Short Story: "Steve's Road to the Show"

Curveball outside.

            “Ball one!”

            Change up low.

            “Ball two!”

            Now, he has to throw a fastball down the middle.

            Crack!

            “Going, going… Gone! And the magnificent Steve has done it again, winning the game for the Arrowheads!”

            I can still hear the announcer now. I know that I am good at what I do, but everybody is making me feel like I am better than I really am. Or, do I really live up to all of the hype? Am I, Steve, really “the best baseball player to ever come through Philips County”? Am I really one day “going to represent our small town well in the Major Leagues”? I guess I’ll see how things go after this scout tournament.

            “Steve, I have something to tell you,” said my sister, Laura. I could feel the negative energy in the air.

            “What is it?”

            “I was laid off today. Apparently there were budget cuts, and, of course, they fired me because I am the only Black person.”

            I could see her eyes begin to water with frustration. Ever since Mom died, my older sister worked extremely hard to provide for us. She is only twenty-two years old, and she has been working for six years. I remember when she went on her first day of work; she missed my game-winning hit for the twelve-year-old all-star team that I played for. I never knew my father, because he left my family when my sister was young, and the game was a couple of weeks after Mom’s passing. I celebrated with only my team that day.

            “I was the hardest working person in that entire office!”

            The tears are rolling now.

            In my sympathy for the both of us, I asked, “Maybe you should sue them. They cannot do that to you—or, rather, to us!”

            She reminded me that, “we cannot afford a lawyer. I’ll just have to look for another job.”

            I walked over and gave her a large hug, and promised her that everything would work out. We wept together for about 10 minutes, and proceeded to eat our TV dinners and go to bed.

            All the while, I remembered that I could end our suffering if I lived up to the expectations of my community. I had the first game of the scout tournament coming up, and I was ready. I spent a week in the batting cages, awaiting the tournament.

            Finally, the time came. I showed up in my stir-ups and red jersey. The sweat stains on my hat accurately represented how hard I worked to get to the level I was at. There were a few people over six feet tall, and there were a few people over two-hundred pounds. However, I noticed that I was the only one that was a combination of the two traits. This made me a shoe-in.

            The other catcher, however, was very similar to my size. His name was Brian; I remembered him from the first game of my senior year. That game, he was the one to get the clutch hit and win the game for his team. We were similar sizes, and at similar skill levels.

            Before the game, they recorded pop-up times. Our times were identical at 1.8. I knew that the day would be a challenge. When the game started, we both performed well. We threw out 3 base-stealers each in the first 8 innings. I got us ahead in the games, with my superior hitting skills. Unfortunately, he always got a timely hit to keep his team in the game. I realized that my next, and likely last, at-bat would be very important. Before stepping into the box, I looked at Laura giving me a thumbs-up. Then, I heard mom’s voice in my head:

            “Son, no matter what predicament you are in, or how good things look for you, always stay humble; things can change in a quick hurry. Always be happy for whatever positives you have going on, and do not complain when things are rough.”

            I stepped into the box.

            I remember this pitcher. He pitched for the Venoms in the tournament last year. He struck me out three times that tournament. Each time, he decided to start off with a change-up. That is likely what I will get this time.

            I was right. Crack! I dropped my donated bat and began to round the bases. I knew that the ball would clear the fence; I did not need to look at the ball go out for assurance. As I rounded third base, I looked into the crowd and saw my sister jumping and yelling. I, again, heard my mother’s voice, repeating the same verse. By the time I stepped on home plate, I had a single tear falling down my cheek.

            The next half inning, Brian came up to hit with a runner on base. We were winning 10-9 in the bottom of the ninth inning. There were two outs. I gave the pitcher the signal for a fastball on the outside corner of the plate. Once the ball left the pitcher’s hand, I could see that things would not work out so well. The ball was coming toward the middle of the plate. Crack! Brian hit the walk-off homerun and won the game for his team. He dropped the bat and walked pompously around the bases, all the while staring at the pitcher. This was really disrespectful, but why did it matter? They had one. It was over.

            However, in the parking lot, a scout walked up to me.

            “Hey there, son. I am here to offer you a contract for the Florida Marlins. They are willing to give you a large signing bonus of $2 million. How does that sound?”

            My heart dropped, just as it did when I heard that I was never going to see my mother again on this Earth. However, this time, it was more exciting than depressing.

            “Why are you not offering this contract to Brian?”

            “Brian’s attitude was sub-par. I really appreciated how humble you acted after you hit that timely homerun. Body language is very important.”

            Wow.

            “Well, sir, I think we can make a deal here. This is an offer I cannot refuse. Thank you very much.”

            As I walked away toward Laura, one more tear rolled down my left cheek. My sister never has to work again. I have done it. We have done it.

Short Story: "Steve's Road to the Show"

Curveball outside.

            “Ball one!”

            Change up low.

            “Ball two!”

            Now, he has to throw a fastball down the middle.

            Crack!

            “Going, going… Gone! And the magnificent Steve has done it again, winning the game for the Arrowheads!”

            I can still hear the announcer now. I know that I am good at what I do, but everybody is making me feel like I am better than I really am. Or, do I really live up to all of the hype? Am I, Steve, really “the best baseball player to ever come through Philips County”? Am I really one day “going to represent our small town well in the Major Leagues”? I guess I’ll see how things go after this scout tournament.

            “Steve, I have something to tell you,” said my sister, Laura. I could feel the negative energy in the air.

            “What is it?”

            “I was laid off today. Apparently there were budget cuts, and, of course, they fired me because I am the only Black person.”

            I could see her eyes begin to water with frustration. Ever since Mom died, my older sister worked extremely hard to provide for us. She is only twenty-two years old, and she has been working for six years. I remember when she went on her first day of work; she missed my game-winning hit for the twelve-year-old all-star team that I played for. I never knew my father, because he left my family when my sister was young, and the game was a couple of weeks after Mom’s passing. I celebrated with only my team that day.

            “I was the hardest working person in that entire office!”

            The tears are rolling now.

            In my sympathy for the both of us, I asked, “Maybe you should sue them. They cannot do that to you—or, rather, to us!”

            She reminded me that, “we cannot afford a lawyer. I’ll just have to look for another job.”

            I walked over and gave her a large hug, and promised her that everything would work out. We wept together for about 10 minutes, and proceeded to eat our TV dinners and go to bed.

            All the while, I remembered that I could end our suffering if I lived up to the expectations of my community. I had the first game of the scout tournament coming up, and I was ready. I spent a week in the batting cages, awaiting the tournament.

            Finally, the time came. I showed up in my stir-ups and red jersey. The sweat stains on my hat accurately represented how hard I worked to get to the level I was at. There were a few people over six feet tall, and there were a few people over two-hundred pounds. However, I noticed that I was the only one that was a combination of the two traits. This made me a shoe-in.

            The other catcher, however, was very similar to my size. His name was Brian; I remembered him from the first game of my senior year. That game, he was the one to get the clutch hit and win the game for his team. We were similar sizes, and at similar skill levels.

            Before the game, they recorded pop-up times. Our times were identical at 1.8. I knew that the day would be a challenge. When the game started, we both performed well. We threw out 3 base-stealers each in the first 8 innings. I got us ahead in the games, with my superior hitting skills. Unfortunately, he always got a timely hit to keep his team in the game. I realized that my next, and likely last, at-bat would be very important. Before stepping into the box, I looked at Laura giving me a thumbs-up. Then, I heard mom’s voice in my head:

            “Son, no matter what predicament you are in, or how good things look for you, always stay humble; things can change in a quick hurry. Always be happy for whatever positives you have going on, and do not complain when things are rough.”

            I stepped into the box.

            I remember this pitcher. He pitched for the Venoms in the tournament last year. He struck me out three times that tournament. Each time, he decided to start off with a change-up. That is likely what I will get this time.

            I was right. Crack! I dropped my donated bat and began to round the bases. I knew that the ball would clear the fence; I did not need to look at the ball go out for assurance. As I rounded third base, I looked into the crowd and saw my sister jumping and yelling. I, again, heard my mother’s voice, repeating the same verse. By the time I stepped on home plate, I had a single tear falling down my cheek.

            The next half inning, Brian came up to hit with a runner on base. We were winning 10-9 in the bottom of the ninth inning. There were two outs. I gave the pitcher the signal for a fastball on the outside corner of the plate. Once the ball left the pitcher’s hand, I could see that things would not work out so well. The ball was coming toward the middle of the plate. Crack! Brian hit the walk-off homerun and won the game for his team. He dropped the bat and walked pompously around the bases, all the while staring at the pitcher. This was really disrespectful, but why did it matter? They had one. It was over.

            However, in the parking lot, a scout walked up to me.

            “Hey there, son. I am here to offer you a contract for the Florida Marlins. They are willing to give you a large signing bonus of $2 million. How does that sound?”

            My heart dropped, just as it did when I heard that I was never going to see my mother again on this Earth. However, this time, it was more exciting than depressing.

            “Why are you not offering this contract to Brian?”

            “Brian’s attitude was sub-par. I really appreciated how humble you acted after you hit that timely homerun. Body language is very important.”

            Wow.

            “Well, sir, I think we can make a deal here. This is an offer I cannot refuse. Thank you very much.”

            As I walked away toward Laura, one more tear rolled down my left cheek. My sister never has to work again. I have done it. We have done it.

Short Story Setting

Philip County, Kentucky. usually warm, now harsh weather.

Present day.

Short Story End/ resolution

Steve is offered a contract over Brian because he is more humble. He is able to provide for himself and his sister.

Short Story End/ resolution

Steve is offered a contract over Brian because he is more humble. He is able to provide for himself and his sister.

Short Story Plot/Central Conflict

1. sister gets laid off
2. Steve and Brian both play well in the tournament
3. Steve has a vision from his mother, reminding him to be humble
4. Steve gets a timely hit, but stays humble.
5. Brian gets the game-winning hit, but he shows out and is arrogant

Short Story Character Analysis

1. Steve- Main character. plays baseball and is really good. Wants to help his sister.
2. Laura- sister. very hard working. provides for herself and Steve, since Mom died.
3. Mom- passed away. Always taught children good morals and values. Loved.
4. Brian- another baseball player. just as good as Steve, but arrogant.

Short Story Point of View

This story is written in the first person point of view, narrated by Steve, the main character.

autobiographical narrative

            Have you ever had to put up with somebody, although you really did not want to? I have personally done this many times, unfortunately. One specific time that I can remember was playing baseball for a coach that did not like me. This was quite a test for me.

            When I was ten years old, I played in a baseball league in Ladera, California. I played for The Angels, and after our winning season was over, I was selected to play for the all-star team. The coach of this team was also the coach of the Giants during the regular season. The Angels defeated The Giants on the two occasions that we faced each other. Over these two games, the coach of the Giants gained a strong dislike for the coach of the Angels, and eventually a dislike for the team in general, which included me.

            When practices started for the all-star team, he seemed to be very strict. However, I noticed that he was more lenient to certain kids than others, and I was not one of the lucky few. In fact, I thought that I received some special treatment, in that I was treated worse than everybody else. I was a good player, and I proved that during the regular season, which is why I was selected. Unfortunately, I was told by the coach that I was not good. This seemed to set a tempo for what I figured the rest of the season would be, and I did not like the forthcoming events that I saw. However, I did not quit, because that is not, and has never been, the way that I do things. So, I persevered through numerous practices, withholding comments. I did, unfortunately, learn that I likely was not going to get very much playing time when the games started up.

            Soon, games started, and, sadly, my prediction was correct; I was on the bench for the first game. In addition to being on the bench, I had to bring the equipment to the field. I felt that the coach was purposely burdening me with ample grief. However, I did not complain to the coach. This went on for the first three games.

            At the fourth game, I was overjoyed to hear that I was going to play in the third inning. Unfortunately, the coach sent me to right field. The coach knew what my positions were, and he knew that right field was not one of the positions on the list. However, he insisted on making me play at that position, basically setting me up for failure. I alternated between right field and the bench for the next 3 games. We eventually made it to the sectional finals. Again, I did not play. However, the game went into extra innings. The coach decided to let me play in the seventh inning. I was happy to get the opportunity to help my team win an important nail-biter. I went up to the plate in the eighth inning with a runner on third base and the score tied. I realized that a clutch hit would win the game. The pitcher threw a fastball over the middle of the plate, and I ripped it into left field for the walk-off single. I was praised my almost everybody in a Ladera shirt, including my cousins who came to cheer me on despite my circumstances. The last person to walk up and show his “appreciation” was the coach. All that the ungrateful man did was slap me on the helmet.

            What this experience taught me was that perseverance pays off in the long run. I could have quit at whatever time I desired, but I decided to keep going despite what I had to handle. Also, I learned that you cannot always please everybody, and you have to decide who is important enough to try to make happy.

Persuasive Essay #8

“Many cities suffer from serious air and noise pollution—as well as traffic jams—because of too many cars. Some people feel that cities with extensive public transportation systems should ban passenger cars and force people to walk, bike, or use public transportation. Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not?”

Imagine every time you did something positive you stabbed yourself in the leg. Eventually, you will die. The knife that you are jabbing into your appendage represents pollution. Pollution is the by product of factories, cars, motorcycles, and things of that nature. Everyday people are working in factories. The more they work, the more waste the building emits. Cars a re also driven everyday. Have you ever seen the emissions coming from the tailpipe of a vehicle? A bus, perhaps? Have you ever wondered where the gaseous emissions are going? Well, if you were not aware, it is released into the atmosphere. This pollution is unhealthy, and it accumulates.

            Many people feel that banning passenger cars and forcing people to find other means of transportation, such as public transportation, walking, or biking, is the best way to alleviate the current pollution problem. I believe, however, that this is completely absurd. I think that people are too programmed and used to driving and relying on passenger vehicles for transportation to make such a drastic change to public transportation. Also, people paid good money for the cars that they have, and they deserve to use them. I, however, do not know a solution to the pollution problem, but I am confident that professionals can find a better resolution.

persuasive essay #7

“Many of us spend hours in front of our computers and communicate more by e-mail or instant-messaging than in person. Some people believe that this is good because it helps shy people communicate more openly with others. Others believe that computer communication prevents us from developing interpersonal skills and limits our ability to have meaningful relationships with others. How do you feel about this issue? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.”

If you immediately need to contact your associate, or group member, for some homework problem, what is the first thing you would do to reach them?  One thing that you could do is get on your computer in your room and contact them through Facebook.  Another thing you could possibly do on that computer is contact them through My Space.  Finally, on the computer, you could Instant Message them.  You could do so through America Online Instant Messenger, Yahoo Instant Messenger, or MSN Instant Messenger. You could also use your cellular phone to fix your problem, which most teenagers do.  One possibility is calling the other individual.  Another idea would be to send them a text message.  Finally, you could contact them through a social network, such as Facebook or My Space, or through an Instant Messenger, such as American Online Instant Messenger, Yahoo Instant Messenger, or MSN Instant Messenger, on your phone.  However, there was a time when not everyone had cellular phones and computers in their lives.   In recent days, these things have almost become necessities.  About fifteen years ago, people mostly communicated in person.  They would call people and they would even send an email or a letter in the mail every once in a while.  Communication has drastically changed over the years--especially over the last twenty-or-so years.  I do not know why this is so, but it seems that things are still changing and doing so very quickly.  Will the changes in forms of communication ever slow down?

Persuasive Essay #6

“As part of the ‘war on drugs’ and in reaction to an increase in school violence, many schools across the nation now conduct targeted searches of student lockers and backpacks. Although the Supreme Court has ruled that public school officials have the right to search students’ persons and property when they have reasonable cause to suspect weapons or drugs, many people feel this is a gross violation of students’ privacy. Others feel that since school officials are responsible for the well-being of students while they are in the building, they have the right to search for drugs or weapons at any time. How do you feel about this issue? State your position and explain with specific examples”

Have you ever been invited to smoke something with your friends?  Did they tell you that it would make you feel good and remind you that everybody does it?  Even more important, did you type “attending” in the RSVP?  Did you accept and go “fit in” with everyone else? Unfortunately, many teenagers in the United States of America go through the aforementioned scenario.  What is even more unfortunate is the fact that a great number of these innocent teenagers also accept the invitation.  Smoking marijuana, which is a common issue for teenagers in my environment makes you feel good and makes everything better, according to abusers.  However, according to physicians, the drug kills your brain cells and slowly brings you closer and closer to death.  Smoking cigarettes, according to society is cool.  Smoking cigarettes, according to dentists, stain your teeth.  Smoking cigarettes, according to doctors can lead to lung cancer which can very well lead to death.  To me, smoking anything is just not worth my life.

Well, this just goes to show that teenagers abuse drugs. Also, teenagers go to school. Therefore, there are often drugs at school. Many people would consider that to be a problem. Although I do think that this could be a problem, I do not think that it is worth giving teachers a right to search through students bags. This could bring forth many issues, such as the searchers finding personal items that have nothing to do with what there are looking for. Also, it could be quite embarrassing to have your things searched through for drugs. I do not think that drugs in a bag are very threatening to students that are not holding the drugs.

On the other hand, if it is said that a student is carrying a weapon around, I think that it is a situation in which the student’s bag can be searched, as the weapon can possibly harm other students. So, there are certain scenarios in which the searching students’ bags is applicable, but this is not for all situations.

Comparative Analysis

            Both plays that we viewed seemed that they were not only made to entertain the audience and treat them with a good, viewable show. I believe that the two plays were made to inform the audience about problems that people went through at some stage in American history. These both have to do with problems that American women endured.  However, For Colored Girls was solely about women of color and what they endured after the Vietnam War. These hardships included pregnancies and child abuse, both of which were an effect of unstable Black men. This play took place in New York. The other play, which took place in Chicago in the 1920’s, was about women in general, but in that time period the main group women that were considered were White women. Therefore, this play consisted of White women. It focused on the trials that they had to bear, which included inequality and suffrage. Both plays are informative and capable of forcing people to acknowledge

55

I go to, and have always gone to, public school. Although I have never had the experience of homeschooling, I have heard things about it. I have also seen things on television about homeschooling. There are both differences between the two forms of learning, as well as similarities between the two forms of learning. Homeschooling gives you the advantage of not needing to go anywhere for your education. Also, you do not have to deal with distractions from other students. Finally, you do not have the trouble of 7 different teachers, some of which would probably be difficult to get along with. With public schooling, you get to meet new people. Also, you get to hang out with your friends everyday. You might meet your future spouse in public school. Also, public school somewhat prepares you for college life. Both of these ways of learning result in knowledge. Also, they both are supposed to prepare you for college, and, ultimately, for the carreer of your choice. They both have pros and cons. These are similar, but they also have differences.

54

Understanding and knowledge are two reasonably similar words. Although they do not sound similar, nor do they look similar, their definitions are similar.  They both have to do with your brain, and getting something into that brain. However, they also have differences. Understanding is the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination. This means that understanding is the space in your brain for learning. Another definition for understanding is the cognitive conditionof someeone who understands. This, in summary, means "the act of understanding". Knowledge is the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning. Synonyms of the word "knowledge" are cognition and noesis. So, knowledge is something you know. Everything that you learn is stored in your understanding. This shows the specific relationship between understanding and knowledge. Although they are similar, they do have differences.

53

 If you saw the recent Major League Baseball post-season, then I am sure that you have heard of a man named Josh Hamilton.  Josh Hamilton is the starting center-fielder for the Texas Rangers.  He had an exceptional season in 2010, with the exception of the World Series.  What a lot of people do not know is what led up to his monstrous career.  Josh was signed in 1999.  He was a beast and continued to be one in his first year in the minor leagues.  He soon was in a car accident with his mother.  His mother was hospitalized and he suffered back injuries.  He soon went on to continue playing, but was put on the disabled list.  He was twenty years old, wealthy, and alone for the first time in his life.  He found comfort in a group of guys who hung out at a tattoo parlor and did bad things.   He got a lot of tattoos of the devil, and Jesus and things he did not understand.  He also began experimenting with drugs and alcohol.  He was sent to rehabilitation but became angry and left.  He played off and on for a while, battling injuries and drugs.  He often consumed enough cocaine and alcohol to kill a normal person, but his amazing body pulled him through.  He was suspended until 2004.  He then found God, and quit his habits.  Now he is back on the prowl, hitting bombs.  All things are possible through God.

52

I am sixteen years old, and I am in the 11th grade. This means that I have been in school for eleven years, and this is my 12th. In all of these years I have gone through a lot of classes. This means that I have gone through a lot of teachers. In elementary school we only had one teacher per grade. In middle school, or junior high school, different teachers taught different subjects. In high school different teachers teach different subjects as well. This means that I have gone through a lot of teachers. However, despite all of these teachers, including the math teahcers, the chemistry teachers,  the biology teachers, the English teachers, and the history teachers, I believe that one teacher was especiallt effective in teaching the class. This was my United States History teacher in eighth grade. She was very firm, but she was also pretty easy to talk to. Also, she encouraged questions. I believe that this is very essentil to learning something new. Some people learn at different paces, so questions are a good way to keep the class flowing. Also, our teacher put pressure on us, which made us work hard. Our teacher was very efficient in teaching her students academics and things that we will need in our lives as well.

52

I am sixteen years old, and I am in the 11th grade. This means that I have been in school for eleven years, and this is my 12th. In all of these years I have gone through a lot of classes. This means that I have gone through a lot of teachers. In elementary school we only had one teacher per grade. In middle school, or junior high school, different teachers taught different subjects. In high school different teachers teach different subjects as well. This means that I have gone through a lot of teachers. However, despite all of these teachers, including the math teahcers, the chemistry teachers,  the biology teachers, the English teachers, and the history teachers, I believe that one teacher was especiallt effective in teaching the class. This was my United States History teacher in eighth grade. She was very firm, but she was also pretty easy to talk to. Also, she encouraged questions. I believe that this is very essentil to learning something new. Some people learn at different paces, so questions are a good way to keep the class flowing. Also, our teacher put pressure on us, which made us work hard. Our teacher was very efficient in teaching her students academics and things that we will need in our lives as well.

51

Every school day, which is monday through friday, I have a Health class. This class is 0 period, which means it begins at 7:15 A.M. This, in turn, means that I have to wake up at 5 o'clock A.M. to make sure I get there on time. Also, I hae a Creative Writing class, and although it is not so early in the day, it still affects my schedule. The teacher of this class assigns a lot of work. This means that I am often up late doing this homework. The combination of my 0 period Health class and my homework, I miss out on a lot of sleep (and, in essence, growth). Sleep deprivation, or sleep loss, is not good. Your boody needs sleep to function properly, and it is going to get some sleep one way or another. Unfortunately, you might fall asleep at a vital time. For instance, on occasion, I fall asleep in some of my other classes (ones that have not been mentioned). Although this does not really affect me much, it very easily could. Say, for instance, you fall asleep on lecture notes. What if you miss out on vital information needed to be known for the next test, which is on a day that you are not aware of because you were asleep when the teacher said it? Also, you could fall asleep on the test, which may cause you to fail the test. Sleep deprivation is unhealthy, and just bad.. So, get your sleep every night that you possibly can.

50

Who does not love a feel-good, sports-related movie that they can relate to? Most people enjoy these movies. For me, this movie is The Sandlot. I can relate to it, and it can almost always brighten my mood.

            I love baseball; I love to watch it, I love to have conversations and debates about it, and I definitely love to play it. Baseball is one thing that I have always been able to do that took my mind off of negative things in my life. I have been playing since I was seven years of age. Even when I was younger, my father put me on to baseball, and I loved it.

            Another thing that makes me feel good is an interesting movie. I love comedies, but I also like action and suspenseful movies. However, my favorite type of movie is a sports movie. They usually have good storylines, and they also are often true stories, or based on true stories.

            So, when you combine two of my favorite things that make me happy, it obviously appeals to me. The Sandlot is a movie about a boy that moves to a new town. The boy is smart, gets good grades, and does not play sports, nor does he talk about or watch them. His worried mother sends him out to make friends. He stumbles onto a baseball field, and he sees some other boys there playing. The boy, named Smalls, embarrasses himself when he attempts to throw back the baseball that rolled over by his foot. He revealed his ignorance to the sport, and the other boys laughed at him. He ran home in melancholy. Another day, he was asked to go play with them by one of the boys, names Bennie, who helped him catch and throw. Smalls did well that day, and was invited to participate every day. By this time, he was accepted by the other guys as well.

Smalls became better and better, and hung out with them more and more. They all went through a lot of things together. One day, Bennie knocked the cover off of the only baseball that they had. Smalls went home to get a ball to play with, and grabbed one from his stepfather’s trophy case that was signed by Babe Ruth, not knowing its worth. He ended up hitting it into a yard for his first homerun. Unfortunately, that yard was patrolled by the Beast, who, according to the boys, was the biggest meanest dog ever. The guys put their heads together to figure out a way to get it back, but they came up with nothing.

Bennie had a dream in which Babe Ruth told him to just hop over the fence and get it. The next day, he did so, and ended up being chased around the neighborhood by the Beast. He finally won the battle, but the dog became injured in the struggle, and, despite their fear, the boys helped him, and Smalls lead the way. The boys, the dog, and the dog’s master all ended up friends.

This is my favorite movie because it had a good storyline, good characters, and, of course, it had to do with baseball. Also, the place where they played, named The Sandlot, is like a dream come true for me; I always wanted to be able to walk to a field and play a pick-up game with my friends. Despite my main reason for loving this film, which is the baseball references, I would recommend this film to others. It has a good plot and is a great family film.