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Extra Innings
Crippled in a plane crash, sixteen-year-old Tale Stonemason's dreams of becoming a professional baseball player are gone forever, but turning to his great-grandfather and great-aunt, Tale finds unexpected comfort in their tales that help him get through his difficult recovery. Reprint.
- GenresSportsHistorical Fiction
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
19 people want to read
About the author
Robert Newton Peck
86 books82 followersRobert Newton Peck is an American author of books for young adults. His titles include Soup and A Day No Pigs Would Die. He claims to have been born on February 17, 1928, in Vermont, but has refused to specify where. Similarly, he claims to have graduated from a high school in Texas, which he has also refused to identify. Some sources state that he was born in Nashville, Tennessee (supposedly where his mother was born, though other sources indicate she was born in Ticonderoga, New York, and that Peck, himself, may have been born there). The only reasonably certain Vermont connection is that his father was born in Cornwall.
Peck has written over sixty books including a great book explaining his childhood to becoming a teenager working on the farm called: A Day no Pigs would Die
He was a smart student, although his schooling was cut short by World War II. During and shortly after the conflict, he served as a machine-gunner in the U.S. Army 88th Infantry Division. Upon returning to the United States, he entered Rollins College, graduating in 1953. He then entered Cornell Law School, but never finished his course of study.
Newton married Dorothy Anne Houston and fathered two children, Anne and Christopher. The best man at the wedding and the godfather to the children was Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood fame.
A Day No Pigs Would Die was his first novel, published in 1972 when he was already 44 years old. From then on he continued his lifelong journey through literature. To date, he has been credited for writing 55 fiction books, 6 nonfiction books, 35 songs, 3 television specials and over a hundred poems.
Several of his historical novels are about Fort Ticonderoga: Fawn, Hang for Treason, The King's Iron.
In 1993, Peck was diagnosed with oral cancer, but survived. As of 2005, he was living in Longwood, Florida, where he has in the past served as the director of the Rollins College Writers Conference. Peck sings in a barbershop quartet, plays ragtime piano, and is an enthusiastic speaker. His hobby is visiting schools, "to turn kids on to books."
—From Wikipedia
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-n...
Peck has written over sixty books including a great book explaining his childhood to becoming a teenager working on the farm called: A Day no Pigs would Die
He was a smart student, although his schooling was cut short by World War II. During and shortly after the conflict, he served as a machine-gunner in the U.S. Army 88th Infantry Division. Upon returning to the United States, he entered Rollins College, graduating in 1953. He then entered Cornell Law School, but never finished his course of study.
Newton married Dorothy Anne Houston and fathered two children, Anne and Christopher. The best man at the wedding and the godfather to the children was Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood fame.
A Day No Pigs Would Die was his first novel, published in 1972 when he was already 44 years old. From then on he continued his lifelong journey through literature. To date, he has been credited for writing 55 fiction books, 6 nonfiction books, 35 songs, 3 television specials and over a hundred poems.
Several of his historical novels are about Fort Ticonderoga: Fawn, Hang for Treason, The King's Iron.
In 1993, Peck was diagnosed with oral cancer, but survived. As of 2005, he was living in Longwood, Florida, where he has in the past served as the director of the Rollins College Writers Conference. Peck sings in a barbershop quartet, plays ragtime piano, and is an enthusiastic speaker. His hobby is visiting schools, "to turn kids on to books."
—From Wikipedia
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-n...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 20, 2009
Great story about the Ethiopian Clowns, a black baseball team similar to the "Harlem Globetrotters"!
Vidalia, is taken in and raised by the team then is raised by a young white couple.
Vidalia tells the whole story to the young heir of the stonemason.
Vidalia, is taken in and raised by the team then is raised by a young white couple.
Vidalia tells the whole story to the young heir of the stonemason.
April 18, 2025
This took a lot for me to get through. At points, it felt like the author was just trying to get every slang term in the book. Also, I struggle with white dudes writing about the struggles of people of color in the 1930s. Peck even goes as far as to write dialogue between Viddy (POC) and the old patriarch of the family that she agreed to rather have had Robert E. Lee be president? Um, no.
May 6, 2016
I think that Robert Newton Peck wrote Extra Innings for two main purposes. One of the reasons came off pretty clearly. This reason is that one should not give up on their dreams. The main character of the book is Tate Stonemason, and at a young age, Tate loses his family in a plane crash. In this plane crash, he also seriously injures his leg which makes his dream of playing professional baseball unrealistic. Therefore, he lives with his great-aunt named Vidalia; she tells Tate all about her experiences. Lastly, I think Peck is secretly teaching us a little bit about the Great Depression which is when Vidalia lived.
The theme of Extra Innings comes off very clearly, and that theme is never give up or to keep on dreaming. Even with the tragic event in Tate’s childhood, he never stops dreaming and is still a happy person. Even though Tate knows that a future in baseball is very unlikely, he still loves the game. Along with his natural love for the sport, Aunt Vidalia tells Tate all of her baseball stories. All of her stories revolved around her time with the Ethiopian Clowns, a team that played during the Great Depression. She told these stories so that Tate would have a better understanding of this time.
This book is written as a narration. At certain times in this book, it was almost like a narration inside of a narration because of the stories that Aunt Vidalia told. Robert Newton Peck wrote this book very interestingly. He wrote it from three points of view: Tate’s, Aunt Vidalia’s, and the general public’s views. Surprisingly, very little of the book is written from Tate’s point of view. The way that the author writes also helps the reader better understand the Great Depression.
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. I thought this book would contain a lot more baseball and not nearly as much Great Depression. I did not really like how the author kept changing the point of view for the reader. It made the book much more complicated while not adding much more quality to the book. The only books that I have read that could barely relate to this book are all baseball books, almost all of them being written by Mike Lupica. In conclusion, I think this book is an easy, quick, yet good read.
The theme of Extra Innings comes off very clearly, and that theme is never give up or to keep on dreaming. Even with the tragic event in Tate’s childhood, he never stops dreaming and is still a happy person. Even though Tate knows that a future in baseball is very unlikely, he still loves the game. Along with his natural love for the sport, Aunt Vidalia tells Tate all of her baseball stories. All of her stories revolved around her time with the Ethiopian Clowns, a team that played during the Great Depression. She told these stories so that Tate would have a better understanding of this time.
This book is written as a narration. At certain times in this book, it was almost like a narration inside of a narration because of the stories that Aunt Vidalia told. Robert Newton Peck wrote this book very interestingly. He wrote it from three points of view: Tate’s, Aunt Vidalia’s, and the general public’s views. Surprisingly, very little of the book is written from Tate’s point of view. The way that the author writes also helps the reader better understand the Great Depression.
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good. I thought this book would contain a lot more baseball and not nearly as much Great Depression. I did not really like how the author kept changing the point of view for the reader. It made the book much more complicated while not adding much more quality to the book. The only books that I have read that could barely relate to this book are all baseball books, almost all of them being written by Mike Lupica. In conclusion, I think this book is an easy, quick, yet good read.
March 18, 2012
Tate Stonemason has big dreams of playing pro baseball but after a tragic plane crash kills his family and paternal grandparents and brutally injures Tate’s leg he fears that the only place he will ever play pro baseball will be in his dreams. Tate is taken in by his great-grandfather Abbott and great-aunt Vidalia. Aunt Viddy tells Tate about her childhood during the Depression-era and the traveling baseball team she played on called Ethiopia’s Clowns. Tate enjoys listening to Aunt Viddy’s stories but he is still very angry and heartbroken about his own life. Tate wonders if he will be able to play baseball ever again or if the plane crash really did take everything away from him including his future.
The novel is mainly told from the adult’s point of view. I think it would have been interesting to get deeper into Tate’s point of view. Extra Innings includes very strong themes and lessons to be learned at a young age dealing with grief, loss, courage, and determination. The reader questions whether or not even if Tate heals physically if he will be ready to play ball mentally. Great for baseball fans; also a great introduction into racial conflicts during the 1900s.
Tate Stonemason: Fantastic baseball pitcher who dreams of playing Pro Baseball. Survives a terrible plane crash but suffers a leg injury that may have taken away his dreams of playing ball along with his family. Tate must find a way to heal mentally as well as physically.
Abbott: Tate’s very supportive great-grandfather.
Vidalia: Tate’s great-aunt. She played on a traveling African-American Baseball League during the Depression-era. Her stories encourage Tate as well as give insight into the racial conflicts during the era.
The novel is mainly told from the adult’s point of view. I think it would have been interesting to get deeper into Tate’s point of view. Extra Innings includes very strong themes and lessons to be learned at a young age dealing with grief, loss, courage, and determination. The reader questions whether or not even if Tate heals physically if he will be ready to play ball mentally. Great for baseball fans; also a great introduction into racial conflicts during the 1900s.
Tate Stonemason: Fantastic baseball pitcher who dreams of playing Pro Baseball. Survives a terrible plane crash but suffers a leg injury that may have taken away his dreams of playing ball along with his family. Tate must find a way to heal mentally as well as physically.
Abbott: Tate’s very supportive great-grandfather.
Vidalia: Tate’s great-aunt. She played on a traveling African-American Baseball League during the Depression-era. Her stories encourage Tate as well as give insight into the racial conflicts during the era.
October 10, 2015
I think the purpose for Robert Newton Peck writing this book was to help us understand a kid with a dream of playing pro baseball. But, after a tragic plane crash kills his family and paternal grandparents and brutally injuries his leg, he could never play baseball again. Also the author is trying to help us understand what happened through the 1920s-1930s,”The Great Depression.”
The theme of this book is for you to never give up on your dreams and goals. Although Tate has had a tragic past with his family dying in a plane crash and him messing up his leg, he has to move on and keep looking at his goals and dreams. In the book he never gave up on loving baseball, he might not be able to play but he never gave up on it. Tate’s Aunt Vidalia tells Tate her experience with baseball when she traveled with the Ethiopia Clowns, a Depression-era baseball team. Aunt Vidalia told these stories in order for Tate to have a better understanding of the Great Depression and to never give up.
The style of the book is description. Robert Newton Peck is telling the story from three different points of view. The author does a great job of explaining how Tate deals with his loss of his family and his determination of moving on with his life. The description of the Great Depression helps the reader to feel like they are experiencing it themselves.
Overall, I really liked the book. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys sports. But, also this book gave me a better understanding of the Great Depression and how to cope with death and the grief that follows. It also brings out the reality of what can happen to your dreams when faced with a tragedy.
The theme of this book is for you to never give up on your dreams and goals. Although Tate has had a tragic past with his family dying in a plane crash and him messing up his leg, he has to move on and keep looking at his goals and dreams. In the book he never gave up on loving baseball, he might not be able to play but he never gave up on it. Tate’s Aunt Vidalia tells Tate her experience with baseball when she traveled with the Ethiopia Clowns, a Depression-era baseball team. Aunt Vidalia told these stories in order for Tate to have a better understanding of the Great Depression and to never give up.
The style of the book is description. Robert Newton Peck is telling the story from three different points of view. The author does a great job of explaining how Tate deals with his loss of his family and his determination of moving on with his life. The description of the Great Depression helps the reader to feel like they are experiencing it themselves.
Overall, I really liked the book. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys sports. But, also this book gave me a better understanding of the Great Depression and how to cope with death and the grief that follows. It also brings out the reality of what can happen to your dreams when faced with a tragedy.
September 3, 2009
This novel’s cover and title are somewhat deceiving, since the teenage protagonist never plays ball during the novel, and 2/3 of the novel is told from the point of adults. The novel is primarily a novel of character, told from three points of view. Sixteen year old Tate Stonemason’s parents, paternal grandparents, and adored sister are killed in a plane crash that mangles his leg, ending hopes of future baseball greatness. His great aunt (adopted African American) Vidalia encourages him by telling the story of her upbringing by two African American ball players, members of a traveling black team during the late 20’s and early 30’s. The novel is sweet, but I’m not sure it would appeal to teen readers. Positive with themes concerning facing death, courage in grieving and facing tragedy.
October 23, 2015
I didn't like the book Extra Innings. On one had the book was about baseball, which I like. On the other hand, the book switched point of views very often. I didn't understand the book till it was over, when I realized it was flashbacks and different points of views. It was about a guy that was a good baseball player, but got hurt in a plane crash. He was the only to survive out of 7 people. He had to push through many obstales.
January 30, 2017
It was a really good book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews