Mark Harris taught English and creative writing at Arizona State
University from 1980 to 2001; he also was the author of five
non-fiction books, a collection of essays, and thirteen novels,
including "Bang The Drum Slowly", part of a series of five novels about
Henry Wiggen, pitcher for the fictitious New York Mammoths professional
baseball team. Harris, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II,
started his literary career as a wire service reporter as well as a
staff writer for Ebony and Negro Digest magazines before graduating
from college and embarking on a career in teaching.
[1994 interview in the Los Angeles Times] I can't stand fantasy, especially in baseball. It has to be real for me.
I think people make fantasy of it [baseball] who don't know how it
works realistically . . . baseball has to be done right.