Mexican WhiteBoy: Danny’s Return to the Mound Summary & Analysis

1. Danny and Uno visit a high school in Logan Heights for another hustle attempt. The baseball field is shabby. They meet Cory, whom Uno knows from juvenile detention—Cory was there for selling drugs. Cory introduces Danny and Uno to Marzel, who Cory says is a great batter, though he has a questionable character. Cory and Marzel are both Black. Uno shows Danny a new catching mitt he bought, even though he’s saving money for Oxnard. Now Danny doesn’t have to worry about hurting Uno’s hand with his throws, and Uno says he’ll need the mitt anyway to play for his school’s team next year.

2. Danny’s first pitches to Marzel are wild. Uno approaches Danny and says that he’s trying too hard, that the game isn’t about Danny, and that Danny has the train's power within him. On the next pitch, Danny lets his mind go blank, and he easily strikes Marzel out. Afterward, Marzel’s girlfriend approaches Danny to ask why he doesn’t speak Spanish if he’s Mexican. Marzel, furious, gets ready to attack Danny for talking to his girlfriend, but Uno intervenes and beats Marzel up. Later, Uno says that it was the train’s power that made him fight Marzel—and that this is the same force that makes Danny pitch so well.

In a letter to Danny's dad, Danny writes that his baseball team is now the best in the state and that he’s the star of the team. Danny recalls how Javier taught him to pitch in an alley. He writes that ever since then he was “destined” to become a great pitcher—he couldn’t possibly be anything else. Even though he’s a great student, Danny writes, at school he feels the same as everyone else. As a pitcher, though, he’s distinct and important. He controls people, and everyone looks up to him.