The proximity of the Margolis residence to the Polo Grounds baseball field, Joey’s encyclopedic knowledge of the game, and the fact that Charlie Banks is a professional player and 3rd baseman for the N.Y. Giants baseball team allow for numerous allusions to baseball within the text. In juxtaposition to the moral and physical chaos at the time of the Holocaust, baseball is straightforward, and requires both athleticism and adherence to a carefully-delineated and rational set of rules. Additionally, it is considered to be a quintessential all-American pastime, and is generally associated with carefree summer days and a kinder, gentler aspect of American culture.

The fact that Joey’s hero, Charlie Banks, plays 3rd base for the N.Y. Giants helps to build the athlete’s image as a hardworking, straightforward, steadfast character. While Charlie loves playing the game of baseball and has been involved in several game-related scuffles with other players, it is his innate sense of morality and (often well-hidden) good heart that cause him to become a substitute father to Joey. Within the short span of their close relationship, which begins with a baseball-related correspondence, Joey becomes more disciplined and less impulsive, and Charlie evolves from a somewhat immature, gifted athlete into a kind and self-sacrificing father.