Mrs. Baker proves to be a remarkably resourceful and well-connected person, which comes as a revelation to Holling. In addition to being an English teacher, she has a background in athletics. Mickey Mantle of the Yankees is Holling’s hero, and the teenager desperately hopes to meet him. Still in his Ariel costume, Holling rushes to the sporting goods store where Mantle is appearing but is disappointed by not making a good impression on the baseball star. Mrs. Baker saves the day by recruiting two other Yankee players to come to the school.

The next phase of Holling’s Mantle obsession comes in April. Holling and his father have arranged to go together to opening day at Yankee Stadium, but his father lets him down; he fails to pick him up from school on the appointed day. When Mrs. Baker drives him there, after the game ends Holling is astonished that several Yankees know who she is. Earlier in the spring when Holling was training in preparation to try out for the cross-country team, Mrs. Baker had given him some tips on running. She also revealed that she had not only been a track star in her youth, she had actually competed in the Olympics and won a medal. It is from her performance in Melbourne that the Yankee players recognize her and in turn offer to show them around.