Throwing Heat

Fred Bowen Sports Story Series

by Fred Bowen

Known for his crazy fastball pitches, Jack has never had a problem striking a batter out. Until now.

This season, he's playing in a new league where the distance to the catcher's mitt is a lot greater, and he can't get seem to get into the strike zone.

Then a baseball coach at a local college shows Jack some new pitches and tells him about Steve Dalkowski, who never made it out of the minor leagues because he wouldn't throw other pitches. At first Jack doesn't listen to the coach's advice, but with the season on the line, he realizes that the coach was right. Is it too late to change his game plan?

In this installment of his Sports Story series, author Fred Bowen shows readers how to battle the ache of disappointment and rise to new challenges. Readers can learn more about pitching phenoms Steve Dalkowski and Sandy Koufax and their Major League Baseball careers in the afterword.

Genres: Sports

128 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

Fred Bowen is the author of Peachtree’s popular Fred Bowen Sports Story and All-Star Sport Story series. A lifelong sports fanatic, he has coached youth league baseball, basketball, and soccer. His kids’ sports column “The Score” appears each week in the KidsPost section of the Washington Post. Bowen lives in Maryland.

Reviews

[Andres · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the theme of this book is to never give up especially when you want to make a sports team

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack has a very lively arm; he throws the fastest pitches in his middle school league. However, he lacks control, while he strikes out a lot of hitters, he also walks almost as many. Since his coach enforces a fairly strict pitch count, he is generally removed from the game long before it has ended. Furthermore, since he tends to lose his control for extended periods, he often walks several batters in an inning, leading to significant rallies by the other teams.
When his sister brings her boyfriend Finn home, after the initial conversation among the family, the subject turns to baseball. Finn is a former college player, not a star by any means, and is now a coach. Finn immediately understands the issue with Jack and tries to teach him how to throw a changeup as well as letting up a bit on the velocity of his fastball, trading speed for better control. Jack resists at first, but after some lackluster performances and learning a valuable lesson in another sport, he agrees to be coached.
As most star players in middle school and little league discover, success at those levels generally does not follow them into the upper levels. To continue to be successful, players must adapt and learn, constantly improving their game and never relying on only one aspect. That is the major lesson of this book and it is well presented and written.

[David Rosen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a good message about listening and learning for teens that typically might not want to do the first part. However, the abrupt ending was pretty unsatisfying.

[Xavier]

Have you ever loved a sport so much you wanted to play it like everday? if you are then you're just like Jack Lerner. The genre of this book in realistic fiction because it can really happen. I think this is a really good because im in to baseball books I like to read about them.
Jack and his friend Jaylin love to play baseball everyday no matter if its raining. Jack can throw 50 miles per hour which is really good for his age. Jaylin throws 46 miles per hour which is also good. Jack and Jaylin are best friends who are in love with baseball. they also gave another friend named Annie who likes to watch them play baseball.
This story takes place in their school and at the park. Jack wanted more people to play baseball with but nobody thought he was good at baseball. so Jack showed them and they said "he really is good at baseball!" and they joined him. Then they would practice everyday for 5 to 6 hours so they can be really good. Jack is really good at baseball. Jaylin is also really good at baseball. Annie is a really nice girl.
I think this book is really good because in my opinion I think baseball is the best sport. I was surprised when the kids joined him in baseball. I was angry about how they didn't believe he was good at baseball. I noticed how the author made him seem really good at baseball. I dont get why the author made it seem like he wasn't a good baseball player when he really was. Jack is the main character and is really good at baseball. My reason why I think this book is good because I like baseball books they are the best. also because Jack is a good baseball player which makes the book more interesting. This book is related to heat they are both about baseball and a boy who really loved it.
I really loved this book especially because its about baseball. I will give this book a 10 because its a very interesting book to read if you like baseball. I would recommend this book to people who like baseball and are big fans!. If you guys really like baseball and will do anything to play it you are just like Jack.

[Emilee Cernosek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading the book Throwing Heat by Fred Bowen. The genre of this book is fiction/sports. If I had to rate this book on a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it a 10 becasue it has alot of action in it. But it also (at the end of the book) tells you the real story of one of the professional baseball players that they talk about in the book.

My favorite part in the book is when they have to win this game to go to the playoffs. The other team is winning 1-0. This kid Jack is pitching and he is not doing bad at all, he only walked one person. The other team just scored that one run on base hits to the outfield.

This book reminded me of my big brother. He pitches for his baseball team. I would like to read other books by this author because he does a great job making the details seem real and explains the details.

The part I really pictured in my head was when they were playing their last game before the playoffs. I pictured Jack pitching and I could see him throwing all strikes and see his defense back him up.

My favorite character in the book is Jack because I can see my big brother in his position. I would recommend this book to those people who like sports, mostly baseball.

Does Jack and his team make it to the playoff? You will have to read to find out!

[Marvin Hatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever like a sport so much you want to play it everyday?

Read this book Throwing Heat this book is amazing because it talks about a kid called Jaylin who wants to be a baseball player so he is a pitcher for his team. The beginning of the book is funny because Jaylin and his friends are at a circus practicing pitching for the game they have but when the game start he throws mostly balls instead of strikes.

My opinion is they should make another book just like this one because when I read it it surprised me because i thought it would be a adult telling the story because of the cover showing a adult.

I liked the ending because Jaylin became a better baseball player and now they call him a lightning pitcher because he throw more strikes then balls and even faster ones.

[braxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a summary not a reveiw.......

Jack a middle school baseball player.
wanted to become a MLB player.
But the new league he plays in every thing is diffrent from before.
So Jack started to practice even harder to get better.
Then Jack started to compare him self to the MLB players to see how good he was but in his new league the hitters dont seem very impressed .


(NOTE..... this is a draft a little help would be great :)

[Everett Glass]

I thought the book was interesting about the sport baseball, there was one part about ping-pong but that's because a ping-pong tournament occurs in it. It taught me a lot about baseball. It was nail-biting and
nerve-racking. The book was also realistic because the main character doesn't always win in it. It wasn't boring, almost every part was exciting. Overall in the book it was exquisite parts of baseball.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack Lerner is a flame thrower. Still in middle school, he is starting to compare his pitching speed with major leaguers, but in a new league the hitters don't seem impressed. Are his baseball dreams only that? How hard does he have to throw? This is the story of a thrower faced with the daunting task of becoming a pitcher.

[Handd51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is clearly written as a high/low book - the maion characters are in wighth grade. But any boy looking for a fast read in the sports fiction realm will enjoy the book. It doesn't break any new ground, but is readable and includes lots of baseball insights. In fact, baseball is drawn more in depth than the characters.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally I can overlook the fact that it's hot a subplot about sports and I hate sports...not here

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throwing Heat is a great book. If you have enjoyed Mike Lupica books, you will enjoy this book even more.