# One Season in Rocket City: How the 1985 Huntsville Stars Brought Minor League Baseball Fever to Alabama - Hardcover

by **Dale Tafoya** (Author), **Sandy Alderson** (Foreword by)

It's 1984. Minor League Baseball mogul Larry Schmittou needs a new home for his Southern League Nashville Sounds franchise. Walt Jocketty, an Oakland A's executive, searches for a new town for his Double-A club. Fate brings them together in Huntsville, Alabama, a city in need of an outlet to unite its residents. Thus the Huntsville Stars are born. _One Season in Rocket City_ brings to life the baseball renaissance that shook up Huntsville, a city many doubted would support professional baseball.

Named after Huntsville's celebrated space industry, the Stars electrified the town with baseball fever to become one of the biggest attractions in Minor League Baseball that first season. Composed of Oakland's top prospects, who later fueled the A's championship run in the late 1980s, the Stars were the hottest ticket in town. Visiting teams called Huntsville the "Minor League show," and the Stars were the toast of the Southern League. Wearing patriotic red, white, and blue team colors, the team won the Southern League championship in their first year, led by future Major Leaguers Darrel Akerfelds, Tim Belcher, Greg Cadaret, José Canseco, Brian Dorsett, Stan Javier, Eric Plunk, Luis Polonia, and Terry Steinbach. But besides the lineup of touted prospects on the club, it was the gutsy role players who never reached the Major Leagues that willed them to a championship.

Through interviews with former players, managers, executives, coaches, and beat writers who witnessed the Stars take the Southern League by storm, Dale Tafoya depicts the city's romance with the club, success on the field, and push for a championship. Beginning with a glimpse into Huntsville's rich history, _One Season in Rocket City_ takes readers on a journey through the team's dramatic founding, Huntsville politics, tape-measure home runs, and the club's resilience to win the championship despite losing top players to promotions in midseason. The Stars were just what Huntsville needed.  

### Author Biography

**Dale Tafoya** is the author of _Billy Ball: Billy Martin and the Resurrection of the Oakland A's_ and _Bash Brothers: A Legacy Subpoenaed_ (Potomac Books, 2008). His work has appeared in the _New York Daily News_, _New York Post_, _Sports Illustrated_, _The Athletic_, _Baseball Digest_, and other noteworthy publications. **Sandy Alderson** is special advisor to the New York Mets after serving previously as their team president and general manager. He served as the Oakland A's general manager from 1983 to 1997.  

**Number of Pages:** 224

**Dimensions:** 0.63 x 8.9 x 5.91 IN

**Publication Date:** April 01, 2023

## Details

- **Price:** 29.95 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 29.95 USD | In stock |

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- One Season in Rocket City: How the 1985 Huntsville Stars Brought Minor League Baseball Fever to Alabama - Hardcover

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> Updated: 2026-07-23