King of the Mound : My Summer with Satchel Paige

Baseball legend Satchel Paige changes a boys life in this coming-of-age tale from the author of Lucky . When Nick is released from the hospital after suffering from polio, he is sure that his father will never look at him in the same way again. Once the best pitcher in youth league, Nick now walks with a limp and is dependent on a heavy leg brace. He isnt sure he will ever return to the mound, never mind be the star he once was. When Nick starts working for Mr. Churchill, the owner of the semiprofessional team Nicks dad plays for, he meets Satchel Paige, arguably the best pitcher in the world. Not allowed in the major leagues because of his skin color, Satchel teaches Nick that some things can be overcome with hard work and dedication, and that just because youre down, you are most certainly not out. As Satchel and his unique teammates barnstorm toward a national baseball tournament, Nick wonders if he can really overcome what seems like the impossible and pitch again. Formats : EPUB Baseball legend Satchel Paige changes a boy's life in this coming-of-age tale from the author of Lucky . Nick was going to be a star baseball player, no doubt about it. People for miles around talked about the twelve-year-old boy with the golden arm. And then Nick is diagnosed with polio - a life-threatening disease in the 1930s. Everyone is devastated, especially Nick's father, who copes by closing off from his son. When Nick finally leaves the hospital he wants nothing more than to get back in the game, but he seems to be the only one who thinks it's possible. But after he begins working for Mr. Churchill, the owner of a minor league team, Nick meets Satchel Paige, arguably the best player in baseball. Satchel faces obstacles of his own - his skin color prevents him from joining the major leagues - and he encourages Nick to overcome the odds and step out of the dugout. Twelve-year-old Nick loves baseball so after a year in the hospital fighting polio and with a brace on one leg, Nick takes a job with the minor league team for which his father is catcher and gets to see the great pitcher, Satchel Paige, play during the 1935 season. Includes historical notes