A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 1
1. What game was the town playing? (p1)
a. soccer
b. basketball
c. baseball
2. Why was Green Lawn raising money? (p2)
a. Because it was for Camp Challenge, a summer camp.
b. Because they wanted to buy a museum.
c. Because they were poor.
3. Who was Pete Unkenholz? (p2)
a. a store keeper
b. the umpire
c. a famous baseball player
4. Who was the head coach of the baseball team? (p4)
a. Babe Ruth
b. Mr. Linkletter
c. Thaddeus Pocket
5. What were on display in the clubhouse? (p4)
a. zoo animals
b. six of Mr. Pocket’s baseballs
c. pictures of New York
Chapter 2
1. Why was Pete sneezing? (p8)
a. Because he had allergies.
b. Because it was sunny.
c. Because it was dusty.
2. Where did Pete go? (p10)
a. to the doctor
b. into the clubhouse
c. to the swimming pool
3. Why did Josh race back to the bleachers? (p10-11)
a. Because a dog chased him.
b. Because the baseballs were gone.
c. Because he saw a ghost.
4. What happened to the glass case? (p11)
a. It was moved.
b. It was dirty.
c. It was smashed into pieces.
5. Who did the children tell about the baseballs? (p11)
a. Mr. Pocket
b. Mr. Dillon
c. Lucky O’Leary
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 3
1. Who went into the clubhouse before Josh? (p14)
a. Ruth Rose
b. Dink
c. Pete
2. Why was Mr. Pocket’s face as white as his hair? (p14)
a. Because he was wearing make-up.
b. Because he saw a ghost.
c. Because his baseballs were gone.
3. What disappeared at the same time as Pete? (p15)
a. the six baseballs
b. Officer Fallon’s cruiser
c. the bleachers
4. Where was Pete’s trailer parked? (p16)
a. on Squaw Island
b. at the river campground
c. in Dink’s backyard
5. Who was in the back seat of Officer Fallon’s cruiser? (p17)
a. Pete Unkenholz
b. Mr. Pocket
c. Josh
Chapter 4
1. What did Pete admit? (p19)
a. He didn’t like Green Lawn.
b. He stole the baseballs.
c. He sneezed.
2. Who did Pete know in Green Lawn? (p20)
a. Mr. Pocket
b. Mr. Dillon
c. No one
3. Who was Mrs. Mackleroy? (p21)
a. a police officer
b. an umpire
c. a librarian
4. Why did the children search on the Internet? (p23)
a. Because they wanted to buy a computer game.
b. Because they wanted to learn more about Pete.
c. Because they had a school project.
5. According to the newspaper, what did Marion Unkenholz do? (p22)
a. He won a gold medal.
b. He took a van for a joyride.
c. He climbed a mountain.
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 5
1. Who did Ruth Rose talk to on the phone? (p26)
a. a newspaper reporter
b. her brother, Nate
c. Babe Ruth
2. Who was Marion Unkenholz? (p26)
a. Pete’s mother
b. Pete’s uncle
c. Pete
3. Why did the children go to Island River? (p27)
a. Because they wanted to swim.
b. Because they wanted to check out Pete’s trailer.
c. Because it was sunny.
4. Where was the trailer from? (p30)
a. Green Lawn
b. California
c. Maine
5. What did Ruth Rose pull out of the trash? (p31)
a. a baseball
b. a small box
c. some clothes
Chapter 6
1. Why did Pete go into the clubhouse? (p32)
a. Because he wanted a shower.
b. Because he was tired.
c. Because he went to get his allergy medicine.
2. What did the children show Officer Fallon? (p33)
a. an Aller-Green box
b. a baseball bat
c. a newspaper
3. What did the children find out? (p34)
a. Mr. Linkletter was missing.
b. Pete stole a van in Maine.
c. Green Lawn was too busy.
4. How long could Pete go to prison for? (p36)
a. one hour
b. one week
c. a very long time
5. Who wouldn’t Pete talk to? (p36)
a. a doctor
b. a teacher
c. a lawyer
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 7
1. Where was Pete? (p38)
a. in a cell
b. in the garden
c. at the supermarket
2. What did Pete tell the children to do? (p40)
a. play baseball
b. go away
c. get him an ice-cream
3. What did the children eat for lunch? (p42)
a. spaghetti
b. salad
c. sandwiches
4. Why didn’t the children think the shirt at the trailer was Pete’s? (p44)
a. Because it was too big.
b. Because it was too small.
c. Because it was too old.
5. Why did Josh think someone was at the trailer? (p47)
a. Because there was food outside.
b. Because the shirt was gone.
c. Because he heard music.
Chapter 8
1. Who was in the trailer? (p49)
a. Buddy, Pete’s brother
b. Nate, Ruth Rose’s brother
c. Bradley and Brian
2. Why was Pete lying? (p50)
a. Because he liked jail.
b. Because he thought Buddy stole the baseballs.
c. Because he didn’t like Buddy.
3. Before the game, what did Buddy do? (p52)
a. He watched TV.
b. He practiced baseball.
c. He joked about stealing the baseballs.
4. Who stole the van in Maine? (p53-54)
a. Pete and Buddy
b. Fizzo and Buddy
c. Josh and Dink
5. In Maine, what did Pete tell the police? (p55)
a. He drove the van.
b. He liked dogs.
c. He didn’t have a brother.
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 9
1. Why did Buddy and Pete stop in Green Lawn? (p57)
a. Because Pete needed to earn more money.
b. Because they wanted to play sports.
c. Because Buddy had to go to school.
2. Where were Pete and Buddy heading to? (p57)
a. Texas
b. Colorado
c. Florida
3. Who did the children take Buddy to see? (p58)
a. Mr. Pocket
b. Officer Fallon
c. Josh’s mother
4. Back in Buddy’s home, what did people call Pete? (p59)
a. Pete the Thief
b. Pete ‘Honest Abe’
c. Party Pete
5. Why did Pete lie to the Maine police about the van? (p60)
a. Because he liked to lie.
b. Because he wanted to protect his brother.
c. Because he was so scared.
Chapter 10
1. Why couldn’t Buddy stay in the trailer alone? (p61-62)
a. Because he was fourteen.
b. Because their trailer disappeared.
c. Because he was scared.
2. Where would Buddy stay? (p62)
a. in Pete’s cell
b. in the Shangri-la Hotel
c. at Dink’s house
3. Where did Officer Fallon drive the children to? (p63)
a. Pete and Buddy’s trailer
b. Florida
c. Mr. Pocket’s house
4. Why did Buddy give Officer Fallon his key? (p63-64)
a. Because Buddy could lose it.
b. Because Officer Fallon had no home.
c. Because Officer Fallon needed to search the trailer.
5. At what time was the first pitch of the baseball game? (p66)
a. eleven o’clock
b. twelve o’clock
c. ten o’clock
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 11
1. Who did Buddy really love? (p69)
a. himself
b. Pete
c. Dink
2. What could the thief do with the balls? (p69)
a. play with the balls
b. sell them
c. throw them away
3. Why couldn’t Officer Fallon go to the pizza party? (p70)
a. Because he didn’t like parties.
b. Because he was allergic to pizza.
c. Because he had to talk to people at the game.
4. Why couldn’t Buddy have a pet? (p72)
a. Because he didn’t like them.
b. Because the trailer was tiny.
c. Because they were too expensive.
5. What place did Buddy like? (p72)
a. Green Lawn
b. the police station
c. the river
Chapter 12
1. Where would the thief sell the baseballs? (p74)
a. at the supermarket
b. at school
c. on the Internet
2. Who did the children go to see? (p74)
a. Mrs. Mackleroy
b. Officer Fallon
c. Pete
3. Who signed one of Mr. Pocket’s baseballs? (p76)
a. Wallis Wallace
b. Babe Ruth
c. Jud Wheat
4. How much money did the baseball cost? (p79)
a. one hundred dollars
b. one thousand dollars
c. one million dollars
5. Why did Mrs. Mackleroy e-mail the man selling the baseballs? (p79)
a. Because she likes the baseballs.
b. Because she wanted his address.
c. Because she was his friend.
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Chapter 13
1. Who was the baseball thief? (p82)
a. Ted Gundy
b. Pete Unkenholz
c. Mr. Pocket
2. Where did the police find the baseballs? (p82)
a. in a trash can
b. in a closet
c. in a refrigerator
3. Where would Pete and Buddy stay? (p82)
a. in Maine
b. in Florida
c. in Green Lawn
4. Why did Officer Fallon have a long talk with Pete? (p82)
a. Because he told him lying was wrong.
b. Because Pete wanted to run away.
c. Because Officer Fallon liked talking.
5. Who won the baseball game? (p85)
a. the men
b. the women
c. It was a tie.
A-Z Mysteries
The Unwilling Umpire
Dictation
1.
“Yeah! I guess they’re worth a lot of money,” Dink added. “He let me hold the one signed by
Babe Ruth!”
2.
Mr. Pocket sighed. “Well, I guess the game is over,” he said.
3.
“Gee, what a mess,” Josh said. “Poor Mr. Pocket finds an umpire who ends up stealing his
baseballs!”
4.
On the side of the box was a picture of a man sneezing.
5.
“How long will Pete have to stay in jail?” Ruth Rose asked.
6.
“Officer Fallon really wants to help you,” Josh said. “He found you a good lawyer. Will you talk
to her?”
7.
He looked around fourteen years old. His eyes were red, as if he’d been crying.
8.
“You and your big brother look a lot alike,” he said.
9.
“Buddy, I need to search the trailer before you go inside,” Officer Fallon said.
10. “Look, there’s a place to type in what you want to buy!” Josh said.