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ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSAn old teammate from the Brooklyn Dodgers narrates this book and claims Sandy Koufax was the greatest lefty ever to pitch. But growing up, nobody would have guessed it. Sandy is a Jewish kid from Brooklyn who is known more for basketball than baseball, and scouts only start paying attention after they hear about him throwing hard in sandlot games at Dyker Field. The Dodgers sign him when he is just nineteen, but the pitcher who joins the team is nothing like the legend the narrator describes. He walks batters, throws wild pitches, and keeps to himself, and some of his own teammates do not like him much. The book sets up a puzzle: how this wild, unpredictable rookie turns into a pitcher that even the toughest hitters in baseball cannot touch.
Free Battle of the Books questions for You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book do rumors spread that a Jewish kid from Brooklyn could throw as hard as a pro?
✓ Answer
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter
Even though Sandy Koufax was known around town for basketball, word got out about his arm. Those rumors are exactly what brought the major league scouts out to watch him.
- First half
In what book does a quiet ballplayer not once curse or argue with the umpires?
✓ Answer
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter
The narrator lists it as one more reason some teammates found Sandy Koufax hard to warm up to. On a rowdy ball club, being that calm made him seem like an outsider.
- First half
In what book is a big California ace expected to teach a nervous teammate how to relax?
✓ Answer
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter
Don Drysdale was a big, hard throwing star, and the Dodgers hoped some of his easy confidence would rub off on Sandy Koufax once they shared a starting rotation. It did not work, at least not yet.
- Second half
In what book does a catcher say, "We got nine guys on this team who can field"?
✓ Answer
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter
Norm Sherry is telling Koufax to relax and let the batter hit the ball, because the defense behind him can handle it. The whole book builds to this piece of advice, since Koufax's problem was always throwing too hard rather than throwing accurately.
- Second half
In what book does a sore elbow soak in a bucket of ice water after games?
✓ Answer
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter
After every start, Koufax had to bury his aching arm in ice just to get through to the next game. The narrator piles up these details so readers understand he kept pitching through real pain.
- Near the end
In what book is a pitcher compared to "the Greek god of baseball"?
✓ Answer
You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! by Jonah Winter
This is how the old teammate describes Koufax in mid windup near the end of the story. Coming from a narrator who spends most of the book teasing and grumbling, the praise lands hard.
