We did love reading about Diamond Ruby and her real to life adventures in New York. Ruby Thomas struggled through the Spanish influenza and the death of her parents and brother, leaving her at age 14 with nieces to support. The only skill she has was a deadly throwing arm that provided squirrels for them to eat to survive. Eventually Ruby and her pitching arm found her way to a side show in Coney Island and recognition by many of the famous ball players of the era. Her many adventures were well-written by author Joseph Wallace to reflect the history and make the story totally plausible and leaving you wanting to know more about what happens to Diamond Ruby.
Chatting with the author via SKYPE, we learned that Wallace loosely based his character on a female baseball pitcher named Jackie Mitchell from Chattanooga, TN. While researching the baseball archives in Cooperstown, Wallace found picture of this young lady in a baseball uniform with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Mitchell had struck both men out at an exhibition game! Wallace was captivated by her story and kept imagining what her life could have been.
We are definitely looking forward to read this sequel!
For more info you can view Wallace's website http://josephwallace.com/
