LeRoy "Satchel" Paige

Satchel Paige is universally considered one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. After being a dominant force in Negro Leagues baseball, he finally broke into the majors at age 42, pitched effectively until he was 47, and remained a top pitcher in AAA well into his 50's. Paige was also a great entertainer, both on the field and off. 

What is less well known about Ol' Satch is he was a thoughtful, insightful, and honest chronicler of his own amazing story. Rather than coming off as a tall-tale telling caricuture, Paige writes honestly about the brutal racism he faced as a child, his relationships with the women in his life, and the bittersweet experience of finally making the major leagues, but not until after the color line had been broken by Jackie Robinson.