Walter
Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved
to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He went to Stuyvesant High
School until he was seventeen because he joined the army. He served in the army
for four years then worked at various jobs. He got his BA from Empire State
College. He has been writing for a career since 1977. He has published over 85
children and adult books. He is married, has three grown children, and currently
resides in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The setting of the story is in various cities, but focuses on
baseball fields. In the early 1940s, MLB had no black players. They were
shunned and apparently not worthy of playing "white ball". They find themselves
on good and bad fields just playing to get a living. Playing doubleheaders and
sometimes triple.
Biddy Owens is the equipment manager if the Birmingham Black
Barons. He wants to play ball, but people find he isn't that good. Biddy is only
seventeen. He tends to make Piper, the manager and player, mad a lot. A lot of
the time he asks to play, but doesn't get the chance. He thinks about
going to College quite a lot, but hasn't yet. If he would he would be the first
in his family to attend. He goes through the tough times of segregation and the
Depression.. Having Jackie Robinson enter MLB he feels there is hope for the
future.
A team in the Negro Leagues called the Birmingham Black
Barons. They hold with them many players, but the 2 that are focused on are
Biddy Owens, the equipment manager and Piper, the manager and player. They have
a tougher and longer schedule than most MLB teams. They consistently play
doubleheaders and even triples. They fight their way through wins and losses
just to make a living.
The Negro leagues were leagues that gave black people the
chance to play ball in an organized league. They didn't provide much money and
it was really tough, but gave people the chance to play America's National
Pastime.
