Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series
- Subject
- Native American
- Age
- 6-8 years
- Format
- Hardcover
- Pages
- 48
- Publisher
- Penguin Young Readers Group
- Size
- 23.0 cm Ć 28.6 cm
- ISBN
- 9780593406472
The true story of John Meyers and Charles Bender, who in 1911 became the first two Native pro baseball players to face off in a World Series. This picture book teaches important lessons about resilience, doing what you love in the face of injustice, and the fight for Native American representation in sports.
Charles Bender grew up on the White Earth Reservation in Northwestern Minnesota. John Meyers was raised on the Cahuilla reservation in Southern California. Despite their mutual respect for each other's talents and their shared dedication to Native representation in baseball, the media was determined to pit them against each other.
However, they never gave up on their dreams of being pro baseball players and didnāt let the supposed rivalry created by the media or the racism they faced within the stadium stop them. They continued to break barriers and went on to play a combined total of nine championships.
With text by Traci Sorell and illustrations by Arigon Starr that brings these two players to life, the stories of John Meyers and Charles Bender remain an inspiration for achieving and maintaining oneās dreams in the face of prejudice.
Charles Bender grew up on the White Earth Reservation in Northwestern Minnesota. John Meyers was raised on the Cahuilla reservation in Southern California. Despite their mutual respect for each other's talents and their shared dedication to Native representation in baseball, the media was determined to pit them against each other.
However, they never gave up on their dreams of being pro baseball players and didnāt let the supposed rivalry created by the media or the racism they faced within the stadium stop them. They continued to break barriers and went on to play a combined total of nine championships.
With text by Traci Sorell and illustrations by Arigon Starr that brings these two players to life, the stories of John Meyers and Charles Bender remain an inspiration for achieving and maintaining oneās dreams in the face of prejudice.
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What reviewers said
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2023
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023
American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) Best of 2023 List
2024 Texas Topaz Nonļ¬ction Reading List (Unanimous Recommendations)
ILA 2024 Notable Books for a Global Society
2024 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor
NCSS-CBC 2024 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
2024 Bank Street Best Childrenās Books
2024 Carter G. Woodson Award ā Middle Level Winner
2024 MSTA Reading Circle Best New Books for Missouri Students Reading List (Missouri)
āA lesser-known but significant encounter with all-too-current resonances.ā
ā. . . an excellent addition to the sports shelves as well as diversity units.ā
āThis has broad appeal for history buffs, sports fans, and social-justice minded kids.ā
āA first purchase for any library.ā
āCaptures the emotions of families separated by war while introducing the reader to a part of history that is often erased.ā
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