Saturday, November 4, 2017

Who Invented Baseball?

My hard back copy (with dust jacket)  of Abner & Me.

Recently I finished my "evening book," ABNER & Me. It is the sixth book in the Baseball Card Adventures by Dan Gutman.

I was in the the mood for some light reading before bed and I cam across this book at a used book sale. I thought my sister Carol might be interested in it since she earlier this year she was into baseball history trivia. I thought I would read it myself before sending it to her. Now that I'm done, I can send it off to her.

The dust jacket states that the book is aimed for ages 8-12. The description in the front inside piece says:
Cannons are blasting!
Bullets are flying!
Wounded soldiers are everywhere!
Stosh has time-traveled to 1863, right into the middle of the Civil War. In possibly his most exciting and definitely his most dangerous trip yet, Stosh as decided to answer the question for all time: did Abner Doubleday, a Civil War general, really invent the game of baseball? 
It's all here: big laughs, dramatic action,fast baseball games in the middle of a battlefield. You'll be blown away by this sixth amazing baseball card adventure.
The book has 167 numbered pages and was published in 2005.

The Library of Congress summary states:
With his ability to travel through time using baseball cards and photographs, thirteen-year-old Joe and his mother go back to 1863 to ask Abner Doubleday whether he invented baseball, but instead find themselves in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg.
At the beginning of the book is an "Author's Note:" This book contains more violent scenes than my previous books. It may not be suitable for younger readers.

And this warning was true: I had to stop reading several nights because the battle scenes were getting me anxious. However, I kept at it until I finished the book. (A chapter or two a night).

It was an interesting mix: baseball, fantasy, and history. Abner Doubleday, though, does not come across as well as might be expected. However, his history is kind of interesting in itself.

In the final analysis, I liked the book and will be keeping my eyes open to pick up other books in the series.

Doubleday gravestone
(from Find A Grave)

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Card_Adventures
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Gutman
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/abner-doubleday
http://dangutman.com/dans-books/baseball-card-adventure-series/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Doubleday
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg
http://arlingtoncemetery.net/doubledy.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/abner-doubleday
https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=4830
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Written Saturday 4 November 2017.