Major League fun at the library

Giggles, squeals, oohs and ahhs are sounds you don't hear in a library too often. But last Thursday the noises were expected as more than 75 sixth-graders from Benito Juarez Elementary School and their teachers met Angels' catcher Bengie Molina and Sharon Robinson, daughter of late Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson at the Sunkist Branch Library. The program was part of Join the Major Leagues at your library. But the event didn't call for students to trade in their thinking caps for baseball hats, just yet. Robinson, vice president of educational programming for Major League Baseball, started the program last year after being approached by the American Library Association to encourage literacy. As part of the program, Robinson travels to different major cities in which the playoffs or World Series have been played and visits local libraries along with a Major League player from that city. Robinson included Anaheim in this year's 20-year tour because of the-Angels World Series victory in October. Librarian Carol Stone opened the program. "We're here to celebrate two American classics - baseball and libraries," Stone said. After the welcome, Stone allowed Robinson to take over the event. Robinson then introduced Molina, saying catchers don't spend their entire lives on their knees. She asked Molina about his catching skills and Molina tied his reading skills to his sport. "It's not just about catching," Molina said. "I have to read and study reports on other players to learn their skills. Then I work on my strategy." The children also participated in a baseball trivia game that gives them a chance to be entered in a nationwide drawing to win a trip for two to the World Series, including round-trip coach air fare and double occupancy hotel accommodations for two nighty . Sharon Robinson visits with Juarez Elementary School sixth-graders at the Sunkist Library to give them tips on literacy. Those who answered correctly received Angels' paraphernalia such as shirts, plush balls, bender toys and videos. The baseball trivia component is part of a nationwide online game, meant to encourage people to visit their local libraries and do research on the Internet for the correct answers. Juarez students, however, were given the opportunity to verbally answer the questions and fill-in the answers as they went long. That gave them the opportunity to turn in their correct answers to be eligible for the grand prize. Twelve-year-old Ana Gonzales, who was dressed in a red Angels' shirt and baseball hat with a Rally Monkey hanging on her neck, said she was happy to meet Molina, even though her favorite player is Troy Glaus. Eleven-year-old Courtney Montenegro didn't win a prize but was happy to be there. "I'm happy that I got to see Jackie's daughter," Montenegro said. Among the people in attendance were Anaheim City School District Superintendent Sandra Barry and council members Bob Hernandez and Richard Chavez. "Whatever we can do to inspire our children to read is great," Chavez said. Children raise their hands to answer a question, above, during a visit from Sharon Robinson and Angels catcher Bengie Molina, left, at the Sunkist Library.