University of Windsor librarian and author Heidi Jacobs has been recognized by the Province of Ontario for her book on a baseball team that busted down the colour barrier nine decades ago.

Jacobs has won the 2024 Ontario Speaker’s Book Award for her monograph 1934: The Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ Barrier-Breaking Year, published by Biblioasis. The award honours nonfiction books by Ontario authors that reflect the province’s diverse culture and history.

“It’s so well-deserved,” said Blake Harding, whose father, Wilfred (Boomer) Harding played first base for the history-making Chatham team. “Heidi captured the feelings the time and the legacy that the ball team left to the community.”

Harding and his wife, Patricia, who passed away in September, donated Boomer’s scrapbooks to the Leddy Library. Jacobs relied on those scrapbooks as she researched the book, and also collected oral histories and spent countless hours poring over microfiche for newspaper accounts of the time.

Jacobs deferred interviews about her award to Blake Harding, saying “Blake and Pat Harding really are the source and spirit of the book. Any success is owing to them and their kindness and generosity.”

Harding said Jacobs is as modest as she is talented.

Jacobs’ debut novel, Molly of the Mall, won the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour in 2020.

Jacobs’ book on the Chatham Coloured All-Stars was one of six shortlisted for the Ontario Speaker’s Book Award. She was announced as the winner at a ceremony Nov. 4 at Queen’s Park.

In addition to a monetary prize, Jacobs’ book will be featured at the Legislative Assembly Gift Shop and in the Legislative Library.