The Baby-Sitters Club #20: Kristy and the Walking Disaster

Kristy is sitting for Karen, Andrew and David-Michael when they decide to practice baseball with some friends. The kids all suck, but one reveals that a guy in the neighborhood has a softball team for kids that aren’t so good. Kristy agrees to talk to Bart, but he doesn’t have space on his team for a bunch of kids. Kristy tells the other BSC members to keep an eye out for kids that might want to join the team she decides to start.

Of course dozens of kids want to join and she has a full team on her hands. Jamie is scared of the ball and ducks every time it comes near him, Claire throws massive temper tantrums when she strikes out and barely anyone can communicate with Matt. She keeps practicing and encouraging the kids to get better. Bart suggests they play against each other and she starts training the kids even harder.

Bart and some of his team show up during a practice and his kids make fun of the team. The only one they seem to like is Nicky, who is a pretty good pitcher. The kids all feel really bad because the Bashers call them names and pick on them. Kristy decides she doesn’t like Bart, but then they walk home together and she gets the fuzzies.

The game finally arrives and everyone helps out by working the refreshment stand. The Krushers lose to Bart’s team, but the kids are excited that they got to play a real game. Bart walks Kristy home, they make plans to play again and she gets all crazy in like. Bart suggests they hang out sometime, without the teams and she goes home with a big smile on her face.

*Mary Anne brings Tigger to a BSC meeting and Kristy allows it. I can’t really see Kristy letting him stay there, since it’s a big distraction.

*Sam apparently bakes brownies for the refreshment stand. For some reason, that mental picture really cracked me up.

*Just to show how the books treat ages again. Gabby is 2.5 and can join the team, but Marnie who is only two can barely talk and sits and eats cereal during the game, playing with her toes.

*Kristy makes a comment about how Claudia “forced” Charlotte to join the beauty pageant. Granted it’s true, but they were all kind of horrible in that book.

*Kristy is embarrassed that everyone notices she has a crush on Bart and that he likes her. Cut to 60 books later and suddenly she’s irritated that he calls her his girlfriend and ends things.

*Karen refuses to call the team the Krushers because it’s spelled wrong and spells her name Crushers on her shirt because that’s right. This book reminds me of why I always wanted to slap her around.

*What is the point of these teams? Bart’s kids are all older and old enough to join Little League. Kristy starts her team and when he suggests a game, she’s all shocked by the idea. Did they both plan on just playing practice games with a bunch of kids? You don’t need shirts for something like that!