Poetic meaning

•Simile:

-"Arms sharp as rifles"(Line 13): this quote tells the reader that the players could throw very fast.

-"The men were like cats running back backwards to snag" (Line 17): this shows the reader that the teenagers are just trying to focus on their ongoing baseball game, and trying to forgot about their responsibilities.

•Metaphor:

-"They were all Jackie Robinson & Will Mays, a touch of Josh Gibson & Satchel Paige" (Line 7-9): these men were very good baseball players in the 1920s through the 1970s. The author uses the names of these famous individuals to show that everyone has their moment when they are a star.