Loren Broaddus became interested in the Negro Leagues-in particular the Kansas City Monarchs-in the early 1990s. Playing 2nd base during his brief baseball career, a career that ended in 9th grade, he always gravitated toward Newt Allen, the Monarchs longtime 2nd baseman. He became interested in writing poetry through the influence of Jo Van Arkel, a longtime writing professor at Drury University. His debut book of poetry, Joe DiMaggio Moves Like Liquid Light, was published in 2019. He has also published two chapbooks, The Birthing Tree and Weight. He has published poems in The Twin Bill and its anthology Early Innings; Spitball; Turnstyle; and The Bards of Moon City. He would like to thank the poetry editors Jo Van Arkel, Matthew Johnson, Joanne Hulburt, Patty Rice, and Bob Stephens for their support. Loren is a Springfield, Missouri native, where he has been a United States history teacher for over three decades, most recently at Greenwood Laboratory School, on the campus of Missouri State University. A life-long baseball and Royals fan, he lives in Springfield with his wife, Marilyn, who still takes his breath away every time she enters a room. They have two children and a dog named Barney.