The Spy on Third Base (Peach Street Mudders) [Library Binding]

Matt Christopher (Author), George Ulrich (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Series: Peach Street Mudders

A third baseman is sick with anxiety about whether or not to help his team by using his knack for knowing where the batter is going to hit the ball.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

T.V. Adams is not a real spyhe's simply a very close observer of the playing styles of his teammates and opponents. Because he is often able to predict how a ball will be pitched and batted, others misinterpret his skill as psychic ability and resent him. Heavy on blow-by-blow descriptions of baseball games and strategy, light on characterization and plot, this slim novel will just barely maintain the reader's attention. T.V.'s dilemma would have been more compelling if his character had been more developed. For fans of this prolific sportswriter, the undistinguished plot may be offset by the emphasis on sportsmanship and the sheer abundance of baseball lingo. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 8-10.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4 By carefully studying the way opposing players stand at the plate and the way they swing the bat, T.V. Adams is able to predict where they are likely to hit the ball. He puts his skill to use in his team's games with mixed results. Some teammates seem to resent his well-intentioned directions on how to play the hitters, a newspaper reporter mentions T.V.'s talent in a column, and an anonymous caller tells him not to use his "psychic" ability in the next game "or else." The lengthy descriptions of the game action leave little room for developing any of the problems, however, and the solutions come too quickly and simply. Children making the transition from beginning readers to "real" novels may find a use for this otherwise forgettable effort. Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Library Binding: 62 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv); 1st edition (June 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316139963
• ISBN-13: 978-0316139960
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,920,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matthew F. Christopher was born on August 16, 1917, in Bath, Pa. He was the oldest of nine children and a talented athlete, playing baseball, football and soccer in high school. He became interested in writing at the age of 14 and in 1940 had his first story published in a detective magazine. He began writing children's books in the mid 1950's with the publication of THE LUCKY BASEBALL BAT (Little, Brown and Company).

Christopher became well-known for his sports fiction novels for children with over 130 titles bearing his name. He was awarded numerous writing honors from state organizations as well as the 1993 Milner Award. Besides books, he had about 275 short stories and articles published in over 65 children and adult magazines over the years. He is considered America's best selling sports book author.

Matt Christopher and his wife Cay were the parents of four children and the grandparents of ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He died in 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars t.v. the spy was great, May 22, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Spy on Third Base (Peach Street Mudders Story) (Paperback)

i read this book for a book report in third grade and i loved it. it was fun and exciting. i am very interested in baseball and this book let me learn. T.V. was so much fun i wish there were more books about him.

5.0 out of 5 stars A book I would have loved as a child, December 28, 2008

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Spy on Third Base (Paperback)

When I was in elementary and middle school, I did not just read sports fiction I devoured it. I started at the A's in the fiction section of the library and went shelf-by-shelf reading every book with a sports theme. Had this book been available at the time, it would have been part of my enjoyment.
T. V. Adams plays third base and he has an uncanny skill, in that he can generally predict where the batter will hit the ball. At first, he calls out to his teammates, but that engenders some resentment so he feels uncomfortable and quits doing it. His embarrassment is increased when the local paper mentions his unusual talent. However, after some setbacks on the field, his teammates decide that they prefer winning and at the end, both T. V. and his friends accept and utilize his talents.
Although the skill exhibited by T. V. is unusual, this is a story about accepting yourself and having other people accept you for what you are. T. V. is a very unhappy person when he is forced to deny and question his skills and it is only when he can accept and use them that he can truly enjoys the game.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Spy on Third Base By: RR from North Boulevard, December 6, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Spy on Third Base (Peach Street Mudders Story) (Paperback)

The book I'm reviewing is The Spy on Third Base by Matt Christopher. The main character is T.V. He plays baseball for the Peach Street Mudders. He is worried when he plays a team because the team he was playing was the Stockade Bulls. There were calls from someone who likes the Stockade Bulls or someone who doesn't like T.V. These calls threatened him and the person on the phone told him not to use his powers against the Stockade Bulls. I give this book four stars because I think he should add more to the story. There are lots more books by this author such as the Hockey Machine and Tough to Tackle.