- The True Story of Baseball's Great Experiment - 

In 1947, filled with courage, skill, and determination, Jackie Robinson changed history by becoming the first African American player in the major leagues. But how did this happen? Who thought of this idea for great social change?

His name was Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers and a man of great conviction. I am his great-grandniece and grew up with tales of the Robinsons and baseball's “Great Experiment,” a courageous and necessary venture that shaped not only their lives, but history as well. A Man Named Branch: The True Story of Baseball’s Great Experiment explains, through narrative nonfiction, how a farm boy from Duck Run, Ohio, kept ideas “brewing in his brain” that led to baseball’s integration and eventually helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement.

PRAISE:

“This charming book — so full of humor and warmth and carefully observed detail — could only come from a writer who knows and loves her subject like Marjorie Maddox knows and loves Branch Rickey. What made Rickey so unusual? What made him think he could do the amazing things he did? Read this book, and you’ll find out. In A Man Named Branch, you’ll meet the man in all his complicated glory, and I promise you will never forget him.” ~Jonathan Eig, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for King: A Life and author of Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Season

“My maternal grandparents were Brooklyn Dodger fans and were lucky enough to see Jackie Robinson play at Ebbets Field. Marjorie Maddox’s A Man Named Branch brings this incredible period of American history—not just baseball history—to life. Maddox, a relative of Rickey, illuminates the man behind Robinson’s call to the majors—his courage, ambition, and upbringing—through a compelling narrative perfectly consumable for middle-grade readers. Maddox’s work includes new anecdotes and insights about Rickey that paint an honest and accessible portrait of a true pioneer.” ~Sandra Marchetti, winner of the 2023 Twin Bill Book Prize for Best Baseball Poetry Book of the Year for Aisle 228

“God, baseball, and family were the inseparable trinity in Branch Rickey’s noteworthy life. Poet-teacher Marjorie Maddox, Rickey’s great-grandniece, has vividly brought back to life for the benefit of younger generations the story of his greatest achievement, racially integrating baseball.” ~Lee Lowenfish, author of the award-winning biography Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman (University of Nebraska Press)

“Wow. In a powerful, poetic voice, Maddox tells the story of the legendary Branch Rickey, a man of faith, principle, and integrity who fought against racism in 20th-century baseball, and ultimately, as general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed Jackie Robinson. Maddox creates a vivid and compelling narrative of a remarkable man, a fearless man born with a "busy brain" who made a monumental contribution to baseball.” ~Susan Campbell Bartoletti, author of How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea

by Marjorie Maddox
Page Count: 48 (with 21 illustrations)
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: December 11, 2025
Imprint: Loch Ness Books
Genre: Baseball Biography

BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Sports
SPORTS & RECREATION / Baseball / History
YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Biography & Autobiography / Sports & Recreation