Suggested levels for Guided Reading, DRA,™ Lexile,® and Reading Recovery™ are provided in the Pearson Scott Foresman Leveling Guide. The First Big Game by Kim Borland illustrated by Sheila Bailey

Comprehension Genre Skills and Strategy Historical • Realism and Fantasy fi ction • Cause and Effect • Prior Knowledge

Scott Foresman Reading Street 2.2.2 ì<(sk$m)=bdcfcc

113252_CVR.indd3252_CVR.indd A-BA-B 112/6/052/6/05 5:26:015:26:01 PMPM Read Together Vocabulary Think and Share compete 1. Is TheThe First Big Game First a realistic story or a contribute fantasy? What clues in the story help you to know?Big Game recreation 2. What did you already know about before reading The First Big Game? What Word count: 821 did you learn that you didn’t know before? What We Know What We Learned

3. Robbie liked to play for recreation. What kinds of things do you like to do for recreation? 4. How would this story be different if it took place today?

by Kim Borland illustrated by Sheila Bailey

Note: The total word count includes words in the running text and headings only. Numerals and words in chapter titles, captions, labels, diagrams, charts, graphs, Editorial Offices: Glenview, Illinois • Parsippany, New Jersey • New York, New York sidebars, and extra features are not included. Sales Offices: Needham, Massachusetts • Duluth, Georgia • Glenview, Illinois Coppell, Texas • Ontario, California • Mesa, Arizona

113252_CVR.indd3252_CVR.indd C-DC-D 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1 111/16/0511/20/06//2106/065 1:36:0018:46:368::346:0306 PMPAMAM Chapter One: Saturday’s Game Saturday had finally arrived. I grabbed my cap and raced for the door. “Hold on, Robbie! Where are you off to in such a hurry?” asked Mama. “It’s Saturday, Mama. I’m going to the park to play with my friends,” I said. “Another game of rounders?” Mama asked with a grin. “Right!” I said. “My all-time favorite game!”

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Unless otherwise acknowledged, all photographs are the property of Scott Foresman, a division of Pearson Education.

Photo locators denoted as follows: Top (T), Center (C), Bottom (B), Left (L), Right (R), Background (Bkgd)

Illustrations by Shelia Bailey

Photograph 16 Corbis

ISBN: 0-328-13252-7

All Rights Reserved. Printed in China. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. For information regarding permission(s), write to: Permissions Department, Scott Foresman, 1900 East Lake Avenue, Glenview, Illinois 60025. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 V0H3 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 3

113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 2 44/5/06/5/06 33:13:21:13:21 PMPM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 3 111/16/051/16/05 8:46:388:46:38 AMAM As I walked, I thought about all the fun “Why not?” I asked, puzzled. “It looks like I would have. I like to throw, catch, and hit. you have everything you need to play. You But what I really like is to run around the have four bases, a bat, and a. . . .” bases. “How many rounders will I score for “Right!” said Charlie. “We need a ball! It my team today?” I wondered. was your turn to bring it.” When I got to the park, everyone was “Don’t worry!” I replied confidently. “It’s standing around, waiting. in my pocket!” But when I looked, the ball “Hi, everyone! Sorry I’m late,” I said wasn’t there. I looked everywhere. I walked cheerfully. back the way I had come, but the ball was Charlie didn’t return my smile. “We are nowhere to be found. too!” he said grumpily. “We couldn’t start the “I guess I dropped it,” I whispered. “Then game without you.” we can’t play our game,” said Sam. He looked mad.

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113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 4 111/16/051/16/05 88:46:41:46:41 AMAM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 5 111/16/051/16/05 8:46:448:46:44 AMAM Chapter Two: At Dinner “I have some news that might put a smile on your face,” Papa said. “How would you “I looked everywhere!” I said. “It was like to go to a Base Ball game with me?” my turn to bring the ball and I lost it. I “Base Ball? What’s that?” don’t know where we can find another “It’s a bat-and-ball game. Two teams ball. Balls are expensive. Sam, Charlie, and compete to win a game. It’s a lot like I all contributed our pocket money to buy rounders.” that ball. I let everybody down. Maybe we’ll “Your all-time favorite game!” everybody never be able to play, ever again!” I fought chimed in. back my tears. “…but different,” Papa continued. “The Mama said not to worry, but I did anyway. teams playing are called the New York Club and the New York Knickerbockers,” he explained.

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113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 6 111/16/051/16/05 88:46:46:46:46 AMAM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 7 111/16/051/16/05 8:46:508:46:50 AMAM “Let’s look in today’s newspaper,” Papa Chapter Three: Game Day said. “Here it is! The game is on June 19. “We should be there in just a short time,” That’s next Friday. It’s in Hoboken.” Papa said. “Don’t worry, Robbie,” he added. “Hoboken? But that’s in New Jersey, “Your friends won’t stay angry for long. Papa. We live in New York!” I said in surprise. Maybe you could get everybody together for “How will we get there? By horse and a game of rounders tomorrow.” buggy?” “But we don’t have a ball, Papa!” I “No,” said Papa. “That would take too reminded him. I tried not to think about long. We’ll take the ferry across the Hudson rounders for the rest of the trip. River.”

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113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 8 111/16/051/16/05 88:46:51:46:51 AMAM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 9 111/16/051/16/05 8:46:538:46:53 AMAM When Papa and I walked onto the field, “Rounders is a good form of recreation, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The field looked but everyone plays by different rules,” Papa a lot like the one we used for playing explained. “With Base Ball, the rules are the rounders, only bigger. Much, much bigger! same for everyone. There are always four “The players are wearing uniforms!” I bases and nine players on a team. Also, you said to Papa. “Matching uniforms!” are tagged , rather than having the ball I decided I wanted to learn all about this thrown at you. That’s much safer.” new game. “If everyone has the same rules, you could play with anyone,” I said excitedly.

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113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1100 111/16/051/16/05 88:46:55:46:55 AMAM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1111 111/16/051/16/05 8:47:008:47:00 AMAM As we watched the game Papa explained CRACK! The ball soared. The players and the rules. Before I knew it, it was near the all the fans stopped moving. We watched the end of the game. There were two outs. ball fly over the crowd. It was coming closer Suddenly everyone became quiet. and closer! The batter stepped up to home plate. “Could I catch that ball?” I asked myself. Strike One! I took a deep breath. I kept my eye on Strike Two! the ball. I held out my hands and. . . The hurled the ball. The batter took a swing.

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113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1122 111/16/051/16/05 88:47:02:47:02 AMAM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1133 111/16/051/16/05 8:47:078:47:07 AMAM I CAUGHT THE BALL! The crowd cheered! “Congratulations, Robbie!” Papa said. “You can use it to play with your friends!” “Great idea!” I said. “We can use this ball when we play rounders.” “There, you see?” said Papa. “Your problem is solved!” “Right! But now I have another problem,” I said seriously. “What problem is that?” he asked. I grinned. “Now I have two all-time favorite games—rounders and Base Ball!” “Well,” Papa laughed, “that sounds like a problem anyone would be lucky to have!” And he was right. I was lucky!

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113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1144 111/16/051/16/05 88:47:09:47:09 AMAM 113252_001-016.indd3252_001-016.indd 1155 111/16/051/16/05 8:47:108:47:10 AMAM Read Together ThatVocabulary Day in Base Ball Think and Share compete Robbie and Papa shared an important 1. Is The First Big Game a realistic story or a daycontribute in baseball history. The two baseball fantasy? What clues in the story help you to know? teams you read about in the story were real teams!recreation The New York Club and the New York 2. What did you already know about baseball Knickerbockers played the first official game before reading The First Big Game? What did you learn that you didn’t know before? Wordof Base count:Ball on June821 19, 1846, and it really was a Friday! The New York Club won the What We Know What We Learned big game with a score of 23 to 1! Since those early days of rounders and Base Ball, the game has changed. But one thing has stayed the same: people love baseball. Maybe that’s why the game is called 3. Robbie liked to play rounders for recreation. “America’s Favorite Pastime!” What kinds of things do you like to do for recreation? 4. How would this story be different if it took place today?

Baseball cards from Note: The total word count includes words in the running text and headings only. Numerals and words in chapter titles, captions, labels, diagrams, charts,the graphs, 1800s sidebars, and extra features are not included. 16

113252_CVR.indd13252_001-016.indd3252_0C0V1R-0.i1n6d.din d C-DCd- D 1166 111/16/051/16/05 88:47:15:47:15 AMAM 11/20/06/20/06 1:36:001:36:00 PMPM