go, all of them here in Cogwheel Stadium.”
Violet knew that was good news. When a team played on their home field, they had a better chance of winning.
“How many games do the Cogs have to win in order to win the pennant?” she asked Henry.
“Only two,” Henry answered. “If the Cogs win two of these last five games, they win the pennant.”
“The Cogs aren’t going to win two of the last five games,” called out a young man who had overheard them. He wore a Hatters baseball cap. “The Hatters will win all five and win the pennant. Go, Hatters!” he shouted as he walked by.
“Look at all the Hatters baseball caps coming our way,” whispered Henry. “There are as many Hatters fans here as there are Cogs fans.”
A young woman taking tickets at the turnstile smiled at Henry and Violet. “The Hatters are from Madison, which is the next town over. The Hatters and Cogs have been rivals for over a century.”
“Wow!” breathed Henry. “These should be very exciting games!”
Violet watched a young woman come through the turnstile.
The woman had long blonde hair that she wore in braids. She was dressed in a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and white sneakers. Was she a Cogs fan or a Hatters fan? She wore a visor instead of a cap. The visor didn’t say anything. Around her neck the young woman had a pair of binoculars.
Violet held out a free glove.
The woman took the foam glove from Violet and tore it in half. Then she threw the two halves on the ground and stomped on them. “I hate the Cogs!” she shouted. “They’re a rotten, no-good team! I hope that Cody Howard hits four home runs! I hope the Cogs lose every one of the five games!” The woman stomped away, into the crowd.
“Whoa!” said Henry. “She’s a Hatters fan, for sure.”
Violet picked up the two halves of the foam glove and threw them into a trash barrel. “Who’s Cody Howard?” she asked her brother.
“He plays center field for the Hatters,” Henry answered. “He’s a great hitter. He might win the league batting title this year.” Henry explained to Violet that each year the batting title was won by the player who had the highest batting average.
“Does that mean the player who has the most hits in a season?” asked Violet.
“Yes,” answered Henry.
“Whoever wins the batting title wins a brand new car,” said a man with a Cogs baseball cap. “I hope it’s not Cody Howard,” he said.
“Because he’s a Hatter?” Henry asked the fan.
“Yeah,” answered the fan. “I’d like to see the Cogs catcher, Reese Dawkins, win the title and the car.”
Henry and Violet handed out free foam gloves until there weren’t any left.
CHAPTER 2
View from the Bleachers
While Henry and Violet were giving out free gloves, Jessie and Benny followed Mr. Tanaka. Thousands of fans crowded the open area inside the stadium. Jessie saw that the fans were buying pennants and T-shirts and caps. Benny saw that the fans were buying food: hot dogs and popcorn and ice cream.
They followed Mr. Tanaka through an unmarked door. Now they stood inside a very large kitchen. Men and women in white aprons were cooking hundreds of hot dogs on grills. Others were putting the dogs into buns and wrapping them in clean paper. Still others were filling large paper boxes full of popcorn.
“This is a very busy place,” Jessie said. “Everybody is working hard.”
“Yes,” replied Mr. Tanaka. “Cogs fans are hungry fans.”
Benny stood still, staring at all the food.
Jim Tanaka looked down at him. “I’ll bet you’re hungry,” he said.
Benny looked up. “How did you know?” he asked.
“I have a grandson your age,” said Mr. Tanaka. “He’s always hungry.” Mr. Tanaka grabbed two large boxes of popcorn off a counter. He handed one to Jessie and one to Benny. “Eat some popcorn,” he said, “and follow me around this room. I’ll explain how you can help.”
“Thank you,” said Jessie as she took her box of
Violet knew that was good news. When a team played on their home field, they had a better chance of winning.
“How many games do the Cogs have to win in order to win the pennant?” she asked Henry.
“Only two,” Henry answered. “If the Cogs win two of these last five games, they win the pennant.”
“The Cogs aren’t going to win two of the last five games,” called out a young man who had overheard them. He wore a Hatters baseball cap. “The Hatters will win all five and win the pennant. Go, Hatters!” he shouted as he walked by.
“Look at all the Hatters baseball caps coming our way,” whispered Henry. “There are as many Hatters fans here as there are Cogs fans.”
A young woman taking tickets at the turnstile smiled at Henry and Violet. “The Hatters are from Madison, which is the next town over. The Hatters and Cogs have been rivals for over a century.”
“Wow!” breathed Henry. “These should be very exciting games!”
Violet watched a young woman come through the turnstile.
The woman had long blonde hair that she wore in braids. She was dressed in a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and white sneakers. Was she a Cogs fan or a Hatters fan? She wore a visor instead of a cap. The visor didn’t say anything. Around her neck the young woman had a pair of binoculars.
Violet held out a free glove.
The woman took the foam glove from Violet and tore it in half. Then she threw the two halves on the ground and stomped on them. “I hate the Cogs!” she shouted. “They’re a rotten, no-good team! I hope that Cody Howard hits four home runs! I hope the Cogs lose every one of the five games!” The woman stomped away, into the crowd.
“Whoa!” said Henry. “She’s a Hatters fan, for sure.”
Violet picked up the two halves of the foam glove and threw them into a trash barrel. “Who’s Cody Howard?” she asked her brother.
“He plays center field for the Hatters,” Henry answered. “He’s a great hitter. He might win the league batting title this year.” Henry explained to Violet that each year the batting title was won by the player who had the highest batting average.
“Does that mean the player who has the most hits in a season?” asked Violet.
“Yes,” answered Henry.
“Whoever wins the batting title wins a brand new car,” said a man with a Cogs baseball cap. “I hope it’s not Cody Howard,” he said.
“Because he’s a Hatter?” Henry asked the fan.
“Yeah,” answered the fan. “I’d like to see the Cogs catcher, Reese Dawkins, win the title and the car.”
Henry and Violet handed out free foam gloves until there weren’t any left.
CHAPTER 2
View from the Bleachers
While Henry and Violet were giving out free gloves, Jessie and Benny followed Mr. Tanaka. Thousands of fans crowded the open area inside the stadium. Jessie saw that the fans were buying pennants and T-shirts and caps. Benny saw that the fans were buying food: hot dogs and popcorn and ice cream.
They followed Mr. Tanaka through an unmarked door. Now they stood inside a very large kitchen. Men and women in white aprons were cooking hundreds of hot dogs on grills. Others were putting the dogs into buns and wrapping them in clean paper. Still others were filling large paper boxes full of popcorn.
“This is a very busy place,” Jessie said. “Everybody is working hard.”
“Yes,” replied Mr. Tanaka. “Cogs fans are hungry fans.”
Benny stood still, staring at all the food.
Jim Tanaka looked down at him. “I’ll bet you’re hungry,” he said.
Benny looked up. “How did you know?” he asked.
“I have a grandson your age,” said Mr. Tanaka. “He’s always hungry.” Mr. Tanaka grabbed two large boxes of popcorn off a counter. He handed one to Jessie and one to Benny. “Eat some popcorn,” he said, “and follow me around this room. I’ll explain how you can help.”
“Thank you,” said Jessie as she took her box of
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