Matt Christopher

(1917-1997)

            Matt Christopher was born on August 16, 1917 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Matt Christopher is most known for his sports fiction books including, “Johnny Long Legs,” “The Kid Who Only Hit Homers,” and “Miracle on Ice.”  His family was not rich; his father had a hard time making a living. Matt started thinking about writing when he was fourteen. He graduated from Ludlowville High School in 1935. In high school he entered a Junior Writers Digest competition and came in 191^st out of 200.

            When he was fourteen he juggled between writing and sports. He played a variety of sports year-round. Matt wrote about mystery books when he was in high school. In high school he wrote one short mystery story in one week and continued for forty straight weeks! He sold his first book to Detective Magazine for fifty dollars called “The Missing Finger.”

            Matt Christopher’s influences for writing were sports. He was a great athlete and loved athletics and that go him an easy topic for him to write about. He said, “I'm sure that playing sandlot baseball and then semiprofessional baseball with a Class C club in the Canadian-American League influenced my writing.” Other than writing he had a great accomplishment playing baseball, almost making it to the Major League. Matt Christopher wrote a total of about 250 published books and more than 60 short stories in children/adult magazines.

            Matthew F. Christopher achieved different Writers Digest awards including short stories, best article, and for screenplay. He won the Miller Award for best children’s fictional books in Atlanta Georgia. Christopher was the oldest of nine children and got married in 1939. He died when he was eighty years old in the year of 1997. Christopher was best known for his unique writing skills and his children’s sports novels.

- by Willie Ketchup

The Books of Matt Christopher

Johnny Long Legs 

The Kid Who Only Hit Homers

Skateboard Tough

Touchdown For Tommy

The Team That Couldn't Lose

Tennis Ace

Body Check

Lacrosse Face-Off

Soccer Duel

Run, Billy, Run

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