“Well, we had a job to do that was even more important than the game!” Koby said.
“We’ll have the final documentary finished by tomorrow,” Buck said, “and ready to air for prime time — Friday night at eight! I have a sneaking suspicion your family will be watching it.”
“Yeah, and I’m going to be sure to make a copy and send it to Chuck!”
Buck winked at him, then disappeared back into the station.
Mr. Caplin looked at Koby quizzically. “What was that all about?”
“You’ll see.” Koby smiled mysteriously.
When Koby and his dad pulled in the driveway, Mrs. Caplin rushed out to greet them. “Welcome home, champ!”
“Thanks, Mom,” Koby said. “C’mon, you guys. It’s five to six, and Dan said the new promo’s gonna run during the six o’clock news. I’ll get the VCR ready.”
His parents hurried in after him. They gathered in the living room.
“Dad picked up some pizza earlier for the special event. I’ll heat it up,” Mrs. Caplin said.
Koby put a cassette in the VCR and flicked on the television just in time. The promo started with the end of the game against the Firebirds. Dan’s voiceover announced the Cardinals’ victory over Runkle and their championship status. He went on to say that Channel 5 was proud to present a profile of one of the team’s key players.
The camera closed in on Koby. He was pointing to his teammates and saying, “I’m not the story, the Cardinals are!”
“Well done!” Koby’s dad said.
“I’m proud of you, Koby,” his mom added. “Very proud!”
“Thanks, Mom!” Koby said with a grin. “Now, how about that pizza?”
Koby scarfed down a few slices, then sat back.
“That was delicious,” he said. “Can I go outside and throw the ball against the pitch-back? I’m a little too pumped up to start on my homework!”
“Go right ahead. You’ve earned it,” his mom said.
Koby grabbed his mitt and a ball and headed out the door to the driveway. He got the pitch-back out of the garage and set it up at the end of the driveway in front of the garage door.
Koby threw a mixture of overhand fastballs and sidearm off-speed pitches. For the first time in weeks, he found he was concentrating solely on pitching. Not on where the camera was. Not on what he was going to say. And not on who else was talking or writing about him. It felt great.
“Hey, Kobe!” somebody yelled as Koby went into his windup.
Koby turned around to see who it was.
“Hey, Tug!” he said with a startled look on his face.
“I was watching the six o’clock news with my mom when the promo came on for the documentary. I just wanted to tell you I thought it was pretty cool.” Tug extended his hand to Koby.
Koby shook it. “Do you want to come over and watch the documentary with us tomorrow night?”
Tug broke into a huge grin. “I wouldn’t miss a chance to see myself on camera — even if it is as a second banana to you!”
15
The Megaphone
Monticello Middle School
June 17
SPORTS SHORTS
by Sara Wilson
When I looked in my sportswriter crystal ball at the beginning of the season, I saw some improvement, perhaps, and a bit of the ol’ Monticello pride returning. But a championship — hardly!
I remember asking Coach T. for his thoughts about the upcoming season. He said that Monticello has had a string of rough seasons but that’s behind them. “You can’t steal second if you keep your foot on first.”
Well, we not only stole second — we took the whole diamond!
I’m not going to take space here to recap the final game against the Runkle School Firebirds, but in case you missed the action, the final score of Thursday’s game was Monticello 4, Firebirds 3.
I’m not going to mention any players by name because every player on the team is a champ.
You see, today’s column is really just a thank-you note to the Cardinals and to Coach T., because the biggest winners were the fans.
This was a season designed for prime time. Thanks for the memories.
This is Sara Wilson, signing off till September.
(Remember, you have one more chance to relive the memory: Check out the Channel 5 documentary Friday night at eight.)
“Sports Shorts” Trivia Question: (Here’s an easy one to end the school year. If you can’t guess the answer, look for it in next year’s first edition of the Megaphone!) What team, at the beginning of the season, was the most unlikely candidate to win the Meadowbrook Junior High Conference title?
Answer to the last trivia question: In 1976, the Chicago White Sox experimented with knee-length pants — but quickly switched back to long pants. (Imagine how it felt to slide in shorts!)
Friday night at five of eight.
Koby’s dad pushed some additional chairs into the living room so there would be a seat for everyone they had invited.
“Is there any more popcorn?” Tug asked.
“Yeah, I’ll get it. You’re really a bottomless pit tonight, Tug,” Koby said as he ran into the kitchen.
“Hey, Kobe, hurry up! It’s starting,” Sara yelled.
Koby ran through the kitchen door, balancing a bowl of popcorn and some sodas. “Dad, can you flip in the cassette, please. I want a copy of this!”
The program started with a voiceover of Dan: “What you are about to see is the hard work and triumphs of a middle school athletic team — the Monticello Middle School Cardinals — as they embark on a sports adventure that will take them to the top of the Meadowbrook Conference.”
“Wow, is he talking about us?” Koby said with a laugh. “It sounds so official!”
“Yeah, it sounds very ‘newsy.’ “ Tug chipped in. “I wouldn’t even know it was Dan’s voice.”
Dan continued: “We will look at the season through the eyes of a determined and dedicated right-handed pitcher, Koby Caplin …”
“He’s making you sound pretty good!” Tug said as he threw a pillow at Koby.
“Yeah, you can do all kinds of tricks with television! Shhh, I want to hear this next part!” Koby said as he threw the pillow back at Tug.
They all watched as the video showed highlights from the season.
“… and hear in Koby Caplin’s own words about what made the Cardinals into a championship team.”
Koby’s voice continued as the voiceover: “There are no prized bears on the Monticello Cardinals. That’s what Coach T. would tell the team every day —”
“Hey, Kobe, Coach T. will like that you quoted him. It might help with your social studies grade!”
“Cut it out, man, and listen! This next part I want to see!”
The camera panned Chuck’s room, ending with a close-up of the Team Spirit Award on the shelf.
Koby continued: “… and this is what every player should work toward, whether you actually get the trophy or not. The real award is trying your hardest and doing all that you can do to work together as a team. My brother, Chuck, taught me that. And if he’s watching now, Chuck, I want you to know I got your message. And Sara didn’t even have to reveal you as her ‘secret source.’ ”
Sara shot Koby a smile over her shoulder. Koby gave her a thumbs-up, then turned his attention back to the screen.
“Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the real goal. You can get too bogged down comparing stats, or looking for your name in the paper, or trying to win games single-handedly. I ought to know. It happened to me while this documentary was being filmed.”
Koby glanced around the room at his friends and family. Each of them had a smile on his or her face.
“But middle school team athletics aren’t about the individual. They’re about learning to be a part of the whole, building friendships, and reaching together for the prize. Well, the Cardinals won the prize this year — and I’m happy that I was able to be a part of it all. GO, CARDINAL
S!”
Epilogue
Applause filled the room as Principal Sleeper introduced the team at the baseball awards banquet. As each player was called up, he handed him a championship certificate and a small trophy.
Coach Tomashiro stepped up to the podium to hand out the two major awards. The cafeteria got very quiet.
“Let me first say that I am proud of every player up here. I’m also proud and very appreciative of all of you out there who supported us this season. There are two awards that give me a great sense of honor to present. The first is for the Most Valuable Player of the Meadowbrook Conference, as voted on by all the coaches in the league. I am pleased to present this trophy to our own Koby Caplin.”
Everyone jumped to their feet and applauded. “Koby, could you please come forward to accept this trophy?”
Koby stood from his seat and walked up to the stage. Coach Tomashiro shook his hand and handed him the trophy.
“Thanks, Coach!” Koby said above the roar of the crowd. He stood quietly as Coach Tomashiro began his next presentation.
“And it is my equal pleasure and honor to present this next trophy for the Team Spirit Award. Tug McCue, would you please step forward!”
Tug leaped onto the stage two steps at a time, then took his place next to Koby.
“Hey, shove over — you’re in my light,” Koby whispered to his pal. Tug gave him a sidelong glance and met Koby’s grin. The boys’ laughter mingled with the sound of applause. Each with an arm around the other’s shoulders, they held their trophies aloft and gave a whoop.
The #1 Sports Series for Kids
MATT CHRISTOPHER®
Read them all!
Baseball Pals Face-Off
Baseball Turnaround Fairway Phenom
The Basket Counts Football Fugitive
Catch That Pass! Football Nightmare
Catcher with a Glass Arm The Fox Steals Home
Center Court Sting Goalkeeper in Charge
Challenge at Second Base The Great Quarterback Switch
The Comeback Challenge Halfback Attack *
Cool as Ice The Hockey Machine
The Counterfeit Tackle Ice Magic
The Diamond Champs Inline Skater
Dirt Bike Racer Johnny Long Legs
Dirt Bike Runaway The Kid Who Only Hit Homers
Dive Right In Long-Arm Quarterback
Double Play at Short Long Shot for Paul
Look Who’s Playing First Base Snowboard Showdown
Miracle at the Plate Soccer Duel
Mountain Bike Mania Soccer Halfback
No Arm in Left Field Soccer Scoop
Olympic Dream Spike It!
Penalty Shot The Submarine Pitch
Pressure Play Supercharged Infield
Prime-Time Pitcher The Team That Couldn’t Lose
Red-Hot Hightops Tennis Ace
The Reluctant Pitcher Tight End
Return of the Home Run Kid Too Hot to Handle
Roller Hockey Radicals Top Wing
Run, Billy, Run Touchdown for Tommy
Run For It Tough to Tackle
Shoot for the Hoop Wheel Wizards
Shortstop from Tokyo Windmill Windup
Skateboard Renegade Wingman on Ice
Skateboard Tough The Year Mom Won the Pennant
Snowboard Maverick
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Wayne Gretzky Hakeem Olajuwon
Ken Griffey Jr. Alex Rodriguez
Mia Hamm Briana Scurry
Tony Hawk Sammy Sosa
Grant Hill Venus and Serena Williams
Derek Jeter Tiger Woods
Randy Johnson Steve Young
PRIME-TIME PITCHER
Can Koby handle the spotlight?
It’s Opening Day for the Monticello Cardinals baseball team, but the stands are virtually empty. For the past six years, the Cardinals have swept the basement of their league, and the fans have no reason to believe this year is going to be any different.Then Koby Caplin takes the mound — and from his first game on, his rocket right arm mows down the competition. Soon it’s Standing Room Only at the games.The sports column in the school newspaper is full of praise for his achievements — so much so that he comes to the attention of the local news station. When Koby is chosen as the subject for a documentary on middle school athletics, the whole team is psyched. So why is it that as the season heats up, Koby’s teammates turn cool to him?
Matt Christopher is the writer young readers turn to when they’re looking for fast-paced, action-packed sports novels. For a listing of all his titles, turn to the last pages of this book.
* Previously published as Crackerjack Halfback
Prime Time Pitcher Page 8