In order to win an important baseball game, twelve-year-old Kyle claims to have made a difficult catch which he actually dropped. The unearned win gives his team, the Reds, an unfair advantage in the championship series against the Cubs, and everyone--from his teammates to his parents--considers him the hero of the game.But the heady excitement of the praise and attention he receives is not enough to silence his conscience, which starts getting to get the better of him. He is afraid of disappointing his family and teammates if he tells the truth, but he is increasingly uneasy in his deception. He even considers deliberately throwing the next game in the series to try to offset the damage. Then his sports-crazed grandmother tells him about Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson, a pitcher whose reputation for honesty was so great that umpires would ask him to make calls during games. Mathewson made the calls--and sometimes against his own team!In the end Kyle learns a valuable lesson about sportsmanship and realizes that being a hero is only worthwhile if you have earned it. The final playoff game between the Reds and the Cubs provides exciting and nail-biting action which will have young readers on the edges of their seats. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Gr 3-7-A story with plenty of play-by-play action, a good plot, a valuable lesson, and some interesting baseball history. During an important game, Kyle, 12, falls over the outfield fence while making a catch. The ball falls out of his glove, but he picks it up and pretends he caught it to win the game for the Reds. Jason, a member of the opposing team, saw what happened and later threatens to expose him unless the Cubs win the league championship. Kyle's sports-savvy grandma tells her grandson about Christy Mathewson, a pro pitcher in the early 1900s who was known for his honesty and sportsmanship, but Kyle still maintains his silence. After he scores the winning run in the final game, the Cubs protest the previous controversial catch. The league commissioners hold a hearing, at which Kyle confesses. The Cubs are declared the winners of the questionable game, and the two teams are tied. The Reds then beat the Cubs fairly in the game for the championship. The story is told in an interesting, nondidactic manner that makes it a good baseball tale with a lesson in honesty. Bowen pitches a winner here.-Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information