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Hit and Run
by Duane DeckerChip Fiske was a nimble, place-hitting specialist, but his short stature haunted him all the way up from the bush leagues. Now that he was big-time, he still threw his Sunday punch at the first wisecrack . . . and there were plenty of them, because this crowd liked big fellows and long-ball clouts. Then Kennie Willard came along-even more of a lone wolf than Chip. For Kennie was a Negro, the first in the League, and slated strictly for the benches. These two youngsters help each other to become really "big league"-in spirit and in action. You'll call HIT AND RUN one of the best baseball stories Duane Decker has ever written.
Fast Man on a Pivot
by Duane DeckerAt last Second Baseman Bud Walker was back again with the Blue Sox-this time, he profoundly hoped, to stay. He was not a spectacular player, just a reliable one. But he could make that double play. He had figured out to a split second just how to make the pivot and get off the throw in the absolute minimum of time. His teammates liked him, particularly the pitchers, for whom he saved game after game by his expert handling of the double play. But the fans insisted on flashy young Devlin, their choice for the second-base spot. From their hot partisanship sprang an almost unbearable situation for Bud. The manager rightly refused to take him out of the line-up while the Sox were still winning, and the incredible result was that the fans rooted violently for the defeat of their own team-and the banishment of Bud for good. In this, his finest book, Mr. Decker has built up the suspense, from the first page to the last, with a craftsmanship only matched by the skill of his expert baseball reporting.
The Big Stretch
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 6. Ex-bat-boy, Buster Stookey, has a chance to play 1st base for the Blue Sox. He's replacing Marty Blake and it won't be easy even if Blake has become a human sieve. Blake can still hit the long ball and the fans still love him--so does the front office.
Switch Hitter
by Duane DeckerRookie Russ Woodward was going to be one of the greatest baseball players. He knew he was potentially worth a million dollars--all you had to do was ask him. He was fast, a natural and great fielder, could bat equally well right or left handed, and his biggest enemy was himself. He disobeyed orders, ignored instructions in his first season in the major league, and created dissension within the team by being a lone wolf. His patient manager tried everything from fining him, sending him back to the farm team to banishing him, but he couldn't succeed in knocking off that big chip Russ had on his shoulder. He finally learned what "team" meant, but it was a long time before he could work it out for himself. An excellent sport story.
Mister Shortstop
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 8. Andy Pearson had come up through the Blue Sox chain, but when he was ready for the big league, the Blue Sox had no place for him; their regular shortstop was at his dazzling best. Andy was too valuable to ride the bench and too good to be handed over to a serious competitor. So he was sold to a seventh-place club and, as he failed to shine in that depressing atmosphere, shifted from one second-division club to another. Then, just as he had decided to give up baseball, he found that the Blue Sox had purchased him, to replace their once brilliant shortstop for the last month of the season. Next year, when their newest star came up from the farm, Andy was back on the bench. To win the job of shortstop took even more than ability and determination. Andy had to discover the Blue Sox' secret-the intangible something which, against all likelihood, kept them winning World Series year after year.
North Dallas Forty
by Peter GentFiction about a pro football player who is addicted to pain killers. Losely based on author's own experience playing the sport.
Trouble in the Gym (The Gymnasts #5)
by Elizabeth A. LevyIt's a nasty trick. Some things never change. Becky still loves to see the Pinecones lose. That's been happening a lot since Ti An joined the team. The former Atomic Amazon is a good gymnast, but she always messes up at meets. What's really strange, though, is that one of the girls on the Atomic Amazon team always does exactly the same vault as Lauren. It's got to be more than a coincidence. Lauren thinks there's a spy in the gym.
Nobody's Perfect (The Gymnasts #3)
by Elizabeth A. LevyThis time Jodi's in real trouble. Jodi has the chance to star in an important gymnastics demonstration. But if her schoolwork doesn't improve, she won't be allowed to perform. It seems so unfair! Jodi knows she's a good gymnast, but when it comes to school. . . she just feels dumb. She just can't do it! Can the rest of the team convince her not to give up?
Third-Base Rookie
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 10. At last the years had taken their toll of Johnny Madigan, the Blue Sox' pint-sized third baseman. The originally derisive label, good-field-no-hit, had long ago become his badge of honor; but now his never too robust batting average had dropped to .243 and he was a full step slower going to his left. The front office had acquired the best third-base prospect in the league to take his place, giving up a fine veteran pitcher to get the prize rookie. But Madigan was not the man to accept his sentence without protest, and when he discovered that the new boy was Vic Scalzi, from his own home town, he found himself suddenly in possession of a secret weapon. Scalzi had served a jail term for robbery, although his older brother was the guilty man. The core of this story is the vivid baseball action. The human interest is young Scalzi's emotional problem, which Mr. Decker presents with great skill and insight.
Rebel In Right Field
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 12. The ball shot on a sinking line over second base into right field, and Danny Redd watched it as he charged. It was a treacherous line drive, and it was his or nobody's. Danny saw that he should dive for it; instead he stretched his glove to his shoe tops. He felt the ball hit the glove, but he knew it had hit the turf a fraction of a second before. The umpire didn't see Danny trap the ball and called the play an out. Danny had apparently saved the inning, and he couldn't understand why manager Jug Slavin was angry about it. Danny Redd was the new right fielder for the Blue Sox, and he was on his way. He did everything right, but he wouldn't take a dive or crash into a fence for anyone. His older brother had finished his baseball career before it began by always getting hurt, and Danny wasn't going to make the same mistake. Great ballplayers aren't made that way, however, and how Danny slowly arrived at this painful conclusion is the climax of one of. Mr. Decker's finest baseball stories.
Showboat Southpaw
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 11. Sam Sloat was a nineteen-year-old pitcher, and for a left-hander he had good control. He had a good curve, too, but he seldom used it. He figured he didn't need it, not when he could just blow his fast ball past the hitters. The Blue Sox called him up from Triple-A at the end of the season and when he got a chance to pitch, with the game still wide open in the last inning, he shook off his catcher until he got the signal for the fast ball. Then he blew three batters in succession back to the bench, and that was the game. His next performance was even more startling-a complete game using nothing but the fast ball. But back home, in the fall, a frightening thing happened. Showboat Sloat felt the first ominous twinge in his left arm. How he dealt with the situation makes a wonderfully satisfying story, which provides not only plenty of baseball action, but also the picture of a man in the making.
The Grand-Slam Kid
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 13. Fame came to Bucky O'Brian with a pinch-hit home run during his first game with the Blue Sox. Suddenly his chance of replacing fading catcher Pete Gibbs became excellent, for Manager Jug Slavin needed a catcher who could hit. There was nothing to warn any of them that he would be batting .209 the following season and getting boos from the fans. Bucky hated to bunt and never more so than the day his roommate Oklahoma had a no-hitter going. Coming toward Bucky was a pitch too high to bunt, but easy to hit out of the lot. Here was an opportunity to get the Sox in the scoring column, to save the day for Oklahoma, and to redeem himself. What happened then, surprised every player on the field. It also brought Bucky to his senses so that his education as a complete ballplayer could begin in earnest. This warm-hearted installment of the Blue Sox saga is sure to be a favorite with the team's many fans.
Long Ball to Left Field
by Duane DeckerBlue Sox 9. The Blue Sox had a problem. After nearly ten years in left field, the famous Kennie Willard had retired, and someone was needed to take his place and bat in the clean-up slot. They had Mike Jaffe, a bonus boy, who had proved during his two years with the Sox that he could do just what was wanted: hit that long ball to left. But Mike didn't want to be an outfielder; he was convinced that he should be a pitcher, as his father had been. Feeling like this, Mike just naturally was sympathetic toward pitchers, even when they weren't on his own team. Since this proved to be an unsatisfactory state of mind for a potential slugger, Mike began to spend more and more time on a Sox farm club instead of with the Sox themselves. Because Mr. Decker is a strictly major-league baseball writer, he resolves this situation in a true-to-life way. Boys will enjoy this sports novel both for its excitement and its authenticity.
Jokelopedia: Athletic Antics Special Mini Edition
by Ilana Weitzman Eva Blank Alison Benjamin Rosanne GreenWhat's more fun than telling a good joke? Jokelopedia - "the mother of all joke books!" - will give kids one-liners that will make them the funniest kid at home, around the neighborhood and in class. Spending time laughing together is a great way to teach kids the value of Having Fun with family and friends. Let the laughs begin!
Between Sundays
by Karen KingsburyA story of redemption and love where life's real victories are won off the football field.
Iceman: My Fighting Life
by Chuck Liddell Chad MillmanAutobiography of the light-heavyweight champ of the UFC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the leader in mixed martial arts and fastest-growing sport in America
Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball
by Scott SimonScott Simon reveals how Robinson's heroism brought the country face-to-face with the question of racial equality. From his days in the army to his ascent to the major leagues, Robinson battled bigotry at every turn. Simon deftly traces the journey of the rookie who became Rookie of the Year, recalling the taunts and threats, the stolen bases and the slides to home plate, the trials and triumphs. Robinson's number, 42, has been retired by every club in major league baseball--in homage to the man who had to hang his first Brooklyn Dodgers uniform on a hook rather than in a locker.
Meet Julie (American Girls #1)
by Megan McdonaldMoving is no fun, even just a few miles away. Julie Albright, a nine-year-old girl growing up in 1974 learns that life can be unfair when she has to move across town and attend a new school - one different than her best friend Ivy. Julie has other dreams too - like playing basketball. She is excited when she learns that her new school has a real basketball team. But soon, Julie finds herself facing a change she never expected.
Dare to Dream: The Heroic Struggle of an Olympic Champion
by Tim Daggett Jean StoneTim Daggett was on the 1984 gold-medal gymnastics Olympic team. This is an inspirational story of how Tim and the team made it to that point. After Tim suffers a crushing injury, how does he cope? this book is inspirational, and strong.
Go For The Gold! (The Secret World of Alex Mack #8)
by Diana G. GallagherWinner Lose All! Alex can't wait to try out for the Junior High Olympic Team. She's all hyped up and going for the gold. But the trouble begins when she makes the team with a record-breaking jump--with a little help from her secret powers. Now, all eyes are on Alex-including Danielle Atron's. Everyone expects Alex to carry the team to victory. Even worse, she's so supercharged that everyone near her is zapped with static electricity. Alex is trapped! She's glowing like a lamp, and her secret powers are berserk. She can't compete--and she can't back out. Her secret powers won't be secret for long--unless she takes one desperate gamble....
Leading Out: Women Climbers Reaching for the Top
by Rachel Da SilvaLeading Out is a valuable collection of inspiring essays by the most prominent and impassioned women climbers in recent history. A real tribute to the efforts and dedication of the women who have struggled to pursue their passion for climbing.
Tobacco Road: Duke, North Carolina, N.C. State, Wake Forest, and the History of the Most Intense Backyard Rivalries in Sports
by Alwyn FeatherstonAll college basketball fans will love this book, which details the history of four great basketball programs. Reading all the amazing descriptions of exciting games is almost as good as being there and will bring back memories. A perfect book to read to get over post NCAA tournament blues!!
Zathura
by Chris Van AllsburgOn the last page of the Caldecott Medal-winning book Jumanji, young Danny Budwing is seen running home with a game tucked under his arm. Now, after twenty years, Chris Van Allsburg is ready to reveal what happens when Danny and his brother roll the dice. This time the name of the game is Zathura and Walter and Danny Budwing are in for the ride of their lives. Only the mind and hand of Chris Van Allsburg could create such a fantastic world where shifts in time and space and perspective take the reader on an extraordinary journey.
No Finish Line: My Life as I See It
by Sally Jenkins Marla RunyanMarla Runyan was nine years old when she was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, an irreversible form of macular degeneration. With the uneasy but unwavering support of her parents, she refused to let their diagnosis limit her dreams. Despite her severely impaired, ever-worsening vision, Marla rode horseback and learned to play the violin. And she found her true calling in sports. A gifted and natural athlete, Marla began to compete in the unlikeliest event of all: the heptathlon, the grueling women's equivalent of the decathlon, consisting of seven events: the 200-meter dash, high jump, shot put, 100-meter hurdles, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run. In 1996, she astonished the sports world by qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials, in which she broke the American record for the heptathlon 800. It was then that she decided to concentrate on her running. Four years of intense effort paid off: in 2000, she qualified for the U.S. Olympic team by finishing third in the 1500 meters. In Sydney, she placed eighth in the finals and was the top American finisher-the highest women's placing for the United States in the event's history. Not long after her return to the States, she shattered the American indoor record for the 5000 meters. With endearing self-deprecation and surprising wit, Marla reveals what it's like to see the world through her eyes, how it feels to grow up "disabled" in a society where expectations are often based on perceived abilities, and what it means to compete at the world-class level despite the fact that-quite literally, for her-there is no finish line.
The 21 Balloons
by William Pène du BoisProfessor William Waterman Sherman just wants to be alone. So he decides to take a year off and spend it crossing the Pacific Ocean in a hot-air balloon the likes of which no one has ever seen. But when he is found after just three weeks floating in the Atlantic among the wreckage of twenty hot-air balloons, naturally, the world is eager to know what happened. How did he end up with so many balloons... and in the wrong ocean?<P><P> Newbery Award winner.