Nate the Great and the Stolen Base Read online

  But your octopus is not.”

  “I know that,” Oliver said.

  “When I brought it home,

  I saw that I had

  a five-armed octopus

  instead of one with eight arms.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  I asked.

  Oliver smiled.

  “What difference does that make

  to an octopus?

  Five are plenty.”

  It made a big difference

  to me, Nate the Great.

  I said, “Then I still have to find

  a mostly together octopus.”

  “Right,” Oliver said.

  I said, “I, Nate the Great,

  have struck out.

  But I will be back.”

  Sludge and I went

  to the field.

  Rosamond and her cats

  were gone.

  Her mitt was gone

  from the tree.

  I sat down on a log.

  Sludge sat beside me.

  I thought about the case.

  I had found a telephone,

  a baseball card,

  and octopus arms.

  None of these mattered.

  Or did they?

  I looked up at the tree

  where Rosamond’s mitt

  had been stuck.

  Hmmm.

  I thought about the telephone again.

  And the octopus arms.

  Those long, curling arms.

  And I knew where the octopus

  had to be!

  Sludge and I ran back

  to Oliver’s house.

  Oliver was talking

  on the telephone.

  I started to pull his bookcase

  away from the wall.

  Oliver hung up.

  “I need to look

  behind your bookcase,” I said.

  I, Nate the Great, pulled harder.

  Then I peered behind the bookcase.

  I saw the telephone cord

  plugged into the wall.

  And I saw something else.

  Stuck on the cord,

  with two of its arms

  curled around it,

  was a five-armed

  purple plastic octopus.

  The case was solved!

  I reached in to grab the octopus.

  R-I-P!

  The octopus now had four arms.

  But that was plenty.

  I held up the octopus.

  “You found second base!”

  Oliver said. “But how

  did you know it was there?”

  “Your octopus’s arms are long

  and curling,” I said.

  “That makes it easy

  for them to catch

  onto something.

  That was a clue.

  But I didn’t know it

  until I thought

  about Rosamond’s mitt

  that had caught

  on a branch.

  It fell there

  after she tossed it.

  It should have landed

  on the ground.

  When your octopus

  fell off the back

  of your bookcase,

  it should have landed

  on the floor.

  That’s where I looked.

  But it never got there.

  Because its arms were caught

  on the telephone cord.”

  “Hooray!” Oliver said. “Now we

  can have baseball practice.

  I will call the team.”

  Oliver made his calls

  while I pushed the bookcase back.

  Then Oliver, Sludge, and I

  walked to the field.

  I, Nate the Great,

  went up to bat.

  I looked around the field.

  I saw first base.

  A tuna fish can.

  I saw second base.

  Oliver’s four-armed octopus.

  Then I saw third base.

  The dog bone was there.

  In Fang’s teeth.

  Fang was third base.

  I gripped the bat.

  I, Nate the Great, hoped

  I would strike out.

  Nate’s Notes: The All-American Game

  Nate’s Notes: Great Players

  Nate’s Notes: Octopuses

  How to Make Octopus Pops

  Funny Pages

  30 Teams, 30 Facts

  How to Make Caramel Corn

  These pops will cool you off after an afternoon in the outfield. They look like octopuses.

  GET TOGETHER:

  • 6 small Dixie cups (3-ounce size)

  • 2 cups of fruit juice (Any kind will work. Pink or purple juice makes the pops look more octopus-y.)

  • 6 craft sticks

  • 48 gummy worms (Again, pink or purple ones are best.)

  MAKE YOUR OCTOPUS POPS:

  1. Pour ⅓ cup of juice into each cup. Each one should be about ¾ full.

  2. Put 8 gummy worms in each cup, lining them up around the edges. These are your octopus’s legs.

  3. Place the cups in the freezer for a few hours.

  4. Place a stick in the center of each cup.

  5. Return the cups to the freezer. Leave them there overnight.

  6. Peel off the cups.

  7. Eat your octopus pops!

  Q: Why did the baseball player go to jail?

  A: He tried to steal second base.

  Q: Why does it get hot after a baseball game?

  A: All the fans leave.

  Q: What runs around a baseball field but never

  scores?

  A: A fence.

  Q: Why didn’t Cinderella make

  the baseball team?

  A: She ran away

  from the

  ball.

  Q: How is a baseball game like a pancake?

  A: They both depend on the batter.

  Q: What do you call a

  baseball covered

  in bugs?

  A: A fly ball.

  Q: What did the girl octopus say to the boy

  octopus?

  A: I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand,

  hand, hand, hand, hand.

  Q: How does an octopus go into battle?

  A: Fully armed.

  Q: What do you get if you cross a cow and an

  octopus?

  A: A critter that can milk itself.

  TV Newscaster: “Eight diamond watches were stolen from a jeweler downtown. Police are looking for a punctual octopus.”

  Doctor, Doctor, I think I’m an octopus.

  I’m sorry, but I can’t examine you through this cloud of ink.

  The Los Angeles Angels actually play in Anaheim, the home of Disneyland.

  President George W. Bush used to own the Texas Rangers.

  In 1989, the San Francisco Giants faced the Oakland A’s in the World Series. Play was delayed for 10 days after a strong earthquake hit San Francisco.

  The Dodgers moved from Brooklyn, New York, to Los Angeles in 1958.

  Another team’s coach once called the Oakland Athletics white elephants. He meant it as an insult. But now a white elephant is the team symbol.

  The Seattle Mariners play at Safeco Field. The stadium cost $517 million to build. It’s the most expensive ballpark in Major League Baseball.

  For one game each year, the Chicago White Sox let fans bring their dogs to the ballpark.

  In 1920, a pitch hit the Cleveland Indians’ Ray Chapman in the head. He died the next day. Chapman is the only player who has died from a game-related injury. Batting helmets help protect players today.

  The Boston Red Sox went 86 years between World Series wins. Some fans believed that Babe Ruth, who was traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees in 1920, cursed the team.

  The Kansas City Royals played their first game in 1969. Just three years later, they finished second in
the league.

  The Minnesota Twins won their first World Series in 1987.

  In 2002, the Detroit Tigers hosted an octopus-throwing contest.

  In 1970, the Baltimore Orioles finished 15 games in front of the second-place New York Yankees. The Orioles went on to win the World Series.

  The Tampa Bay Devil Rays play at Tropicana Field. The field was built to attract a team to Florida. It took eight years before the Devil Rays came.

  The New York Yankees have won a record 26 World Series.

  The Toronto Blue Jays are the only major-league team based in Canada.

  In 2001, the Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series. The team was only four years old.

  The Colorado Rockies are famous for their hitting records. One reason? They play in Denver’s mountains. The thin air helps the ball travel farther.

  No San Diego Padres pitcher has ever pitched a no-hitter.

  The Chicago Cubs haven’t won a World Series since 1908.

  In 1935, the Cincinnati Reds hosted the first major-league night game.

  In 1997, the Milwaukee Brewers changed leagues. They moved from the American League to the National League.

  AstroTurf is named after the Houston Astros. The plastic grass was first used in the team’s stadium, the Astrodome, in 1966. Real grass wouldn’t grow there.

  In 1903, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost the first World Series ever played. Boston won.

  The Atlanta Braves won 11 division championships in a row from 1995 to 2005.

  In 1993, the Florida Marlins finished in sixth place in their league. They finished fifth in 1994. They finished fourth in 1995 and third in 1996. In 1997, they finished second and went on to win the World Series.

  Cardinals fans are supposed to be baseball’s best. That’s why St. Louis is nicknamed Baseball City, U.S.A.

  The New York Mets were the first team to host an official Banner Day. LET’S GO, METS!

  Before 2005, the Washington Nationals played in Montreal. They were called the Expos.

  In August 1922, the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 26 to 23. The 49-run score is an all-time game high.

  Caramel corn is a great baseball snack. It’s nice to eat if you’re watching the game on TV.

  Ask an adult to help with this recipe.

  GET TOGETHER:

  • 4 cups of freshly popped corn

  • salt

  • a shallow roasting pan

  • a heavy saucepan

  • 1 cup of brown sugar

  • ⅓ cup (1 stick) of butter

  • ½ cup of light corn syrup

  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla

  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda

  MAKE YOUR CARAMEL CORN:

  1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

  2. Lightly salt the popcorn.

  3. Place the popcorn in the roasting pan.

  4. In the saucepan, mix the sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Get your adult helper to stir the mixture over medium heat until it boils.

  5. Boil the mixture for five minutes without stirring.

  6. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and baking soda.

  7. Pour the mixture over the popcorn. Stir to coat well.

  8. Bake for one hour.

  9. Cool. Break into small clumps.

  10. Eat while cheering on your favorite team!

  Have you helped solve all

  Nate the Great’s mysteries?

  ❑ Nate the Great: Meet Nate, the great detective, and join him as he uses incredible sleuthing skills to solve his first big case.

  ❑ Nate the Great Goes Undercover: Who— or what—is raiding Oliver’s trash every night? Nate bravely hides out in his friend’s garbage can

  to catch the smelly crook.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Lost List: Nate loves pancakes, but who ever heard of cats eating them? Is a strange recipe at the heart of this mystery?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Phony Clue: Against ferocious cats, hostile adversaries, and a sly phony clue, Nate struggles to prove that he’s still the world’s greatest detective.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Sticky Case: Nate is stuck with his stickiest case yet as he hunts for his friend Claude’s valuable stegosaurus stamp.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Missing Key: Nate isn’t afraid to look anywhere—even under the nose of his friend’s ferocious dog, Fang—to solve the case of the missing key.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail: Nate has his work cut out for him when his friend Rosamond loses the birthday present she was going to give him. How can he find the present when Rosamond won’t even tell him what it is?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize: The trophy for the Smartest Pet Contest has disappeared! Will Sludge, Nate’s clue-sniffing dog, help solve the case and prove he’s worthy of the prize?

  ❑ Nate the Great Stalks Stupidweed: When his friend Oliver loses his special plant, Nate searches high and low. Who knew a little weed could be so tricky?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag: It’s no relaxing day at the beach for Nate and his trusty dog, Sludge, as they search through sand and surf for signs of a missing beach bag.

  ❑ Nate the Great Goes Down in the Dumps: Nate discovers that the only way to clean up this case is to visit the town dump. Detective work can sure get dirty!

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt: It’s Halloween, but Nate isn’t trick-or-treating for candy. Can any of the witches, pirates, and robots he meets help him find a missing cat?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Musical Note: Nate is used to looking for clues, not listening for them! When he gets caught in the middle of a musical riddle, can he hear his way out?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Stolen Base: It’s not easy to track down a stolen base, and Nate’s hunt leads him to some strange places before he finds himself at bat once more.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Pillowcase: When a pillowcase goes missing, Nate must venture into the dead of night to search for clues. Everyone sleeps easier knowing Nate the Great is on the case!

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine: Nate hates mushy stuff. But when someone leaves a big heart taped to Sludge’s doghouse, Nate must help his favorite pooch discover his secret admirer.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Tardy Tortoise: Where did the mysterious green tortoise in Nate’s yard come from? Nate needs all his patience to follow this slow … slow … clue.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Crunchy Christmas: It’s Christmas, and Fang, Annie’s scary dog, is not feeling jolly. Can Nate find Fang’s crunchy Christmas mail before Fang crunches on him?

  ❑ Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden: Can Nate solve his first-ever international case without leaving his own neighborhood?

  ❑ Nate the Great and Me: The Case of the Fleeing Fang: A surprise Happy Detective Day party is great fun for Nate until his friend’s dog disappears! Help Nate track down the missing pooch, and learn all the tricks of the trade in a special fun section for aspiring detectives.

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Monster Mess: Nate loves his mother’s deliciously spooky Monster Cookies, but the recipe has vanished! This is one case Nate and his growling stomach can’t afford to lose.

  ❑ Nate the Great, San Francisco Detective: Nate visits his cousin Olivia Sharp in the big city, but it’s no vacation. Can he find a lost joke book in time to save the world?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Big Sniff: Nate depends on his dog, Sludge, to help him solve all his cases. But Nate is on his own this time, because Sludge has disappeared! Can Nate solve the case and recover his canine buddy?

  ❑ Nate the Great on the Owl Express: Nate boards a train to guard Hoot, his cousin Olivia Sharp’s pet owl. Then Hoot vanishes! Can Nate find out whooo took the feathered creature?

  ❑ Nate the Great Talks Turkey: There’s a turkey on the loose, with Nate, his cousin Olivia Sharp, Sludge, and Claude in hot pursuit. Who will find the runaway bird first?

  ❑ Nate the Great and the Hungr
y Book Club: Rosamond has started a book club. Nate and his dog, Sludge, attend a meeting as undercover detectives. The case: find out what “monster” has an appetite for ripping book pages and making others go missing.

  MARJORIE WEINMAN SHARMAT was born and grew up in Portland, Maine. She has been writing since age eight and is the author of more than 130 books, which have been translated into nineteen languages. She is probably best known as the creator of the series about the world-famous sleuth Nate the Great.

  MARC SIMONT won the Caldecott Medal for his artwork in A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry, as well as a Caldecott Honor for his own book, The Stray Dog. He illustrated the first twenty books in the Nate the Great series. Marc Simont lives in West Cornwall, Connecticut.