Infield Hit [Hardcover]

Thomas J. Dygard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1995

Struggling with being in his famous third baseman father's shadow, young Hal is heartbroken when his coach wants him to play on second base, until he realizes that he does not have to be just like his father in order to play good baseball.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10?Hoping to find friends and a place for himself in his new school, Hal Stevens joins the baseball team. His father is a former major-league third baseman?a fact that Hal wants to keep to himself?and he wants to play the same position. However, he ends up at second base, which is more suited to his skills. He is fearful that his dad will be upset, but, as it turns out, the man recognizes the wisdom of the move. Also, Hal finds that only one of his teammates begrudges him his famous father. By some diplomatic maneuvering, he's able to bring this recalcitrant player around, and the novel ends with the exciting prospect of a season getting under way. As usual, Dygard is right on target with his sports details. He also manages to give readers a winning portrait of the main character, who is shown coping with a new school and coming to terms with his illustrious parent. A solid sports novel with some effective extras thrown in.?Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 6^-9. Hal and his mom have moved a lot in recent years, making Hal's social life difficult at best. Entering Cannon City High halfway through his junior year, Hal is convinced that his only hope for making friends is his first love, baseball. He is determined to conceal the fact that his dad is a former star third baseman, but this is not easy because the coach once played ball with his dad. As the story unfolds, Hal discovers that he is more than just his father's son; he is a fine player in his own right. Baseball fans will love the play-by-play descriptions of games, and Hal's struggle to make new friends and sort out his relationship with his father will appeal to an even wider audience. Susan DeRonne

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 149 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (March 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688140378
• ISBN-13: 978-0688140373
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,699,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an inspiring book, March 19, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Infield Hit (Hardcover)

This is an inspiring, action pack book. I loved it. I recommend this book to people who like base or to people who are thinking about trying out for baseball.
This book is about a boy named Hal Stevens, the son of the famous third baseman, Ralph Stevens. His mom and father have broken up and Hal now lives with his mom. It all starts when Hal and his mom move. Hal is in a whole different place with a new home, and school. He has to make friends all over again. He makes some nice friends but meets some mean people, Blaine, Freddie, and Warner. While he is at school he introduces himself to his classroom, but doesn't say that he is the son of Ralph Stevens. It is springtime and baseball tryouts finally start. Hal walked into the locker room and saw his coach, Don Mavis, one of his dad's best friends. During practice, Hal was playing third base and so was Blaine. Blaine was much better than Hal because he had a better throwing arm to first base. He could send it like a rocket. But Hal couldn't. So coach decided to move Hal to second base because of his speed and it's a shorter throw to first base. However, the thing is, is that Warner plays second base and now he has to play right field. But Warner is still a very good power hitter. He's the best hitter on the team. And when Hal is up on base, he uses a big bat. He can barely swing with it. So coach gives him a smaller bat and shows him how to hit singles and bunts. Warner is so mad and calls Hal coach's pet, but Warner still plays on the team. The first game starts and their team wins 3-0. They keep winning a few more games until they come up against another undefeated team with five great power hitters. When they were getting ready to go on the bus to the baseball game, they find out that Warner wasn't there. That means that they have to play without him. During they game they were doing ok until they other team started hitting. When they game was over, they lost 5-2. They would have played better if Warner was there. That night, when Hal got home, Blaine and Freddie called him up. They told him they would pick him up in 15 minutes. When they picked up Hal, they decided to go out and eat pizza. When they got inside of the restaurant, they told Hal that Warner quit the team, and they need Hal to convince him to come back. Blaine and Freddie said they tried but it didn't work. Hal said he would think about it and tell them tomorrow. Blaine and Freddie agreed.
Why did Warner quit the team. Does he know about Hal's famous dad ? Read the book to find out what happens next.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Baseball Book, January 12, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Infield Hit (Hardcover)

This book is about a young boy named Hal Stevens. Hal tries to live up to his dad. Hal's dad is a superstar third baseman in the major leagues. His dads name is Ralph Stevens. Hal isnt as good as a player as his dad is but he still tries and tries to live up to his expectations. But Hal doesnt have his dads strength, build, and the powerhouse hit like his dad. Hal wanted to play third base like his dad but the coach wanted him at second base because he was to small to play third. I think Thomas J. Dygard does a great job describing the characters, describing the setting, and he also uses his wording great. I also think Dygard wrote this book as good as anyone could. I really liked this book. I think this book would help people because it helps them think that they dont need to do what other people expect them to do. I thought this was one of the best baseball books i have read so far and I think you should read this book and find out what happens to Hal in the story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Baseball Classic!, January 22, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Infield Hit (Paperback)

Infield Hit is a great baseball book, a fiction story of a high school baseball player. Hal has had to move from school to school a lot. When he arrives at Cannon City High, he finds out that the coach played Major League Baseball with his father. Hal knows there is no way he can beat out Blaine at third base.

I really enjoyed this book because it could be true with any famous baseball player's kids. I also like the way they work through their team's conflict. If you are in high school and love the sport of baseball, then this book is for you. This really is a magnificent book that I recommend to everyone.