When Derek Jeter was eight years old, he announced that he was going to play baseball for the New York Yankees. Jeter earned the attention of major league scouts in high school and was drafted to the New York Yankees in 1992. Named Rookie of the Year, he helped the Yankees win the World Series five times, and became team captain in 2003. With his good looks, easygoing personality, and sense of humor, Derek has always been a fan favorite. Retiring from baseball in 2014, Derek Jeter leaves behind a legacy.
Becoming Babe Ruth
by Matt Tavares
Before he is known as the Babe, George Herman Ruth is just a boy who lives in Baltimore and gets into a lot of trouble. But when he turns seven, his father brings him to the gates of Saint Mary’s Industrial School for Boys. His life is changed forever.
At Saint Mary’s, he’s expected to study hard and follow a lot of rules. But there is one good thing about Saint Mary’s. Almost every day, George gets to play baseball. Under the watchful eye of Brother Matthias, George evolves as a player and as a man. And when he sets off into the wild world of big-league baseball, the school, the boys, and Brother Matthias are never far from his heart.
Out of the Ballpark
By Alex Rodriguez, Illustrated by Frank Morrison
Before he hit 400 home runs… Before he was named American League MVP… Before he was AROD to millions of fans… He was Alex.
Just a kid who wanted to play baseball more than anything else in the world. Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez has drawn on his own childhood experiences to create this exciting picture book. It’s the story of a boy named Alex who knows what it’s like to swing at a wild pitch or have a ball bounce right between his legs. Alex is determined not to let his mistakes set him back—even if it means getting up at the crack of dawn to work on his hitting and fielding before school each day!
Baseball’s Greatest Hitters From Ty Cobb to Miguel Cabrera
By S.A. Kramer, Illustrated by Jim Campbell
This Step into Reading Step 5 Sports Reader profiles the greatest hitters in baseball: Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron. Now updated to include Miguel Cabrera, who made baseball history by achieving the Triple Crown in 2012, and up-and-comer Mike Trout. This star-studded survey remains contemporary by addressing the use of performance-enhancing drugs by some of baseball’s top stars.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
By Kadir Nelson
The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners, of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship, of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
Baseball Biographies for Kids: The Greatest Players from the 1960s to Today
By Dean Burrell
It’s the bottom of the ninth, bases are loaded, and your team is down by three―who do you want coming up to bat? Baseball Biographies for Kids answers this question and more!
Bursting with statistics and impressive feats from the greatest players of the last 60 years, this lineup of inspirational baseball biographies shows you what it takes to be a real MVP. Discover the ultimate dream team as you explore the best pros for each position. You’ll also get quick looks into some truly legendary baseball players and lots of fun facts!
Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates
by Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Raul Colon
On an island called Puerto Rico, there lived a little boy who wanted only to play baseball. Although he had no money, Roberto Clemente practiced and practiced until–eventually–he made it to the Major Leagues. America!
As a right-fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he fought tough opponents–and even tougher racism–but with his unreal catches and swift feet, he earned his nickname, “The Great One.” He led the Pirates to two World Series, hit 3,000 hits, and was the first Latino to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But it wasn’t just baseball that made Clemente legendary–he was also a humanitarian dedicated to improving the lives of others.
Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella
by David A. Adler, Illustrated by Gordon C. James
Roy Campanella loved baseball. A professional player from the age of fifteen, he later became the first African-American catcher to integrate Major League Baseball. Fans and players adored Campy for his good nature, and cheered his multiple MVP awards as a Brooklyn Dodger. But in 1958, his career ended when a car accident left him a quadriplegic. Refusing to give in to self-pity, Campy became a Dodgers coach, held baseball clinics for teenagers, and bravely advocated for the disabled.
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?
by Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Andre Carrilho
An old-timer tells us what made Sandy Koufax such an amazing baseball player. We learn that the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers was rocky, that he was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game.
We hear that he actually quit, only to return the next season—different—firing one rocket after another over the plate. We watch him refuse to play in the 1965 World Series because it is a Jewish high holy day. And we see him in pain because of an overused left arm, eventually retiring at the peak of his career. Finally, we are told that people are still “scratchin’ their heads over Sandy,” who remains a modest hero and a mystery to this day.
Baseball’s Best
By Andrew Gutelle, Illustrated by Cliff Spohn
Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, and Hank Aaron—five amazing baseball legends. From the first black man to play major-league ball to the longest hitting streak ever, these are some of the game’s most inspiring stories. Find out what unforgettable feats won each player a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
My Little Golden Book About Jackie Robinson
By Frank Berrios, Illustrated by Betsy Bauer
This Little Golden Book captures the essence of Jackie Robinson for the littlest readers. Lively text and compelling artwork detail Robinson’s remarkable journey from childhood, to playing for the Negro Leagues, to then becoming the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. Little ones will be inspired by the many challenges Robinson gracefully rose to, while they learn important baseball and civil rights history.
Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man
by David A. Adler, Illustrated by Terry Widener
Lou Gehrig’s perseverance is legendary. During fourteen years as a first baseman for the New York Yankees, he played in a record 2,130 consecutive games, earning himself the nickname Iron Horse. Lou loved baseball and considered himself a very lucky man, even though on his thirty-sixth birthday he was diagnosed with a fatal disease.
Satchel Paige
by Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
No one pitched like Leroy “Satchel” Paige. Fans packed the stands to see how many batters he could strike out in one game. He dazzled them with his unique pitching style, and he even gave nicknames to some of his trademark pitches — there was the “hesitation,” his magic slow ball, and the “bee ball,” named because it would always “be” where he wanted it to be.
Follow Satch’s career as he begins playing in the semipros and goes on to become the first African American to pitch in a major League World Series, and the first Negro Leaguer to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Teammates
by Peter Golenbock, Illustrated by Paul Bacon
The story of how Jackie Robinson became the first black player on a Major League baseball team when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s, and how on a fateful day in Cincinnati, Pee Wee Reese took a stand and declared Jackie his teammate.
You Never Heard of Willie Mays?
by Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Terry Widener
Many believe baseball great Willie Mays to be the best player that ever lived. He hit 660 home runs (fourth best of all time), had a lifetime batting average of .302, and is second only to Babe Ruth on The Sporting News‘s list of “Baseball’s 100 Greatest Players.”
The Streak: How Joe DiMaggio Became America’s Hero
by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Terry Widener
In the summer of 1941, Yankee center fielder Joe DiMaggio and his favorite bat, Betsy Ann, begin the longest hitting streak in baseball history. But when Betsy Ann goes missing, will DiMaggio keep hitting? Set on the brink of World War II, this is a spellbinding account of a sports story that united the country and made DiMaggio a hero, at a time when one was profoundly needed.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
New York Times, April 2, 1931 — Jackie Mitchell, organized baseball’s first girl pitcher struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the first inning today.
Seventeen-year-old Jackie Mitchell, a new pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a minor league baseball team, faced the “Sultan of Swat” and the “Iron Horse,” the best of the best New York Yankees batters and stuck them out.
Jackie, one of the first females to sign a baseball contract grew up playing sports. When she was eight, her neighbor Brooklyn Dodger’s pitcher Dazzy Vance taught Jackie how to pitch.
The owner of the Lookouts, Joe Engel watched Jackie pitch at a baseball training camp and offered her a contract. Now he had the only team with a female pitcher. Engel enjoyed using stunts to bring crowds into the ballpark. After signing Jackie, he promoted an exhibition game between the Lookouts and the New York Yankees who were traveling home from spring training.
Jackie Mitchell
On April 2, 1931, starting pitcher Clyde Barfoot faced the first two Yankee batters giving up two hits. Lookout’s manager Bert Niehoff tossed him out and put Jackie in. Next up, Babe Ruth followed by Lou Gehrig.
Jackie Mitchell with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
Babe tipped his hat to Jackie. Her first pitch was ball one. Babe swung and missed the second pitch for a strike. Then he swung and missed again. Strike two. Jackie threw her next pitch and Babe watched it cross the plate for strike three. He threw his bat into the dirt and walked back to the dugout.
Now Lou Gehrig was up. He swung and missed Jackie’s first three pitches and stuck out. With only seven pitches, Jackie struck out two of baseball’s all-time greatest batters. The crowd of 4,000 gave her a standing ovation.
Jackie shows off for Gehrig and Ruth
Jackie walked the next batter, second baseman Tony Lazzeri. Then manager Bert Niehoff pulled her out of the game and returned pitcher Clyde Barfoot. The Yankees beat the Lookouts 14-4.
Baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, not known for his kind heartedness, voided Jackie’s contract making her first game with the Lookouts her last.
Landis decided that baseball was “too strenuous” for women. But Jackie continued to play, traveling around the country with a barnstorming team. She retired at age twenty-three never doubting that she had actually struck out Ruth and Gehrig without any help from them.
If you like this article, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Childen’s Author
