School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-9-Entertaining is the best way to describe these anecdotes that keep the pages turning. A brief introduction gets readers geared up to learn about some of baseball's most colorful characters, including Bill "The Spaceman" Lee; Rube Waddell; and Alan Thomas Hrabosky, aka "the Mad Hungarian." Some of the humorous tales involve unintentional plays, such as a ball bouncing off outfielder Jos? Canseco's head and rebounding over the fence for a home run. Most of the stories, however, involve practical jokers who carefully planned their schemes, but these fun-seeking individuals are now becoming extinct. According to Sullivan, "wacky behavior in baseball is on the decline." Each story is easy to read and coupled with comic illustrations. Sports fans, including reluctant readers, will surely find something to enjoy in this fun, browsable addition.-Julie Webb, Shelby County High School, Shelbyville, KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Many of the players Sullivan writes about in this often humorous book are not well known, but their antics--including bizarre behavior, calculated mischief, superstitions, and strange facial expressions--will probably make them memorable to young baseball fans. The caricatures that illustrate the text will amuse readers, but the unattractive design and the lack of photos are drawbacks. Ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 5-8. This entertaining collection offers brief anecdotes of past and present professional baseball players who are known for their bizarre superstitions, practical jokes, quirky habits, and wacky behavior. Steven Quirky Turk Wendell, superstitious about the number 9, asked to be issued uniform number 9 when he joined the New York Mets. That number was already taken, so he settled for number 99. He then insisted on $9,999,999.99 for pitching three seasons. Then there's Pittsburgh Pirate catcher Jim Rooker, who played such outrageous practical jokes on his teammates as hiding in a soft drink cooler and accosting them as they tried to buy a soda. Color cartoon illustrations are an aptly humorous complement to the funny, offbeat true stories. --Ed Sullivan Copyright 2003 Booklist
