Baseball Pals
About
Jimmie learns an important lesson about the misuse of power when he is elected captain of his baseball team and makes decisions that are not in the team's best interests.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Describe the setting of this story.
Page 3 — On the ballfield; the characters of the story were gathered talking about which position everyone would play; autumn time
3
Who convinced everyone he was to be the pitcher and how did he do it?
Page 3 — Jimmie; he was the new team captain, he said he’d been practicing all summer, and he found other positions for the team members to play
3
Why did Ervie make Jimmie feel unsettled?
Page 8 — Jimmie didn’t know if Ervie was happy or not; Ervie looked at Paul in a certain way
8
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Why wasn’t Tiny playing with Jimmie’s team this year?
Page 9 — The Red Rockets had already asked him to be on their team and gave him a jersey
9
Describe Jimmie’s experience while he was pitching in this chapter.
Page 15 — He struggled getting it over the plate and walked two guys. Then he slowed down his pitches and the batters hit them
15
Why was Jimmie pleased with himself at the end of the chapter?
Page 18 — He hit a ball way out in the field and made it to third base
18
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Who’s the team’s new manager?
Page 19 — Mr. Nichols
19
After the game why did Ervie want to go home?
Page 22 — He was hungry and it was getting late
22
How does Jimmie feel about Ervie?
Page 22 — He wishes he didn’t have to bring him with him to the field; he’s impatient with him
22
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
Why did Jimmie lie to his mom about coming home on time?
Page 26 — He didn’t want to come home on time and wanted to stay at the field
26
When Jimmie went to Paul’s after dinner, what did he find Paul doing?
Page 28 — Practicing his pitching
28
What was the news Tiny told Jimmie at the end of this chapter?
Page 31 — Paul wasn’t playing the Planets, instead he was going to play with the Red Rockets
31
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Summarize what happened in this chapter.
Page 35 — Jimmie went home and to his room. He was upset about Paul joining the other team, and got angry to the point that he decided he didn’t care anymore, then he went to play with Ervie
35
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
How did Mr. Nichols react to Paul leaving the team?
Page 38 — He said it was ok and that Jimmie could become a good pitcher too with practice
38
Who went out to pitch after Jimmie continued to throw bad pitches during batting practice?
Page 41 — Mr. Nichols
41
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why did Jimmie go to Mose’s house early Saturday morning?
Page 43 — To practice pitching since Mose was going to be the catcher
43
How did Jimmie do while he was practicing?
Page 44 — Not very well; he never threw to the mitt
44
Why did the umpire yell “Balk!” when Jimmie was winding up before a pitch?
Page 46 — A pitcher can’t wind up if there are men on base, because after a pitcher winds up, he can’t stop and throw it to the base to get them out
46
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
Find a simile at the top of page 52.
Page 52 — Jimmie ran like a deer
52
Who won, the Mohawks or the Planets?
Page 53 — The Mohawks
53
Why didn’t Ervie think the Planets were going to win any games in the league?
Page 55 — He said they didn’t have a good pitcher
55
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Where did Jimmie go with his father?
Page 56 — Fishing
56
What important lesson did Mr. Todd teach Jimmie while they were fishing?
Page 61 — To be patient and to keep at something if you want it
61
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
What was Jimmie’s plan so Paul would come and watch TV with him that evening?
Page 63 — Have his mom invite over his parents and Paul would come over too
63
What did Ervie say that made Jimmie mad and run out of the room when the Karoski’s came over?
Page 66 — that Paul was mad at Jimmie because they both wanted to pitch for the Planets
66
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Who did Jimmie see during their Sunday walk and how did he feel?
Page 68 — Some boys playing baseball from his team and Paul was pitching; made him mad
68
Why did the praise, Jimmie’s dad said about Paul, hurt Jimmie?
Page 71 — His own dad said that Paul had really nice form and was going to be a great pitcher one day when Jimmie struggled at being a pitcher
71
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What secret did Jimmie tell Wishy?
Page 75 — That Jimmie doesn’t think he’ll be a pitcher and instead he should play infield
75
What did Wishy help Jimmie practice?
Page 76 — Catching grounders
76
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why was Jimmie feeling confident, like he could hit anything?
Page 80 — He had decided not to be pitcher and felt good about his decision
80
What position did Jimmie play for the last two innings?
Page 85 — First basemen
85
Whose name did Jimmie cry out when he was cheering for the pitcher?
Page 86 — Paul’s name
86
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
When does the team list need to be turned in?
Page 87 — Before Thursday
87
Why was Mr. Nichols impressed with Jimmie as he practiced playing infield?
Page 90 — He didn’t realize Jimmie was so good
90
Chapter 15
Comprehension questions
Why did Jimmie take Ervie along to see Paul?
Page 91 — He didn’t want to be alone to talk to Paul
91
Why was Paul’s mom upset when Jimmie told her Paul left in a blue car?
Page 98 — She was worried about him and sad that he didn’t tell her where he was going
98
Chapter 16
Comprehension questions
Why was Paul gone for four hours?
Page 101 — His cousin asked him to go for a ride, but only thought it would be a half hour, then as they got to the lake the car stopped, and they had to get a ride home from somebody
101
How did Paul respond when Jimmie told him he could pitch for the Planets?
Page 103 — He said he was already pitching for the Red Rockets
103
Chapter 17
Comprehension questions
Who was in the alley waiting to talk to Jimmie?
Page 106 — Paul with team members from the Planets
106
How did Wishy convince Paul to come play for the Planets?
Page 108 — He gathered other team members, took them over to Paul’s house, and they talked him into it
108
Why did Jimmie want Mr. Nichols to call the Red Rockets manager about Paul switching teams?
Page 110 — He was worried what the other manager would say
110
Chapter 18
Comprehension questions
How did Jimmie feel as he played short stop?
Page 112 — Confident; happy; had fun; enjoyed playing
112
Who won the game?
Page 117 — The Planets
117
What was more important to Jimmie than winning the game?
Having Paul on the team 117
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