Tuesday, April 24, 2012

A BASEBALL STORY

From Mr. B at the Grandview Branch Library:
King of the Mound (My Summer With Satchel Paige)
By Wes Tooke

Twelve year old Nick was “king of the mound” for his team until polio put him in the hospital for a year. Now, with his weak leg in a brace, even his dad – a catcher for historic the semi-pro Bismark Churchills – calls him “a cripple.” The Churchills are an integrated team – one of the last, as integrated semi-pro teams were banned starting with the 1936 season. But, in this summer of 1935, Negro league star Satchel Paige, another “king of the mound,” has been hired in the hope he can take the team to the newly inaugurated semi-pro championships.

As Nick’s leg heals, Satchel helps Nick heal while the team plays the circuit, North and South. Racial tensions, state politics, legendary players, a budding romance, and some useful life lessons make this historical sports novel a winner for young readers or baseball fans of any age.

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