Louis Sockalexis: Native American Baseball Pioneer - Softcover

Bill Wise

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1600604285 ISBN 13: 9781600604287

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 2009

Synopsis

On a Maine summer day in 1884, twelve-year-old Penobscot Indian Louis Sockalexis, first fell in love with baseball. As he grew up, Louis honed his skills and dreamed of one day joining a major league team.

Louis encountered opposition at every turn-from the jeers of teammates and the taunts of spectators who thought he had no place in a "white man's sport" to the disapproval of his father, who wanted Louis to focus on tribal life. Louis finally made it to the major league Cleveland Spiders, but racism followed him, until one momentous day in June 1897 at New Yorks Polo Grounds. Facing off against the most feared pitcher in baseball, Louis proved he belonged in the sport.

Here is the inspiring story of a boy who dared make his dream a reality. With determination, courage, and quiet dignity, Louis Sockalexis smashed racial barriers and home runs, leaving an indelible mark on America's favorite sport.

About this title

About the Author:

Bill Wise, a lifelong sports fan, had heard stories about Louis Sockalexis for years while growing up in Maine. After further research, Wise was inspired to write about Sockalexis's great courage and passion for baseball. Wise is an eighth-grade teacher and member of the National Education Association. He and his family live in Gorham, Maine. This is his first picture book.

Bill Farnsworth is the illustrator of more than fifty children's books. His work includes images for the Kaya books in the American Girl Series, and he has received numerous awards and honors, including Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, and selection for the Society of Illustrator's Original Art Show.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-5–This picture book offers a rousing introduction to the life of the first Native American to play major league baseball. Hooked on the game from age 12, Sockalexis, a member of Maine's Penobscot tribe, won an athletic scholarship to Holy Cross College and was signed by the Cleveland Spiders in 1897. Despite the disapproval of his father, who felt that his son should stay with his people instead of traveling the country with a ball team, Sockalexis was determined to play. Though he faced discrimination both on and off the field, his rookie season started strong. The narrative focuses on his first visit to the famed Polo Grounds stadium, home to the New York Giants and their ace pitcher, Amos Rusie. An afterword points out that though Sockalexis's career was tragically shortened by an injury, his efforts opened the door for Native American players such as Charles Albert Bender and Jim Thorpe. Wise and Farnsworth collaborate to great effect in rendering this story both informative and poignant. The color-drenched paintings do an excellent job of bringing this period to life and capturing the intense emotion of the ballpark drama. This finely crafted look at a little-known sports pioneer should intrigue a wide audience of readers.–Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
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About this edition

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1600604285
• ISBN 13: 9781600604287
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Bill Farnsworth