Hey Batta Batta Swing!: The Wild Old Days of Baseball

Author: Cook, Sally

Edition: Illustrated

Number Of Pages: 56

Details:

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE OF BASEBALL IN THIS FUNNY, FASCINATING JOURNEY FROM THE EARLIEST GAMES TO TODAY. Discover what it was like before there was a pitching mound or players had numbers on their jerseys. Learn how Babe Ruth got his nickname, why Brooklyn's team was called the Dodgers, and what Roger Clemens gave to keep his lucky number 21 when he switched teams. See what clever ways players have found to win -- even ways to cheat! Sprinkled throughout are definitions of baseball's weird and wacky vocabulary, from a meatball to Uncle Charlie. Find out which player was traded for a bag of prunes, but don't trade this book for anything! Ross MacDonald's lively pictures bring fans close to the action with plenty of mischievous fun in this free-swinging tribute to the boys of summer. From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. With a catchy, conversational style, the authors present a potpourri of anecdotes and facts that reveal the many ways baseball has changed over the years. One of the many entertaining aspects of the book is the way the writers weave insider slang into the narrative, highlighted in bold and defined in the margin (e.g., "gappers: hits between outfielders"; "tweeners: hits between infielders"). Fans will lap up details of the evolving style of the players' uniforms, the evolution of the jerseys' numbering system, the genesis of some of the stars' nicknames, and the ways that teammates have "doctored" balls and bats to enhance their performance. Among the kid-pleasing bits of trivia are the facts that, with only one umpire in the field in professional baseball's early days (rather than the current total of four), incidents of cheating regularly occurred, including players running directly from first to third base, and fielders tripping base runners. The book provides dates for events and incidents on a spotty basis, rendering some of the comparisons between yesteryear and the present murky. With a signature style that recalls vintage cartoons, MacDonald's ( Another Perfect Day) watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations pleasingly convey the text's lighthearted tone. Baseball buffs will find this a diverting—and occasionally wild—outing indeed. Ages 6-10. (Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From School Library Journal Grade 3–6—Segments of this light and breezy overview focus on uniforms, players' numbers, catchers' equipment, team names, players' nicknames, tricks, trades, and more. Throughout, there's a delightful emphasis on the game's colorful lexicon of words and phrases. Many of the terms reflect baseball's humble beginnings: in the 1880s fans were called "cranks," an "Uncle Charlie" meant a curveball pitch, and a player who "patrolled the pasture" played in the outfield. A "can of corn" (a slow-moving fly ball) meant an easy out, while a "frozen rope" (a hard-hit line drive) could spell trouble for a fielder. The text is highly readable, if loosely organized, and buoyantly carried along on the strength of MacDonald's cartoon illustrations. The watercolor and pencil-crayon pictures have an old-fashioned flavor and add plenty of detail and slapstick humor. For both fans and newcomers to the sport.

— Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist The authors present a lively, puckish history of baseball's earliest years, relating what young readers actually want to know: Was it harder then? (No.) Did players cheat? (Yes, in inventive ways.) Where did a player's numbers come from? (Originally from his spot in the lineup) And those team names? And all the equipment? Those questions are also answered. Boldface words in the text identify jargon, most of which is still used today, and definitions stud the page borders. The jaunty tone is flawlessly matched by MacDonald's illustrations, with their wrigg...

EAN: 9781416912071

Release Date: 27-02-2007

Languages: English

Item Note: Good shape with typical wear. Has a remainder mark. Hardcover Used - Very Good Ships fast! 2007

Item Condition: UsedVeryGood

Binding: Hardcover