The Fabulous Fifty

Solon Demetrios Janus is 15 in 1921, and the big news of the year in South Philly is the Fabulous Fifty contest. The Philadelphia Clarion is sponsoring a World Series ticket giveaway to the 50 people who collect the most coupons from the paper. Sol and four of his friends (``We had the only mixed club: Onestet cap O per text Italian, one Greek, one Irishman, one Pole, and one Jew'') get organized and collect the coupons any way they can, braving brushes with the Mafia and venturing out of their immigrant neighborhood. Based on fact, the novel evokes the era of knickers, Prohibition and Model T automobiles, wrapped up with the thrill of baseball played by Babe Ruth's Yankees and Art Nehf's Giants. It is great entertainment, even for those indifferent to baseball. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)