C. Paul Jackson's familiar talents bring life to a spanking good baseball story for beginning readers. Mike Hoppe a new boy in town, and at the age of almost eleven, much taller and gawkier than the average, has his troubles when Whitey and the other boys in the local team are leary about letting him play. Through his job with a dairy, Mike meets Eddie, the team coach and there begins friendship and training that brings team skill to Mike and a liking for him to the other boys.