Robert Kimmel Smith - Bobby Baseball

Praise for
Bobby Baseball

Smith delivers his most satisfying performance to date.

Booklist, Starred

This is an upbeat, refreshing celebration of the spirit of our national pastime.

Publishers Weekly

There never seem to be enough baseball stories; a welcome addition.

Kirkus Reviews

Robert Kimmel Smith is the author of Chocolate Fever, Jelly Belly, Mostly Michael, and The War with Grandpa, all available in Yearling editions. He lives in Brooklyn.

Alan Tiegreen has illustrated many books for children, including Judy Deltons Pee Wee Scouts books. He lives in Atlanta.

Other Yearling favorites by Robert Kimmel Smith

Chocolate Fever
illustrated by Gioia Fiammenghi

Henry Green eats so much chocolate he comes down with chocolate fever. Its all quite preposterous and lots of laughs, and so are the cartoon illustrations.

Publishers Weekly

Mostly Michael
illustrated by Katherine Coville

Michael gets a diary for his eleventh birthday and begins to write in it in spite of himselfrecording a variety of problems, from a little sister to a big spelling bee. Readers may enjoy, and profit from, the recognition of themselves and their problems in Michaels well-kept and well-written account.

School Library Journal

Jelly Belly
illustrated by Bob Jones

Its tough for eleven-year-old Nedor Jelly Belly, as hes known in schoolto stop eating. When Ned finally realizes theres only one way to lose weight for good, his whole family is glad to helpexcept Grandma. Told with humor and careful detail by someone who has been there, this will be enjoyed.

Childrens Book Review Service

The Squeaky Wheel

Mark Bakers life is turned upside down when his parents divorcea new apartment in a new town! He misses his friends and, most of all, his father. Mark finally realizes that unless he finds the courage to confront his parents, theyll never know how bad he feels. A thoughtful depiction of the effects of divorce.

Kirkus Reviews

For more than forty years, Yearling has been the leading name in classic and award-winning literature for young readers.

Yearling books feature childrens favorite authors and characters, providing dynamic stories of adventure, humor, history, mystery, and fantasy.

Trust Yearling paperbacks to entertain, inspire, and promote the love of reading in all children.

Published by Yearling, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books a division of Random House, Inc., New York

Text copyright 1989 by Robert Kimmel Smith
Illustrations copyright 1989 by Alan Tiegreen

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eISBN: 978-0-307-80314-6

v3.1

For the Dodgers I loved,
the Brooklyn Dodgers,
and for Red Barber

About Me

I may as well start by writing down my name. But not all of it.

My name is Robert E. Ellis. The E. is for Ebenezer, a grandpa of mine who died before I was born. I think Ebenezer is a horrible name, even for a person who is dead.

I never tell anybody my middle name. Because I know there are some wise guys in the world who would give me a nickname I really hate. My big brother, Sammy, who knows my middle name, teases me sometimes by calling me Sneezer.

I think a person should decide his own nickname for himself. My friend Jason calls me Bobby. Kids I know in school call me Bob or Bobby, or even Robby. My folks call me Bobby, but once in a while my dad will call me Bob-o. All those names are okay with me, and definitely better than Sneezer.

But I have already decided my baseball nickname, which every big league player has to have.

I am going to be known as Bobby Baseball Ellis.

This is a great nickname and one that is sure to be remembered. Sometimes I say it to myself under my breath and I really like the sound of it.

I know Bobby Baseball sounds a little show-offy. The truth is I do act like a show-off sometimes. I can also behave like a stupid jerk and a real nerdo with no trouble at all.

I am nowhere near being a perfect person.

My biggest problem is my terrible temper. When it grabs me, I can go bananas in two seconds. I try to hold it back, I really do, but mostly I cant. Once, when I was four years old, I bit Sammys hand so bad he still has a red raggedy scar near his thumb.

Trouble is, when my temper takes over I still act like Im four years old.

The biggest thing in my life is baseball. Dad says I have baseball in my blood. I know hes right. I think about baseball a lot. Like most of the time. I also dream about baseball. Even when I am awake.

Ive gotten into trouble more than once by dreaming about baseball. Mostly in school and mainly in math class. Math and me dont get along too well. I figure thats because my head is round and math is very square and logical. So all that square math just bounces off my round head and never gets in there.

The only class in school I like is language arts, especially creative writing. I can write baseball stories for a week straight and never run out of ideas. Miss DeBoer, my teacher, is getting sick of it. Another baseball story? she said when I handed in the last one. Robert, there are other things in life besides baseball, you know.

I suppose Miss DeBoer is right. But my head is stuffed with batting averages and all-time records. I know most of the important stats by heart, and I keep memorizing more of them.

You see, I have been planning on becoming a major league pitcher since I was seven years old. Someday I will be up at Cooperstown making my speech when they put me in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I have not actually begun writing my speech yet. There is plenty of time for that. First I will have to get into the big leagues, which will take a while since I am only ten years old.

Once I am a big-leaguer I will begin writing my terrific baseball books. Its a smart thing to do in the off-season, when its too cold to play ball. Im surprised that more big-leaguers havent done this. Maybe its because few of them can write as good as me.

If that sounds show-offy, I cant help it. I really do think I was born to be a baseball immortal, and also a great writer.