Fielder's Choice

Beneath the baseball and the shuck-and-jive narration is a story about a young man learning to live his own life. -School Library Journal

Andrew Jackson Fielder dreams about pitching in the major leagues. It is an unlikely dream for a kid growing up in Smackover, Arkansas, in 1939. But for Fielder, it comes true, partly due to the afternoons he and his brother spend practicing pitches in a pipe yard down in the south Arkansas oil patch. However, this humorous coming of age story is more about learning to live life and take responsibility for bad decisions than it is about playing baseball.

During World War II, Jackson is shot down and ends up in a prisoner of war camp. Following months of abuse, he is "recruited" by a Japanese admiral who wants his son to pitch like a pro. The boy, a young kamikaze pilot is determined to learn how to throw a "goose ball". His commitment and hard work help Fielder reconnect with his love of baseball and learn valuable life lessons. These baseball stories inspire readers and teach them the importance of trust and responsibility.