Heat

Days later, Michael “still” has “no word from Ellie” (185). On top of his nerves over her, Michael must worry that the Clippers have to play Westchester South, Justin’s team, before they can reach the District 22 final game at Yankee Stadium.

Before the Westchester South game, Manny and Michael listen to the broadcast of the Yankees game. “The bad news never [stops]” (185), as El Grande sprains his ankle and has to leave the game. Manny sympathizes with Michael’s noticeable inward, anxious behavior, and reminds Michael that he feels that “it should be [him] sticking it to Justin” (186) that day. Manny was “sure they would’ve found” (186) the birth certificate at this point. He believes that Michael “really [is] due for a happy ending one of these days” (187).

As the boys leave the apartment, Michael hears the phone ring and desperately unlocks the door, hoping that Ellie is calling, but it is just Mrs. Cora. Manny can see the disappointment on his face.

All of the other players show up early for batting practice, and Michael gets to work hitting ground balls to warm his teammates up. Justin begins to taunt Michael, but then Manny “accidentally” (189) throws a ball near Justin’s head. Justin moves “like he [is] coming for Manny” (189), but his father pulls him back. When Justin’s father tells Mr. Minaya that he should “do a better job of controlling [his] players,” Mr. Minaya, smiling, retorts: “Don’t you just hate it when boys act like boys?” (190).

In the first inning, Justin throws a wild pitch near Manny’s head. Mr. Minaya runs from the first base box to express his concern, but the umpire does not know about the conflict before the game. Manny makes light of the situation, and Michael laughs, but their laughter bothers Justin, who asks, again: “What’s so stinking funny?” (193).

After the second inning, the Clippers are losing 5-0. When Michael’s teammates make an excellent play at first base, Justin tries to save face, trying “one of those headfirst dives coaches told you never to try at first” (196). When the umpire calls him out, Justin jumps up and removes his helmet “like he [plans] to slam-dunk the sucker” (196). In his head, Michael urges him to “do it […] because it would [mean] an automatic ejection” (196).

Justin’s father urges him to stop, but everyone at the field stops paying attention. Behind the Clippers’ bench, a “parade of people” (197), led by El Grande and Ellie, approaches the field.

Michael notices that the crowd includes Mr. Gibbs and another official-looking person. They’re all “walking straight for Michael” (198). When El Grande speaks, he tells Michael that he is “the one who has been making [his] daughter so miserable lately” (198). Michael apologizes, shyly, to Ellie.

At this point, she reaches into an envelope and pulls out Michael’s birth certificate. The other official-looking man steps forward and reveals that he is the executive officer of Little League baseball, responsible for controlling the whole World Series. He apologizes to Michael for the delay.

Ellie then explains, quickly, that the same day she received his note, Manny called her and “told [her] everything” (199). Then, El Grande, who “[knows] some people in Havana” (200), tracked down Michael’s birth certificate.

Carlos pulls out Michael’s spikes, which he brought with him to the game, so that Michael can prepare to pitch. Justin’s father tries to stop the game, but Mr. Kain, the Little League officer, insists that Michael is allowed to play. He looks derisively at Justin’s father, but Michael has moved on to thank Manny. Manny just tells him to “shut up and pitch” (201).

Mr. Minaya seeks volunteers to leave the game so that Michael can play. Everyone except Manny volunteers; he knows that Michael needs him. Bobby Cameron steps out and Michael takes to the plate. After a few pitches, “Michael [is] on third with a stand-up triple” (202). The team finally scores a run to pick up some momentum.

He throws a few wild pitches, but Michael strikes out the side. He is excited to see Ellie’s reaction, and he notices that El Grande, too, is “slowly nodding in approval” (203). As the Clippers start hitting, Justin starts to have a meltdown. His father goes to the mound, and the two begin to be angry, together. Michael just “[stands] there at the plate, taking it all in, waiting for them to finish” (205). Michael takes the base and his teammates continue to hit, tying the game.

Manny hits a hard line-drive to send Michael home, and suddenly, the Clippers are “three outs away” (207) from a win. The boys struggle not to “think about how close they were” (208) to playing at Yankee Stadium. Despite their focus, the Westchester South team gets some hits, and they wind up with players on “first and third, nobody out” (209).

Manny meets up with Michael at the mound to share his plan: “strike one, strike two, strike three” (210). When Michael strikes out the next two players, he notices Ellie give a loud whistle. He recognizes that he is “where he [is] supposed to be finally” (210). Slowly, aware of these surroundings, after making eye contact with El Grande, he throws “pure heat” (211) to strike out the side. Manny runs toward Michael as he realizes that “they [are] going to the Stadium” (211).

As the team celebrates, Michael recognizes that “this wasn’t his whole dream […] [b]ut […] [i]t would sure do for now” (212).

The day of the big game at Yankee Stadium, Michael, with Manny, Ellie, and El Grande, marvels at the fact that he will pitch there. He thinks of Carlos, traveling from Manhattan with Mr. Gibbs, who has helped Mrs. Cora. She called him seeking help to take care of the boys. Rather than giving her temporary custody, Mr. Gibbs took over temporary custody until Carlos turned 18; he knew that the city would work slowly, and that “Carlos would turn eighteen by the time the paperwork ever made it out of ACS” (213). In exchange, Carlos would work as an intern at ACS.

As they enter Yankee Stadium, Michael marvels at how comfortable Ellie seems there, walking around “as she would in her own house” (214). Ellie directs them to the Yankees’ locker room, where the boys will change for their game. El Grande tells him about the ghosts of Yankee Stadium.

In the locker room, El Grande shows them his locker. The luxurious changing space makes Michael think of Papi, who would have loved the space. “Only players” are “allowed” (216) in this space. From the locker room, they move on to the dugout, which El Grande and Ellie let Michael enter first. He takes a “deep breath” (217) and walks up onto the field, shortened and tidied to fit a Little League game. “Nobody cared” about the changes; “it was still Yankee Stadium” (217).

Michael meets some of his teammates and continues to admire the stadium as the rest show up. Mr. Gibbs, Carlos, and Mrs. Cora enter the stadium and take their seats as game time approaches. Eventually, game time comes, and an announcer introduces all of the opposing team, Fordham Road, and each of the Clippers players.

As the announcer works through the lineup, Michael taps Manny, who turns around “still smiling, just because he [hasn’t] stopped since they’d gotten inside” (219). When he thanks Manny, Manny only responds to his cracking voice with a quick “shut up” (219). Before he throws the first pitch, the Yankees’ owner stops to introduce himself to Michael, having heard about his story. He tells Michael that he “[expects] to see a lot more of [him] from now on” (220).

As he prepares to pitch, Michael hears the subway, “much quieter” (220) from within the ballpark. He thinks of “all the ghosts El Grande had talked about,” who he had assured Michael “were supposed to be smiling tonight,” and feels certain that “his father” (220) was one of them. He hears Papi say: “now you’re pitching” (220). After the first strike, for the first time, Michael hears “the cheer from inside Yankee Stadium […] for him” (220).