The Hero Two Doors Down Read Online Free PDF Page B

introduced Jackie. Then he said softly so we wouldn’t miss a second of Jackie’s at-bat, “Listen closely now, Stevie. You’ll hear what I’m talking about.”
    I bent down until my right ear practically touched the plastic box. Jackie’s hit got him on base, and within minutes he was threatening the pitcher from third base.
Boy, is he fast
, I thought.
    â€œJackie Robinson takes a large lead off third base, waits for the Pirates’ Fritz Ostermueller to take the full windup, and breaks for home!”
    I sat up straight. Tension permeated the hot air. I fixed my gaze on my dad’s face, seeing the joy in it as Jackie stole home base for the first time in his Major League Baseball career! Dad jumped to his feet and lifted me high into the air. Our screams of joy were echoed throughout the neighborhood. At that moment, I knew Jackie Robinson was my guy!
    That was a year earlier. Since then, I’d read Jackie’s book,
My Own Story
, and studied his baseball cards until I was an expert on Jackie’s first year in baseball. The 1947 Dodgers were the first time that a racially mixed team ever played in the championship.
    Now with the 1948 season looming, I wondered how Jackie would do this year. More important, I looked over at the house where Jackie was set to live, I wondered what he was
really
like. The closer I came to actually meeting Jackie Robinson, the more I worried that I’d be disappointed. I really wanted to like him and to have Jackie like me. But what if he was too busy to notice me? Or what if he saw me and didn’t care to get to know me better? Was it even possible for a boy to have a famous man as a friend? I was driving myself nuts trying to figure out who Jackie was, so I decided to ask my mother.
    â€œMom, do you think Jackie’s nice?”
    We were cleaning up my room. Mom stopped vacuuming the rug and looked over at me. “I guess so,” she said. “He’s definitely a strong and courageous man.”
    â€œAnd a great baseball player,” I added. “He’s gonna play second base this year. Dad says that’s his best position. I can’t wait to go to Ebbets Field to see Jackie and Pee Wee work together.”
    â€œYour father told me last night that the Dodgers opening game is on April twentieth against the Giants. The Dodgers home opener is April twenty-third,” Mom said.
    â€œThat’s less than two weeks away!” I exclaimed. “Think Dad will take me to the Dodgers home opener?”
    â€œNot sure, Stephen. But keep up your good behavior at home and school and anything is possible,” Mom replied.
    â€œI’m doing my best,” I said.
    â€œYes, you are,” Mom agreed. “Now put on your shoes and come down to the kitchen for breakfast.”
    I followed my mother to the kitchen. Dad was already at the table with his newspaper in hand. We ate together. Since it was Saturday, I didn’t have school, but my father had to work. Saturdays were Dad’s busiest day. Mom and I were walking Dad to the stoop when I had an idea.
    â€œDad, you make and sell custom shoes, right?”
    â€œThat’s right, son.”
    â€œDo you think you could make a special shoe for Jackie? I bet he’d like that! A cleat that would protect him in case a mean player tried to spike him again.” Dad told me once that players often slid into second base with their cleats pointing forward. It was dangerous and could lead to a serious injury for the second baseman. I didn’t want to see Jackie get hurt!
    â€œYou know, Steve, that is a wonderful idea,” Dad said as he waved good-bye.
    Mom and I picked the brightest cherry blossoms off the giant tree in our front yard. It was still too early to drop by the Robinsons, so we sat at the kitchen table and read the
Archie
comic strip. Mom and her friends liked the love triangle between Archie, Betty, and Veronica. I liked all the crazy things