Loren Broaddus
Giving lyrical voice to baseball’s overlooked legends.

New book now available for order at 406press.com‍ ‍

New Book by Loren Broaddus

Newt Allen, star second baseman for the Kansas City Monarchs and the narrator of these poems, was buried in an unmarked grave. It seems like he has been tapping me on the shoulder for years to write, not a history or a biography, but a book of poems in his voice—poems that can give him freedom to trace his world—a world of discrimination and Jim Crow, yet also vibrant and richly textured. I can think of no better storyteller to help us imagine this raucous world of baseball, of jazz, and of Kansas City during the Roaring 1920s through the Depression and into the War Years.

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Works by Loren Broaddus

Baseball—an ever-changing game, yet a constant throughout the history of America. While the game does change over time, a game played today very much physically resembles a game played in 1922. This ability to represent the face of change, while remaining the same is why it connects to so many of us. It is why I write about it. Although not perfect, on some days it feels close. It feels like going home. 

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Loren Broaddus, Author

Many of the poems I write begin or end with baseball. These poems frequently lead me somewhere unexpected, to intersections with other ideas and events seemingly unrelated to baseball. I love the way baseball connects to many different aspects of life.

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Baseball is not statistics, it’s Joe DiMaggio rounding second base.  

– Jimmy Breslin

Reviews

Reviews

“Wasn’t Any Maybe So: Poems from the Life of Newt Allen, is a striking poetry collection that pays tribute to one of baseball’s lesser-known figures and honors the legacy of the Negro Leagues, an institution deserving of far greater recognition in its own right. In his second baseball-themed collection, Loren Broaddus brings his deep knowledge of the game to life through an authentic voice, rich with pathos, weaving together regret, memory, and redemption. Together, these poems preserve a vital piece of baseball history while reminding readers of the human stories that give the game its lasting power, and of the Negro Leagues, who, ‘in a limited, narrowed world” survived by “[their] own creating.’”

– Matthew Johnson, author of Jackie Robinson’s Real Gone: Baseball Poems of New York

“A stunning and vivid collection of masterfully crafted poems that capture the spirit and essence of one of baseball’s most compelling figures, Newt Allen, and his journey with the Kansas City Monarchs. This collection will leave you moved and educated, as the author gives it an authentic pulse and insight into a subject of American history that deserves celebration and tribute. The human element and deep respect for this time period is evident and is a must-read for anyone who loves baseball, history, and the power of poetry.”

– Dr. Jeni Hopkins, Educator, Sports Broadcaster, and Performance Psychologist

“At its heart, [Wasn’t Any MaybeSo] is a book about the cost of being seen and unseen at the same time, about the ache of almost belonging in a nation unwilling to listen. By resurrecting a voice history tried to silence, Broaddus insists that these lives—full of joy and pain, friendship and failure—deserve to be remembered.”

– JJ Celli, author of Love Letters & Pocket Knives

“I have great admiration for poets. The ones I enjoy the most have a gift for recognizing important moments, no matter how small, and convey those moments with a poetic eloquence that moves me as a reader. This collection by Loren Broaddus fits exactly into that mold. They capture poignant moments with a style that is accessible and unique. They are well-crafted, full of humanity, and authentic.”

– Dan Trogdon, artist and author of And So It Goes, volume I, II, and III

“Baseball, I don’t much care for — but poetry I love. Loren Broaddus writes verse that does so much more than just pay homage to sports. A lovely collection.”

– J.D. DeHart

“Read the poems of “Joe DiMaggio Moves Like Liquid Light,” and think of a warm summer afternoon, with a line of perspiration on your lip as you watch 18 participants continue an American tradition more than a century old. You smell the popcorn and peanuts; you hold an ice cube from your soda cup in your mouth to keep cool. A slight, very slight, breeze stirs, just as you hear the crack of a leather ball meeting a wooden bat. You jump up and cheer, and you know all is well, and all will be well tomorrow.”

– Glynn Young, author of the various novels and Poetry at Work

“‘Joe DiMaggio Moves Like Liquid Light,’ is my new favorite poetry anthology! Wow! I loved this collection of "baseball" poems that used the backdrop of America's favorite pastime to speak about the past 100 years of modernity and post-modern society in America.”

– Jason Muckley, author

“Broaddus tells stories through his poems, stories about childhood and skinny legs running bases, neighborhood games played with as much focus and attention as any professional game, meeting ball players, how the game is played and how it must be played, what happened to those childhood friends who treasured their leather gloves, and how a baseball thrown awry breaks a shingle on a roof – and what happens as a result.”

– Glynn Young, author