When I was 13 I decided to become a reporter. My high school paper and a local teen supplement took me on, and I had several articles published, including a handful of celebrity features. A year later what I wanted most was to cover the Philadelphia Phillies. I was just a kid, though, and a girl to boot. Now you see women all over the sports media, but this was before they let females in dug outs and locker rooms. Thankfully, an editor named Richard Harpster saw my potential, and Larry Shenk of the Phillies issued a press pass. For several glorious years I got to interview the best of the best. When I wasn't talking to Mike Schmidt or Tug McGraw, I covered local and national politics.
Since those golden days I've gone on to earn three degrees and teach college level history. My passion for history often form the backdrop for my writing, which now includes 18 published books and hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles. I’m really glad that you stopped by—I hope you enjoy these pages and my blog, “The Short Stop,” a nod to my first newspaper column.