by Michael Sandler

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by Michael Sandler

Consultant: Jim Sherman Head University of Delaware

1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 1 4/14/08 5:20:44 PM Credits

Cover and Title Page, © Jaime Squire/Getty Images; 4, © Globe/Stan Grossfeld/ Landov; 5, © Robert Caplin/Bloomberg News/Landov; 7, © David Bergman/Corbis; 8, © George Rizov; 9, Courtesy FIU Athletic Media Relations, International University; 10, © Scott Halleran/Allsport/Getty Images; 12, © Barry Taylor/Ai Wire/ Newscom.com; 13, © Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; 14, © REUTERS/Shaun Best; 15, © Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images; 16, © Brian Snyder/Reuters/Landov; 17, © Elsa/ Getty Images; 18, © Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images; 19, © REUTERS/Mike Segar; 20, © Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images; 21, © Paul Buck/epa/Corbis; 22T, © Elsa/Getty Images; 22C, © Elsa/Getty Images; 22B, © REUTERS/Ron Kuntz.

Publisher: Kenn Goin Senior Editor: Lisa Wiseman Creative Director: Spencer Brinker Design: Stacey May Photo Researcher: James O’Connor

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sandler, Michael, 1965- and the : / by Michael Sandler consultant, Jim Sherman. p. cm. — (World Series superstars) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-1-59716-739-0 (library binding) ISBN-10: 1-59716-739-8 (library binding) 1. Lowell, Mike—Juvenile literature. 2. Baseball —— Biography—Juvenile literature. 3. Boston Red Sox (Baseball team) —Juvenile literature. 4. World Series (Baseball) (2007) —Juvenile literature. I. Sherman, Jim. II. Title.

GV865.L69S36 2009 796.357092—dc22 [B] 2008001995

Copyright © 2009 Bearport Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

For more information, write to Bearport Publishing Company, Inc., 101 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6R, , New York 10003. Printed in the United States of America.

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1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 2 5/8/08 2:03:02 PM +Contents+

On a Mission ...... 4 Learning the Game ...... 6 Getting Stronger ...... 8 Shocking News ...... 10 Bouncing Back ...... 12 for Boston ...... 14 The 2007 Team ...... 16 The Rockies ...... 18 Game Four ...... 20

Key Players ...... 22 Glossary ...... 23 Bibliography ...... 24 Read More ...... 24 Learn More Online ...... 24 Index ...... 24

1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 3 4/14/08 5:17:06 PM On a Mission Since opening day, the Boston Red Sox had one goal—winning the 2007 World Series! Now the Red Sox were finally close to achieving it. They had beaten the in three straight World Series games. One more win and the title was theirs. Mike Lowell had helped Boston win games all . Now, in the year’s most important game, he was ready to do it again.

Boston fans make themselves at home at in , Colorado. 4

1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 4 4/8/08 12:33:28 PM Mike Lowell

In 2007, Mike Lowell had career highs in hits, batting average, and RBIs.

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1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 5 4/8/08 12:33:40 PM Learning the Game Mike was born in but grew up in Coral Gables, Florida. He learned to play baseball from his father, Carl, who had once been a for the Puerto Rican national baseball team. As a child, Mike’s favorite day was Wednesday. On that day, his dad, a dentist, would take off from work. He’d bring Mike and his brother, Carlos, to the ball field. There they would practice batting for hours.

GEORGIA UNITED STATES

MEXICO FLORIDA

Coral PUERTO Gables RICO San Juan HAITI

N DOMINICAN W E REPUBLIC

S

Mike was born in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. 6

1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 6 4/15/08 2:00:31 PM A baseball stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Carl Lowell was Mike’s coach throughout his Little League career.

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1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 7 4/14/08 5:17:57 PM Bibliography Bamberger, Michael. “A Swing and a Prayer.” (May 27, 2002). Cafardo, Nick. “A Firm Foundation at Third.” Baseball Digest (June 1, 2007). Edes, Gordon. “Just Another Comeback Year.” (January 12, 2006). Minichino, Adam. “Lowell Fighting Cancer Battle One Day at a Time.” Athens Banner-Herald (June 9, 1999).

Read More Nichols, John. The Story of the Boston Red Sox. Mankato, MN: Creative Education (2007). Sandler, Michael. and the Boston Red Sox: . New York: Bearport Publishing (2008).

Learn More Online To learn more about Mike Lowell, the Boston Red Sox, and the World Series, visit www.bearportpublishing.com/WorldSeriesSuperstars

Index All-Star Games 12 Florida International Most Valuable Player 17 University 8–9 (MVP) 21 Beckett, Josh 18 Florida Marlins 10–11, 12–13 10, 13 cancer 10, 12 Gold Glove 15 Ortiz, David 14, 16, Cleveland 20 Indians 16–17 Kielty, Bobby 20 playoffs 14, 16 Colorado Rockies 4, Lester, Jon 20, 22 18–19 Little League 7 Puerto Rico 6–7, 22 drafted 10 Los Angeles Ramirez, Manny 14, 16 Ellsbury, Jacoby 22 Angels 16 training camp 18 Lowell, Carl 6–7 24 10

1653_MikeLowell_FNL.indd 24 4/14/08 5:19:08 PM [Intentionally Left Blank] 2007 WORLD SERIES

All season long third baseman Mike Lowell and the Boston Red Sox had one goal—to win the 2007 World Series! Now they were fi nally close to achieving it. One more win and the title was theirs. Would Mike, who had beaten cancer only a few years earlier, be able to help the Red Sox become champions?

Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals

Randy Johnson Manny Ramirez Mike Lowell and the and the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Red Sox 2004 WORLD SERIES 2007 WORLD SERIES

Troy Glaus and the Anaheim Angels and the

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