ents Girls Ruled baseball readers theater.pdfbest men are on the battlefields, not on the baseball...
Transcript of ents Girls Ruled baseball readers theater.pdfbest men are on the battlefields, not on the baseball...
GEORGIA: Sorry, Jen! Just tryin’ out
my fastball.
JENNIE: Must be Frankie’s mitt. It
gives you special powers.
GEORGIA: Those special powers
won’t protect me if Frankie catches
me using it.
FLORENCE: How did Frankie get Joe
DiMaggio to sign it?
HISTORIAN 1: Joe DiMaggio
was the most famous
SCHOLASTIC.COM/SCOPE • MARCH 21, 2011 11
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Readers Theater Play
A Mix of Fact and Fiction Georgia Baskin, the main character of this story, is fictional, while the setting and major events are based on true events. Think about why the author uses a fictional character to tell this story about a period of history.
CHECK IT OUTAS YOU READ, LOOK FOR:
* NARRATOR 1 (N1) * NARRATOR 2 (N2) * NARRATOR 3 (N3) * GEORGIA BASKIN: a 14-year-old girl who loves baseballFLORENCE: Georgia’s best friendJENNIE: Georgia’s other best friendFRANKIE: Georgia’s old brother
MR. BASKIN: Georgia’s dad MRS. BASKIN: Georgia’s momPHILIP WRIGLEY: president of the William Wrigley Jr. Chewing Gum Company and owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball teamMR. MEYERHOFF: a colleague of Mr. Wrigley’sMR. LARKIN: talent scout
MR. McDONALD: talent scoutSOPHIE KURYS: a player on the Racine BellesHISTORIAN 1HISTORIAN 2 ANNOUNCER 1ANNOUNCER 2
* Large speaking role
CHARACTERS
SCENE 1
SEPTEMBER 1941, A SMALL TOWN IN UPSTATE NEW YORKN1: Georgia, Florence, and Jennie
are playing catch in Georgia’s yard.
FLORENCE: Georgia Baskin is on the
mound! She winds up, and here’s
the pitch!
N2: Georgia pitches the ball to
Jennie.
JENNIE (catching the ball): Youch!
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while the setting and major events while the setting and major events are based on true events. Think are based on true events. Think about why the author uses a about why the author uses a fictional character to tell this story fictional character to tell this story about a period of history.about a period of history.
When
From 1943 to 1954, women played baseball in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The league grew to include 10 teams and had nearly 1 million fans. Sophie Kurys (aka “Flint Flash”), pictured here, stole 1,114 bases during her career as a player on the Racine Belles.
10 SCHOLASTIC SCOPE • MARCH 21, 2011
HISTORICAL FICTION
a made-up story about
real historical events
AS MEN WENT OFF TO FIGHT IN WORLD WAR II, WOMEN STEPPED UP
TO THE PLATE
WhenWhenWhenGirls RuledGirls RuledRuled
Baseball
12 SCHOLASTIC SCOPE • MARCH 21, 2011 SCHOLASTIC.COM/SCOPE • MARCH 21, 2011 13
baseball player in America during
the 1940s.
GEORGIA: Dad was visiting his
brother in New York City. He went
to Yankee Stadium and waited in
the rain for Joe to appear.
JENNIE: Frankie is so lucky!
GEORGIA: Dad should have given
the mitt to me. I’m the one who
loves baseball.
HISTORIAN 2: In the 1940s, women
did not have the same opportunities
as men. Women could not play on
professional sports teams, and it was
very difficult for female athletes like
Georgia to be taken seriously.
FLORENCE: Here comes Frankie.
JENNIE: Uh-oh. Let’s scoot, Flo!
N3: Georgia’s friends rush away as
Frankie charges into the yard.
FRANKIE: What did I tell you about
taking my mitt?!
N1: Georgia throws the baseball in
the air so high it seems to disappear
into the clouds. She lines up the mitt
to catch it, but Frankie yanks the
mitt off her hand.
N2: The ball falls to the ground.
FRANKIE: Real girls don’t play in
the dirt.
SCENE 2
THAT NIGHT AT THE BASKINS’ HOUSEN3: As the Baskins sit down to
think of Frankie.
GEORGIA: I don’t have the mitt
anymore. I sent it to Frankie.
I just hope he gets it.
FLORENCE: Frankie won’t have time
to play baseball on a battleship in
the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
GEORGIA: That mitt will bring
him luck.
JENNIE: That’s big of you, Georgia.
N3: Florence and Jennie leave.
Georgia is collecting her gear when
two men walk up to her.
MR. LARKIN: Georgia Baskin, right?
GEORGIA: Yes.
MR. McDONALD: You’ve got quite
an arm.
GEORGIA: Thanks.
MR. LARKIN: I’m Bill Larkin and this
here’s Joe McDonald. We’re talent
scouts for a new ball league—a girls’
league, 100 percent professional.
MR. McDONALD: It’s going to be run
by Mr. Philip Wrigley himself.
MR. LARKIN (handing Georgia a piece
of paper): This paper explains all the
details. Tryouts are in Medford this
weekend, and we would like you to
come. If we like you, we’ll send you
to a final tryout in Chicago.
MR. McDONALD: Think about it.
GEORGIA (elated): I certainly will!
SCENE 5
THE BASKINS’ HOUSE AT DINNERTIMEMRS. BASKIN: I’m sending another
package to Frankie tomorrow. Is
there anything you two want to add?
MR. BASKIN: I picked up a football
magazine for him.
GEORGIA: I want to write a letter to
him about the new baseball league.
MR. BASKIN: A new league?
N1: Georgia takes the paper from
her pocket and smoothes it out.
Mrs. Baskin picks it up.
MRS. BASKIN: A girls’ league!
Isn’t that something! Girls
MR. WRIGLEY: Oh, we’ll
make sure they behave like
ladies. We’ll dress them up
in fetching uniforms. Send them
to charm school if need be.
MR. MEYERHOFF: Brilliant. They’ll
look like ladies—but they’ll play
ball like gentlemen.
MR. WRIGLEY: Mark my words,
Americans will love this.
SCENE 4
A FEW WEEKS LATER, AT A HIGH SCHOOL PLAYING FIELDJENNIE: Georgia, you are a star! Did
you hear your mother screaming for
you in the stands?
GEORGIA: It’s nice to see her smiling.
She’s so worried about Frankie that
she rarely smiles anymore.
N2: Like millions of young men,
Frankie enlisted in the military. He is
fighting overseas.
FLORENCE: At least you have his Joe
DiMaggio mitt. It sure is bringing
you luck!
JENNIE: Flo! What a thing to say.
Georgia doesn’t care about the mitt.
FLORENCE: I meant as a way to
dinner, Frankie complains about
Georgia.
FRANKIE: I’ve told her a million
times not to use my mitt!
MR. BASKIN: Georgia, I’ve told you
that you should be helping your
mother after school.
MRS. BASKIN: Georgia had finished
her chores.
FRANKIE: Take it again and I’ll . . .
MRS. BASKIN: Enough! Don’t we
have more important worries than
some baseball mitt?
N1: The Baskins finish their dinner
in silence. Afterward, Georgia helps
her mother with the dishes.
GEORGIA: I’m sorry.
MRS. BASKIN: They’re not really so
upset with you, dear. They’re just
tense. The news isn’t good over in
Europe.
HISTORIAN 1: World War II had
erupted. Germany had invaded
and conquered much of Europe.
HISTORIAN 2: Any day, America
would go to war with Germany.
GEORGIA (quietly): Will Frankie
have to fight?
MRS. BASKIN: Yes, I believe he will.
SCENE 3
JANUARY 1943, THE OFFICE OF PHILIP WRIGLEY IN CHICAGO, ILLINOISMR. WRIGLEY: Gentlemen, let’s face
the facts. Our country is at war. Our
best men are on the battlefields, not
on the baseball diamonds. All of the
biggest stars have enlisted: Joe
DiMaggio, Hank Greenberg, Ted
Williams . . .
HISTORIAN 1: By 1943, America was
fighting Germany and Japan. More
than 10 million American men were
in the armed forces, including half of
all major-league baseball players.
MR. MEYERHOFF: Sir, President
Roosevelt himself told us baseball is
important for Americans, especially
now. Times are tough, and we need
something to cheer about.
MR. WRIGLEY: Exactly my thinking.
That’s why I want to start a new
league. A girls’ league. We’ll find the
best girl players in the country, make
up a few teams, and let ’em play ball.
MR. MEYERHOFF: You really think
Americans want to see their girls
chewing tobacco and cursing at
umpires?
think of Frankie.
in fetching uniforms. Send them
1. World War II was a frightening time. Each week, thousands of young men left their homes to fight overseas. In 1939, the U.S. Army had 190,000 men. By 1945, it had 10.4 million. 2. Women filled jobs in offices and factories. They built planes, tanks, and supplies that enabled the U.S. and its allies to win the war. After the war, women were expected to give their jobs to the men returning home.
3. From 1936 until his retirement in 1951, New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio was one of America’s most beloved ball players. He joined the Army during World War II.
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playing like professionals!
GEORGIA: Two scouts from the league
came to my game today. They said
I had talent and I should try out.
MR. BASKIN (scoffing): Nobody wants
to watch girls try to play baseball.
MRS. BASKIN: They certainly line
up to see Georgia pitch at the high
school games. She’s amazing.
MR. BASKIN: Georgia is 16 years old.
She’s not going to traipse around the
Midwest in some kind of carnival!
GEORGIA: Excuse me. I, uh, I have
a terrible headache.
N2: Georgia gets up and goes to
her room dejectedly.
MR. BASKIN: Girls playing baseball.
If only Frank could hear this. He’d
have a good laugh!
MRS. BASKIN: Women are working
in factories. Women are building
airplanes and ships and guns.
Nobody says that’s nonsense.
MR. BASKIN: That’s different. Those
women are helping us win the war.
MRS. BASKIN: These are dark times.
Every day, the newspapers tell us
just how precarious things are. If our
daughter has a chance to live her
dream, I want her to take it.
MR. BASKIN: But she’s so young.
MRS. BASKIN: So is Frank. And he’s
at war.
MR. BASKIN: If you want to let our
girl go, I won’t stop her.
SCENE 6
MAY 1943, WRIGLEY FIELD, CHICAGO, ILLINOISN3: Georgia aces her tryout in
Medford—she’s a complete natural.
She is invited to Chicago for the final
selection.
N1: In Chicago, Georgia joins more
than 250 girls trying out for just 60
spots among the league’s four teams.
N2: After fielding trials, Georgia sits
on a bench next to another girl.
GEORGIA: Hi, I’m Georgia Baskin.
SOPHIE: I’m Sophie Kurys. Have you
been watching some of these girls?
A few have been to the Olympics.
GEORGIA: From what I saw, you’re
one of the best.
SOPHIE: Thanks. I’ve never wanted
anything more in my entire life.
GEORGIA: Me neither.
N3: Finally, after three grueling days
of tryouts, final selections are made.
N1: Georgia calls home with
some news.
GEORGIA: Mom! I made it! I’m on the
Racine Belles! I’m going to be a
professional baseball player!
MRS. BASKIN: Oh, Georgia . . .
GEORGIA: What’s the matter?
MRS. BASKIN: We got a telegram.
Frank has been injured. There was an
explosion on his ship. Four boys were
killed. He is in a hospital in Hawaii.
They don’t know if he’ll . . .
GEORGIA: I’m coming home.
MRS. BASKIN: No, you won’t. You will
take this opportunity and make the
most of it. Do you understand?
GEORGIA: Yes, Mom. Yes, I think I do.
SCENE 7
THREE MONTHS LATER, AT A PLAYING FIELD IN RACINE, WISCONSINANNOUNCER 1: That’s it, folks—
another electrifying game between
our own Racine Belles and the
Looking at Historical FictionLooking at Historical FictionLooking at Historical FictionLooking at Historical FictionLooking at Historical FictionLooking at Historical FictionWhy do you think the author chose to use Why do you think the author chose to use Why do you think the author chose to use Why do you think the author chose to use Why do you think the author chose to use Why do you think the author chose to use a fictional character to tell the story of the a fictional character to tell the story of the a fictional character to tell the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball All-American Girls Professional Baseball All-American Girls Professional Baseball League? In what ways might using a real League? In what ways might using a real League? In what ways might using a real person as the main character have limited person as the main character have limited person as the main character have limited the author’s options? Write a paragraph the author’s options? Write a paragraph the author’s options? Write a paragraph answering these questions, and send it to answering these questions, and send it to answering these questions, and send it to BASEBALL CONTESTBASEBALL CONTESTBASEBALL CONTEST by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will BASEBALL CONTEST by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will BASEBALL CONTESTBASEBALL CONTESTBASEBALL CONTEST by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will BASEBALL CONTEST by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will BASEBALL CONTEST by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will BASEBALL CONTESTBASEBALL CONTESTBASEBALL CONTEST by April 15, 2011. Ten winners will BASEBALL CONTEST
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ferocious Rockford Peaches!
ANNOUNCER 2: We had some
big plays. Sophie Kurys stole
three bases. And we had solid
relief pitching by youngster
Georgia Baskin.
ANNOUNCER 1: Let’s have a big
cheer for the teams.
ANNOUNCER 2: And God bless
America and our troops!
N2: The crowd cheers. Mr. Wrigley
was right: Americans love women’s
baseball.
N3: After the game, Georgia and
her teammates change in the
locker room.
SOPHIE: I’ve never had so much fun!
GEORGIA: When you stole home, my
heart jumped out of my chest!
SOPHIE: They almost nabbed me!
N1: When Georgia leaves the locker
1. Female baseball players had to wear skirts and makeup. They also had to have long hair. But the feminine-looking players were tough and highly skilled. The Racine Belles, above, were one of the league’s original four teams.
2. Philip Wrigley created the women’s league. Many doubted that baseball fans would want to watch women play. However, the league was a huge success from the start. 3. The league had many superstars, including Dottie Collins, an ace pitcher on the Minneapolis Millerettes.
Players like Isabel Álvarez (RIGHT) were talented and competitive. The games thrilled baseball fans during World War II and in the decade after.
SOPHIE: anything more in my entire life.
GEORGIA:N3:of tryouts, final selections are made.
N1:some news.
GEORGIA:Racine Belles! I’m going to be a
professional baseball player!
MRS. BASKIN:GEORGIA:MRS. BASKIN:Frank has been injured. There was an
explosion on his ship. Four boys were
killed. He is in a hospital in Hawaii.
They don’t know if he’ll . . .
GEORGIA:MRS. BASKIN:take this opportunity and make the
most of it. Do you understand?
GEORGIA:
THREE MONTHS LATER, AT A PLAYING FIELD IN RACINE, WISCONSINANNOUNCER 1:another electrifying game between
our own Racine Belles and the
So is Frank. And he’s
Medford—she’s a complete natural.
She is invited to Chicago for the final
In Chicago, Georgia joins more
spots among the league’s four teams.
After fielding trials, Georgia sits
I’m Sophie Kurys. Have you
been watching some of these girls?
From what I saw, you’re
She is invited to Chicago for the final
spots among the league’s four teams.
room, she is shocked to find her
parents waiting outside.
GEORGIA: Mom? Dad? Oh, no! Has
something happened to Frankie?
MRS. BASKIN: No, no, he’s doing
fine. They’ve transferred him to
San Francisco.
MR. BASKIN: You were wonderful
out there, Georgia.
N2: Mr. Baskin reaches into his bag.
MR. BASKIN: Frank sent something
home for you. He asked me to
deliver it myself.
GEORGIA: The DiMaggio mitt!
I knew it would bring him luck.
MRS. BASKIN: Look at it, Georgia.
Do you notice anything different
about it?
N3: Georgia studies the mitt intently.
Then her face lights up.
MR. BASKIN: Mr. DiMaggio is in the
Army too. Turns out he is stationed
in San Francisco. He paid a visit to
Frank’s hospital, and Frank got him
to sign the mitt—again. For you.
GEORGIA (reading): “To Georgia
Baskin, a fellow pro. Keep playing
in the dirt. Joe DiMaggio.” •
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