The Fabulous Fastballs

Who wrote The Fabulous Fastball?

• Layne DeMarin

• Layne Johnson

• Dwayne Johnson

• Lawrence Welk

In the first days of baseball, the pitcher's job was to _____.

• throw a change up to the batter

• toss the ball lightly to the batter

• throw a fastball to the batter

• throw a curveball to the batter

What does it mean to throw a 'heater' in baseball?

• the batter is on fire

• to bring your heater on a cold day

• the pitcher throws a fast pitch

• the pitcher throws a curve ball

Which word means, 'players who hit the baseball with a bat'?

• officials

• pitchers

• fielders

• batters

Which word means, 'players who catch or stop balls hit by the batters''?

• officials

• pitchers

• fielders

• batters

Which word means, 'person in charge of a sports game'?

• officials

• pitchers

• fielders

• batters

In 1914, pitcher _____ threw a fastball that was estimated to be moving at _____ miles an hour.

• Walter Smith, 103

• Walter Smith, 97

• Walter Johnson, 103

• Walter Johnson, 97

Choose THREE types of fastballs that pitchers use today.

• two-seam fastball

• four-seam fastball

• five-seam fastball

• spilt-finger fastball

The first pitcher to throw a fastball over 100 miles an hour was ____.

• Layne DeMarin

• Walter Johnson

• Bob Feller

• Jake James

The author argues that fastballs have had a positive effect on baseball. What is one reason she uses to support this point?

• "Fastballs have made baseball more exciting to watch."

• "But over time, pitchers started throwing the ball harder."

• "Pitchers realized that throwing fast was a skill they could improve with practice."

• "So far, the fastest pitch on record flew through the air at just over 105 miles (169 kilometers) per hour in 2010."