Along with profiles of Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron, this updated edition adds an eight-page chapter on Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. Each biography includes a one-page statistical summary of the player's hitting accomplishments, and color photos and illustrations accompany the choppy text. This is useful as a reading motivator rather than a source of information.

Kramer introduces young readers to five of baseball's greatest hitters--Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Hank Aaron. For each Hall of Famer, the author offers a biographical sketch and a chart of career statistics. He explains the players' strengths and weaknesses (both on and off the field) and provides play-by-play action for significant games. A final chapter briefly profiles six other batters. The illustrations, a mix of black-and-white and color photos and drawings, help to clarify the text and, combined with short chapters and large print, make for an attractive and nonthreatening layout. Similar to other beginning nonfiction titles in this Step into Reading series (for example, Kramer's To The Top! 1993), this will be popular with baseball fans. (Reviewed July 1995)