Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888

by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, Christopher H. Bing (Illustrator)

"And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Mudville-mighty Casey has struck out." Those lines have echoed through the decades, the final stanza of a poem published pseudonymously in the June 3, 1888, issue of the San Francisco Examiner. Its author would rather have seen it forgotten. Instead, Ernest Thayer's poem has taken a well-deserved place as an enduring icon of Americana. Christopher Bing's magnificent version of this immortal ballad of the flailing 19th-century baseball star is rendered as though it had been newly discovered in a hundred-year-old scrapbook. Bing seamlessly weaves real and trompe l'oeil reproductions of artifacts-period baseball cards, tickets, advertisements, and a host of other memorabilia into the narrative to present a rich and multifaceted panorama of a bygone era. A book to be pored over by children, treasured by aficionados of the sport-and given as a gift to all ages: a tragi-comic celebration of heroism and of a golden era of sport.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Sports, Baseball, Childrens, Classics, Historical Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 3, 1888

About the author

Ernest Lawrence Thayer was an American writer and poet who wrote "Casey at the Bat".

Reviews

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer first written in 1888 is the best known baseball poem ever penned. In this classic piece, the Mudville nine trail entering the bottom of the ninth inning, and mighty Casey heads to the plate with a chance to tie the game. According to lore, Casey strikes out on three pitches, leaving both his team and fans dejected. Yet, the beauty of baseball is that the Mudville nine will have another chance to win the next day.

I am hardly a fan of mythology, yet, to me, there is nothing more mythical than baseball lore passed down through the years. I read a version of the poem illustrated by Gerald Fitzgerald that details the determination on Casey's face as he tries his hard to win the game on one swing. The pictures depict small town baseball in time gone by and are a lovely edition to this poem.

Even though I had already read a type of mythology for my classics bingo this year, Casey at the Bat is more my taste. Safe to say, if there is a mythology square for bingo next year, I will probably decide to read a version of Babe Ruth's called shot.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Disney cartoon short of this little story. It’s funny and pretty much the same thing. No one is really into baseball in this house, but my dad is. He played every sport in his high school and he has an enduring love for his baseball cardinals when they were in St. Louis. So my dad is visiting at the moment and I let him read this to everyone while he was here. It was a family story time.

I gave this 4 stars because how they tell the story with old newspaper clippings was really interesting and unique. It really fit the story perfectly. It puts you in the feel of being in baseball.

With everything we did to make the story fun, the kids are not into baseball (me either). The nephew did like the ending where Casey strikes out. He thought that was funny, but that was all he cared for. Still, his Poppy was very entertaining and he put in all the historical commentary and the kids loved seeing Poppy be so silly. He gave this 4 stars for the whole experience. The niece laughed at her Poppy. She said she didn’t care for the story, but it was fun anyway. She enjoyed seeing Poppy swing his hips like he was going to bat. She gave this 3 stars.

[Theo Logos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baseball is poetry in motion, and Casey at the Bat is the most famous of baseball poems. This cleverly creative book of Thayer’s famous poem is formatted as clippings from an old-time newspaper and other mementos contained within a scrapbook. It never once steps out of character - front and back dust-cover blurbs, thanks and acknowledgements, editor's notes, dedication, all the way down to publisher's information, ISBN and Library of Congress data — all maintain this charming illusion.

A tremendous amount of thought and care have gone into creating this book, making it an heirloom quality treasure. Christopher Bing spent time researching the photo archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Sports Museum of New England, as well as various individuals' collections of memorabilia to put together this beautiful and creative volume.

The text is the simple, classic baseball poem penned by Ernest Lawrence Thayer. Each page is rich with detail. The pictures depict a game played in the late nineteenth century, and are painstakingly accurate in period detail, and rendered as engraved newspaper pictures of the period. These pictures are then overlaid with other mementos such as old-time cigarette baseball cards, stereoscopic photos, and clippings from The National Sports Reporter & Gazette, all of which are creatively apropos to the page on which they appear. When the crowd in the poem calls to "kill the umpire!" a clipping from an old catalogue advertising rifled barrel revolvers appears. When they concede that they would bet "even money" on the game if only Casey could come to bat, coinage and paper currency of the time period overlay the picture.

Through the clippings from The National Sports Reporter & Gazette, Bing includes valuable tidbits of baseball history and period trivia. We learn that the overhand pitch was once not allowed, and many opposed its introduction, believing that it would unbalance the game in favor of pitching. One clipping shows that blacks were originally able to play professional baseball until frozen out by unofficial agreements of owners and managers, including Hall of Famer Cap Anson. We even discover the meaning behind the derisive terms "lulu" and "cake" as used in the poem.

Though younger children may enjoy having it read to them and looking at the pictures, this book is most effective with those who can read and appreciate all of the many added charms that it contains. It is a book that can be enjoy at eight, and appreciated even more at eighty. There may be no joy in Mudville, but I'll wager that any baseball fan that receives this book will have more than enough of the stuff to go around.

[K. Anna Kraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have arranged my thoughts on this truly charming poem into a haiku:

"Crowd expectations
Fail to match with the hero,
And his fat ego."

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

Can be read in full here. One of the few poems I like. I know, I know... low/no class/taste when it comes to poetry. (sigh)

[Casey]

Goodreads hard launch

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent presentation of an American classic. I'm an ardent lover of baseball and I've always loved this poem and I was awed by the care and detail the illustrators, editors and publisher put into this edition. Brilliant.

http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/108660...

[Clay Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seasonal read with the Major League Playoffs in full swing. The illustrations add to the story of the poem. Definitely a classic in American literature.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey at the Bat, illustrated and expanded by Patricia Polacco

First published in 1888, in The San Francisco Examiner, Ernest Thayer's famous baseball poem, in which an overconfident batsman strikes out, bringing disappointment and defeat to the Mudville team, has been expanded and reinvented by prolific children's author and artist Patricia Polacco in this charming picture-book, which presents the cocky batsman as a little league player. Using the poem itself as her main text - "The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day: / The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play" - Polacco adds a brief prose narrative at the beginning and end of her book, filling out the story, and giving it an unexpected, and ultimately heartwarming conclusion.

The only one of Polacco's many picture-books that she did not write herself (at least, not in whole), Casey at the Bat presents a unique, and entirely fitting revisionist take on this American classic. Fitting, because Polacco's body of work, as a whole, has a distinctly American ethos - I have seen her books described as "Americana," a judgment with which I would concur - and her artwork is well suited to this tale. I can't say, in all honesty, that Thayer's poem has ever been a personal favorite of mine, but Polacco's presentation certainly makes me feel its hometown charm! Recommended to young baseball enthusiasts, and to fans of the author/artist.

[Cynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series Visions in Poetry consists of illustrated poetry and appeals to young adults dealing with their own angst. Many of us are familiar wit the poem Casey at the Bat, so what makes this poem fresh? The illustrations. Here multiracial inner city kids play ball, many of those kids desperately seeking ways to leave the inner city, including by playing professional sports.

Read for Dewey's 24-Hour Readatho, April 2021.

[Morgan Monty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response: I thought that this poem was good. I however, sometimes couldn´t keep the story line straight. I liked it however because it involved a lot of suspicion and I also like baseball/softball. It had a lot of relation to his team and also to baseball in general.

Plot Summary: This poem was mainly about a tight baseball game. The best batter on the team was most likely not going to be able to get up to bat. However, he does and his teammates get him there. The other team is leading the game with one inning left and ahead by two runs and Casey needed to get up to bat in order for the team to win. Part of the crowd of Caseyś team was leaving because they did not have faith in the team. However, Caseyś team hit and got Casey up to bat. On the first pitch he got hit. He did not want to get onto the base without getting a hit so he waited for the next two pitches. He waited for the second pitch and it was a strike. Casey now has two strikes and is starting to get a little nervous. He then waits patiently for the last pitch and it was a strike; he swung but missed. Casey struck out! His teammates and the crowd were stricken because the best hitter on the team had never before missed a chance to win the game. He was never the same again and neither were his fans.

Recommendation: My recommendation for this poem is for high school students. The grade range would probably be from ninth through tenth grades because the story behind it was a little confusing. I rated this poem with four stars because it was interesting but was a little hard to follow when it explained events that were happening during the game. The story however, behind the poem, was fairly good.

[Beth Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original poem “Casey at the Bat” written by Ernest L. Thayer was first published in the San Francisco Examiner in June of 1888. It tells of the how the much revered Casey struck out in the crucial moments of a baseball game. In this Caldecott Honor version by Christopher Bing, the poem is enhanced by the old fashioned scrapbook motif. It is complete with the torn and yellowed edges of newspaper clippings that relate to various baseball stories of the era as well as equipment sales. Bing includes other artifacts one would find in an old scrapbook such as ticket stubs and old baseball cards. The detailed and carefully executed illustrations draw readers into the moments of the game and the time of the story. I recommend use this book with young students in not only a poetry unit but also a writing unit as an example of ideas for writing as well as organization of text and the presentation of the piece. A wonderful and beautiful book that is a worthwhile addition to any classroom (or home) library.

[Stefanie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated version of the popular Casey and the Bat ballad. I was unfamiliar with this ballad, but from the note at the end of the book, it has been very popular since the late 1800s. The song is written in rhyme which it forces at times. The illustrations are striking and very enjoyable to look at which makes up for the language of the poem. The vocabulary is difficult for children, but with explanation it can be made more clearly. I don't see the content of this book being appealing for children, but I love the illustrations. It's a striking book, but not one I would add to my collection. However, I can see why it received a Caldecott Honor.

[Courtney Nations · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Poetry

Format: Picture book

Awards received: Caldecott Honor Book

Summary: When the outlook for the Mudville nine is looking grim, many fans lose hope. However, a few hold true, thinking that if Casey could get to bat the game could be saved. When not one, but two players get an at bat, the crowed goes wild, for now Casey was advancing to the bat. As fans wait patiently for Casey to whack the cover off the ball, he allows two strikes to pass him. As he stands there ready to make a statement, Casey surprises us all with his mighty swing. Although mighty, the swing hit nothing but air, resulting in Casey striking out.

Critique: The very first page starts out with very heavy baseball terminology. Enough where myself (a veteran softball player) had to reread the passage. Some terminology was, "Mudville nine," "innings." I feel as if this would start the child off with confusion, which could possibly reflect them away from enjoying the book. Complex terms continue throughout the book, like on page 6 it states, "So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat." That sentence hold many complex vocabulary terms that might make the passage difficult for students to understand.

Teaching prompts: On the last page it states, "And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Mudville --mighty Casey has struck out." This would be a wonderful prompt for a writing journal entry. The teacher could provide questions like, "How do you think Casey was feeling after he struck out?" "What do you think the fans were feeling?" This would also be a great way for students to relate text to self. The teacher would have the students connect a time in their life where they might have failed or didn't succeed. They could then write how they were thinking Casey was feeling, in comparison to how they felt that time they failed. Also, this teaches the students that everyone fails, even bug shot baseball players.

Craft elements: The author does a wonderful job keeping the rhythm of the poetry going all throughout the book. This book would allow for examples of blends at the end of the word. For example, on page 13 each line ends in "dirt" and "shirt." After having the students master the end sound of "-irt," they could add the beginning sounds and blend the word together. This pattern continues on many pages throughout the book. Also, this book gives great examples of rhyming words. The teacher could review what rhyming words are and give plenty of examples throughout the text.

[Rachel Cartaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey at the bat is realistic fiction picture book. The book is a poem rather than a story. This book won the Caldecott Honor award for its realistic illustrations and newspaper clippings.

The poem begins with a baseball team that was down two points in the last inning of a game. The team put several players up to bat, and advanced just far enough to put Casey up to bat. As Casey watches the pitcher, there is an ease about him. He knows that he is going to hit a home run, but the first ball that is thrown his way, he doesn't even try to hit. The crowd is in an uproar, and Casey motions for the next ball. Casey ignores the second ball that is thrown his way. Determined, Casey is ready to hit the final ball. He is focused and ready to strike, when all of a sudden he misses and costs the team their game. The theme of the story unfolds in Casey's character. Throughout the poem, Casey is built up as a grand baseball player who never misses. Casey misses the first two swings on purpose, but when it's time for him to hit, he strikes out. This shows that pride indeed does come before a fall.

This book is an excellent children's book because it has a great theme that all students can relate to. The illustrations in this book are captivating, and the setting of the book is very obvious. The author used a poem instead of a traditional method of writing to tell the story, which adds a clever twist to the story line.

This book lends itself to many great foreshadowing exercises. On page ten, Casey advances to the bat. Students can predict what may happen as Casey gets the chance to swing at the ball. On page 16, Casey misses his first ball. The students can be asked to predict why they think he missed it, and if they think he'll get the next one. On page 20, Casey misses his second ball. Knowing that he only has one ball left, the students can be asked if they think he'll cause his team to win or lose.

Since the book is written as a poem, students can practice writing their own poems about sports. Another writing exercise they can participate in is writing about a time when things did not go as planned for them, or turn out the way they had expected, like Casey's situation. This exercise would tie the theme of the story into their writing.

[Mickey Malmgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey at the Bat is as classic as it gets. Ernest L Thayer's poem captures the spirit of 1880s era America through one of the greatest traditions our country has called its own: baseball. Christopher Bing's artwork combines with Thayer's original poem in this Caldecott Honor edition to create an experience of historical realism full of nostalgia and emotion. As the subtitle (A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888) suggests, Thayer's text was completed in 1888, over a hundred years ago. This makes for some tough vocabulary for the modern early reader, but adds to the books sense of history and legend. The text is a poem, and carries a momentum-building rhyme scheme throughout. While some names and information is changed, the story is regarded as near-fact. At least for me, knowledge that a story has impacted real people always makes it impact me harder. Such is the case for Casey at the Bat.

Christopher Bing's images bring the story to life in an exciting new way that evokes the poems old spirit even further. It wasn't the first edition I came across but I think it's my favorite. Bing uses photo collaging to create a resulting scrapbook-like appearance. Each page is one yellowing newspaper, surrounded by ads for old medicines and outdated headlines. The images--black and white sketchy drawings making hearty use of dark lines--are inlaid into the newspaper background as if part of the old issue. Tickets and baseball cards from the late 19th century overlay the images, creating a deeper sense of the history and mystery surrounding this poem.

This book is probably best for read aloud, as the poem's antiquated words and mature rhyme scheme could trip up young readers. It is also valuable in its beautiful moral lesson. Casey is up to bat, his turn having the power to make or break the game. We rally behind him along with the Mudville fans; he gets one strike, two. We believe him when he confidently says his third pitch will bring the win...and by the final page we are taught a valuable lesson that is hard for even the oldest of us to hear sometimes.

[Mandee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based on the original poem “Casey at the Bat” written by Ernest L. Thayer. It was first published in the San Francisco Examiner in June of 1888. It tells of the how the much revered Casey struck out in the crucial moments of a baseball game. It is a ballad. The text is the simple, classic baseball poem penned by Ernest Lawrence Thayer.

Though younger children may enjoy having it read to them and looking at the pictures, this book is most effective with those who can read and appreciate all of the many added charms that it contains. I believe the younger children would enjoy the pictures and having it read to them, but the older children would enjoy reading it themselves. Kindergarten through 5th.

Formatted as clippings from an old-time newspaper contained within a scrapbook with other mementos. Each page is rich with detail. The pictures depict a game and are rendered as engraved newspaper pictures of the period. These pictures are then overlaid with other mementos such as old-time baseball cards, photos, and clippings from The National Sports Reporter & Gazette. When the crowd in the poem calls to "kill the umpire!" a clipping from an old catalog advertising rifled barrel revolvers appears. When they concede that they would bet "even money" on the game if only Casey could come to bat, coinage and paper currency of the time period overlay the picture.
Through the clippings from The National Sports Reporter & Gazette there are also tidbits of baseball history and period trivia.

I really enjoyed how this poem was brought to life with the illustrations. The time that Mr. Bing took to make this look like a scrapbook really impresses me. I also like that the illustrations explain things that we may not understand for example, we discover the meanings behind the terms "lulu" (a remarkable person) and "cake" (handsome, vain, but a weak player) as used in the poem.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of poetic esoterica from the world of American sports. No, it’s not about cricket, you Brits, it’s not hurling, or even other particularly American delicacies such as dwarf-tossing (sorry, couldn’t resist, maybe I should have said jello wrestling?). This is a poem about the sacred sport of American baseball, the “American Pastime,” as captured in probably the most famous (or is it infamous) American sports poem, published in the San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888. Here it is in its entirety given that the American baseball season is now underway in year 2017.

http://www.milb.com/documents/7/3/8/6...

I read it aloud at table this very evening as Cincinnati chili dripped from the chins of my wonderstruck children—who, I quickly note, had never once heard the poem, so—yay—could be surprised by the conclusion. And were! Good times.

Award-winningly (Caldecott Honor Book) with newsprint-like black and white drawings, sepia-washed, by Christopher Bing, including actual clippings from actual 1988 newspapers. Lovely.
And I was kidding, above. I love baseball and can tell you stories about watching every pitch of the 1968 and 1984 World Series to cheer on my beloved Detroit Tigers, and most recently, to watch the 2016 Chicago Cubs win the World Series.

[Marlee Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Casey at the Bat is about a young baseball player, who has such great impact on his hometown team of Mudville. The game was tied and Casey was their last chance, as the crowd got angry with each strike, Casey gave his last hit his best – but the mighty player struck out.

Evaluation: Casey at the Bat is a Caldecott Medal award book. I enjoy reading Casey at the Bat because the pictures are composed in a way to reinforce the literacy. I also like this book because it helps the students as they learn about suspension and how to intrigued readers in their writing.

Teaching Ideas: I would use Casey at the Bat during a writing lesson, focusing on the main character and detail within the story. I would use this book to help students understand how we can use writing to make things sound intense and interesting with the right literary components, such as detail.

[Hannah Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: Casey at the Bat is about a young man who is a baseball player on his hometown team in Mudville. Casey was out in a tough situation as he was up to bat during a tied game. He was his team’s last chance and the crowd begin getting upset with every pitch. Will Casey’s best be good enough?

Evaluation: This book is a Caldecott Honor book. This text is a well composed book with illustrations that are presented in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are on the field. This book will intrigue students with the suspense that it provides and students who play sports will be able to make text to self connections.

Teaching Ideas: I feel this books could be used best in writing to depict the feelings and actions of the main character. This could help students relate to the character on a personal level, especially students who play sports. They could write on being in the Casey’s shoes and how he must have felt when he was up at bat and all the pressure was on him.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Year published: 2000

Grade Level: All

This version of the popular poem has spectacular illustrations to go along with the story. I have always loved this poem and loved sharing it with my group because it has so much meaning for those of us who love baseball. Since I am a Cubs fan, I feel I can really relate to the feeling of the fans when their favorite player and the one who is most likely to succeed actually strikes out!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is laid out like a newspaper and memorabilia scrap book, with the black and white ink illustrations, the newspaper clippings, tickets, money, photos, medals and other memorabilia. The front and back outside covers are reminiscent of a photo album or scrapbook. The author's note on how he created the illustrations is very detailed. There is even an obituary of Thayer included on the inside of the back cover. I can understand why it was given a Caldecott honor.

[Yapha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey at the Bat has been a favorite poem of mine since childhood, and it is now one of my favorite poems to read aloud. The illustrations by Christopher Bing in this version, however, take it to a whole new level. The details are phenomenal and the students are stunned that these are illustrations and not photographs. They really help to bring this classic poem to life for a new generation. Recommended for all ages to share together.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, this is a 4.5 rating for me :-)

A great way to tell the famous Casey at the Bat ballad, full of authentic looking newspaper clippings and other "mementos." Look for the editor's note at the back (in one of those authentic-looking clippings) on the design process for this book. It would make an interesting study in an art class or any area in which you are looking at historical typography and design.

[Jennifer (JenIsNotaBookSnob) · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I was a fan of baseball, I probably would have liked this a lot more. I do like a lot of the historical pieces that are included in this book. You can definitely see why this picked up a Caldecott honor for the illustrations.

I found it enjoyable to read even being a person who does not care at all about baseball. I imagine this would be a very good picture book choice for someone who was even remotely interested in baseball.

[DW]

I adore this series. It takes classic poems and recontextualizes them into a whole new expression by vivid art. Many of the new versions go in unexpected directions. This poem in particular was not that interesting to me on its own. Joe Morse and his illustrations essentially rewrite the poem with a much more powerful message about inner city lived experience and racial tensions. This book is incredible and hard to find these days, but most libraries will carry a copy if you are lucky.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

No joy in Mudville when Casey strikes out. I read this to my son (1st grade) who likes to hit the ball, but doesn't have patience for being on a team. A story about a batter. I'm trying to give him the culture of baseball. I used to play catch for hours. My sons don't really like that so much, yet anyway.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 2 out of 5]

The poem is classic, if overdone, and the illustrations are by Patricia Polacco so what's not to love? But...it isn't her best. The before and after narration, while firmly setting the poem in the Little League field, which is a nice twist, and the end is just a touch saccharin. Altogether, it just doesn't hold up well. Fine for the baseball-loving 3-year-old, though.

[Debbie Hoskins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strongly-designed version with expressionistic illustrations by Joe Morse that are powerful, yet at times beautifully sublime. The famous poem is updated with depictions of graffiti, a young woman with a tattoo, and youth wearing their baseball caps sideways and backwards.

[Madeleine Gockowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book is about the final half inning of a baseball game. This baseball poem was written by Ernest Thayer in 1888 about the team of Mudville 9.