Glory in the Gloamin': The Chicago Cubs in 1938 (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781476699677)

Unlike the Chicago Cubs of recent vintage, who went decades without winning a National League pennant seemingly as victims of "The Curse of the Billy Goat," the Cubs of the 1930s were a powerhouse of the league. The 1938 Cubs were the most intriguing of that group of multiple pennant winners, acquiring colorful Dizzy Dean to pitch for them, making a managerial change mid-season that led to the ascension of Hall of Famer Gabby Hartnett, coming from behind to chase down other teams, and then benefiting from one of the most famous home runs in the sport's history when Hartnett smacked what came to be called "the homer in the gloamin" to crush the morale of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It may have been a tortuous path the Cubs followed, relying on once-in-a-lifetime performances by some players and the steady work of other stars, but they prevailed for their fourth pennant within a decade to reach the World Series.