(Brad Palmer, WSIU Radio)

WSIU Radio contributor Pete Peterson had a successful career as a professor at SIU-Carbondale, But, while growing up, he dreamed of playing professional baseball.

In his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete tells us about getting paid -- in more ways than one -- to play softball during his college years.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard "Pete" Peterson, co-author with his son, Stephen, of  The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.