Pug, Fireball and Company: 116 Years of Professional Baseball in Des Moines, Iowa by Steve Dunn
Steve Dunn’s latest book, Pug, Fireball and Company: 116 Years of Professional Baseball in Des Moines, Iowa, delves deep into the captivating narrative of professional baseball in Des Moines, chronicling 116 years of triumphs, challenges, and the enduring spirit of the sport in the community. Dunn’s meticulous research and passionate storytelling have brought to life the unforgettable moments and personalities that have shaped the local baseball scene over more than a century.
The special moments include exhibition games featuring Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bob Feller and Satchel Paige; Negro Leagues games ; and the first minor-league baseball game under permanent lights to be broadcast nationwide.
Notable personalities include Hall of Famers Ruth, Gehrig, Feller, Paige, Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Tony LaRussa, Greg Maddux, Buck O’Neil and many more.
The book was prominently featured in Times Square in New York City this summer, marking a significant recognition of the author’s dedication to preserving and sharing the rich history of professional baseball in Des Moines, Iowa.
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Author Bio:
Author Steve Dunn had four decades of newspaper experience before he retired in early 2014 and moved to Des Moines, Iowa. He worked as a reporter, sportswriter, and managing editor for daily and weekly newspapers in three states, including the last fifteen and a half years as managing editor of the Daily Gate City in Keokuk, Iowa.
His latest book, Pug, Fireball and Company: 116 Years of Professional Baseball in Des Moines, Iowa, transports readers on a nostalgic journey through more than a century of professional baseball played in Iowa’s capital city. “Reading Dunn’s book will lure you into a deeper appreciation of the game, while becoming a siren’s song to head to Principal Park to watch professional baseball,” critic John Busbee said. “Dunn knocks it out of the park with this one.”
In 2022, Dunn self-published a book about the history of professional baseball at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers in Des Moines, Principal Park: A Diamond in the Rough. He and former state Sen. Pat Deluhery have published a book about the latter’s political career called Engaged: Pat Deluhery and the Golden Age of Democratic Party Activism. He has also written twelve bios and thirteen game stories for the Society for American Baseball Research. He is a member of the Field of Dreams Chapter of SABR.
He and his wife, Cindy, have two daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. His hobbies include bike riding, playing pickleball, volunteering at an elementary school in Des Moines, participating in Des Moines Golden K Kiwanis Club activities, and playing his clarinet in the Greater Des Moines Community Band.
He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
During his career as a journalist, he covered Big Ten sports, presidential campaigns, gubernatorial campaigns, county boards, city councils, school boards and state government. He’s also an accomplished photographer, receiving an honorable mention in a statewide contest with his photo of the Iowa Capitol at night during the winter.