Synopsis
Max and Marty Mitchell befriend the star pitcher and catcher of the team — Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson — two of the greatest players in baseball history. The local sheriff and others in Indian River, however, are slow to welcome the stranded players. When Satchel and Josh are wrongly accused of theft and thrown in jail, it's up to the Mitchells and their friends to follow a dangerous path in their efforts to track down the real culprits.
Children's Literature
Number eight of the "Mitchell Brothers series" by a media member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, this title follows Max and Marty Mitchell in their small town community. Set in 1936, a different time of racism and simple life styles, the venue and story are somewhat out of the realm of today's readers. Max and Marty, aged seventeen and fifteen respectively, are likely to seem juvenile too as they behave more like twelve and ten. The characters are simplistic and naive by today's standards. The story will be appealing to those who want good guys and bad guys and a mystery that they can solve themselves. The appearance of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson makes the story different and interesting. Readers will learn about those early baseball players and what all players in the Negro League had to tolerate. Those interested in reading sports series may also want to try the "Matt Christopher" series. Reviewer: Kathryn Erskine