cover image The MacMillan Book of Baseball Stories

The MacMillan Book of Baseball Stories

Terry Egan. MacMillan Publishing Company, $16 (127pp) ISBN 978-0-02-733280-3

The authors' crisp, animated style easily conveys the crack of the bat and the cheering from the bleachers in these true tales about baseball's renowned and lesser-known players. Included are spirited retellings of some legendary moments in the sport's history, including the home run 42-year-old Red Sox veteran Ted Williams hit in 1960 in his very last time at bat; Roger Maris's 61st home run in 1961, which broke Babe Ruth's single-season record; and an ailing Lou Gehrig's touching farewell to 70,000 fans at Yankee Stadium in 1939. Emphasis is on the individuals beneath the uniforms, among them Larry ``Moose'' Stubing, who may not be remembered for his batting average, but whose perseverance and leadership as a coach have influenced many. Averaging three pages in length, the neatly condensed stories are ideal for kids who would rather fling a ball than flip the pages of a book. Ages 8-up. (Jan.)