Babe & Me

Baseball Card Adventures #3

by Dan Gutman

On October 1, 1932, during Game Three of the Chicago Cubs -- New York Yankees World Series, Babe Ruth belted a long home run to straightaway centerfield. According to legend, just before he hit, Babe pointed to the bleachers and boldly predicted he would slam the next pitch there.

Did he call the shot or didn't he? Witnesses never agreed. Like other baseball fans, Joe Stoshack wants to know the truth. But unlike other fans, Joe has the astonishing ability to travel through time and solve one of baseball's greatest puzzles....

Genres: Sports, Historical Fiction, Baseball, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Young Adult

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2000

About the author

The author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."

Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like baseball. I don't have a young child at home who likes baseball. It's the time travel scenario that had me interested in reading this book. Also, Babe Ruth is a baseball player that I do know a little bit about. I am from Boston--- and he was The Bambino who placed a curse on my hometown team which has since, of course, been broken. But this is a book about his days as a member of the Yankees, specifically during the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Joe Stoshack is a kid with an amazingly cool ability. He can go back in time while holding old baseball cards. He's always been interested in whether or not Babe Ruth really called his shot in game 3 of the 1932 World Series. So when his dad asks for an old Babe Ruth card back so he can cash it in during a time of financial crisis, Joe comes up with a better idea. He goes back in time with his dad, his dad more interested in scheming to make a fortune off the past, Joe just wanting to see Babe call the shot. The result is some touching father/son bonding over their shared 1932 experiences.

Most surprising to me was the wealth of historical knowledge in this book for kids. Not only do you learn all about the many layers of Babe Ruth as a person (the events are all factual, with a few pictures included) but there is also information about the Depression and the hard times of many people during this time period. There is other historical information about things like the upcoming presidential election, race relations, the rise of Hitler and the soon to come Holocaust.

A very well-written piece of historical fiction for children ages 8-12. So well-written that this 30-something non-sports fan wants to read the rest of the series.

[Owen hubert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book of baseball. If you know a lot about baseball this is a great book for you

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book the FIRST time a read it this was my second time and it felt just to easy!

[Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good and interesting about Babe Ruth calling his shot or not. It really made me think that back in the day even famous people acted like normal everyday people. Nowadays I think people look at famous people as wonderful people and that they are above everyone else just cause people to know their name. I think this book really tells you that because Babe Ruth is one of the most famous baseball players of all time and everyone knows him. In this book, he was around just a normal kid and did normal things like everyone else in the world. I think more people should be like him even if you are famous. Overall I liked this book and I think it was cool how they tried to find out if he really did "call his shot." I'm surprised by the technology that we have that we haven't been able to clear that video up and really see. I also think they might not want to because its better with a story. This is my favorite book by Dan Gutman.

[Dalton Esbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book even once I started to read it and I found out that it was the third book in the series. It still gave a good synopsis of how he got were he was. When he touched a baseball card he got a tingle and it sent he back in time to were the picture on the card was takin or were the thing on the card happened. He got sent back in time to see Babe Ruth. He was at the world series between the cubs and the New York Yankees when Babe Ruth called his shot. I though that the book had amazing description and, had many facts that I didn't know and I thought were very interesting. Thought this book was an easy read but it was also a good and fun read. I enjoyed the and want to read the others in the series.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time Joe brought along his dad, who just got laid off again and has big dreams about making money off of baseball cards. Joe discovers what prices were like in 1932 in the worst part of the Great Depression and that his dad’s dad was the only one out of 11 kids to not be killed in concentration camps. He describes Babe Ruth as big in every way, including kindness. He went out of his way to sign balls for sick kids. He also ate incredibly big meals. But Babe also neglected his own kids. There was a sad scene where Joe’s dad tried to tell Governor Roosevelt about Hitler and concentration camps but was pulled aside by security before he could do so. It was a good story with a few extra additions that might make a baseball mad kid curious to learn more history. Definitely recommended!

[Presten Hodgden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was great book to res and it really kept me going from the beginning to end.the main character Joey wants to travel back in time to see if Babe Ruth really did call his famous shot in the 1932 World Series. When he is back in time it’s like your going back in time because the author makes you feel like your right there in all the action. He is descriptive with his words and is really fun when he uses new words. This book has action and comedy and it’s the perfect mixed. I really enjoyed this book and I’m gonna read more of this series. Overall great book!

[Elliot Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very exciting book about how time travel can really control your life and is a really exciting way to learn about what happens in the past. I feel like I can relate to the kid in this book because he does baseball and so do I, we both also collect baseball cards, but I can't travel back in time like he is able too. His mother is very strict in this book and doesn't like it when her son time travels, but when his dad is in trouble he takes him and his dad back in time to meet and get Babe Ruth's autograph. I would recommend this book to people who like baseball and if someone doesn't like history to read this book, because it tells it in many ways and it is very cool.

[Austin Hubler · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I liked about Babe and me was that Dan Gutman wrote it well. I have always liked his books. He is a really good author. In the book I liked how they loved baseball cards he had a big collection. Joey was at a baseball game and he was up to bat there was baserunners on 1 and 3. He was suppose to hit a good hit to score the runs to win. But he bunted because they would never think he would of done that but he got out and lost. So he was all down on him self plus his mom was behind him cheering for him but she doesn't know baseball and his dad never comes. So after the game they went home and the dad came over and needed to talk to them. The dad said he got fired and didn't know what he could do for a job. Then they brought down stairs a Babe Ruth baseball card. They traveled time and his mom told him not to travel. But he still did and then at the end of the book they started to win all the games and he was happy.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for anyone who likes baseball.

[Zac Wastier · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a slow start but great ending.

[Payten Elijah]

This book is very different. It is just like real life, until he tells you what is special about him. He has a special power to time travel. He can travel by any baseball card. The baseball card has to at least be from the 6o's. He travels back in time to see Babe Ruth call his shot. He gets to see him calling his shot. His dads gets the baseball that he calls his shot with. I think people should read it if they like time travel. People who shouldn't would be people who don't like time travel.

[Courtney Reyes · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book Babe & Me by Dan Gutman is about a boy, Joe, who has a special gift. When he has a baseball card in his hands, he can travel back in time to the year that is printed on the card and experience time back then. He experiences dangers and fun times, but it worries his mom to have him almost die a few times, so she doesn’t like him to do it. When his father, who is not fully in his life, comes by and needs money, the mother allows for him to go back in time but only if the dad goes as well. When Joe and his father go back to see Babe Ruth and the game where he calls his shot, the two ends up bonding. Joe gets to have so many crazy experiences like driving in a car with babe and almost dying, going to the game, sitting in the dugout and so much more. Joe learns a lot about his father too and realizes he is lucky to have him in his life and that he is a good dad.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good because it kept on the edge of my seat, by all of the action and intens moments, like the kid was almost knifed in the gut.

[Logan Kryptowicz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rated Babe And Me by Dan Gutman three stars because it was okay but I did like some parts. Set back in time, the story follows Joe and his father asthey set out on a quest to go back in time to see if Babe Ruth really predicted one of his home runs in the world series. I discovered this book when I was looking through the classroom library. What I liked about it was how they described Babe Ruth. When he was described it made me feel like I was a part of the story and because of this connection I liked some parts of it. I also liked how a lot of the story was based on true events. When the Yankees players were described, it made me think about how nice it would be to meet them and because of this idea I liked some of it. This book teaches the reader the value of a good caring parent because it talks about how Babe Ruth didn’t have good parents and that Joe should be grateful for his dad. I would read another book by this author because I liked the idea of this book. If you read other baseball books and liked them, then you would really enjoy this book.

[the realest Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Joe Stoshack had a chance to solve one of baseball's greatest Controversies During the third game of the 1932 World Series, did Babe Ruth really predict his home run to straightaway centerfield? When Joe has the chance to use one of his baseball cards to travel back to 1932 with his father, . Mr. Stoshack, Joe's father, has been recently been fired from his job, and he has Big Dreams for using the trip to Have babe Ruth Sign a bunch of baseballs and take them to the present and sell them. They Get in New York City, Joe and his dad almost immediately met Babe Ruth, who offered to give them as much autographs as they would like. After seeing him alot, Joe gets to know him personally, and finds Babe Ruth to be a complicated person. The baseball player even gives Joe and his Dad tickets to game three of the World Series, so they join the Yankees on the train to Chicago for the game. When Joe's Dad is thrown out of the game for causing a commotion in trying to get the attention of Franklin Roosevelt, Joe is on his own to see for himself whether or not Babe Ruth predicted his famous hit. After the game, Joe is reunited his father, who amazingly has managed to obtain the ball that Babe Ruth hit for his most famous home run.

[Jacob Constable · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because, the dad is having money problems and the boy can travel back in time by touching baseball cards. The dad wants to go back in time to 1929 to put money in the bank so when they come back that money will be worth millions, but the only problem was it was during the great depression.

[Carson H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this whole series when I was younger. I loved the idea of going back in time to meet some of the very best baseball players ever to live. The kids that travel back in time do it when the find a rare card worth lots of money. When they do travel back in time they learn things about the players for example Babe Ruth that he never would have known before. In this particular book he is trying to see whether or not Babe really called his shot. If you know anything about baseball you would know what that is. But unexpectedly, Babe and the kid bond together and make a really good friendship. I no doubt recommend this book to people who love sports.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read as a kid, Review from 2024)

Another one of these time traveling baseball card books. I was a bit more engaged with this one than Honus and Me as I knew who Babe Ruth was beforehand (Thank You Sandlot!). It was interesting seeing Babe as a more fallible person and I did like how the book prevented the characters from getting rich off of the trip and perhaps more bittersweet, trying to warn America about the impending World War and Holocaust (heavy stuff for a kid series about using time travel to meet famous baseball players).

[Sean Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the 2nd best baseball book I have ever read, well of course Jackie Robinson was 1st. It is still a good book , because you could learn so much about Babe Ruth that you didnt know about him. The author makes clear details of what is happening. You will learn more about baseball history.The thing I enjoyed the most was the adventure he has in the 1930s. I would recommend this book to people who like baseball.

[Brooks Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book a boy named Joe has the power to travel through time. One day Joe's dad comes home and tells Joe and his mom he got fired from his job. And he needed a way to get money. He had a idea to get a lot of money he wanted to sell his Babe Ruth card. Read the book to find out what happens next.

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for people who love baseball and its rich history. A good father son reading as well, has some history reference points in it throughout American history and baseball history.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

great amazing fun book for the kids just an all around great book ps the boys loved it

[Ryan Winkworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book! i recomend it to kids who love sports

[Bowen Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third choice book fourth quarter. The main character is Joe. Joe's dad loved baseball cards and always showed them to Joe. One night, Joe found out that baseball cards are kind of magical by holding a baseball card. Joe was scared of baseball cards and put his hands off the baseball card. One day, Joe was brave enough to even hold a baseball card for a long time then, it made Joe turn back to the time the baseball card is in and Joe told his dad about this. Joe played baseball one day and he was pretty good at it even though he got out once. Later, Joe wanted to see Babe Ruth and asked his dad that if his dad allows Joe to turn back time with a card to 1932 when Babe Ruth was still alive. Joe's dad agreed. One day, Joe's dad decided to turn back time to 1932. Joe held the Babe Ruth card and Joe's dad told Joe to close his eyes. Joe fell asleep and the next day he was not in his house anymore, instead he was siting outside in 1932. Joe and his dad looked around, they say that is was a big city and thought they were in Chicago. Then, a newsboy came over and showed them a news article. The news article was about New York, so Joe's dad asked the newsboy that if they're in Chicago or New York. The newsboy didn't answer and Joe's dad assumed that it's New York. Joe and his dad walked around to find Babe but didn't find Babe. Joe and his dad saw depressed people and realized that it was the time of depression. People were depressed and some were arguing about how to get rid of the depression and make America better. Police came and at first didn't work but then they shot a gun which made it work. Joe and Joe's dad walked and walked. All of sudden, Joe sees people gather around a place. Joe looked more closely and he sees Babe! Joe told his dad that there is Babe and they stopped to see Babe. People asked Babe to sign a signature to them. Joe and his dad wanted a signature from Babe but they were too shy to come up. Joe say a signature of Babe on the floor and grabbed it. A man saw it and said that it's his son's. The man took out his knife and pointed it at Joe. Then, the man's kid came and said that Joe could take it. Joe gave the signature of Babe to the man and the man put his pistol away. Later Babe's servant called Joe over and told him that Babe can give as many signatures for Joe. Babe's servant said that Joe can come over to Babe's house on seventy sixth street. Joe came over to Babe's house and Babe gave Joe signatures on papers and signed balls for Joe. Joe promised not to let Babe sign any more things. Babe came over to the sick kid's house and gave a signature to the sick kid. Later, Babe wanted to give Joe's dad a hundred dollars but Joe's dad didn't want it, instead, he wanted two game tickets to see the baseball game. Joe's dad also wanted Babe to take them to the train. Babe took Joe and Joe's dad to the train station. Joe and Joe's dad got lost but found each other. Babe, Joe, and Joe's dad went on the train and rode the train for hours. After the train arrived, there was people waiting for Babe. Later, A sick kid's dad asked for a signature of Babe and the sick kid's dad told Babe to come over to his house. At the game, Joe and his dad got lost but later, they found each other. Afterwards, the game began. Joe's dad wanted to tell Franklin Roosevelt that German will attack Jews. Roosevelt's security guards thought Joe's dad had weapons in his bag and wanted Roosevelt's security guards wanted to search the bag but Joe's dad said that he doesn't have weapons in the bag. Roosevelt's security thought Joe's dad was going to do something bad to Roosevelt and took Joe's dad away. Babe's team, the Yankees was winning. Babe called a shot and Joe caught the ball even when he was sitting on the bleachers. The Yankees won.Joe was worried where his dad is but later Joe's dad got back. Joe's dad said that Roosevelt's security guard just questioned him and took his bag Babe played baseball the next day. Later, Joe and his dad turned back to regular time and Joe played baseball. Joe was getting better at baseball.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Stoshack is a boy that is a passionate baseball fan, he studies the old players and knows all the best legends about them. He also has the skill of being able to take a baseball card of an old player and somehow channel energy that allows him to travel back in time. To return, he uses a card of a modern player. When he travels back in time, he is automatically sent to a location very close to where the players are in physical and temporal space.
In this story, Joe is fascinated by the legend of Babe Ruth in the third game of the 1932 World Series between the Yankees and the Cubs. According to the story, Babe openly pointed to centerfield moments before he hit the ball to that spot. This legend is a fabrication, every player present said that Babe was being heckled by the Cubs bench and held up one or two fingers and said that he only had two strikes on him or that he had one strike left. His fingers just happened to be pointing that direction.
Joe decides that he wants to attend the game and see the action for himself. His parents are aware of his unique talent, so his dad decides to go with him. Unfortunately, his father spoils much of the story by turning greedy in trying to deposit money so it will draw interest for nearly seventy years, get the Babe to autograph a bag full of baseballs for resale when they return to their own time and to gamble on the known outcome of the series.
Babe Ruth is depicted as an incredibly generous and often irresponsible person. He was in the later stages of his career during this timeframe, when he was overweight and struggled in the field. In many ways he was also sad, reflecting on his childhood when he was abandoned by his father. Some history is also injected into the story as there is the backdrop of the rise of Adolph Hitler to the leadership of Germany.
If you understand the legend of Babe Ruth and how famous he was when he played, then you will understand all aspects of the story. Absent that, you may need to do some supplemental reading. Even though there are modern superstars of sports, none has yet to achieve the incredible fame that was the Babe Ruth persona.

[Jalen Tabaczka · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my book review I am doing the book “Babe & Me” by Dan Gutman. My personal opinions on this book were great! I think that with all the cool things the characters do in the story like travel back in time. They use baseball cards. They grow together. They go from never talking to having to survive in 1930/s era. The funny thing is that it's a father and son trip. They use baseball cards to travel back in time and they meet Babe Ruth. They go to see if Babe called his most famous home run shot or not. What they find out will blow your mind. They do have some problems along the line but it makes it way more interesting.
This book was my favorite book that I've ever read. I'm not lying either, this book pulled me in and made me actually believe like I was there. The figurative language that is used throughout the story is amazing. Also, the way they overcome stuff is also just really cool. The way that his dad and the kid interact from never talking and having to rely on each other is something none of us do nowadays if somebody makes a mistake we hate them forever. They get to meet Babe Ruth and they do a lot of risky stuff. If they forget the card they can be left there forever and never see today's world again. If you like sports and Fiction books that really pull you in, I consider trying this one out. It is really about baseball so if you understood baseball you would really understand the book. So , if you think this book is for you, try it and I promise you won't regret it.

[Andrew Galit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choice book #2 Quarter 4

Babe and me by Dan Gutman is a historical fiction book that takes place when babe called the shot.

The main problem is that the main character Joey wants to find out if babe called the shot or not in a certain part of the baseball game in Chicago.

The main characters are Joey and his dad.
Joey is the main character you see throughout the book. He also had a mother. When ever he touches old baseball cards he can go back in time to see it happen.
Joey's dad is another main character that you see a little later after the start. All he wants is a lot of money.

The thesis is thesis is that you could get what you want, but you may have to make some sacrafices in order to do that.

1. Dad got babe Ruth to sigh 75 baseballs but when he tried to tell the president about something, they got confiscated for it could be weapons.

2. When babe hit that homer, he called the shot and Dad got that ball, but when Joey was heading back home and a baseball went to him, he switched the balls so Joey had the non-homer ball.

3. Even though babe forgot how a man was going to kill him and mistakes the boy for saving his life, he signed the 75 baseballs.

My favorite part of the book is when Babe called the shot of where he would hit the homer. I would recommend this book to people who like baseball and like it says on top of the book, if you like collecting baseball cards. This book did feel complete. Another one of my favorite parts is when he was kind and gave the homer ball to the kids playing.

[Owen Fiske · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILERS>>> I rated Babe and Me by Dan Gutman 3 stars because it just nearly met my expectations, and I wanted to keep reading. Set in New York and Chicago during the 1940s, the story follows a son and his father as they set out on a quest to time travel in order to make money for themselves for the future, but also meet the real Babe Ruth. I discovered this book when I was searching through my local library, and was looking for a quick and easy read. What I really liked about this book was the amount of suspense expressed for the father and son when they were getting into the baseball game. When the father and son were split up, it made me hope that the son would see the called shot to win the game, but I also hoped that they would find each other once again, and because of this experience it met my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. I also liked when the two characters were having dinner with Babe Ruth which made me imagine what Babe Ruth may have been like in his everyday life. When the called shot was described it made me think of how the game went after that and because of this experience, it met my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. This book teaches the reader that not everything is always about wealth, due to the fact that the best memories are made when having fun. I would not read another book by this author because it felt like this book was intended for a younger crowd. If you read fiction or sports books and liked it, then you would really enjoy this book.

[Caleb Ensminger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the 3rd book in this baseball card series. In this book and young boy named Joe Stoschack really want to know if Babe Ruth called his shot before hitting his home run in the 1932 World Series. Joe is able to use his Babe Ruth baseball card to go back in time and meet Babe Ruth. Joe takes his father back in time with them and they have a few meetings with Ruth. During one of these encounters Ruth gives Joe and his father tickets to see the 1932 World Series. Joe finally had the opportunity to see if Babe Ruth really called his shot or not.

This was a book that I really enjoyed reading as a middle schooler, and honestly I even liked reading it at 20 years old. I was so engaged to this book and everything it because I am such a big baseball fan and it displays baseball history so well. This is a book that will for sure be in my classroom library. Students who love baseball will really enjoy reading this book. It would be hard to use this book in a lesson due to the fact that not every student will be very interested in the history of baseball. I could maybe use parts of the book when talking about U.S. History. Babe Ruth and the Yankees were a huge deal in the 1930s and they really helped with the culture of New York.