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A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers / I Believe in the Also-Rans

Description This is a practice activity for the newly redesigned STAAR test for English I that incorporates new question types.

Selections There are two selections in this activity. They are entitled "A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers / I Believe in the Also-Rans” and are intended for the high school course English I, but can be used with any high school reading level.

Genre The genre of the selections is Informational/Essay (Paired Passages).

Question Types It features 19 total questions. There are 12 multiple choice, 3 dropdown, 2 multiselect, 2 inline (dropdown).

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2019 STAAR English 1

What transition would be the most appropriate to use at the beginning of sentence 6?

Candice needs a more effective thesis statement for her paper. which sentence should replace sentence 8 to serve as the thesis statement, candice needs a topic sentence for the third paragraph (sentences 19–21). which of the following sentences should be inserted before sentence 19 to introduce the ideas in this paragraph, candice may have a redundant sentence in the fourth paragraph (sentences 22–26). which sentence, if any, should be deleted, candice would like to improve her concluding sentence by summing up the ideas she has presented. which sentence should she use to replace sentence 35.

Melody’s opening sentence is unclear. What change should she make in sentence 1 to clarify her introductory paragraph?

What is the most effective way to combine sentences 6 and 7, melody needs a better transition into the third paragraph (sentences 12–17) of her essay. which of the following could she add before sentence 12 to improve this transition, melody would like to add the following counterargument to her essay. where is the best place for her to insert this sentence.

What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 4?

What is the correct way to write sentence 9, what change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 26, what change should be made in sentence 30.

What is the correct way to write sentence 8?

What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 10, what change should gena make in sentence 17, what change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 25, how does sentence 28 need to be changed.

Which sentence from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” best supports the main idea of the article?

Based on the article, the coaches at img can best be described as —, read this quotation from paragraph 13. what evidence does the author present in the article to support the opinion expressed in this quotation, the author wrote “a baseball school for big-league dreamers” primarily to —, read paragraph 21. what does this sentence suggest, what does the graphic best suggest about the different levels of baseball competition, what can the reader conclude from the interaction between the pitching coach and cameron varga in paragraphs 17 through 20, what is the author’s purpose for mentioning the children’s race through the house, based on the information presented in the essay, what is one message the reader can infer, read the following dictionary entry. which definition best matches the use of the word validated in paragraph 3, the author includes quotations in paragraph 8 primarily to —, which quotation best expresses the author’s viewpoint about being an “also-ran”, what can the reader conclude from paragraph 3, what is the main idea of the selection, both ketchum marsh in “a baseball school for big-league dreamers” and the author of “i believe in the also-rans” —, read this sentence from paragraph 2 of “i believe in the also-rans.” which sentence from “a baseball school for big-league dreamers” contrasts with the attitude expressed in the sentence from “i believe in the also-rans”, which sentence correctly describes the organizational pattern used by the authors of the two selections, what do ketchum marsh in “a baseball school for big-league dreamers” and cyrus in “i believe in the also-rans” have in common, what is the purpose of paragraph 32 in “a baseball school for big-league dreamers” and paragraph 3 in “i believe in the also-rans”.

What does the point of view used in the excerpt help the reader understand?

How is the first sentence of the excerpt important to the plot, in paragraph 30, what does the word laboriously mean, read this quotation from paragraph 20. the irony of this quotation is that it calls attention to —, what is a central theme of the excerpt, what does t. j.’s climb back up the fire escape in paragraph 28 reveal about him, in paragraph 25, why does blackie say, “they own the building”, in paragraph 32, what does the blade of grass represent for t. j..

Read lines 15 and 16. In line 16, the word etched most closely means —

What is a theme of the poem, what does the desk represent in the poem, which line from the poem best indicates that the speaker is ready to relinquish ownership of the desk, what tone is established in lines 22 through 25, what do the speaker’s comments in lines 31 through 35 suggest, the repetition in lines 19 through 21 is used to emphasize that the desk —.

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The writing process, indefinite and definite articles, 8th -  11th  , academic writing, 9th -  10th  , thesis statements, argumentative texts.

Big League Dreamers and The Also-rans

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Both Ketchum Marsh in “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” and the author of “I Believe in the Also-Rans” —

are frustrated by their limited athletic abilities

are natives of the same geographic location

have families that emphasize the importance of athletics

have attended exclusive schools that focus on achievement

Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of “I Believe in the Also-Rans.”

"As an English teenager I was schooled in an elite school where I was fed the idea that I was better than others and that achievement and winning were all-important."

Which sentence from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” contrasts with the attitude expressed in the sentence from “I Believe in the Also-Rans”?

“You kind of just don’t want to leave the field at the end of the night,” he says

“We are not sending the message that every one of our players are going to wind up playing shortstop for the Mets.”

Bolek, who has coached in the minors, the majors and college, says his job is not always about baseball.

And there’s something else: Many of the coaches have given years to the game.

Which sentence correctly describes the organizational pattern used by the authors of the two selections?

Both selections provide definitions of key terms to add meaning to the texts.

Both selections include anecdotes as examples to support their main ideas.

Both selections use quotations from experts to support the main ideas in the texts.

Both selections use cause-and-effect to highlight the relationships between key ideas.

What do Ketchum Marsh in “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” and Cyrus in “I Believe in the Also-Rans” have in common?

Neither is a natural-born athlete

Both become easily frustrated by failure.

Neither has supportive adults in his life

Both hope to play professional sports.

What is the purpose of paragraph 32 in “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” and paragraph 3 in “I Believe in the Also-Rans”?

To explain that early disappointment can often lead to long-term failure

To point out the educational advantages of attending elite schools

To emphasize that the realities of adult life often differ from early experiences

To specify the most important qualities needed to become a successful adult

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• Resource Library
• Communication
• Intro to AFNR
• Personal Essay
• Public Speaking

Education Standards

Nebraska agriculture and natural resources standards.

Learning Domain: Agribusiness Systems

Standard: Differentiate between management and leadership

This I Believe essay - Leadership

This i believe oral evaluation sheet, 'this i believe' essay writing.

Presented in five consecutive standard-period classes, students are invited to contribute to the This I Believe essay-writing project by writing and submitting a statement of personal belief.  This is a challenging, intimate statement on one’s beliefs and one’s own daily life philosophy, considering moments when belief was formed, tested, or changed.  Written by Jarvis Reed.

Overview:  Presented in five consecutive standard-period classes, students are invited to contribute to the This I Believe essay-writing project by writing and submitting a statement of personal belief.  This is a challenging, intimate statement on one's beliefs and one's own daily life philosophy, considering moments when belief was formed, tested, or changed.  Written by Jarvis Reed.

AFNR.HS.10.5.c  Communicate using strategies that ensure clarity, logic, purpose, and rofessionalism in formal or informal settings.

AFNR.HS.20.1.d  Examine and practice public speaking.

Learning Goal: 

Students will increase written and oral communication skills by thinking critically and articulating in writing a personal foundational belief in 350-500 words stated in the affirmative and then presenting this essay to their class.

Photo by Yeshi Kangrang on Unsplash

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The Also-Rans

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By Bruce Handy

• Oct. 17, 2004

LOOKING FORWARD TO IT Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the American Electoral Process. By Stephen Elliott.

Illustrated. 306 pp. Picador. Paper, $14.

THIS is a mess of a book, and probably an unnecessary one, and yet I enjoyed almost every page. Is that a critical flip-flop? No doubt. But given the subject -- the 2004 presidential campaign -- an ambiguous or cognitively dissonant reaction is surely appropriate.

The bad news first: Do you want to read a book about the election? Aren't we already drowning in newspaper and newsmagazine articles, cable show debates and blog entries on this sad topic? Do you really care to revisit the days when, according to probability theory, someone somewhere was passionate about Joe Lieberman's candidacy? Still curious about Howard Dean's stump speech or the differences between Dick Gephardt's and Dennis Kucinich's health care plans? Wasn't it all dispiriting enough in real time?

Are you even interested in a review on the subject? (Feel free to turn the page; maybe there's an update on Jenna Jameson's book.)

O.K., now that only you and E. J. Dionne Jr. are still reading, I'll get on with it. Elliott is a San Francisco-based novelist and journalist, as well as a poker columnist for McSweeney's. Here he has produced an idiosyncratic, ramshackle account of the campaign in the guise of a reporter's diary that proves frustratingly shapeless. One obvious problem, as sticklers will point out: the election is still not over. In olden days, Theodore White, who invented the modern campaign narrative, would bring forth quadrennial volumes that climaxed with Mosaic surety when the American people spoketh on the first Tuesday in November. Elliott begins his own tale in July 2003, with Dean stumping across Iowa in the candidate's pre-presumptive nominee phase, and then brings things to an abrupt halt this past July at the Democratic National Convention. The book's genesis was a report on the Dean campaign Elliott wrote last year for the literary magazine The Believer, and one guesses that "Looking Forward to It" was intended to be an examination of the Dean phenomenon, which, if Dean had actually won the nomination, would have lent inherent cohesiveness and relevance; readers in this alternative universe might still be fascinated by meetups and Zephyr Teachout, Dean's liaison to the blogosphere. But oh, well. Elliott, like Dean himself, picks up the pieces as best he can.

Don't expect much in the way of nuts-and-bolts analysis. If this somewhat grungy account has a model, it's probably "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72" by Hunter S. Thompson, the anti-Teddy White. Naughty goings-on, though, are relatively mild: a few passing references to drugs, a couple of hangovers, an episode of vomiting outside a Holiday Inn. In one potentially frightening encounter, Representative Kucinich offers to share a home-cooked vegan meal with Elliott. Fortunately, the food proves tasty and Kucinich, we learn to our surprise, has an almost motherly presence. A sweet scene, believe it or not.

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Quiz   by courtney foster.

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• Q 1 / 19 Score 0 Which sentence from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” best supports the main idea of the article? 29 Most players here won’t ever put on a big-league uniform, but they come to IMG trying to find and reach their potential. Ketch doesn’t think about the numbers. He remembers being fascinated by how the players and coaches talked and how fans reacted to the game. Tuition, room and board here for the combined academic and sports program is about $70,000 a year.

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• Q 1 Which sentence from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” best supports the main idea of the article? Most players here won’t ever put on a big-league uniform, but they come to IMG trying to find and reach their potential. Ketch doesn’t think about the numbers. He remembers being fascinated by how the players and coaches talked and how fans reacted to the game. Tuition, room and board here for the combined academic and sports program is about $70,000 a year. 300 s
• Q 2 Based on the article (“A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers”), the coaches at IMG can best be described as — focused on becoming coaches at a professional level dismissive of the mistakes students make concerned about the effectiveness of their coaching ability caring about the future success of the students 300 s
• Q 3 Read this quotation from paragraph 13 in “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers”. : [“Ketchum Marsh is one of the most successful stories that will come out of IMG,” Bolek says, focusing not just on baseball, but on life.] What evidence does the author present in the article to support the opinion expressed in this quotation? A reference to Marsh’s work ethic A description of Marsh’s training regimen An anecdote about Marsh’s time as a batboy Information about Marsh’s future plans 300 s
• Q 4 The author wrote “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” primarily to — persuade readers to support schools that specialize in training student-athletes inform readers about a unique school and the students who attend it highlight the reasons people pursue a career in sports convince student-athletes to enroll in a specialized school for sports 300 s
• Q 5 Read paragraph 21 from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers”. : [ Baseball folklore tells us that the scrappiest kid on the sandlot has a shot at going to “the show.”] What does this sentence suggest? Most major-league players come from humble circumstances. Baseball players understand their potential at an early age. Legends about baseball frequently inspire players to improve. Determination and grit could get a player to the big leagues. 300 s
• Q 6 What does the graphic from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” best suggest about the different levels of baseball competition? More athletes prefer playing college baseball than minor-league baseball. Most Little League baseball players participate in multiple sports when they reach high school. Playing Little League baseball is necessary to becoming a major-league player. Baseball leagues become more selective as players advance 300 s
• Q 7 What can the reader conclude from the interaction between the pitching coach and Cameron Varga in paragraphs 17 through 20 (from “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers”)? Varga is confident in his ability to succeed in Florida. The pitching coach is mainly concerned about winning games quickly. Varga’s number of pitches will decrease as his speed increases. The pitching coach wants his players to always strive to improve 300 s
• Q 8 What is the author’s purpose for mentioning the children’s race through the house? (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) To illustrate that some children value fun above competition To emphasize that his child is athletically superior to her friends To show that children lack concerns about safety when competing To highlight that children often disregard household rules 300 s
• Q 9 Based on the information presented in the essay, what is one message the reader can infer? (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) Persistence ensures that a loser will eventually become a winner Satisfaction comes from being dedicated and doing your best. Being rewarded simply for participating belittles the efforts of the winners Avoiding competition is better than participating when failure is certain 300 s
• Q 10 Read the following dictionary entry. validate \Ɏva-lǨ-ɑdāt\ v 1. declare or make legal 2. prove or confirm to be true 3. approve an expressed agreement 4. mark with an indication of being official Which definition best matches the use of the word validated in paragraph 3? (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) Definition 3 Definition 2 Definition 1 Definition 4 300 s
• Q 11 The author includes quotations in paragraph 8 primarily to — (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) point out the author’s concern for Cyrus emphasize Cyrus’s noncompetitive nature highlight that Naomi and Kean rarely agree reveal Naomi’s and Kean’s athletic abilities 300 s
• Q 12 Which quotation best expresses the author’s viewpoint about being an “also-ran”? (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) "At school I was fortunate to win enough to balance all the times I lost, and I began to believe in this idea." "I believe in celebrating those that finish third in a three-horse race." "Our family enjoys a large house with a great running track." "Naomi and Kean have always been fast runners and very evenly matched, too." 300 s
• Q 13 What can the reader conclude from paragraph 3? (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) The author was better at sports than at academics while growing up. Educational priorities at elite schools differ from those in public schools The author’s education did not fully prepare him for living in the real world. Students in England are required to attend school through the university level. 300 s
• Q 14 What is the main idea of the selection? (“I Believe in the Also-Rans”) Parents should encourage their children to be active because fitness is important. People who consistently win competitions as children have lifelong advantages over those who don’t. Children usually develop friendships with others who have similar abilities. People should celebrate their best efforts even if they don’t always succeed. 300 s
• Q 15 Both Ketchum Marsh in “A Baseball School for Big-League Dreamers” and the author of “I Believe in the Also-Rans” — are frustrated by their limited athletic abilities are natives of the same geographic location have attended exclusive schools that focus on achievement have families that emphasize the importance of athletics 300 s

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The Also-Rans

Unsung Heroes, Lovable Losers, Runners-Up, and Forgotten Failures That Will Change Your View of Success

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Unsung Heroes, Loveable Losers, Runners-Up, and Forgotten Failures (That Will Change Your View of Success)

Catherine Littlefield Greene

A Rhode Island aristocrat who became a widowed plantation owner in the Reconstruction Era South may have been more instrumental to the invention of the cotton gin than Eli Whitney.

In a cautionary tale for all of today’s artisanal food-makers, a small bakery sees its innovative new cookie concept copied by a much larger rival. Losing market share is bad enough but being transformed in the public imagination from original to knockoff may sting even more.

Eulace Peacock

Jesse Owens’ greatest rival might have claimed a share of the sprinter’s four gold medals and a place beside him in history exposing the idiocy of Hitler’s Aryan racism… but for a common muscle pull.

W e may not have a “winner take all” culture, but it often feels that way. We have a tendency to overvalue winners and overly devalue losers. A person or a business or an idea that manages to rise to a position of indisputable dominance in their field – business, science, the arts, sports – are frequently considered to be possessed of rare, almost magical qualities. They become case studies into best business practices or the nature of genius.

And sometimes rightly so. There are truly insightful innovators at Facebook and Google, there are histories of savvy decision-making and brand-building at General Foods and General Motors, there is a burning brilliance that fueled the discoveries of Charles Darwin and Louis Pasteur, and the creative achievements of Joyce and Picasso are towering and enduring for a reason.

However, if you look just a notch or two below these undisputed champions, these world-changers, these gold medal winners who bestride their domains like colossi, there are thousands of stories ­– sometimes cautionary, sometimes inspiring – among those who didn’t quite make it to the very pinnacle, those in the silver or bronze medal spots or off the podium entirely, the 80-pound chimps who for one reason or another never became the 800-pound gorilla.

This site is dedicated to them – The Also-Rans.   We hope you’ll enjoy perusing these stories and that you find them as interesting to read about as we have found it rewarding to report on.

For those new to this site, the About  page serves as a quick context-setter.  The stories themselves can be navigated by category – see the list to the right.  On the Observations page, we’ve drawn a few conclusions about coming in second best, at best.

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Loved your article on the Also-Rans and the story of Jesse and Eulace; have to disagree with you on one point, if Peacock did not get injured and made the 36 Olympic team, I believe Peacock would have beaten Jesse in the 100 he seemed to have his number and Jesse seemed to know it, being a sprinter my self for going on 62 years once a man continues to beat you it gets into your head and you wonder on race day will he beat me again, it can mean the difference.

Thanks for the comment, Gary. Not being a runner myself, I’ll defer to your keener insights into the runner’s mind and would grant Peacock even higher laurels in the “what-if” scenario. It’s what makes this particular story so exasperating in many ways. Many Also-Rans (in my reading) are very much the authors of their fates. Not so Peacock, who was deprived his shot at glory. Congrats on your longevity as a runner, btw. 62 years! May you enjoy many more!

Nice job on the article. My father went to grade school with you looks peacock in Vauxhall New Jersey. Bottom line also goes to the two of them and that the respect they had for each other.

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| Grammarist

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An  also-ran is a term to describe someone who lost a race, either athletic or political, by a large margin, or someone of little significance. It is always hyphenated. The plural is  also-rans

Its synonyms include nonstarter and loser. The thesaurus we referenced listed dark horse as a similar term, however, a dark horse or sleeper is an unsuspected victor, not failure.

As you can see by the ngram below, also-ran  has had a dramatic increase in popularity since its coinage at the turn of the twentieth century. It was first used to describe horses who  also ran in a race and did not place.

Examples Texas Gov. Rick Perry got some good news last   week. In a FOX News  poll , Perry moved from an also-ran in the contest for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination to a tie for first place with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. [WUWM] . “I know I’m in the right spot, and I don’t feel like I’m just going to be an also-ran now,” Levins said. “I feel like I’m a deserving member of my team.” [Chronicle Herald] Volvo Cars Australia boss Matt Braid watched as McLaughlin went from front-row favourite to anonymous also-ran in both races. [Sydney Morning Herald] This time, the Cowboys and Giants don’t look like also-rans, but factors even for the conference championship. [Sporting News] The spectators get the chance to cheer their favourites and enjoy the sadistic pleasure of seeing the also-rans humiliated while thanking their stars that it’s not them in the arena. [Express]

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also-ran noun & adjective

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What does the word also-ran mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the word also-ran . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the word also-ran ?

How is the word also-ran pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the word also-ran come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the word also-ran is in the 1890s.

OED's earliest evidence for also-ran is from 1895, in Daily News (Denver) .

also-ran is formed within English, by conversion.

Etymons: English also ran .

Nearby entries

• ALS, n. 1793–
• ALS, n. 1851–
• Alsace, n. 1793–
• Alsatia, n. 1676–
• Alsatian, adj. & n. 1563–
• alsauf, adv. c1300–1565
• al segno, adv. ?1775–
• alsike, n. 1834–
• alsinaceous, adj. 1832–
• also, adv. & n. Old English–
• also-ran, n. & adj. 1895–
• alstonia, n. 1806–
• alstonite, n. 1845–
• alstroemeria, n. 1775–
• alt, n.¹ 1597–
• alt, n.² c1599–1715
• Alt, adj.¹ & n.³ 1964–
• alt, adj.² 1988–
• Altai, adj. 1824–
• Altaian, adj. & n. 1780–
• Altaic, adj. & n. 1762–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, entry history for also-ran, n. & adj..

Originally published as part of the entry for also, adv. & n.

also-ran, n. & adj. was revised in June 2011.

also-ran, n. & adj. was last modified in March 2024.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into also-ran, n. & adj. in March 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the OED, Volume I (1972)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View also, adv. in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for also-ran, n. & adj., browse entry.