“Late again, Mavis! How many times I have told you to come back in time to help me cook dinner?” asked Mrs. Muntari.   

“But, mummy, I can’t just walk out in the middle of a game!” said Mavis.

“You shouldn’t be playing the game in the first place.”

“But, mum, why can’t I? You never tell Adibe or Senze not to play football. I had to leave the game at half time and rush back so you wouldn’t get angry with me,”said Mavis.

“You are a girl! It is as simple as that. Boys and girls have different roles to play. I have 11 hungry mouths to feed and I need your help! You are the oldest girl not working, so it is your job to help me. That’s the way of our people. Now go and fry some more chicken.”

At the dinner table, Adibe and Senze were excitedly talking about today’s game, while eating the chicken Mavis had fried. They talked about how Mavis scored in the first half with a power shot from the halfway line. It was a great goal as their team was losing by 0-1 at that time.

Dad came home then and brought the boys a local newspaper, in which there was news about football scouts (球探) from England visiting Ghana (加纳). These scouts had asked to be allowed to visit schools to look for players of the future. Adibe and Senze looked at each other and cheered. “Wow, I’m going to be like Essien!” And they started arguing which one would make it as a superstar.

Mavis decided to take this chance. She stole out of home. When she arrived at the playground, one player happened to get injured (受伤) and the coach was worried. “I can take his place!” Mavis shouted. Though it was unbelievable to let a girl play, the coach agreed. During the second half, she made an amazing shot!

When the game was over, the scouts all stood up, cheering.

Baseball is very popular in America now, and it has a long history. Its history can date back to 1744, in a children’s book A Little Pretty Pocket-Book in the UK. There was a game called baseball. Later on, people got to know much other early information about baseball game.

In 1749, Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, played “Bass-Ball” in English. Then some students began to play with balls ruled by Princeton College in 1787. And a baseball club came into being in 1825.

The Boy’s Own Book (1828), told the rules to today’s game of baseball. People should play baseball on a diamond-shaped infield (菱形的内场). When a player hit the ball through or over the infield, he could run. If the ball hit somewhere else, which was against the rule, he could not run. Three missed batting (击球) meant the player lost the game.

In The Book of Sports (1834) by Robin Carver, he brought baseball to American for the first time. And now, the baseball is very popular all over the world. Many people like playing it for fun. It’s also a way to keep healthy.