Kid Bats 1.000, But Book Is For Fans Only
The Boy Who Batted 1.000 By Troon McAllister
There is the baseball movie like Field of Dreams that serves as a literary touchpoint for the game about which authors become pretentious. Then there are movies like Eight Men Out and A League of Their Own which attempt in a fictional setting to humanize significant events in baseball history. In a league of its own is the "baseball as magic" movie. Perhaps the best known of these stories is the ageless Roy Hobbs in The Natural and Angels in the Outfield.
The Kid Who Batted 1.000 wants to be more like Redford's Natural, heck, maybe even more, but frequently ends up at in the outfield with those angels. And those helpful outfielders weren't very entertaining no matter what version you watch.
A Baseball Book
Adapted and updated from an old story, The Kid Who Batted 1.000 is rich in baseball lore, tradition and fan love. The mix of anecdotes from all levels of baseball is sufficient to please the player who never went beyond junior high as well as someone who played in the minors. That is a wide range to fill.
But make no mistakes. This is not the children's book from the 1950s. Youngsters will need to be steered clear of language and other adult issues, well into their junior high school years. Others may not see the magic in the moonlight Doc Graham called upon in Field of Dreams, but baseball fans will enjoy the ride.
The Plot In Exactly One Hundred Words
Marvin is a college geek with a special gift. With a savant's uncanny knowledge of geometry and physics, he can make contact with any pitched ball. The balls all go foul since Marvin isn't an athlete, but he wears pitchers down. The smart ones give him an intentional walk when he starts playing for a bad Des Moines professional team. Others throw pitch after pitch, only tiring themselves. Baseball is only an exercise for Marvin, something he does for fun before heading to MIT, and despite a magical future for him as a professional, Marvin stays true to his dream.
What Works Well
One of the best elements in this updated version of The Kid Who Batted 1.000 is that the players seem real. Not Bull Durham real. Not anything Darryl Brock has ever written real, but true enough. That is a satisfying morsel for the baseball fans.
Readers will enjoy Marvin's manager, as well as Marcum's character and how all of characters interact with troubling times.
What Doesn't Work As Well
At its core, if you can't suspend disbelief long enough, The Kid Who Batted 1.000 is just silly. The premise is right out of Flubber-era Disney, the parents are stereotypes and author Troon McAllister seems fixated on writing a Des Moines travelogue. Even the team isn't very believable, with special events at seemingly every game.
The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All
Baseball fans or people who really know Des Moines will find The Kid Who Batted 1.000 interesting. But even baseball purists and hardliners will dismiss the story as a fable and move along. This book is just fine for the whimsical baseball fan, but is not a casual read for anyone else.
Five Things To Remember From This Review
1. This is one for baseball fans or Des Moines residents.
2. Don't look for the sweet fable from two generations ago. This book is updated in more ways than one.
3. The characters are done well...
4. ...but the setting and plot are not.
5. Bonus points for sci-fi/fantasy readers who like baseball. They'll adore this.
