Abner Doubleday: Boy Baseball Pioneer

Young readers will share Abner Doubleday's enthusiasm and love of baseball and recognize him as a heroic general who fought bravely in two wars in this installation of the Young Patriots series. An early adapter of modern baseball rules, Abner adored the sport and helped bring it into mainstream American sporting life. As a boy, he loved nothing more than playing ball—whether it be "one old cat" or "three old cat"—with his brother and friends. When not on the playing field, Abner sought out adventures, which lead him to a historic meeting with the French Revolutionary War–hero General Lafayette, the recovery of a stolen trunk in the woods, and a hitched ride aboard a rickety stagecoach. Even as a child, Abner displayed the leadership skills and good sportsmanship that helped him advance the rules of baseball and lead his soldiers into battle during the Mexican-American and Civil Wars. Special features include a summary of Abner's adult accomplishments, fun facts detailing little-known tidbits of information about him, and a time line of his life.

Montrew Dunham is an author of titles in the Childhood of Famous Americans series, from which the Young Patriots were derived. Her books include James Whitcomb Riley, Young Poet; Langston Hughes, Young Black Poet; and Mahalia Jackson, Gospel Singer and Civil Rights Champion. She lives in Downers Grove, Illinois. Cathy Morrison is the illustrator of Ignacio's Chair and the Young Patriots series. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and Picturebookartists.org. She lives in Denver, Colorado.