The Boy Who Saved Baseball

John Ritter

Mar 2005 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

Tom Gallagher finds himself in a tight spot. The fate of Dillontown rests on the outcome of one baseball game, winner take all. And it's all because Tom had to open his big mouth. If only he could get Dante Del Gato-the greatest hitter to ever play the game-to coach the team. But crazy ol' Del Gato hasn't spoken to folks in years, not after walking away from the game in disgrace just before his team played in its first World Series. Maybe Tom has one more hope: Cruz de la Cruz, the mysterious boy who just rode into town on horseback claiming to know the secret of hitting. Not to mention the secrets of Del Gato . . .

Ratings and reviews

Reading this book kept me surprised each time the story had its twist and turns. Hope and determination is what this story is filled with. First of all, the story starts with a town called Dillontown who is about to loose their stadium because the town's leaders thought there was no point to have a team that looses to much. But Tom, a boy who loves baseball, chose to play with the team and to give them another chance. Tom was pretty skillful but not as skilled as a professional. The coach and his teammates tried their best to motivate him to practice harder and to reach the point of where he would master the fundementals. After a few practices, he has finally got a spot on the team roster. But the do-or-die game has come, and it is time to see if the team can win back the stadium. Will Tom's leadership in the last game help the team win or will the whole team just lose and also lose the stadium which was the center of the joy and spirit of Dillontown, California? Raymond ChatterBooks

I really enjoyed this book while I was reading it. I could easily relate to many of the characters such as Tom and also admired the leadership and mature nature of Cruz De La Cruz. It seemed as if each chapter in the book held a secret message for me to unravel. If you are a baseball fan you will highly enjoy this inspiring tale of perseverance, strength, and teamwork. Adam- Chatterbooks

I had to read this for a class novel and let me say, it was not my first choice but I am glad it was assigned to me. It is one of the best books I have read in a while and plan on reading more book like this!!! (Comming from girl who doesn't understand baseball at all!)

About the author

John Ritter has written many novels and numerous short stories for Young Adult readers. His first novel, Choosing Up Sides, published in 1998, won the 1999 International Reading Association Children’s Book Award for Older Readers and was designated an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. Kirkus Reviews praised Choosing Up Sides, which attacked the once-prevalent views of religious fundamentalists toward left-handed children, as, “No ordinary baseball book, this is a rare first novel.”  In 2004 Ritter received the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People for his third novel, The Boy Who Saved Baseball.