The true story of John Meyers and Charles Bender, who in 1911 became
the first two Native pro baseball players to face off in a World Series.
This picture book teaches important lessons about resilience, doing what
you love in the face of injustice, and the fight for Native American
representation in sports.
Charles Bender grew up on the White Earth Reservation in Northwestern
Minnesota. John Meyers was raised on the Cahuilla reservation in
Southern California. Despite their mutual respect for each other's
talents and their shared dedication to Native representation in
baseball, the media was determined to pit them against each other.
However, they never gave up on their dreams of being pro baseball
players and didn't let the supposed rivalry created by the media or the
racism they faced within the stadium stop them. They continued to break
barriers and went on to play a combined total of nine championships.
With text by Traci Sorell and illustrations by Arigon Starr that brings
these two players to life, the stories of John Meyers and Charles Bender
remain an inspiration for achieving and maintaining one's dreams in the
face of prejudice.