When young Jason is cut from his Little League team, he’s undeterred. Gathering a group of less experienced players, and with the help of a few skilled friends, he forms a new team. Things take a surprising turn when the school’s janitor, Mack Henry, steps up as their coach, revealing an unexpected depth of baseball knowledge.

11-year-old Michael Schiffman becomes increasingly curious about their enigmatic coach’s past, suspecting Mack may be an ex-Negro League legend who vanished from the public eye. As Michael dives deeper into the mystery, he unravels a rich history, involving an appearance by Ernie Banks who plays a pivotal role in the story’s unfolding.