Warrior on the Mound

by Sandra W. Headen

Narrated by twelve-year-old Cato, this intense and evocative story of racial unrest in prewar North Carolina ends with a dramatic match between white and Black little league teams.

1935. Twelve-year-old Cato wants nothing more than to play baseball, perfect his pitch, and meet Mr. Satchel Paige––the best pitcher in Negro League baseball. But when he and his teammates “trespass” on their town’s whites-only baseball field for a practice, the resulting racial outrage burns like a brushfire through the entire community, threatening Cato, his family, and every one of his friends.

There’s only one way this can end without violence: It has to be settled on the mound, between the white team and the Black. Winner takes all.

Written in first person with a rich, convincing voice, Warrior on the Mound is about the experience of segregation; about the tinderbox environment of the prewar South; about having a dream; about injustice, and, finally, about dialogue.

Back matter includes an author's note, historical background, biographical information about Negro League players, and more.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Genres: Historical Fiction, Sports, Middle Grade, Baseball, Historical, Family, Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

Published March 5, 2024

About the author

For most of my working life, I taught graduate students pursuing degrees in Clinical Psychology and Public Health. I also designed and evaluated programs to promote healthy behaviors in African American communities. When presented with a chance to fold writing into the fabric of my life, I enrolled in a small writing class and eventually wrote a book. It was so much fun! I’ve been writing ever since.

Reviews

[Kate]

I had to stop reading when the kitten was purposely tortured with a cigarette. I was not a fan of the writing anyway, and had to stop at this point.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cato is obsessed with baseball and thinks about it all the time. His ultimate goal is to be a pitcher in the Negro League someday like his dad and older brother. He’s the pitcher for his youth baseball team (the Pender County rangers) in his small North Carolina town, but things get complicated and tense when his Black baseball team plays the local white team at the behest of local white businessman Luke Blackburn. It’s supposed to be a friendly competition to see who’s best, but when Cato strikes out some of the white team’s star players, the game ends abruptly and the Black community is threatened with racial violence. When Cato is targeted, his grandfather sends him to stay with Mr. Blackburn where Cato befriends his son, Trace, and he learns the secret horrible truth about his father’s death. Cato and Trace decide a rematch is in order, but can the Marlins and the Rangers compete fairly without violence erupting?

The first person narration and Cato’s emotional storytelling are the real stars of the story. The strength, resilience, and fortitude of the Black community is richly depicted. Warrior on the Mound is a powerful story about racism, forgiveness, injustice, and courage with a driving plot centered around baseball. What a winning combo!

Includes extensive back matter that explores the Negro Leagues in America, the setting of rural North Carolina, and a timeline of Black Americans in baseball.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens in 1930's Carolina when a team of young Black baseball players decide to be the first players on a new field built for a white team? Through the trouble that follows, readers learn some of the history of North Carolina, about the cruelty and unfairness perpetrated by whites determined to make sure black folks know their place (a sentiment expressed by some characters, not by me),and the forgiveness that can be offered and received when people put aside their differences.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like baseball or are interested in learning more about the Negro Leagues of the past, checkout this story about Back American tween Cato who dreams of playing in the Negro Leagues with Satchel Paige and pitching against the local white boys team. With racial tension high in the community, will the two teams ever get to compete?

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 1939 in Wilmington, North Carolina and twelve-year-old Cato Jones is obsessed with baseball. He wants to be a famous pitcher and join the Negro League team the Kansas City Monarchs, just like his father “Daddy Mo” and his brother Isaac. He’s a darn good pitcher for the Pender County Rangers, but knows he still has a way to go on becoming a standout player. Cato lives with his grandparents Papa Vee and Gran, his Uncle “Rev” and sister Hope. His father died years ago on a back road under mysterious circumstances, something his grandparents think Cato is still too young to hear about. Warrior on the Mound explores the racial unrest in the Old South while lovingly honoring the Negro League baseball players that persevered these difficult times for the love of the game.

Today is a special day for the Jones family. It would have been Daddy Mo’s birthday, and every year Gran goes all out making a big meal and a chocolate cake. When this day rolls around Cato always does something to honor his father. This year he and the Rangers are headed to Poplar Field – a whites only baseball field – to give it a good look. The team runs the bases and plays a bit before taking off for home. Unfortunately, Mr. Luke, the owner of the field, comes to see Papa Vee and complains about the Rangers trespassing and tearing up the field. While Mr. Luke is an old friend of Daddy Mo (something that surprises Cato), he wants Cato and the team to come clean up the field and put it right. This creates racial tension around Sycamore Grove, but Mr. Luke has an idea in mind to settle things down – a baseball game between the white team of The Marlins and the black team The Rangers. What could go wrong?

Author Sandra W. Heade beautifully tells this tale in first-person, giving the reader full access to Cato’s mind and emotions. Your heart breaks knowing how crushed Cato was by losing his father, his desperate need to be just like the man he admires and his confusion over being kept in the dark about the circumstances behind that loss. Additionally, Heade doesn’t shy away from sharing true racial tensions of this time and how Black lives were always in peril, for no fault other than the color of their skin. She beautifully honors Black baseball players from the Negro League with characters who are named after real players. There is even one standout pitcher that makes a special appearance in the pages. Readers will certainly come to cherish Cato’s adventures, warm up to characters with blurred lines, revere the Negro League baseball players of yore and absolutely crave a slice of Gran’s chocolate cake.

Those that pick up a copy of Warrior on the Mound are certainly going to voraciously turn the pages. Follow Cato learning to perfect his windup, opening his heart to surprise alliances and realizing how much more he still has to grow. This is a definite must-read for baseball fans and young readers alike.

[Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Warrior on the Mound by Sandra W. Headed from Holiday House, and though it was published in March, I just recently finished it. The book is set in 1939 North Carolina and follows Cato, a young Black boy with a deep love for baseball. Cato’s obsession leads him and his friends to sneak a peek at the town’s white-only stadium, which sets off a chain of events that heightens racial tensions in the community.

This story offers a unique look at racial tensions as seen through a child’s eyes. Some parts of the book, especially the harsh realities Cato and his family face, are difficult to read. They feel real and raw, which is why this book is important—but it’s something to consider if you plan to read it to younger children. It reflects the very real experiences of young Black kids in the Jim Crow era, which still resonates in today's climate.

One moment I found a little hard to believe was when Satchel Paige, an all-star player, suddenly shows up to coach Cato and his friends. It felt a bit out of the blue, and you do have to suspend disbelief for that part of the plot.

That said, the character development in this book is strong. Some of the characters that start out mean or antagonistic, like Mr. Luke, are revealed to be more complex than they first seem. I appreciated that the story showed how there’s often more to people than what meets the eye.

The book ends with a fantastic section of historical facts and timelines about Black baseball, which I found both informative and inspiring. There’s also a list of other middle-grade historical fiction books about baseball, making this a great starting point for young readers interested in learning more.

Favorite quote:
“Truth is, a thimbleful of justice is better than none at all.”

Overall, Warrior on the Mound is an important and poignant read that highlights the resilience of Black communities in the face of racism, all through the lens of a young boy’s love for baseball. While there are moments that may require a bit of suspended disbelief, this is a strong historical fiction novel for middle-grade readers.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received this book as an advanced reader copy. I would like to thank NetGalley, Holiday House, and Sandra W. Headen for the opportunity. What follows is my unbiased review.

Warrior on the Mound is set in 1939, in the Jim Crow, pre-World War II, pre-Civil Rights south. It’s an important context to know as things are on the brink of changing, but much of the south is still mired in the racism that has existed since the Civil War. It’s also a terrific coming-of-age story of a child born into this world on the brink of turning into an adult.

Cato Jones lives in a small town outside of Wilmington, North Carolina. His dream is to one day play baseball for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League. It’s something of a family tradition. Cato’s father, Moses, played for them, and his uncle, Isaac, is currently playing for them. The town is strictly segregated, and his team plays on a poorly-kept field behind their one-room schoolhouse while there is a brand-new field for the white team in town.

Curiosity gets the better of the black boys one afternoon, and they find their way to the whites-only field and practice a bit there. They push their luck and someone spots them. Luke Blackburn is a local store owner and the one who built the field. Cato doesn’t know why, but his store is one the black families in town will go out of their way to bypass. His son, Trace, lies about the damage Cato and his team did to the field, and Cato must work off the damage at Luke’s store.

However, things are not as they seem. Cato’s mother died giving birth to his sister, Hope, and the two of them live with their grandparents. Moses also died, and Cato knows it was something bad, but no one will talk about it. Somehow, Luke was involved with Moses’ death. Cato is confused, then, when it is Luke who proposes a baseball game between the black and white teams.

To read my full review, please go to: https://thoughtsfromthemountaintop.co...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in rural North Carolina in 1939, this middle-grade novel [3.5 for me] follows a likeable protagonist in the form of 12-year-old Cato, who dreams of nothing but baseball. Someday soon he hopes to join his uncle and play for the Kansas City Monarchs, the Negro Baseball League team for which his father, Daddy Mo, played. But there's a dark story behind his father's death, and even though some readers will be surprised to learn that a baseball game between two teams of youngsters, one white and one Black, would cause controversy and hard feelings, such was the harsh realities of that particular time in certain places in the country. As Cato hones his pitching talent, he also witnesses first-hand the cruelty of some of his young neighbors and realizes that there are some white folks who he may have misjudged. While I'm not sure that Luke Blackburn's son would have been as willing to become an ally as he eventually turns out to be, the author depicts several characters in a nuanced way so that they are more sympathetic than they might be otherwise. The strength, resilience, loyalty, and unity of Cato's family and community are highlighted, even while they deal with unspeakable losses and tragedies. Some of the passages, especially the one surrounding Freight Train's treatment of Moses, Hope's little kitten, and the casual way some of the rowdies decide to burn the church and school, are emotionally-riveting but hard to read. The appearance of certain famous ballplayers at Cato's house and a couple of other events seemed too good to be true or over the top, but I still enjoyed the book and its approach to the idea that someone can be a warrior on the mound, fighting for social justice in his/her/thrir own way. Plus, it was neat to see so many of those talented Black baseballers receiving some long overdue recognition here.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's w1938, and twelve-year-old Cato Jones lives to play baseball like his deceased father, Mo, who pitched for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro league.

Cato and his Ranger teammates are curious about the new baseball field for the white boys and trespass onto the field. Mr. Luke Blackburn, a white man who owns a local store and the new baseball field, comes to Cato's house and reports the trespassing to Cato's grandfather. It's agreed that Cato will pay the price for trespassing by unloading goods at the store under the supervision of Mr. Balckburn's son, Trace.

Racial tensions between the families could have risen like the pitcher's mound on the new field, but Cato and Trace learn their families have had some good, longstanding connections from the 1890s and that Mr. Blackburn and Cato's father even played baseball together. Baseball is the common denominator and it's decided that Cato's Ranger team and Trace's Marlin's team will play a series to determine who will be the local baseball champions.

However, racial tensions from others in the community erupt before the series, even though the two families have a good history between them. The story gives hope that each person can be a warrior for justice and that differences can be settled in different arenas--like on the baseball diamond.

Cato's grandparents bear witness to the difference they made stepping up the plate to raise their grandchildren, Cato, and his little sister, Hope, after their son was murdered and their daughter-in-law died.

I appreciated that the author researched the Negro baseball league and even named some of the cast of characters for outstanding Negro baseball legends.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

In 1930s North Carolina, Cato, and his friends care only about playing baseball in their local Black baseball league and growing up to join a Negro League team. Local kids plague them, also on a baseball team of their own, who chase them, taunt them, and threaten them. Tensions get higher and higher, and when the two teams play against each other, events escalate. Looming over all of this is the death of Cato’s own father, Moses, who was a gifted baseball player who played in the Negro Leagues but died mysteriously. Although this book is laden with weighty issues, there is still hope, family and neighborhood love, and people who choose to do the right thing.

I loved reading about the Negro Leagues and Black baseball during this period. I think that kids will want to read it and it would be a good book to use in a classroom setting as a novel study. Readers see how Cato comes of age, chooses right over vengeance, and grows into his leadership role, his father’s ghost by his side. I wish some of the dialogue wasn’t written in dialect. I have a real problem with stories that write out people’s accents, no matter if they’re Scottish, Southern, etc. and when I kept reading, “Yes suh,” I wanted to scream. I like for the words to just say what they’re saying - I will use dialect in my narration. That pet peeve aside, I loved this novel and I think it will be very popular with students, as it combines sports and historical fiction. There’s also lovely back matter which talks about famous Black players, discusses more reading material, and gives a timeline of Black Americans in baseball.

[Kara Dennison]

The year is 1935, and ten-year-old Cato has one dream: play professional baseball. While pitching for his small North Carolina town's team, he aspires to join a Negro League team like his late father before him. And when the opportunity arises to practice on a local field, the team jumps at it. There's just one problem: another team, an all-white team, plays there. And many of the members don't take kindly to Cato and his family and friends.

Despite the help of an unlikely family friend and the growing admiration of his son Trace, Cato and his friends find themselves fighting an uphill battle. A series of games played to increase goodwill in the community soon turns dangerous—even more so when Cato learns the truth of how his father died. Not everyone sees the Rangers' aspirations as "just a game," and fighting for their right to play baseball quickly turns into a fight for their lives.

This is not an easy or lighthearted read, but it is a very good one. Warrior on the Mound confronts the good and bad of the history of baseball: the many talented Black players who populate its history (with people and places bearing their names), as well as the challenges and dangers they faced. But for as much unpleasantness as it lays bare, this book also demonstrates its fair share of courage and compassion in the face of that unpleasantness. There are plenty of positive role models for young readers to look to and (hopefully) emulate, even in the book's darkest moments.

[BooksAsDreams (Tiffany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a passion for baseball and a love of baseball history and the historic players of the game, then this book is for you.

Sandra Headen weaves a story of race relations, strong family dynamics, and team concept into an historical fiction novel that is a must-read for anyone ages 12 and older.

Told through the experiences of 12-year-old Cato in 1935 North Carolina, this book addresses segregation, injustice, and the power of community. There are some haunting scenes from the past, and some of the more powerful text is found in the back matter, which includes an Author’s Note, historical background, biographical information, and more.

This middle grade/YA text provides many inlets for a reader, and the most intriguing was the information about the Negro League. The player connections in the text were believable and added a great touch to the story. I was instantly drawn into the scene at the ballfield and could imagine the emotions of meeting someone so famous and endearing to the fans (read the book to find out who it is!).

Recommended for lovers of baseball, sports, baseball history and would make a great classroom read to study race relations, segregation, and the pre-war South.

Thank you #NetGalley, #HolidayHouse, #Peachtree, #Pixel-Ink for the ARC. Looking forward to a March 5 publication date!

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a touching and insightful look at a young boy growing up at a time when segregation was prevalent. His dreams and ambitions revolve around being a professional baseball player like his father and older brother.

Cato and his siblings have lost both their parents, and Cato and his young sister Hope still live with their grandparents - although their brother Isaac is no longer living at home.

It is his passion for the game that leads Cato and his friends into going to check out the new playing ground nearby that has been provided for white players.

Their presence there subsequently ignites a racial firestorm. Ultimately, before the conflagration takes things to a place of no return, it is decided the conflict will be settled where it started - on the playing field!

But was there ever so much stake in a call game before..?

This is an absorbing story with relatable characters. It describes a slice of history that many in America still do not want to face up to: the institutionalized racism that proudly prevailed for so long in the United States. And whose legacy lives on, for example, in the necessity for a Black Lives Matter movement today. Worth a read.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Hal Schrieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

this got a kirkus star for a reason. While it starts with a Normal Boy who misses his dead father and loves baseball, the story quickly progresses into an interesting, tense exploration of racism in the Jim Crow south, the different feelings of white and black adults about how to manage people's safety and wellbeing, the fact that someone can be unpleasant and an ally at the same time-- more than a simple sports story, it's about a generational push-pull of the struggle for liberation and violent suppression that takes communities backwards. the main character's voice is a little flat initially, but the social relationships make the arc of his story richer as it goes on. We need a constant refresh of historical titles dealing with America's racist past because people honestly don't push them or pitch them enough.

! i was put off a little by the way accents are written out in the text and the corny 1930s slang which i feel is unnecessarily sepia-toned and maybe overly romanticizing the Good Boy-ness of past generations, but it did gradually smooth out in my head as I read; it's set in a small, tight-knit and Christian community, so the voice of the text isn't going to sound modern to readers.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel.
Wonderful characters and an excellent history lesson included.
I couldn't put this book down!
I was immersed in it from the beginning until the end.
I felt like I was there with Cato and his family the way the author describes everything. The events, places and people.
There is a part that I skipped however because it made so mad in the worst way! I won't say what it is because I don't want to ruin it. But it was my least favorite. I feel that the author shouldn't have added it in there.
It also made me cry
I highly recommend this story. I'm still giving this 5 stars for an excellent read that covered even the toughest of subjects.
My favorite thing was the author's notes at the end. Please be sure to read them. Lots of information.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warrior on the Mound is a gripping novel using baseball as both a connection and a point of contention in a rural Southern town during segregation. The author does a good job building in characters with a wide set of views and backgrounds, and the novel feels appropriately tense throughout, as it depicts several dangerous interractions. I felt keeping a secret from both the main character and the reader through the story detracted from deeper feelings and knowledge of what was happening, and some of the characters that could have had more emotional input in the story seemed oddly left out to me; namely Cato's younger sister, who had surely experienced as much grief as he did. A solid take on a difficult subject.

[Marlee B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, told from the perspective of 12 year old Cato. An attempt to honor his dad on his birthday leads to various events that slowly escalate and creates tension between his own Ranger team and the white Marlins. Outside of Jackie Robinson’s story, I knew nothing about the history of blacks and baseball. It was interesting to learn about different players like Satchel Paige, the history of the Negro League, etc. The actions of the Red Shirts- those in the book and in real life- were so sad.

[Miny]

This had echos of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry but baseball! I think it is important that black books by black authors are read. The characters in this book are likeable and the plot is straightforward. One of reoccurring problems in this book are that white and black people were not treated the same in the south and racism came in different forms, including a scene at the end where a cop waits for a white testimony in order to make an arrest.

[Sara Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timely story with the passing of Willie Mays and the frank discussion of baseball and race by Reggie Jackson. Set in rural North Caroline in the 1930s, the book uses boys playing baseball to highlight the deep racism of that time. With honest discussions of lynching and racial violence, the book is for older MG readers.

The story is compelling. The writing feels a little young for the intended audience.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give this to kids who are baseball mad, and they'll learn about race relations and the Negro League, too. Can a white baseball team play against a "negro" baseball team in peace in 1930s South Carolina? Some violence, and the bad guys don't get much of a come-uppance (true to the time and place), but it definitely ends on a happy note.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cato is obsessed with baseball and wants to follow his father and brother to the Negro Leagues. When he and his teammates sneak into the new whites-only ballfield, racial tensions escalate. Cato finally learns more about his father’s death and the history of race relations in1930s North Carolina. An important historic novel.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction with baseball is right up my alley. This book is set in the south, 1939. And we have kids who get in trouble for playing on the "white" baseball field. Interesting and informative. Trigger warning for animal abuse, though.

[Binxie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Ummm, really wanted to like this one more than I did. It didn't grab me in the beginning and I wonder whether the intended audience will continue reading it. The subject is a good story, the history is important, and Headen doesn't spare the reader from the brutality of the times.

[Josh Campeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a hard read. It's a good story, but there are a lot of harsh racist interactions to get through. It's to be expected, but I felt it could have balanced the negative with the positive better. There weren't many moments of levity in the middle 300 pages of the novel.

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unflinching look at the racism faced by Black Americans in the 1930s South, told through the lens of rivalry between a community’s white and Black boys’ baseball teams. Violent and gritty in places, but historically accurate fiction written for a middle grade audience. Highly recommended.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Public library copy

This was a bit more Young Adult than I had thought.

[LS Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting historical fiction book that brings in lots of nods to the Negro Baseball League. Plenty of great references at the back.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a slow start for me but then the pacing picked up and the story was excellent!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A home run of a book that is brave enough to speak the hard truths." [School Library Journal]

[Wendy Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good depiction of Jim Crow South with a topic that will draw a lot of interest (baseball). Kitty torture hard to read and the violence may be tough for younger middle grades.