SCHRAG, Myles 1969-

PERSONAL:

Born November 11, 1969, in Topeka, KS; son of Joe (a teacher and track coach) and Joleen Schrag; married Shelley Smithson (a journalist), June 7, 1997. Ethnicity: "German." Education: Goshen College, B.A., 1992. Religion: Mennonite. Hobbies and other interests: Outdoor activities, including camping, hiking, running, and biking.

ADDRESSES:

Home—611 West Beardsley Ave., Champaign, IL 61820. Office—Human Kinetics Publishers, P.O. Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076. E-mail—myless@hkusa.com.

CAREER:

Journalist and sports editor, 1993-2000; Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, IL, developmental editor, beginning 2000; teacher in Champaign, 2000—.

MEMBER:

Society for American Baseball Research.

AWARDS, HONORS:

New Mexico state journalism awards for sports writing.

WRITINGS:

Diamond in the Desert: The Story of the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, New Mexico, Adina Publishing (Farmington, NM), 2000.

Grand Junction's Juco World Series, Arcadia Publishing (Chicago, IL), 2004.

SIDELIGHTS:

Myles Schrag told CA: "I have long written and read about sports, but it is only when sports reach emotions and issues beyond the playing field that they become a worthwhile topic. In the case of my book Diamond in the Desert: The Story of the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, New Mexico, baseball provides this community with an identity and, as a result, the community treats the Great American Pastime in a way that is unique and heroic. I hope that books such as this not only showcase a deep love and respect for the game of baseball, but also encourage communities to be proud of their contributions to American society and encourage people to delve into the reasons why sports can be so special. Writers like Frank Deford, Roger Kahn, and Jim Murray long ago discovered those types of stories.

"The future project I am currently working on also uses sports and specific athletes to invite the reader to look at strong personalities and historical context. Of course, like most writers, I have a novel in my head and partially on paper that I hope to get out some day, but I believe the nonfiction disciplines and skills are best suited for me now. Writing allows me to discover, and I hope the result of that writing does the same for the readers."