Module 10: Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy

Summary:

Readers get the opportunity to follow Shoeless Joe Jackson in this story of how he came to own his favorite bat, "Black Betsy".  The story follows a man (who is now said to be one of the greatest baseball players the game has ever seen) when he has hit a slump and is willing to do just about anything to get past it and get on to the major leagues!

Reference:

Bildner, P. (2002). Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy. New York, NY: Simon & Shuster.

Impressions:

This is a wonderful example of Historical Fiction that children of all ages will enjoy! Baseball fans are sure to fall in love with the story line and waiting to see if Shoeless Joe will get out of his slump. Even those who don't care as much about baseball will be sure to get a giggle at some of Shoeless Joe's superstitions. Who wouldn't laugh at seeing a grown man tucked into bed with his baseball bat?

Professional Review:

Is great hitting in the clean, natural swing of the batter—or the perfectly balanced feel of the bat? As kids know when they start playing baseball, small details must converge just right to overcome the edge between winning and losing, hitting and striking out. Sometimes this translates into superstitions or quirky behavior. First-time author Bildner toes this question in the quirks of Shoeless Joe Jackson and his feared bat, Black Betsy. Joe, who played in the major leagues from 1908 to 1920, does well in the minor leagues, but can’t seem to move up without the help of his South Carolina friend, the great bat-maker Charlie Ferguson. While Charlie knows how to make the best bat, it’s not hard to decide which needs tweaking more, the bat or Joe’s mind so he can finally realize his great potential. From Joe sleeping with the bat to his wrapping it in the cotton of his southern roots, Bildner sticks mostly to the main facts and resists a romanticization of the game. Players who know the perfect, sweeping amalgamation of hand, eye, and sweet spot might expect to hear its dramatic tenor when Joe cracks the ball with Black Betsy, but this is a story finished by statistics. Payne’s (Brave Harriet, p. 944, etc.) mixed-media illustrations are gorgeous: the fuzz is in the flannel and the light is just right. And so are his perspectives, angles, and other compositional choices that make for the right mix of mystery and narrative to draw the reader in. A lengthy synopsis of Joe’s entire career and his statistics are appended. (Picture book. 5-8)

[Review of the book Shoeless Joe and Black Betsy]. (December 2010). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/phil-bildner/shoeless-joe-black-betsy/

Library Uses: 

This would be a great read aloud to "sneak in" Historical Fiction as baseball season is gearing up in the spring. Baseball fans will love the story immediately. Others will enjoy the illustrations and repetitive language used in the story. For older grades, it would be beneficial to read the Afterword and discuss which parts of the story the author changed and why he may have chosen to make particular changes.