Joy In Mudville

It had been only twenty-four hours since Mighty Casey struck out, plunging fans of the Mudville team into gloom and despair. But a new game day dawned, and Casey once again proved his might with a homer in the eighth. The Mudville nine took a one-run lead, but in the bottom of the ninth, their hurler walked three straight. Bases loaded and the starting pitcher spent, the Mudville manager was not bullish about his bullpen. With the game on the line, he called for rookie Joy Armstrong to take the mound. Could she bring joy to Mudville again—and prove that a girl can play ball as well as any boy?

It had been only twenty-four hours since Mighty Casey struck out, plunging fans of the Mudville team into gloom and despair. But a new game day dawned, and Casey once again proved his might with a homer in the eighth. The Mudville nine took a one-run lead, but in the bottom of the ninth, their hurler walked three straight. Bases loaded and the starting pitcher spent, the Mudville manager was not bullish about his bullpen. With the game on the line, he called for rookie Joy Armstrong to take the mound. Could she bring joy to Mudville again?and prove that a girl can play ball as well as any boy?

This collection of essays by experts on baseball history focuses on the national pastime as a marker of our times and our cultural ideals. Topics include the rise of baseball in the nineteenth century, the influence of iconic players from Honus Wagner to Jackie Robinson, the fates of great teams well known (the Yankees and Orioles) and undeservedly obscure (the Elite Giants), and the advances of Latinos and blacks on the field and in the broader culture.

It's a classic American rite of passage. It's Little League® baseball...and coaching his son's team gave one father a profound and hilarious perspective on the suburban field of dreams. Managing his son's wildly unpredictable Little League through two nail-biting seasons and a dramatic playoff showdown, Greg Mitchell (who once played baseball with Bruce Springsteen) learned as much about baseball as he did about today's kids, about parenting -- and about adult involvement in a game played by and meant for kids. With humor and wisdom, Mitchell captures a colorful cast of characters, outrageous anecdotes, and the pleasures and pitfalls faced by players and their coaches. Commenting on timely issues -- the phenomenon of "Little League rage" and the role of youth sports in our electronic age -- Mitchell scores with a memorable protrait of a father-son experience like no other.

A comic lineup of stories, essays, cartoons, and more, from Lardner and Runyon to Philip Roth, Charles Addams to Charles Schulz, plus dozens of other funny fans. "The best baseball book of the season." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review. B & W photographs and illustrations throughout.

Caldecott Honor Book : 2001.

The classic, narrative poem about a celebrated baseball player who strikes out in the crucial moment of a game.

Jake is the Vikings' biggest star. But Jake's brother, Luke, is tired of standing in his shadow.