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Tuesday, June 30, 1998 By Karen MacPherson
Summertime's the best time for baseball - both playing it and reading about it. And there are some good children's books about baseball for young armchair fans:
In "T.J.'s Secret Pitch" (Peachtree, $4.95), author Fred Bowen tells how T.J.'s father and grandfather teach him about a famous pitch used by Rip Sewell, a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1938 through the 1940s. Sewell's "blooper" or "eephus" pitch is perfect for someone small like T.J. because it doesn't depend on power.
When the Pirates'star pitcher takes ill in the season's last game, T.J. finally gets his chance to show off his new pitch.
"T.J.'s Secret Pitch" is one of several books in the "AllStar SportsStory" series by Bowen. In each of the books, Bowen creates a novel around a piece of baseball history, then concludes with a historical note giving the reader more details.
Other books in the series include: "Playoff Dreams," "The Golden Glove" and "The Kid Coach." (Ages 8-12).
Then one day Joe finds an old baseball card that depicts Honus Wagner, a Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop who is regarded by some experts as the greatest all-around player in the game's history.
Before Joe can sell the valuable card to help his family, he finds himself transported back to 1909 where he meets Wagner.
"Honus & Me" is pure escapism, a fairy tale for baseball fans. Gutman is a skillful writer and a master of pacing and character. Like Bowen, Gutman includes a historical note at the end, telling about Wagner's career and the fascinating history of the special T-206 Wagner baseball card. (Ages 9-12).
In "The Bat Boy & His Violin" (Simon & Schuster, $16), author Gavin Curtis spins a sentimental story that somehow rings true, especially when he focuses on Reginald and his father, and also on the rampant racism of the time when Negro Leagues were necessary.
Reginald bows to his father's wishes and becomes a bat boy, but he's clumsy at the job. So his father tells him to stay in the dugout, where Reginald practices his violin during breaks. Soon the Dukes find themselves playing better than they've played in months, thanks in part to Reginald's music.
"The Batboy & His Violin" is a lovely story, made even lovelier by emotion-packed watercolor illustrations by E.B. Lewis. Although this is a picture book, readers ages 5-10 will enjoy it because it has so much emotional depth.
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T.J. has one goal in life: He wants to be a pitcher. Despite months of practice, however, T.J. still can't compensate for the fact that he's smaller than most of the kids on his Little League team, the Pirates, and he doesn't have the power it takes to be a good pitcher.
