Review Detail

Contenders is about John Meyers and Charles Bender, two Native Americans that played on competing teams during the 1911 World Baseball Series. They could not just be good baseball players like their teammates. They faced constant racism due to their heritage by fans, media, and their colleagues. Despite the unequal treatment, both were excellent players and had many accomplishments during their careers. The book switched between both players' early life and baseball accomplishments which was sometimes confusing to keep straight since both were unfamiliar to me. The book points out that many of the team names and mascots still use Native American imagery that is disrespectful to their culture. Overall, this book is good for baseball fans and shows a positive representation of a minority group.