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MIRACLE MUD: LENA BLACKBURNE AND THE SECRET MUD THAT CHANGED BASEBALL


DAVID A. KELLY, OLIVER DOMINGUEZ (ILLUSTRATIONS)

3.98
377 ratings74 reviews
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Lena Blackburne loved baseball. He watched it, he played it, he coached it. But
he didn't love the ways players broke in new baseballs. Tired of soggy,
blackened, stinky baseballs, he found a better way. Thanks to a well-timed
fishing trip and a top-secret mud recipe, Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud
was born. For seventy-five years, baseball teams have used Lena's magic mud to
prepare baseballs before every game. Read the story of how Lena's mud went from
a riverbank to the major leagues and all the way to the Hall of Fame.

GenresPicture BooksNonfictionBiographySportsBaseballChildrensHistory

...more

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVID A. KELLY

58 books77 followers



David A. Kelly is the author of over 30 children's books, including the
bestselling Ballpark Mysteries series, the MVP series, the brand-new Football
Mysteries series, and more.

Mr. Kelly is also the author of the early reader, Babe Ruth and the Baseball
Curse and the picture books Tee Time on the Moon and Miracle Mud: Lena
Blackburne and Secret Mud that Changed Baseball.

He has written about travel and technology for the New York Times, the Boston
Globe, the Chicago Sun Times, and many other publications. Mr. Kelly lives in
Newton, MA, with his family.

For more information, visit David’s webpage – www.davidakellybooks.com. He's
available for school and library visits, in person or virtually.


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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

3.98
377 ratings74 reviews
5 stars

111 (29%)
4 stars

164 (43%)
3 stars

88 (23%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
Tammi Peterman
24 reviews4 followers

Read
January 30, 2015
This is a primary picture book for independent reading.

I selected this book because of the students interest in sports and especially
baseball. I think the student would be intrigued by the title and bold graphics
on the cover and throughout the book. The student indicated in his interest
inventory the he was interested in presidents which shows me that he has some
interest in history so I hope to draw upon that and peak his interest in other
historical non-fiction texts. This book presents the student with another aspect
of sports which could be considered behind the scenes rather than traditional
play by play texts you find in most sports literature. I think the student will
enjoy the behind the scenes aspect and the slightly scientific approach the
piece takes since he indicated he likes science in his inventory. The piece is a
pretty easy read but it includes a lengthy authors note which goes into more
detail about Lena and his invention-this is a great component for a more
advanced reader.

Hook for student: Do you know why baseballs are always worn in? This is a real
life story of the man and science behind making baseballs more effective for
players. Did you know all major league teams have to use the same process to
prepare the baseballs before a game? This book will tell you all about the
process and the player that made it all happen.


jack-s-book-bundle


2 likes
1 comment
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Oak Lawn Public Library - Youth Services
631 reviews14 followers


March 12, 2014
Lexile Level/Age Level: 480L; Ages 7-11

Pages: 32 pages

Summary:
Lena Blackburne only dream was to be a great baseball player. He played for many
teams and played many positions, but was never a good baseball player, so he
became a baseball coach. While he was a coach, he found a big problem, the
baseballs were too soggy. Blackburne did some experimentation. He found out that
if you took mud and rubbed it over shiny new baseballs and let the mud dry, you
could wipe the dried mud off easily with a towel and you were left with a
baseball that was just right. Blackburne actually became a "mud farmer" because
he was selling tons of his mud to all of the major league teams. Right now you
can find a tub of Blackburne's mud in the Baseball Hall of Fame!


Recommendations and Comments:
This book is an excellent non-fiction book that is perfect for the new common
core curriculum that is now in place in schools all over the U.S. This book
explains in a simple manner how baseballs were perfected and provides the
information in an interesting manner with pictures and true facts on every page.
At the end of the book, there is an Author's Note that tells the reader more
information about Lena Blackburne and the mud that is plastered over Major
League Baseballs to this day. I really think this book will appeal to any
student that likes baseball.

4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed By: Jen T.


non-fiction picture-book sports


1 like
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Lynn
2,879 reviews13 followers


October 5, 2014
The title alone will attract readers! The text packs a punch, full of details
but done simply to explain the background of how mud came to be important to
major league baseball. Even those who aren't baseball fans will find this an
interesting angle on the sport.
The variety of views, some closeup, like the cover, broad background, and some
with far away views, help the reader see the big picture. It would also be fun
to examine the ads around the outfield. The end pages give readers more images
to pour over. I'm not a baseball expert, but does a catcher put his glove hand
behind his back when tagging out a runner sliding in to homeplate? This image
looks a little awkward to me.

I was prompted to look this up on the web, and found lots of great sites with
further details and photos. I would like to have had a photo in the book. I
think that is important for younger students to realize that it really did
happen. I wonder why the current owners of the business are only making about
$20,000/year. Seems they could charge baseball clubs a lot more for this unique
product!
This could be used for biography, sports, history, or economics studies.
As a contender for the Maine Chickadee Award in April, 2015, I think this book
will do well.

history juvenile-nf x2013-chickadee


1 like
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Carol
1,760 reviews20 followers


April 26, 2013
Lena Blackburne wanted to be a famous ballplayer. He tried playing every
position for many different teams, but he just wasn't good enough. Although Lena
Blackburne was not a star baseball player, he loved everything about the game.
After he retired he stayed close to the game and found somewhere he could help
out. Before a game, the baseballs would be prepped so they weren't as slick.
However, the methods being used caused the balls to be soft, soggy, sticky or
stinky. Nobody liked this and it was difficult to throw the ball and hit it.
Lena set his mind to coming up with a solution and eventually stumbled upon it
by accident. He found a muddy area near his home in New Jersey with the perfect
slop to take care of the balls. 75 years later, the same muddy place is being
harvested to keep major league baseballs in tip-top shape. Lena Blackburne may
not have been Hall of Fame material, but his mud sure is!
Miracle Mud is beautifully illustrated and the text is written in a fun but
informative manner. Long-time baseball fans and random readers alike will enjoy
this story of a lesser known aspect of baseball life.

netgalley picture-book


1 like
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Erin
4,277 reviews55 followers


April 16, 2018
A short, snappy read aloud about baseball and mud. My preschooler loved it. So
what’s not to like?

I’ll tell you: OH MY GOSH, WHY DOES NO ONE ELSE JUST SELL SOME MUD TO THE
BASEBALL TEAMS? I completely missed why Blackburne’s mud is so special that no
one else ever founded a competing mud business. This is an ENORMOUS plot hole.
I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for why no other kind or source of mud
has worked, but what on earth IS the explanation? Is there truly no other mud
that would work? Is there a process or ingredient that makes this mud special
(this is very subtly implied, but in no way explicitly stated)? Is it not worth
it to try to break into the mud market? This bothered me all through the story
and even more so in the Author’s Note. This lack makes the whole story seem like
an idiotic tall tale.

Hey kid - baseballs are so stupidly made that they have to be rubbed with magic
mud to work. No other balls have this problem. No other mud will work. But trust
me, it’s completely true.

Seriously. Did this bother no one else? It’s also all too possible that I
accidentally skipped a page or skimmed right over it.

early-elementary historical inventions

...more

1 like
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Christine Turner
3,560 reviews51 followers


August 9, 2016

Lena Blackburne loved baseball. He watched it, he played it, he coached it. But
he didn't love the ways players broke in new baseballs. Tired of soggy,
blackened, stinky baseballs, he found a better way. Thanks to a well-timed
fishing trip and a top-secret mud recipe, Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud
was born. For seventy five years, baseball teams have used Lena's magic mud to
prepare baseballs before every game. Read the story of how Lena's mud went from
a riverbank to the major leagues and all the way to the Hall of Fame.

I shared this book in my family storytime and the kids enjoyed it. No one in the
group had ever heard of this story and it was a fun share for both children and
adults.



Subjects


Blackburne, Lena, 1886-1968 -- Juvenile literature.


Baseball players -- United States -- Biography -- Juvenile literature


Inventors -- United States -- Biography -- Juvenile literature


Baseball -- United States -- Equipment and supplies -- Juvenile literature.


Sports -- United States -- Marketing -- Juvenile literature.

favorite-books juv-non-fiction picture-books-for-elementary

...more

1 like
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Samantha
4,985 reviews59 followers


December 19, 2013
This baseball book introduces readers to a man who played a big part in baseball
history, though not for his feats on the field. Lena Blackburne was a decent
player, but not one that would be remembered like Babe Ruth etc. His greatest
contribution to the game he loved was harvesting mud that could be used on new
balls to break them in a bit and cut down on the shine and stiffness of the
leather.

The writing style is very well done. The author presents a problem and spends
most of the book spotlighting the ingenious solution the main character made
possible. An author's note takes readers beyond Blackburne's life and focuses on
his legacy.

The artwork takes readers back in time. The setting details are specific and
well done, and complement the tone of the writing.

The text makes for a great read aloud on a topic of high interest. Recommended
for grades 2-5.

baseball juv-nonfiction mud

...more

1 like
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Barbara
14.1k reviews301 followers


April 3, 2013
Although Lena Blackburne longed to be a great baseball player, he was just good
to play Major League Baseball for various teams but not good enough to gain much
fame. After a chance conversation with an umpire about soggy baseballs, he
happened upon some mud near a New Jersey river that would make the balls less
shiny. I found this footnote on baseball's history quite interesting since the
mud made it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The back matter includes more
information on baseball mud and its supplier. Baseball fans and fans of the
curious will be intrigued by the text and the colorful, movement-filled
illustrations.

baseball biography community

...more

1 like
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Jackie
4,368 reviews46 followers


April 21, 2015
HA! This book reminds me of the recent conversation I just had with my
25-year-old son on some of the little known facts about baseball, namely how the
team has to get hundreds of baseballs "baseball-ready" before each game. Who
knew?

Miracle Mud: Lena Blackburne and the Secret Mud That Changed Baseball is full of
interesting baseball facts, but especially intriguing is the discovery of the
mud that scuffs up the baseballs before each game. Blackburne, a Chicago White
Sox player in the early part of the 20th Century, was an avid fan after his
playing days were over who became more famous for his discovery than his
playing.

Now, this is what I call a baseball book!

baseball biography children-non-fiction

...more

1 like
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Jen
1,024 reviews8 followers


March 14, 2014
Lena Blackburne only dream was to be a great baseball player. He played for many
teams and played many positions, but was never a good baseball player, so he
became a baseball coach. While he was a coach, he found a big problem, the
baseballs were too soggy. Blackburne did some experimentation. He found out that
if you took mud and rubbed it over shiny new baseballs and let the mud dry, you
could wipe the dried mud off easily with a towel and you were left with a
baseball that was just right. Blackburne actually became a "mud farmer" because
he was selling tons of his mud to all of the major league teams. Right now you
can find a tub of Blackburne's mud in the Baseball Hall of Fame!

2015-winners


1 like
Like
Comment


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tracy
122 reviews1 follower


July 19, 2014
Lena is not the best baseball player, but he is a problem solver. Back when he
played baseball, all the teams had a problem, the brand new baseballs were too
shiny. They tried to use tobacco juice, shoe polish and dirty water to make the
baseballs loose their shine, but nothing works. Lena found some mud while
fishing that he tried on the baseballs. It would go on wet and then dry, so the
balls weren't soggy. Everntually, Lena made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame,
but not as a baseball player, it was because on his miracle mud. Even today,
baseball teams are only allowed to use Lena's mircale mud on baseballs. Very
interesting non-fiction, and vivid illustrations.


1 like
Like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liz
889 reviews23 followers


April 13, 2013
Another to add to my baseball collection. Love baseball! Love knowing the story
behind the players, especially about great players from the past. Blackburne was
not considered a "great player" but his discovery of the mud that is rubbed onto
new baseballs to take away the white, glossy shine, is pretty interesting to
know about! Nice end pages, good author's note, and a thank you to the current
owner of Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud for sharing his knowledge. Can't
wait to test some of my friends and see what they know about the mud that's used
on baseballs!


1 like
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Comment


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Julie Williams
392 reviews11 followers


April 28, 2013
This book was about Lena Blackburne who "found" a mud that is used on baseballs.
New baseballs are "too shiny and slick". Baseball players in the past tried many
ways to get rid of the shine - soaking them in water, spitting on them, and shoe
polish but all of these had drawbacks. One day Lena was fishing and stepped in
some mud. He found that the mud could be used to get the shine off but didn't
ruin the balls. Lena's mud is now used all the time and even has a display in
the Baseball Hall of Fame. I thought this was a cool book.


1 like
Like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vernon Area Public Library KIDS
931 reviews42 followers


January 9, 2018
Got mud? Major League Baseball does! In this picture book for older readers,
find out how, in the 1930s, Lena Blackburne discovered a “secret ingredient” to
give pitchers an easier grip on their baseball. Blackburne’s idea of using mud
on baseballs was so successful that the major leagues use it even today. Kids
who love baseball and are looking for an interesting, historical read about
inventors should check this one out! Recommended for grades 2-4.

Reviewed by: Miss Alyson, Youth Services, Vernon Area Public Library

nonfiction


1 like
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Matthew
2,832 reviews51 followers


April 18, 2015
This is a great read for baseball fans, young and old. It's about the man, Lena
Blackburne, who discovered the secrets of Delaware River mud in preparing
baseballs for game play. It's a short book, but it does a good job of clarifying
what baseball was like before the discovery of the mud's effects on baseballs,
and without the mud baseball was gross. It also gives background on who Lena
Blackburne was before his discovery, and what his legacy came to be afterwards.
Good book, short and sweet, with nice endnotes.

biographical-picture-books historical-picture-books


1 like
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Laura
2,058 reviews42 followers


February 8, 2014
New baseballs are shiny, smooth, and very difficult to hit. Players used to soak
the balls in water, spit on them, or use shoe polish to make them easier to
throw and hit. A former player and coach, Lena Blackburne, discovered that a
little bit of mud makes takes the gloss off the ball and makes them easier for
batters to hit.

The text of this story is simple and clear. Perfect spring reading for
kindergarten and 1st grade!

2014 children-s nonfiction

...more

1 like
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Michele Knott
3,959 reviews195 followers


May 3, 2014
2015 Monarch nominee
I had never heard this story before - apparently new baseballs have a gloss on
them which makes them slippery for pitchers to use and hard to see for the
batters. Lena Blackburne is the former major league baseball player and coach to
have discovered the special mud that is used to cover the baseballs. It takes
the glossy sheen off and helps the batters and pitchers. Great author's notes at
the end to fill in some holes.


monarch-nominee-2015 narrative-informational-texts picture-books

...more

1 like
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Pamela
817 reviews9 followers


July 22, 2013
Simple text tells story of Lena Blackburne who loved baseball but didn't play
well enough to be famous. However, he contributed to the game by figuring out
how to make a shiny new baseball into a good useable game ball with the use of
some hometown mud. I would give this to second- and third-grade boys who love
sports but still struggle to read. Contains author's note.


1 like
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Comment


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H
1,367 reviews12 followers


March 6, 2014
Every year the Monarch committee picks a baseball nonfiction offering it seems.
Is that the only nonfiction being offered for K-3? As much as I love baseball,
I'd love to see something else. Anyway, this is the story of the guy who came up
with the idea to rub big league baseballs with a special mud he found in his
pond. It's fine.

2015-monarch


1 like
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Kelsey
159 reviews16 followers


January 13, 2015
Lena Blackburne's story is one of perseverance and growth mindset. When he
wasn't good at baseball, he found another way to significantly impact the empire
of baseball! Cute story! Would be good to use as an introduction to invention
unit, mindset discussions, or for kids who like baseball. It's a great hook.


1 like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melanie Swider Wenz
294 reviews26 followers


March 6, 2013
Loved learning about the mud that major league baseballs are dipped in - never
knew that! This book will interest and surprise students - author's note gives
detailed information about the mud and the baseball regulations in major
leagues.

2013 historical-fiction narrative-nonfiction

...more

1 like
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Christine
355 reviews1 follower


May 22, 2013
This book taught me about an aspect of baseball that I was never familiar with
before. Lena Blackburne may not have been a star player, but his was included in
the Baseball Hall of Fame and is used by players and teams to this day. Great
read for baseball enthusiasts of all ages.


1 like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie
1,193 reviews


January 18, 2014
Young baseball fans will enjoy this interesting true story of a special mud they
put on baseballs to prepare them for games. First discovered in the 1930s, the
mud is still secretly "harvested" today.

nonfiction picturebooks wonder


1 like
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Michele Cousens
91 reviews4 followers


February 15, 2014
An interesting read for your young baseball enthusiast. I never knew that before
all the major league games that the balls were covered in miracle mud to get rid
of the shine. Lena Blackburne was the man responsible for this find. His miracle
mud made it into the Hall of Fame in 1969.


1 like
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Joyce
303 reviews


January 11, 2015
Cheers for great nonfiction books for younger readers! This is a great book that
can be read aloud or alone. It has gorgeous illustrations and simple but
informative text. A solid common core book and a fun book to share.

juv-nonfiction monarch-2015 picture-books


1 like
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Cat.
1,867 reviews


June 16, 2014
Really interesting book about how baseballs are de-newed with the use of special
mud that's been used for 75 years. For someone who cares little about baseball,
this was still a fun read, and the pictures are wonderful.

children-ya history nonfiction


1 like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tara
114 reviews25 followers


July 23, 2014
This book tells the story of Lena Blackburne and the origin of his baseball
rubbing mud. This is an interesting bit of baseball history that no one in my
sports loving family had ever heard. The illustrations are fantastic and the
book is suitable for a wide range of ages.


1 like
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Comment


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kristi Bell
507 reviews3 followers


August 11, 2014
This picture book has great illustrations and a great story about a little known
fact (that I didn't know) about baseball. Lena was a problem solver and
eventually ended up in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

2014-books juvenile-books


1 like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy)
2,546 reviews741 followers


February 23, 2013
Interesting little piece of baseball history.

2013 2013-nonfiction baseball

...more

1 like
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edward Sullivan
Author 6 books222 followers


February 9, 2013
The secret stuff they rub on baseballs.

children-s-nonfiction sports


1 like
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
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