, Willie Mays and Stan Musial pose for photographers at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland prior to the All Star game, July 13, 1954 Associated Press.

It was a steamy, summer day in July, 1954 and the country was sizzling. Factories were churning out goods, suburbs were sprouting in the countryside, babies were booming in maternity wards, and Americans were crowding the highways in chrome and steel sedans. Just about everybody liked Ike, rock and roll was poised to spread across the land, and a newspaper could be found in almost every living room while at night, so could the flickering light of a brand new black and white television. It was a time of post-World War II optimism and prosperity and the smoky, industrial powerhouse...  Read More