The Funniest Man in Baseball: The True Story of Max Patkin

Max Patkin hoped to spend his life in baseball from the time he was a little boy. Little could he imagine how great a baseball career he would have, lasting much longer than any player in professional baseball. His career didn’t start too well, though. As a pitcher, he suffered an injury, cutting his career short. He joined the navy, where he was able to return to pitching. Many ball players had joined the service, and Patkin pitched against some great players. When baseball-great Joe DiMaggio hit a homer off Patkin, he left the mound and followed DiMaggio around the bases, mimicking him. Everyone loved his act, and Patkin found a new career — being a baseball clown, which he did for many, many years for minor league teams.

Author Audrey Vernick found a fun story to tell in this non-fiction book that will surprise young readers. Terrific back-matter, including a couple of great photographs of Patkin, will answer questions kids will have. Illustrator Jennifer Bower has chosen a fun, cartoonish style that is perfect for the story, and she fills every page with fun details. This is a perfect book for the first- through third-grade crowd.