WASHINGTON — He may be better known for reading signals from his catcher while on the mound at Nationals Park, but Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg took some time to read a story to young fans at Anacostia Library on Saturday morning.
Strasburg read “The Baseball Adventure of Jackie Mitchell: Girl Pitcher vs. Babe Ruth,” a story of a girl pitching against longtime home run king and New York Yankee legend Babe Ruth.
“She was a pitcher, a mighty good pitcher,” Strasburg read to the young fans. “The question was: Was she good enough to play against the New York Yankees?”
He offered the question to the crowd, who returned with a quick, “yes.”
Strasburg spoke about his love of reading from a young age and his daughter’s big appetite for stories and books.
“She’s really into reading,” Strasburg told the crowd. “I would say it’s four or five books a night before she falls asleep.”
And what she’s reading is mostly what Strasburg has been reading lately.
“Pretty much toddler books: Daniel Tiger, Doc McStuffins, Pout-Pout Fish.”
No matter the book, he said that he thinks reading can play a big role in growing up.
“Reading is so important. It’s so much better than sitting in front of the TV or playing video games all of the time,” Strasburg stated.
Strasburg said when he was younger, he liked reading “Goosebumps,” “The Da Vinci Code,” and “James and the Giant Peach.” He also noted that reading helped him get a better understanding of the history of baseball, making him a better pitcher.
Fans at the event got free books from the library and autographs from Strasburg.
