When Jackie Robinson was penciled into the lineup for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, America's national pastime and America's future changed forever. How much is reflected in a remark Martin Luther King Jr. made to Don Newcombe: “You'll never know what you and Jackie and Roy did to make it possible to do my job.” Red Barber was perfectly situated to observe this drama. Broadcaster for the Dodgers, friend of Branch Rickey—who confided in him before and during the year of decision—and keen student of the game and the behavior of its players, Red held the microphone as the story unfolded with a cast of characters that included baseball immortals Duke Snyder, Leo Durocher, Pee Wee Reese, Peter Reiser, Larry McPhail, and Joe DiMaggio. Towering above them all are Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey—who together made baseball and American history and whose courage and toughness Red Barber captures so beautifully in this book.

The Hidden Valley Eagles have the championship in sight—but will chicken pox get in the way? The Hidden Valley Eagles are on track to make the playoffs. Full of focus and determination, every player is at his best, and the team is working better together than ever before. But when a bout of chicken pox threatens to overtake the team, will their playoff dreams disappear?

Born and raised in rural Mississippi and the even balmier climes of central Florida, Red Barber, at the age of thirty-two, became one of New York City’s most influential citizens as the play-by-play announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When he arrived in 1939, Barber brought the down-home drawl and idioms of his southern roots to the borough, where residents said they could walk down any street and never miss a pitch because his voice wafted out of every window and every passing car. From his colorful expressions like “rhubarb” and “sitting in the catbird seat” to his vivid use of similes—a close game was “tighter than a new pair of shoes on a rainy day”—Barber’s influence on his contemporaries and the many generations of broadcasters who followed him cannot be overstated. But behind all the base hits, balls, and strikes lies a compelling story that dramatizes the shifting expectations and roles of a public figure—the sports broadcaster—as he adapted to complex cultural changes throughout the course of twentieth-century American life. Red Barber follows the trajectory of Barber's long career from radio and television play-by-play man for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Yankees to his work calling college and professional football games, his nine-year tenure as director of sports for CBS Radio, and his second acts as an Episcopal lay reader, sportswriter, and weekly guest with Bob Edwards on NPR’s Morning Edition. This talented public figure was also a private man committed to rigorous self-examination and willing to evolve and grow under the influence of changing times. When the Dodgers first signed Jackie Robinson and smashed the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Barber struggled to overcome the racism he had absorbed from his culture as a child. But after observing the vicious abuse Robinson endured from opposing fans, Barber became an ardent supporter of him and the many Black players who followed. Barber was also bothered deeply by the strains that his single-minded careerism imposed on his family. He was challenged to navigate longtime family tensions after his only child, Sarah, came out as a lesbian. And his primary role during the later years of his life was caretaking for his wife, Lylah, during her decline from Alzheimer’s disease, at a time when the ailment was something many families concealed. Ultimately Red Barber traces the career of a true radio and television pioneer who was committed to the civic responsibility of mass media. Barber firmly believed the most important role of a broadcaster was telling the truth and promoting public well-being.

When identical twin brothers Ronde and Tiki Barber grow at different rates the summer before their last year at Hidden Valley Junior High, their relationship both on and off the football field changes.

The Hidden Valley Eagles have high hopes for the football championship in this middle grade novel from NFL superstars and bestselling authors Tiki and Ronde Barber. Tiki and Ronde are ready to end junior high with a win—a big win! Their dream is to see their team in the championship, and with the Hidden Valley Eagles’ undefeated season, their chances are strong. But when Manny, the star quarterback, starts having headaches, the doctor says he has a minor concussion, and he is out for two weeks. The whole school is counting on the team, but with pressure building, Tiki and Ronde are starting to lose their confidence. More than that, they think their good luck is going to run out. Will the team let an injury keep them from the championship? Or can they learn to work together to bring home a win? From real-life NFL superstar brothers Tiki and Ronde Barber, this is an inspiring story of teamwork and triumph.

Through the course of a difficult season, Ronde learns that his coach is right about football being a mental game, as he tries to fill in as kicker while he and his identical twin, Tiki, help Adam improve his grades.