46 pages • 1 hour read
The Batboy
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Chapters 25-30Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 25 Summary
Brian keeps Willie company while Willie eats food from McDonald’s. They discuss the issues surrounding steroid use among baseball players, and Willie argues that the steroid era turned every player into a “suspect.” At the time, fans didn’t consider a baseball player innocent or guilty but “caught” or “not caught.” Willie states that he never took steroids because his mother taught him that drugs were scarier than “the devil.” Willie admires Hank Aaron, the 20th-century baseball player who held the record for the most career home runs until Barry Bonds, an alleged steroid user, surpassed Aaron’s total.
Brian wonders why talented players like Bonds felt the need to take steroids. Willie claims that there was a domino effect; Bonds took steroids to outperform McGwire and Sosa, and Alex Rodriguez took them to compete with Bonds. Willie thinks that Hank can still perform well, and he admires Brian for trying to help Hank even though Hank does not consistently treat Brian with kindness.
The Tigers sweep the Royals, but Hank’s performance struggles, so he returns to the batting cage. Brian helps Hank collect the balls, and Hank bemoans his age and explains to Brian that his disquiet is not about reaching 500 home runs. Hank admits that he is swinging late. Brian wants to give him advice on his swing, but Hank begs him to stay silent, so Brian acquiesces. Hank and Brian leave Comerica Park together and run into Liz, who thinks that Hank needs home-cooked food and a break from baseball.
Chapter 26 Summary
During the Sunday afternoon game against the Twins, Hank gets a single. On Sunday night, he has dinner with Liz and Brian. Brian tells Finn that he would invite him as well, but Liz wants to limit the gathering to herself, Hank, and Brian. Finn understands that going against a mother’s wishes isn’t wise. For the first time in a while, dinner takes place in the dining room. Hank brings wine and wears a blazer and dress shirt. Liz mentions Hank’s hitting woes, and Hank implies that everything is going poorly.
As Liz prepares dessert, Brian asks Hank if he wants to watch Sunday Night Baseball, but Hank declines. Hank wonders if he can still play baseball, and Brian gives him positive reinforcement. Hank claims that he keeps playing because he has “something to prove.” Hank and Liz share coffee and talk until 9:30 pm, and Hank offers to buy Liz dinner another time. Before Hank leaves, Brian tells him that he is a different hitter, and he cites his Bishop of Baseball highlight DVD to back up his claims. Now, Hank is intrigued by Brian’s insight.
Chapter 27 Summary
Brian takes Hank to his room, which is like a “shrine” to Hank. On his laptop, Brian shows Hank the DVD and points out how low his hands are on the bat for his home-run swings. They then watch Hank’s current swings, which often result in strikeouts. Hank suggests that they have batting practice right now, so Hank, Brian, and Kenny go to a field with lights. Kenny calls the situation “mad cool” and throws Hank a fastball, causing him to swing and miss. Faced with the next fastball, Hank hits it over the fence. Brian notices that Hank is now keeping his head down and hands set. Hank thanks Brian for the help and adds him to the list of people whom he wants to prove something to.
Chapter 28 Summary
The Cleveland Indians have a one-game lead over the Tigers in the American League Central, and Hank has four more home games in which to hit a home run and reach the 500 mark before the Tigers start a lengthy road trip. The Tigers manager keeps Hank on the bench for the first three games, causing Liz to tease Brian by saying that the manager must not know that Brian has revolutionized Hank’s swing.
For the fourth game against the Twins, Brian has a “feeling,” and Finn wonders if Brian is calling Hank’s shot—an allusion to the third game of the 1932 World Series when the New York Yankees star Babe Ruth allegedly gestured to the outfield before hitting a home run in that location. Brian assures Finn that Hank has his “stroke” back. When Brian sees his mom in the stands wearing a Tigers cap, they acknowledge one another.
Hank gets a chance to hit against the Twins’ talented rookie pitcher. Hank calls Brian “coach,” and they fist bump. Hank strikes out for his first at-bat, but Brian attributes the out to Hank’s anxiety, not to his swing. In the bottom of the ninth, the Twins lead 1-0, but the Tigers have a runner on first and Hank at the plate. The unpredictability of the matchup consumes Brian, and Hank hits a game-winning home run—his 500th home run. Brian spots his mom, who is as happy as Brian was when he sat with his dad in section 135. Brian and Hank fist bump again, and Hank gives Brian his 500th career home-run ball.
Chapter 29 Summary
The Sting’s manager wants to save Kenny for the finals, so Kenny doesn’t pitch in the semifinals. Brian agrees with the choice, and the team wins by a large margin. Before the final game, Kenny’s father reminds him to stay and not to “overthrow.” Kenny overthrows anyway, and the team falls behind; the score is now 3-0. Brian makes a great play to prevent more runs from scoring, and he gives Kenny a pep talk. Brian’s mom is at the game, and when Hank makes a surprise appearance, the fans applaud him. Hank approaches the team’s bench area.
Chapter 30 Summary
The Tigers played the Indians in Cleveland during the afternoon, so Hank rented a car and drove back to Detroit to attend Brian’s Little League final. The coach praises Hank’s accomplishments before joining Liz in the stands. The game resumes, and Kenny gets a double. The next batter strikes out, so Brian bats with Kenny on second. Brian stays patient, keeps his hands back, and hits a finals-winning home run. Kenny anoints Brian “Batman” and calls him “the man.” Liz hugs Brian, and Hank lifts him into the air.
Chapters 25-30 Analysis
Lupica uses Brian and Willie’s conversation about steroids to provide a different perspective on the issue, subverting Brian’s earlier point that the steroid era has permanently sullied baseball’s record books. As Willie names players linked to steroids, he also reveals that it is possible to separate steroid and non-steroid statistics. For example, Willie praises “the great Hammerin’ Henry Aaron, the real all-time home run champ of the game of baseball” (181). Willie also contends that although the record books may be inflated, the players’ data have not been completely corrupted by the steroid era, as knowledgeable people like Brian and Willie can identify suspicious statistics and separate them from the records achieved without alleged or admitted steroid use.
Brian’s life and outlook improve dramatically when Hank trusts his judgment enough to accept his batting tips, and this new connection is thoroughly cemented when Brian’s advice helps Hank secure his 500th home run. Hank communicates his increasingly strong bond with Brian by driving from Cleveland to Detroit just to see Brian’s final Little League game. This gesture marks the culmination of their bond and implies that Hank truly has become a positive role model and father figure in Brian’s life. The emphasis on family support also manifests when Brian spots his mother in the crowd during Hank's 500th home-run game. When she “wave[s] at him, smiling” (210), her positive reaction counteracts Brian’s sour memories of Cole sitting in the stands and ignoring him entirely. Unlike Cole, Liz wordlessly communicates with Brian, just as Hank does, and these moments indicate that Brian’s home life has drastically improved. This positive trend reaches its peak when Brian hits the finals-winning home run and Hank lifts him into the air. As Brian reflects, “I waited for this, all right” (230), he basks in the realization that Hank is now providing him with the ecstatic, unconditional affection that he has always craved from Cole. Hank thus becomes a positive addition to Brian’s and Liz’s lives.
In the novel’s climactic moments, The Omnipresent Influence of Baseball melds with the equally important support of family and friends, reaching a more balanced state in Brian’s world. Although baseball is still prominent enough to provide inspiration, Brian also understands that he must temper his devotion to the sport by focusing on his personal relationships as well. Just as Hank ultimately finds inspiration for his own skills from an unlikely source (his batboy), Brian also leverages the support of his friends, his mother, and Hank himself to find a newer and more positive approach to life. These dynamics culminate when both Hank and Brian take a break from baseball and enjoy the cozy family atmosphere of Liz’s home-cooked dinners and friendly conversation. As Liz tells Hank, “What you need is a home-cooked meal away. Far away from baseball. Far, far away” (187). Likewise, Hank doesn’t want to watch Sunday Night Baseball that evening, claiming that he and Brian are “both off duty tonight” (191). This brief break allows both Hank and Brian to return to the contemplation of baseball with a fresh perspective, and their impromptu film session and batting practice lead to performance breakthroughs for both of them. Ultimately, however, baseball brings them together, and its omnipresent influence takes on a more holistic and balanced presence in their lives.
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By Mike Lupica
