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Lena Blackburne loved baseball. He watched it, he played it, he coached it. But he didn't love the ways players broke in new baseballs. Tired of soggy, blackened, stinky baseballs, he found a better way. Thanks to a well-timed fishing trip and a top-secret mud recipe, Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud was born. For seventy-five years, baseball teams have used Lena's magic mud to prepare baseballs before every game. Read the story of how Lena's mud went from a riverbank to the major leagues and all the way to the Hall of Fame. "This story is sure to hook young baseball fans with its action-packed illustrations and unique subject matter. Kelly begins with Lena Blackburne's baseball career, as a coach he discovered the dark New Jersey mud now rubbed on baseballs and for which he is famous. This magic mud solved the problem of slippery baseballs and solidified Blackburne's place in the Hall of Fame. Dominguez's illustrations make each page pop with fast-paced baseball action. Simple text keeps the story moving, and will be interesting to young readers; however, for the details about Blackwood's mud readers will have to go to the author's note. The book is an excellent way to engage young sports fans and could easily be used as a bridge for interdisciplinary activities. The story may inspire a few science fair projects as students test the various shine remedies for themselves. Students and educators can access additional resources on the publisher's website." -Library Media Connection "Kids looking for a quirky topic to fill an assignment on inventors are going to appreciate this picture-book biography. The invention of 'baseball mud' came about because new baseballs were too shiny and slick for pitchers to get a good grip, and the sheen blinded batters. Many methods were used to remedy this, from soaking the balls in dirty water, which made them soggy and soft, to using spit and tobacco juice, which was just, well, nasty. Enter Lena Blackburne, a baseball player with limited success who eventually settled into coaching in the early part of the twentieth century. While he was fishing near his home, the mud sticking to his boots gave him the idea of rubbing it on baseballs, and Lena Blackburne's Baseball Rubbing Mud was born. Today all baseballs used in major league games are rubbed with this mud. The colorful, exaggerated paintings artfully (and comically) capture the full allure of ballpark ambiance by including plenty of behind-the-scenes activity. The information provided in the minimal text is bolstered by a solid two-page author's note." -Booklist "A baseball entrepreneur finds a solution to a long-standing technical problem. Lena Blackburne was at best a journeyman player. He played several positions for several teams, and later, he became a coach just to remain a part of the game he loved. In the first part of the 20th century, new baseballs were hard to handle since they were too shiny and slick, so many different methods were used to dull them. Shoe polish, spit, tobacco juice and dirty water were all tried, but each caused additional problems, as did employing only old, beat-up balls for the entire game. Blackburne was determined to find a better way. When he serendipitously stepped into some soft, gooey, gritty mud at a fishing hole near his home, he brought some to the ballpark, tried it out on some new baseballs and produced perfect results. At first, he provided them only for his own team, but then he sold tubs of the mud to all professional teams. Eventually it became-and still is-the only substance allowed on any baseball. Kelly provides information about an unusual aspect of the game in a sprightly, entertaining story with a great 'aha' moment. Dominguez's bright, expressive double-page spreads follow the events closely and make them live. For young fans who love the odd, fun details of baseball." -Kirkus Reviews "Most readers of this picture-book biography will not know about 'Le

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