Something to Prove

March 1, 2013

Gr 2-4-In 1936, the Yankee's general manager wanted to test a new prospect named Joe DiMaggio. During the era of segregated baseball, Satchel Paige, the best pitcher in the Negro Leagues, was asked to face off against a team of white major leaguers, which included DiMaggio. The author builds suspense with dazzling descriptions of Paige's "wobbly ball" and "windmill wind-up" that even nonbaseball fans will appreciate. Cooper's signature artistic style is grainy in appearance and is more muted than that in Willie and the All-Stars (Philomel, 2008). The brown palette is similar to his art in Heather Lang's Queen of the Track (Boyds Mills, 2012), the action-filled poses are consistently dramatic, and the portraiture is outstanding. Use this memorable title for fans of the game, for Black History month, or for any discussion on segregated life in the United States.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 4, 2013
Paige, a black baseball player who was a renowned pitcher well before the days of Jackie Robinson, wasn’t permitted to play in the major leagues. But his reputation was such that when the Yankees wanted to test the mettle of a rookie named Joe DiMaggio, they arranged for him to play against the Satchel Paige All-Stars. Cooper’s grainy illustrations look as though they are filtered through sunlight, striking a nostalgic chord, while Skead’s play-by-play (“This was DiMaggio’s last chance to pass the test. His heart raced as he looked for Satchel’s release point and the ball coming like a bullet on fire”) provides a riveting, baseball story about two players seeking recognition of their worth. Ages 7–11.

March 1, 2013
In 1936, two baseball players had something to prove. Was twenty-one-year-old Joe DiMaggio ready for the Major Leagues? Should Satchel Paige, pitching great in the Negro Leagues, be playing in the Majors? After all, Paige "threw fire," and baffled batters said that "the balls he pitched looked like marbles or bullets." As a test, a game was set up between the barnstorming team Dick Bartell's All Stars (a group of major league players plus DiMaggio) and the Satchel Paige All-Stars. The first time up, DiMaggio nervously faced the great Satchel, and was hit by a pitch. In his second at-bat, he grounded out, as he did the third time up. In his fourth at-bat, he smacked a shot over Satch's head that was caught by the center fielder. The game went to extra innings, and both players did indeed prove themselves worthy. DiMaggio joined the Yankees right away, but it was twelve years before Satchel Paige broke the color barrier, a year after Jackie Robinson. Skead effectively uses a little-known baseball episode to portray larger issues of race and justice in America, while superbly developing the game's tension inning by inning. Grainy brown-toned illustrations nicely evoke the dreamy reminiscences of baseball legend, and frequent changes of perspective keep the story from becoming static. An engaging look at two baseball greats who eventually made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame. An author's note and brief bibliography are included. dean schneider

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)