Steve Wiegand is a lifelong baseball fan even though his own prowess in the game peaked at age 11, when he hit a real over-the-fence home run for the immortal Robin's Frosties Little League team. It was the only homer of his career and probably an accident.

Destined for indoor work, he spent 35 years as a reporter and columnist for the San Diego Evening Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sacramento Bee.

He is the author, co-author or contributing author of 10 books, including 1876: Year of the Gun; The Dancer, the Dreamers and the Queen of Romania; U.S. History for Dummies; the Mental Floss History of the World; The American Revolution for Dummies, and Lessons from the Great Depression for Dummies.

Wiegand is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR.)

When not watching the San Francisco Giants fall short of his completely reasonable expectations, he enjoys playing poker and the harmonica, although usually not at the same time.

He lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Steve Wiegand has written a thoroughly enjoyable book about the joys of baseball, and the pleasures of collecting baseball cards. I wish I still had the cards I carefully collected in my youth. Alas, my mother threw my collection away when I went off to college.--DAVID M. RUBINSTEIN, LAWYER, PHILANTHROPIST, FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, AUTHOR, BUSINESSMAN (CARLYLE GROUP), AND CO-OWNER OF THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES BASEBALL TEAM

The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell is a compelling and whimsical journey through the short but intriguing life of a scrappy MLB player, featuring many great behind-the-scenes baseball tales-served with a side of baseball cards. A great read indeed.--JOHN NEWMAN, HOST OF SPORTS CARD NATION AND COLUMNIST, SPORTS COLLECTORS DIGEST

The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell is not only a masterclass in storytelling-an illuminating narrative of one of the unheralded heroes of the game. It also informs and entertains by offering social and baseball history and the business of baseball cards to give context to O'Connell's career. A must read for both fans and followers of baseball.--RON SHAPIRO, LEGENDARY SPORTS AGENT AND NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR

"Turning the pages of The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell will take you back to unwrapping a wax-pack of baseball cards. Surprise, delight, nostalgia, and discovery await. The bonus is better than a pink plank of gum. Where Steve Wiegand succeeds is not just in the telling of the beautiful story of Danny O'Connell. He also causes us to reflect on how we baseball fans connect so deeply and uniquely to our sport."
--TOM VERDUCCI, NY TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, AND FOX & MLBN ANALYST

"The word 'uncommon' in the title comes from how, in baseball card parlance, Danny O'Connell was just a 'common' in the pack that could have contained bigger names like Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays during his career. And sometimes, 'common' is good enough to generate a compelling bio by the right writer, making him far more relatable to the reader. If the Topps 1952 No. 311 rookie card of Mantle drew $12.6 million in a 2022 auction, it's notable that a Topps '53 No. 107 card of O'Connell, marking his return from the service, isn't going for much more than $7. But that's what an everyday 'hero' looks like."
--TOM HOFFARTH, LA-BASED JOURNALIST SPECIALIZING IN THE SPORTS MEDIA BUSINESS, & BLOGGER AT "FARTHER OFF THE WALL"

"Steve Wiegand's tenth book is a must-read that offers an in-depth, captivating view of baseball card collecting and the extraordinary life of Danny O'Connell. Despite being considered statistically average, O'Connell's career with teams like the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates was anything but. Wiegand's engaging baseball tales and exploration of the physical and mental demands on players, along with the surprising value of baseball cards, will amaze and captivate readers."
--BOOKLIST

"Truly EXCELLENT book. We see why Bob Costas, Tom Verducci, and Ron Shapiro loved it as well."
--BASEBALL ALMANAC, THE DEFINITIVE RESOURCE FOR BASEBALL ENTHUSIASTS

"A surprising hidden gem among baseball biographies, The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell shines with Steve Wiegand's skillful blend of historian-level research, literary flair, and biographical insight. Wiegand captures the essence of an 'average' player whose story of resilience and determination, both on and off the field, embodies the true spirit of America's game. This richly documented biography explores O'Connell's extraordinary tenacity, his savvy gameplay, and his off-field hustles in a narrative that's not just about baseball, but about life's enduring battles. Wiegand's humor and engaging storytelling make it a page-turner, with themes of hard work and the American Dream woven throughout. An absolute must-read for fans of both baseball's golden age and compelling life stories."
-- CHARLIE BEVIS, IN HIS BLOG, BEVIS BASEBALL RESEARCH, WHICH OFFERS IN-DEPTH ANALYSES AND INSIGHTS INTO BASEBALL HISTORY

Publisher: Bancroft Press

Pub date: 2024-07-30

Length: 360 pages