Early Exits

Brian McKenna is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.

Most baseball players try to prolong their careers for as long as possible. They will compete on the field until their bodies give out or until they are no longer effective. Since the early days of the sport, however, many players have had to abruptly abandon the game they love for myriad reasons. While some leave by their own accord, others are not so fortunate. Although many were forced out of the game because of injury, other careers were derailed by dependency, scandal, suicide, or war. Some left to take another job or play another sport, and a few participated in criminal activities, even murder. In Early Exits: The Premature Endings of Baseball Careers, author Brian McKenna recounts the individual histories of those men and women who, for one reason or another, forfeited their participation in America's pastime. Hundreds of players are profiled here: from Shoeless Joe Jackson, who was banned from baseball following the 1920 Black Sox scandal to Brooklyn Dodger Roy Campanella, who suffered a paralyzing car accident in 1958, to Minnesota Twins star Kirby Puckett, who left the game because of damage to his right eye.

Part 1 Introduction Part 2 Gambling and Game-Fixing Scandals Part 3 Forced Out Part 4 Criminal Activity Part 5 Suicide Part 6 War Part 7 At the Ballpark Part 8 Football Opportunities Part 9 Basketball Opportunities Part 10 Other Sprts Opportunities Part 11 Professional and Personal Opportunities Part 12 Illness and Dependency Part 13 Injuries and Accidents Part 14 Death: Illness and Dependency Part 15 Death: Injuries and Accidents Part 16 Bibliography Part 17 Index Part 18 About the Author