Down to the Last Out

Down to the Last Out
Book no.	11
Series	My Name Is America
Author	Walter Dean Myers
Publisher	Scholastic
Published	April 1, 2001
Pages	192
ISBN	9780439095037
Preceded by
Publication	The Journal of Otto Peltonen
Followed by
Publication	The Journal of Jesse Smoke

The Journal of Biddy Owens, the Negro Leagues is a historical fiction book in the My Name Is America series. The book was written by Walter Dean Myers, his third for the series. It was first published in April 2001 and reissued in January 2013 under the title, Down to the Last Out.

Book description

• Relaunch

""I love this game, but it don't love me."
Biddy Owens lives for baseball. As the equipment manager, scorekeeper, errand boy, sometimes right fielder, and occasional hitter for the Birmingham Black Barons, he couldn't be happier. He is part of one of the best teams in the league—the Negro Leagues, that is. Because in 1948, few black ballplayers play for the Major League teams. White owners are reluctant to add too many blacks to their rosters given the escalating racial tensions. Along with scouting for athletic ability, the owners appear to be looking for "players who act a certain way" and won't react to the rampant racism of the day. But the Negro Leagues players are just as good as any, and attendance at their games is growing. The beginnings of the civil rights movement are in motion, and the world is watching Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby now that the color barrier has been broken. Can Biddy prove he's good enough to be part of the game, no matter what color his skin is? In his journal, Biddy chronicles the all-star season of the Black Barons as they travel the country—the wins, the losses, the friendships, the prejudices, but most importantly, the undeniable love of the game."

Characters

Main article: List of Down to the Last Out characters

• Biddy Owens

Author

Main article: Walter Dean Myers

Walter Dean Myers (August 12, 1937 – July 1, 2014) was a children's and young adult author. He wrote over hundred books, including Fallen Angels and Monster. Myers wrote three books in the My Name Is America series, including The Journal of Joshua Loper and We Were Heroes.

Editions

Down to the Last Out
My Name Is America reprint
(January 1, 2013)

External links

• Interview with Walter Dean Myers about The Journal of Biddy Owens at Scholastic
• The Journal of Biddy Owens Discussion Guide at Scholastic