VOYA
Pull up a chair, "hot stove" league players, and prepare to defend the athlete you are certain is the greatest hitter baseball has ever seen. Will he be from the Dead Ball era, before 1920, when Ray Chapman was killed by a fastball so dirty he could not have seen it coming? Or will it be a player since that fatal accident, after which the ball was replaced when it became dirty, and when spitballs became illegal but were grandfathered for pitchers already using them? Is it the player with the highest lifetime batting average or the highest average in a single year? Is it the player who has hit the most home runs or the player who has hit the most runs home? Kisseloff introduces baseball with a quick history and a chronology of major rule and ballpark changes that affected hitters, followed by thirtytwo, three to sixpage biographies of arguably the best hitters in baseball. Biographies are laced with anecdotes and, of course, statistics. The reader is given numbers on which to base his or her decision, but remember that the theme of this book emphasizes that even supposedly objective numbers do not tell the whole truth. Kisseloff has his opinions; the reader will have one or two as well. This book may not become a classic of young adult literature, but displayed for the All Star game or the playoffs, it will not spend any time on the bench. Even the notsoavid sports fan can go right through it in one sitting, all the while surprised at being so eager to read about every single player. So, just who is baseball's greatest hitter? EasyTed Williams. Now bring on the pitchers. Photos. Charts. Further Reading. Chronology. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J S (Better than most, marred only byoccasionallapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2000, Henry Holt, Ages 12 to 18, 121p, $15.95. Reviewer: Lynne Hawkins
School Library Journal
Gr 5 Up-Kisseloff opens up an age-old debate. He gives a historical perspective on the game and profiles 32 stars from various decades, giving reasons why each slugger should or should not be in the running. Allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, he provides the statistics and considerations to weigh ("Is a .366 lifetime average more important or less important than 755 lifetime homers?") in order to make informed choices. Black-and-white photos of each player are included, but they are disappointingly small and undistinguished. Some of the big bats not included are Sammy Sosa and Pete Rose, yet the author challenges fans to make a case for their inclusion. A surefire way to spark many interesting discussions.-Harolyn Legg, Liberty-Benton High School, Findlay, OH Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|
