From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. Judy Johnson and Satchel Paige are among the players profiled in the new Baseball Hall of Famers of the Negro Leagues series. Each book presents the life of a particular player within the context of the history of the Leagues. That background includes the racist attitudes and laws that led to the leagues' creation, the strength of those leagues in their prime, and their decline after the integration of the major leagues. In Johnson, Billus records the career of an outstanding player, coach, manager, and scout. As a manager, Johnson once recruited teenage fan Josh Gibson from the stands to fill in for his injured catcher. Today both Gibson and Johnson are in the Hall of Fame. In Paige, Schmidt spotlights one of the finest and most colorful pitchers in baseball history. Paige finally broke into the majors in his forties, becoming the oldest rookie ever and, surprisingly, 1948's Rookie of the Year. These books, which portray the difficulties faced by black players, particularly when traveling in the South, will help young readers grasp the reality of racism in the first half of the twentieth century. Illustrated with black-and-white photos, each book ends with a time line, a glossary, and lists of books, organizations, and Web sites recommended for further research. Check the Series Roundup for volumes on Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin, and Buck Leonard. Carolyn Phelan
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