Suggested levels for Guided Reading, DRA, Lexile, and Reading Recovery are provided in the Pearson Scott Foresman Leveling Guide. Biography Three Great Ballplayers by Greg Rogers Genre Biography Comprehension Skills and Strategy Compare and Contrast Fact and Opinion Monitor and Clarify Text Features Headings Captions Scott Foresman Reading Street 2.6.1
Vocabulary bases cheers field plate sailed threw Three Great Ballplayers by Greg Rogers Word count: 360 Note: The total word count includes words in the running text and headings only. Numerals and words in chapter titles, captions, labels, diagrams, charts, graphs, sidebars, and extra features are not included. Glenview, Illinois Boston, Massachusetts Chandler, Arizona Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Photographs Every effort has been made to secure permission and provide appropriate credit for photographic material. The publisher deeply regrets any omission and pledges to correct errors called to its attention in subsequent editions. Unless otherwise acknowledged, all photographs are the property of Pearson Education. Photo locators denoted as follows: Top (T), Center (C), Bottom (B), Left (L), Right (R), Background (Bkgd) Cover: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 1 Getty Images; 3 (Bkgd) AP Images, Getty Images; 4 (T) Brand X Pictures, (B) National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 4 5 (Bkgd) Getty Images; 5 National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 6 Sporting News Archive/Getty Images; 6 7 (Bkgd) Getty Images; 7 (T) Getty Images, (B) National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 8 National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 8 9 (Bkgd) Getty Images; 9 (T) Comstock Inc. (B) National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 10 Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images; 10 11 (Bkgd) Getty Images; 11 (T) Brand X Pictures, (B) National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY; 12 (Bkgd) Getty Images, AP Images ISBN 13: 978-0-328-51330-7 ISBN 10: 0-328-51330-X Copyright by Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication is protected by copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. For information regarding permissions, write to Pearson Curriculum Rights & Permissions, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. Pearson is a trademark, in the U.S. and/or in other countries, of Pearson plc or its affiliates. Scott Foresman is a trademark, in the U.S. and/or in other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 V0G1 13 12 11 10 09 Baseball is very different today than it was in the past. For many years, African Americans were not allowed to play in the major leagues. Instead, African American players played in separate baseball leagues. They were called the Negro leagues. 3
People would not let great African American players join major league baseball until the mid-1940s. They were not allowed to play because of their skin color. Amazing Pitcher Satchel Paige Satchel Paige played in the Negro leagues. He threw a baseball with great control. He could trick any hitter at the plate. Satchel Paige pitched and enjoyed the cheers of fans for more than twenty years. Satchel Paige 4 5
In the 1940s some African American players were finally asked to join the major leagues. Paige joined the Cleveland Indians. His pitching helped the Indians win the 1948 World Series. Flyball Chaser Cool Papa Bell James Cool Papa Bell was known for his speed in running around the bases. For thirty years Cool Papa Bell was called the fastest man in baseball. Satchel Paige James Bell 6 7
Cool Papa Bell sailed across the field. People joked that he ran so fast he could turn off the lights and be in bed before they went out! Cool Papa Bell entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Power Hitter Josh Gibson Josh Gibson was best known for his batting skill. Some think he may be the greatest home run hitter in history. Some of Josh Gibson s home runs are still famous today. Josh Gibson James Bell 8 9
Josh Gibson once hit a home run in Pittsburgh. The next day a ball landed in a ballpark in Philadelphia. It was more than two hundred miles away. People joked and said it must have been Gibson s hit from the day before! Josh Gibson played in the Negro leagues for seventeen years. He hit almost eight hundred home runs. Josh Gibson joined the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Josh Gibson Josh Gibson 10 11
These three great ballplayers were kept out of the major leagues for many years. They were left out because of the color of their skin. This was not fair. Their amazing skill showed that they belonged with the best. Today they are all in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Satchel Paige Reader Response 1. How is baseball today different from baseball in the past? Use a chart like the one below to organize your ideas. Baseball Today Baseball in the Past 2. What confused you as you read this book? What did you do about it? 3. Draw a picture to explain the meaning of the words plate on page 5, bases on page 7, and field on page 8. 4. Based on what you have read in this book, why do you think these players are in the Baseball Hall of Fame? 12