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.

Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke

Maraniss, Andrew. Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke. 2021. 320p. ISBN 9780593116722.

Born in 1952, Glenn Burke quickly demonstrated that he was a natural-born athlete. Amazing at basketball, Glenn excelled at other sports as well. Growing up with a single mother and many sisters, Glenn was always the life of the party, ribbing other people and joking around. He could also be deadly serious, especially while playing a game of hoops. Glenn loved basketball and could not get enough. But when he was offered a $5,000 sign-on bonus by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Glenn could not pass up the opportunity, and he joined the team.

And that is how Glenn Burke found himself on the field on October 2, 1977. His teammate, Dusty Baker, hit a home run in the last regular game of the season, reaching 30 home runs in a year and joining three other teammates who all had 30 or more, eclipsing a league record. Without thinking, Glenn rushed the field and congratulated Dusty with what became known as the first high five. 

As a ball player, Glenn was better than average, but not a standout player. His statistics were fine, but he ran into trouble for his life off the field. Unlike most players, Glenn was gay, and was not hiding it well. His whole team knew, and many sports reporters knew as well. The Dodgers' management wanted to project a wholesome image, and having a gay player in the league in the 1970s was considered a huge risk, as homosexuality was still perceived to be a mental disease. 

Glenn was eventually driven out of baseball in 1979, but then he came out publicly about being gay, noting that from now on no one could ever say that there had never been anyone gay in baseball. The place sports played in his life meant that Glenn was not prepared for other types of work, and he drifted from one job to the next. A costly drug addiction depleted his savings, and he eventually ended up on the streets of San Francisco.  With the emergence of the deadly AIDS virus, the homosexual community was devastated, and Glenn became infected. 

By the early 1990s, Glenn had run out of luck and time. He moved back in with his sister, who took care of him as the disease slowly progressed. Glenn died in 1995, at the age of 43, having lived through a hard life, but leaving behind a lasting legacy for gay rights and the cultural phenomena of the high five. 

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow

Sturm, James & Rich Tommaso. Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow. 2007. 89p. ISBN 0-7868-3900-7. Available at B STU on the library shelves.

In the 1930s and 40s, America was bitterly divided by racial tensions. African Americans were not allowed to eat at the same restaurants, stay at the same hotels, and go to the same schools as Whites. But Satchel Paige, one baseball's greatest player, was not stopped by any of this. At one time the highest paid baseball player in the United States, Paige had an amazing pitch and put on an incredible show wherever he played, whether in the Negro League or elsewhere.

This graphic novel presents Paige's career and discusses the impact he had on promoting respect for African-Americans. Always the better player, he held baseball matches against the best White teams and won, always making a show but demonstrating that African-Americans were not inferior. The illustrations are shades of white, green and black, but beautifully render the spirit of the times. Readers who enjoy graphic novels will appreciate learning about a player that should not be forgotten. 

Clutch

Camlot, Heather. Clutch. 2017. 2017. 240p. ISBN 978-0-88995-548-6. Available at FIC CAM on the library shelves.

It is 1946, and Joseph Grosser’s father has just died, leaving his family behind to run his small grocery store, their only asset and source of income. Unfortunately, this tragedy is compounded by his father’s largesses. As a real mensch, he provided credit to many and therefore the store is owed lots of money. At 12, Joseph now needs to be the man of the house, so that his mother and his six-year-old little brother David don’t go without. He needs to operate the store and start collecting money. He’s also facing his upcoming bar mitzvah, and his religious studies are not going so well. And, above all else, Joseph cannot wait to move west of Park Avenue in Montreal, to find a better house for his family, something his father was never able to do.

At the same time Jackie Robinson, the first professional black baseball player, is playing for the Montreal Royals, the Brooklyn Dodgers’ AAA farm team. Jackie is also facing challenges, but he’s ready to meet them. David loves Jackie Robinson and religiously follows all of his exploits. Ben, Joseph’s best friend, spends a lot of time at the store, but both he and David wishes Joseph had more time to play and be a kid. Joseph, however, just wants to make money. When Ben’s father, Mr. Wolfe, approaches Joseph and offers an intriguing business opportunity, Joseph is faced with a stark choice: Do the responsible thing, or try to cut corners to accumulate wealth? As Joseph’s summer passes by, he makes connections in the unlikeliest places and he learns getting rich for being rich’s sake is not worth anything unless you are able to enjoy it with a loving family and friends. Can Joseph and Jackie Robinson triumph over their naysayers and accomplish their goals?