The Golem's Mighty Swing

 Sturm, James. The Golem's Mighty Swing. 2003. 100p. ISBN 9781896597713. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

In the 1920s, America is in the grips of baseball mania. The Stars of David are a team of Jewish baseball players criss-crossing the United States in search of teams to play. Some of the players made it to the majors, but all they did was warming the bench. Equipped with a bus that breaks down, and lead by Noah Strauss, manager and player, the team is always chasing the next dollar. But with anti-semitism ramping throughout the land, most small towns are eager for their local team to take down the Stars of David.

When the team is approached by a Chicago promoter with a gimmick that could increase the team's take, the players are at first reluctant. It's already hard enough fighting local prejudices. However, financial difficulties force their hands, and soon the Golem becomes the center of attraction. The Golem is a legendary creation in Jewish lore, a creature much like Frankenstein, which escapes the control of its creator and wrecks havoc. A large and tall African American player who is not even Jewish is dressed up at the Golem, and the Stars of David find themselves facing the Putnam All-Americans. But prejudices and racial taunts turn a baseball game into a clash of civilizations, and winning becomes less important than surviving.

The illustrations are crisp, and the story is well written. Sports fans and baseball lovers will appreciate this dive into a historical period that saw much stereotyping and racial hatred.