title: Baseball's Best: Five True Stories (Step into Reading)
author:  Andrew Gutelle 
description: Guttelle details one outstanding accomplishment of five different major-league baseball Hall of Famers: Babe Ruth's often disputed "called" home run, Joe Dimaggio's record 56 consecutive game hitting streak, Jackie Robinson's breaking the major league baseball "color barrier," Robert Clemente's 300th hit and tragic death, and Henry Aaron's 715 home runs that broke Ruth's seemingly invincible record. Each is described in less than ten pages, allowing for little background information about either the feat or the ballplayer. Undistinguished illustrations and stock black-and-white photographs accompany the text. No table of contents or appendices are included. While the book is factually accurate, there is some fictionalizing of thought and dialogue, and the writing style is quite dry despite the inclusion of an occasional exclamatory sentence. Strictly for voracious young baseball fans. --Tom S. Hurlburt, Rio Rancho Public Library, NM<br />Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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  STRAIGHT UP MIDNIGHT:
  
  
  
  
  
  An Introductory Note
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, look at this - we're all here. We made it back again. I hope you're half
  as happy to be here as I am just saying that reminds me of a story, and since
  telling stories is what I do for a living (and to keep myself sane), I'll pass
  this one along.  
  
  
  
  
  
  Earlier this year - I'm writing this in late July of 1989 - I was crashed out
  in front of the TV, watching the Boston Red Sox play the Milwaukee Brewers.
  Robin Yount of the Brewers stepped to the plate, and the Boston commentators
  began marvelling at the fact that Yount was still in his early thirties.
  'Sometimes it seems that Robin helped Abner Doubleday lay down the first set
  of foul lines,' Ned Martin said as Yount stepped into the box to face Roger
  Clemens.  
  
  
  
  
  
  'Yep,' Joe Castiglione agreed. 'He came to the Brewers right out of high
  school, I think - he's been playing for them since 1974.'  
  
  
  
  
  
  I sat up so fast I nearly spilled a can of Peps