The Kid Who Only Hit Homers (1986) - Plot & Excerpts
I read “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers” by Matt Christopher. This book was very good. Sylvester Coddmyer III loved baseball, but he was not very good. He wanted to try out for the Hooper Redbirds baseball team, but he doesn’t think that he was good enough to play on the team. He didn’t sign up for the team that year. One day, a guy named George Baruth, meets Sylvester while he watched the first day of practice. He told Sylvester he would help him with his swing, and told him to try to get on the team. George helped Sylvester with his stance, and all of the sudden, he was hitting home runs. The coach allowed him on the team, and at his first practice he hit a bunch of home runs. The coach put him in the lineup in right field. He had the record for the most home runs in a game, the most consecutive home runs, and all with George Baruth at the games. A big magazine company wanted him to do an interview, and give him money because they thought he was the next big thing. A kid named Snooky Malone bugged him every day to tell his secret, but Sylvester didn’t have a secret. He turned down all that because he didn’t want the fame. Then, at the last game of the season, George Baruth had left to go home and wasn’t there. Sylvester didn’t hit a home run, but he hit two doubles in the gap in left field. He still could hit, but not home runs. The school gave him a trophy for best athlete in the school. The author did a very good job describing Sylvester’s character and how dedicated he was to baseball. He loved to play it. He just thought he wasn’t very good. George Baruth was just on vacation in the city and wanted to help Sylvester. We don’t really ever know who George is, but you can tell he is someone that is a good baseball player, and that he was more into Sylvester’s head then anything.The story took place in Hooper City. It’s a small town just like the one I live in. It’s summer time because they are playing baseball. Sylvester went to junior high, and he is the talk of the town.The author’s message in this book is that you don’t need someone, real or imaginary to motivate people. You just have to love what you are doing and put in a little extra effort to get what you want. If you work hard things will go your way. You have to believe you can do it.This is a great book. This book was very easy to understand and know what is going on. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good book to read. The book has a very good message, but you have to understand baseball.
Sylvester loved baseball and loved to play it.He thinks that he is not a good hitter because he doesn’t.Sylvester was going to tryout for a team called the redbirds when he met george Baruth. He said that I am going to make you a very good player and that you will hit the play.He helped him to be the best player on the team.Sylvester started to it a lot of home runs on his team.He would always it home runs because he practice and practice.Sylvester was very happy when he hit the first Home Run of his life.He had a long it streak on the team.Sylvester thanked the guy who help him with everything to be a good player.tI liked this book because it was about a guy who helped a kid to be the best player on his team.I also liked it because i play baseball and I had my first Home Run like he did and I was happy.I don’t love baseball like he does but I like it but not a lot because I like baseball.
What do You think about The Kid Who Only Hit Homers (1986)?
I read the book "The Kid Who Only Hit Homers" by Matt Christopher. I liked this book although sometimes it was confusing because I didn't if this guy named George Baruth existed. In this book, this kid named Sylvester was awful at baseball. He couldn't hit, and he couldn't catch or anything! Then one day, a man named George Baruth spent a day at the park with him. He made Sylvester be able to hit good... really good. So one day, George told Syl to go to one the practices for his school. Syl went and he hit home runs, a lot of them. He went into the outfield and caught all the balls hit to him. He played some games and never struck out and all he did was hit home runs. The media wanted to do a story on him but couldn't get a good picture. So one day they showed up at his house to take a picture, and Syl said he wanted George to be in the picture with him. So after one of his games, he and George went to take a picture. After the picture was taken, George wasn't in it. Syl didn't know what was going on. He went home and went to his room. He went to his next game and still hit home runs. George Baruth was never there.. Ever. I recommend this book to male Middle or High School students. It was kind of hard to understand, but they should get the concept.
—Collin Jorgensen
I gave this book 4 stars. Because it caught your attention and it kept you interested through the whole book.This was the best book i have read so far this year. this book mostley takes place all outdoors. if your a baseball fan check this book out. This book is about a kid named sylvester codmeyer who is bad at baseball. Then this guy from out of town comes and teaches him how to bat and catch a lot better. they played 10 games and he had a 3 homers in his first game. He only sruck out once and got walked twice. if you want to find out more you have to read it yourself.
—Gunner
This book was highly recommended for my "sports nuts" boys, and I'm glad we listened to this first in the series together. A few pros and cons:1- Pro: Good character development, including an mysterious "imaginary" visitor, and the boys enjoyed the audio version which included "acting" instead of just reading the book. I thought it was cheesy though.2- Pro: Great baseball "announcer" talk- there is probably a more technical term, but my boys loved to be walked through the game, play by play.3- Pro: Good transition to a sequel, so they want to listen to the next one.4- Con: There is a supporting character who studies astrology and horoscopes and talks to the main character about them. It doesn't really fit in the story. He also mentions he studies Occultism (what?!?!) but doesn't go into details besides it is "mysticism". I think this is highly inappropriate for an elementary grade school book, most of it went over my kids heads but I'm thinking I will listen to the next one with them to see if it pops up again. If this builds, we may have to abandon the series....but then again my oldest is only a few years away from Harry Potter which is a far more complex can of worms.
—Christina
