Season of Shattered Dreams: Postwar Baseball, the Spokane Indians, and a Tragic Bus Crash that Changed Everything

Season of Shattered Dreams Book Summary

On June 24, 1946, a bus carrying the Spokane Indians baseball team crashed to the bottom of a deep ravine in Washington state’s Cascade mountains, killing nine players. To this day, it remains the deadliest accident in the history of American professional sports. 

Season of Shattered Dreams: Postwar Baseball, the Spokane Indians, and a Tragic Bus Crash That Changed Everything details the series of events that occurred before, during, and after the heartbreaking accident. The book chronicles the often-overlooked impact that the end of World War II had on the major and minor leagues, now crowded with players returning from military service. The Spokane Indians were no exception, with several top prospects and former big leaguers arriving that season. The journeys of three Spokane players in particular—Vic Picetti, Ben Geraghty, and Jack Lohrke—reveal the impact of the war on players’ lives, the struggles of a minor-league career, and the devastating impact of that catastrophic crash. 

  • Publisher‏ : ‎ Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (April 16, 2024)
  • Hardcover : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏: ‎ 1538190729
  • ISBN-13 ‏: ‎ 978-1538190722

Media requests, contact publicist Lorna Garano: lornagarano@gmail.com

Book cover for Season of Shattered Dreams: Postwar Baseball, the Spokane Indians, and a Tragic Bus Crash that Changed Everything
Reviews of Season of Shattered Dreams

“A must-read for any baseball historian or simply a baseball fan.” — Larry Stone

“Eric Vickrey has done tremendous research and gives us this well-written, gripping tale in remarkable detail.” — Marty Appel

book cover mockup for Eric Vickrey

Season of Shattered Dreams

The fascinating true story of the 1946 Spokane Indians, postwar baseball, and the deadliest tragedy in the history of American professional sports.

Now Available for Pre-Order