Lipman Pike: America's First Home Run King

Michelson and Pullen recreate a slice of immigrant life in mid%E2%80%9319th-century Brooklyn in their story of Jewish baseball player Lipman Pike, one of the first "professional" athletes. The son of a Dutch haberdasher, Pike discovered an early knack for playing ball, and, despite ethnic discrimination, he was invited (by Boss Tweed) to play for the New York Mutuals before joining the Troy Haymakers, a professional league. Pullen's expressive paintings feature lots of mid-action moments and exaggerated angles, and are populated by characters with facial expressions that feel like affectionate caricatures. Readers should gain a vivid picture of Pike and the fledging days of baseball. Ages 6%E2%80%9310. (Mar.)