Stumptown Kid

I read the book ‘Stumptown Kid’ By Carol Gorman and Ron Findley. This book takes place in the nineteen forties, when segregation was still a little bit of a problem. Charlie Nebraska is a twelve year old boy that loves baseball. One day Charlie decides to try out for the wildcats, a travel baseball team in the town where he lives. Charlie tryout and doesn’t make the team. He’s really disappointed but then he meets Luther Peale. Luther is the first African American person Charlie has ever seen. Luther talks to Charlie and gives him some pointers, and then he asks Charlie if he knows anyone looking for a working man. Charlie takes Luther home with him and asks his mom if she knows anyone that needs some help. So Luther gets a job at a chicken farm. In the couple weeks that follow Luther becomes Charlie’s father figure. He helps Charlie with baseball and problems Charlie has. One day Charlie asks Luther why he came to Iowa. Luther explains to Charlie that he used to be a professional baseball player in the Negro league. One day when Luther was pitching, a drunken batter came to the plate. Luther threw a good pitch but the batter ducked his head and got hit in the head hard enough to be killed. Luther was running away from the batters brother who wanted to kill him. Luther ends up making a baseball team and all the neighborhood kids join. The ones that didn’t make the travel team. Even a couple girls join. Charlie is really happy about the team but he’s been getting bullied by a kid on the travel team so Luther says settle it on the field. ‘The Stumptown Stormers’ were going to play the wildcats. During the game Charlie forgets something in the car so he runs to get it. On his way back he runs into Ruckus, the brother of the dead batter. Ruckus takes Charlie and sets a trap to get Luther to come over. Then Charlie and Luther eventually escape ruckus in the storm sewer where Ruckus drowns while chasing them. Every one says Luther is a hero but Luther is sad he didn’t save Ruckus. Luther tells Charlie he has to leave and go back to Tennessee to see his family. He says maybe you and your mama can come watch me play sometime. Charlie said he would love that. Then Luther says, “I’m gunna miss you…son.”