Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown

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Ferguson Jenkins won 284 games in his Hall of Fame pitching career with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox, and he is the first Canadian to attain such prominence in the American national pastime. Jenkins' life story, from Chatham, Ontario, to Cooperstown, is compelling, and Fergie tells it himself in his own unique and inimitable style.

 

A tremendous all-around athlete who has always been proud of his roots and representing his country during a lifetime in the game, Jenkins established a reputation as one of the greatest pitchers of not only his era (between 1965 and 1983) but of all time. A strikeout king who whiffed more than 3,000 batters, Jenkins earned the trust of his managers as a pitcher who completed what he started.

 

This is the story of a man who refused to be leveled by sadness and disappointments away from the playing field. It is also the story of behind-the-scenes good humor in clubhouses and what takes place on baseball teams as they live and play together for months at a time, as only Fergie can tell it.

FERGIE VISITS CUBS FANS IN CHICAGO
Last month, the Chicago Cubs announced that they will be retiring No. 31 on May 3 to honor Fergie Jenkins (and Greg Maddux) as one of the greatest players to ever play for the Cubbies. Luckily for Cubs fans, Jenkins’ autobiography Fergie: My Life From The Cubs to Cooperstown is hitting stores right now. Jenkins, with co-author former Chicago Tribune columnist Lew Freedman, will have two book signings where fans can meet the former Chicago pitcher: Mon., April 16 @ 12:30 pm at Borders on State St. (150 N. State St.) and Wed., April 18 @ 11 am at Von Maur (145 Yorktown Shopping Center). More information on these appearances and a free online excerpt are at the official page for Fergie.

Fergie
From his days growing up in Chatham, Ontario, to a brilliant baseball career that lead him to the Hall of Fame in 1991, to enjoying a career as a pitching coach and a baseball executive, Chicago Cubs legend Fergie Jenkins has devoted much of his life to his love of baseball.  Jenkins writes of his treasured time as a Cubs player, his favorite teammates and the incomprehensible personal tragedies that happened to him after retirement in his brand-new autobiography, Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown.

Growing up in Canada, the biggest dilemma Jenkins faced was choosing what sport he should play - baseball, hockey or basketball.  After attending a Detroit Tigers-Cleveland Indians game at the age of 14, he knew that baseball was the sport for him.  By 15, Jenkins was pitching and throwing the heat right by the opposing batters.  Jenkins shares many of these early stories and the most memorable of his major league career, including:

• The dramatic 1969 Cubs season and the key moments in the late-season collapse
• His childhood in Chatham and having to choose which sport he wanted to play
• Six consecutive 20-win seasons and winning the Cy Young Award.
• The brutal Achilles injury he suffered and the rehabilitation back to pitching again
• Wrapping up his career to focus on coaching baseball and work with charities nationwide
• His induction into the Hall of Fame in 1991

This endearing story of perseverance and determination in Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown sheds a new light on both the memorable performances he achieved as a ballplayer and the trials and tribulations Jenkins faced off the field.  As a three-time all-star pitcher and Cy Young Award winner, Jenkins won 284 games from 1965-1983 and struck out more than 3,000 batters.  The Hall of Fame ace certainly holds an incredible individual record of excellence.  

Jenkins, with his notable humble personality, lays it all on the line and shares stories and insights about behind-the-scenes humor in the clubhouses and what goes on between teammates as they played together for months at a time each season.  All Jenkins needed to live out his dream was to pitch a baseball and do it well.  He accomplished his dreams, fought through the hard times and inspires others to do the same in Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown.

About the Author:
Lew Freedman is the author of 35 books. A former sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune, Anchorage Daily News, and Philadelphia Inquirer, Freedman has won more than 250 journalism awards. He and his wife, Debra, live in the Chicago area.

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Contact: Bill Ames, Triumph Books, 312.252.1248, b.ames@triumphbooks.com