The baseball great nicknamed Satchel was the first African American pitcher to be drafted into the major leagues (and that at age 42), the first Black to pitch in a major league World Series, and the first Black Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. This account of Leroy “Satchel” Paige’s journey to white baseball’s record books traces his early years in a picture-book biography illustrated with beautiful oil paintings. The Ransomes make it clear that although Satchel made some mistakes early in his life, he had the will to claim the opportunities that could and did make all the difference. They bring him to life as a unique, complicated man through a well-written narrative and warm paintings. They also pay tribute to the many accomplishments of Paige’s contemporaries in the former Negro Leagues. (Ages 8‑11)

Play ball with Satchel Paige with this nonfiction picture book biography from two Coretta Scott King Award–winning creators.

No one pitched like Leroy “Satchel” Paige. Fans packed the stands to see how many batters he could strike out in one game. He dazzled them with his unique pitching style, and he even gave nicknames to some of his trademark pitches—there was the “hesitation,” his magic slow ball, and the “bee ball,” named because it would always “be” where he wanted it to be.

Follow Satch’​s career through these beautiful illustrations as he begins playing in the semi-pros and goes on to become the first African American to pitch in a major League World Series, and the first Negro Leaguer to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.