In an impressive feat, Charles R. Smith Jr. (Twelve Rounds of Glory) adopts the voice of fictional radio broadcaster Lester Roberts to tell the story in rhyming couplets of the Negro League All-Star Game of 1934.
The meter and rhyme evoke the pace and suspense of the game. Frank Morrison's (Jazzy Mizz Mozetta) slightly stylized portraits of the legendary players nicely complement the larger-than-life radio commentary. An early image of Cool Papa Bell--the only player to score in the game (during the eighth inning)--reflects an uncanny concentration at the plate as he awaits the first pitch. Morrison shifts the focus from close-ups of players such as Satchel Paige, to two-page illustrations of the pitcher facing a batter or a runner rounding the bases.
Like any commentator worth his salt, Lester Roberts plays up the nicknames: "[At] the plate is Gibson,/ Josh--'Oh my gosh!'--the one that they call/ the Brown Bambino because he swats the ball out of stadiums with Herculean glory,/ each moon shot creating another mythical story." Advertisements between innings add variety and reveal details of the day, such as the price of groceries. Observations of "fans in the stands" reflect not only their appreciation of the players, but also their frustrations, such as those of an employee of the NAACP whose personal goal is "erasing the color line" in baseball.
This is an innovative way to introduce the baseball greats of the Negro Leagues and the hurdles they faced. Smith shows that their passion for the game while inside the ballpark exceeded the limitations imposed by the outside world. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness