The Shortstop Was a Crook: The Sordid Baseball Life and Crimes of Billy Geer (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781476699899)

One of baseball's first stars, William H. "Billy" Geer was also perhaps the most prolific forger in America. Reputedly the "smartest and most well-read man" in the game, Geer finessed his way into high society before pivoting to a life of crime that saw him crisscross the country countless times, use at least 35 aliases, and commit forgeries in dozens of states. He also served at least eight prison stints, each under a different name. Along the way, he was spotted in South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and the United Kingdom.

This book traces Geer's meteoric rise to stardom as a shortstop in three different major leagues and follows the dizzying exploits of his criminal career.