Warrior on the Mound: Chapters 12–19

by Sandra W. Headon
In Jim-Crow era North Carolina, 12-year-old Cato is an aspiring pitcher whose dream of playing professional baseball collides with racial tensions and conflict after he and his team practice on a whites-only field.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–11, Chapters 12–19, Chapters 20–33
15 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. deacon
    a Protestant layman who assists the minister
    Papa Vee, Rev, and a few of the church deacons crowd into the kitchen now.
  2. destiny
    the circumstances or condition to which someone is fated
    “We thank you, Lord, for sparing the life of our son, Isaac Jones, and we ask that you make him strong again, Lord, strong enough to fulfill the destiny that you wrote for him on the day he was born.”
  3. anoint
    choose by or as if by divine intervention
    “And we ask you to anoint the hands of your healers, Mama J., Miss Mary Agnes, Miss Naomi, and little Hope. Through them, touch the body of Isaac Jones and make him whole again.”
  4. satchel
    luggage consisting of a small case with a flat bottom
    Gran and Papa Vee gave this satchel to Isaac two years ago, the morning he left for Kansas City.
  5. grits
    coarsely ground corn that is boiled
    We had a big breakfast of grits and eggs, and we sat around the table talking and laughing until ten in the morning.
  6. vigil
    a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe
    When we reach the house, we see folks have gathered to hold vigil for Isaac’s recovery.
  7. savior
    a person who rescues you from harm or danger
    “That’s great, Luke. Now you want to be the good citizen—a savior, even!”
  8. pitiful
    inspiring mixed contempt and sorrow
    “Is this your ball field?” asks Freight Train, looking around. “Pitiful. No wonder you was trespassing on ours.”
  9. feeble
    lacking strength or vigor
    He flashes a feeble smile.
  10. slather
    spread thickly
    He grabs two biscuits, lays them out on the table, slathers molasses on them, and takes his first bite.
  11. secondhand
    previously used or owned by another
    At the end of last season, Isaac bought them for us in a secondhand store in Kansas City.
  12. sparse
    not dense or plentiful
    The crowd at Poplar Field is mighty sparse.
  13. dud
    an event that fails badly or is totally ineffectual
    Our secret weapon is a dud.
  14. mournful
    expressing sorrow
    Then Digger throws his head way back and lets out a loud and mournful howl.
  15. wince
    draw back, as with fear or pain
    The truck bounces up and down on the uneven dirt road. Every now and again it hits a big bump, and we all wince.
Created on Mon Jul 13 18:00:54 EDT 2026 (updated Fri Aug 07 15:21:42 EDT 2026)

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