Bill Pennant, Babe Ruth, and Me

by Timothy Tocher

At the start of the 1920 baseball season, 16-year-old Hank Cobb is assigned to train the New York Giants’ new mascot, a Mexican wildcat named Bill Pennant. Bill’s not too trainable, though, even with the help of sardines and mice. And if Hank can’t handle a cat, how can he handle his next charge, an undisciplined slugger for the Yankees named Babe Ruth? Ruth’s manager asks Hank to keep an eye on Ruth, and since both teams play at the same stadium, it’s doable. But is it wise? A disastrous “road trip” to Coney Island lands both Babe and Hank in hot water with their respective managers. Hank, who’s fallen under Babe’s spell, walks out on the Giants, determined to ditch school and become a big-league ballplayer. But another, far more serious incident, causes Hank to rethink his priorities. Evocative descriptions of the sights, sounds, and personalities of baseball’s heyday add to this exciting story about loyalty, responsibility, and the rules of the game — both on and off the field.

Genres: Historical Fiction

184 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2009

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gr 5-9-It's 1920, and Hank Cobb, 16, is thrilled that his guardian, John McGraw, wants him to help out with the Giants' newest team member. Thinking that he is going to assist in breaking in a rookie, Hank discovers that instead he has the responsibility of taming the team's newest good luck charm, a Mexican wildcat named Bill Pennant. The animal does not travel well, so Hank is stuck in New York when the team goes on the road. Since the Giants and the Yankees share a stadium, it isn't long before Hank catches the eye of Yankees manager Miller Huggins, who thinks that he might have a calming effect on Babe Ruth. By the time McGraw returns, Hank and the Babe have developed a friendly relationship, and McGraw sees Hank's work for the Yankees as a betrayal. This sequel to Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me (Cricket, 2004) is every bit as engaging as its predecessor. Tocher deftly combines a fast-moving plot, fascinating sports history, and Hank's efforts to be loyal to the people he respects on both teams. Sports figures of the period fairly leap off the pages, and Tocher's treatment of Ray Chapman's unexpected death from Carl Mays's pitch is as sobering now as it was the day it happened. This is a must-read for fans of Chief Sunrise, but it easily stands alone. An author's note clarifies what is factual. Give this compelling story to readers who are ready for something a little more complex than Dan Gutman's "Baseball Card Adventure" books (HarperCollins).-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

[Gehrig H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fun read, I enjoyed it's humor and irony and the thought of being a kid who whips rookies in the major leagues into shape. I also enjoyed the storyline and the setting of which the story took place. It took place back in the '20s and during the times that the great baseball player Babe Ruth was in the major leagues.
I can relate this book to my life by realizing that no challenge is too tough to handle. WIth hard work and dedication, any thing you set your mind to is possible. In this book Hank Cobb, the main character, wills himself to tame the new mascot.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys humor and also to anyone that enjoys baseball because the story is very humorous and the whole way through the story is dealing with some of the greatest players in baseball history. I would also recommend this book to someone who loves cats and the funny ways that they act. I wouldn't recommend this book who's looking for a suspenseful story. The story mostly deals with the taming of the cat and how the team is doing.
The author uses the literary element of irony throughout the story and especially in one instance where Hank thinks he is coming to help the rookies get better but ends up with the unlucky job of training the wildcat. He also uses a few similes saying that, "This school has more rules than checkers."

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book has so much history about the Black Sox Scancal, the day Chapman was hit, and more. This is the greatest baseball book I have ever read.