A
Before one man walked upon a muddy New Jersey riverbank，baseball was a deadly game.
In 1938，Phillies third-base coach Lena Blackburne happened to step into a stream in the Delaware River，and realized he found a solution for one of baseball's biggest problems.
Back then balls fresh from the box were slippery and hard to control.Players tried to improve their grips (紧握力) with tobacco juice or shoe polish，but as the balls got dirtier，they just got harder to see.Batting helmets hadn't been invented yet，and players were having trouble keeping their eyes on the errant (无定向的) balls.One batter was even killed.
So when Blackburne came across the slippery mud near his hometown fishing hole，his mind went straight to the field.The mud was gritty (含砂的)，with the look and feel of chocolate pudding.He brought some home and found that，sure enough，it coated the ball perfectly，improving the grip without damaging the leather.When Blackburne showed the result to American League umpires (裁判员)，they gave his mud a thumbs-up.By the 1950s，every major-league team was using it.
Now，before every major-and minor-league game (as well as many college games)，an umpire or clubhouse attendant wipes a light coat of Blackburne's magic mud on each ball used.The mud hole's location remains a closely guarded secret to this day.Only one person，Jim Bintliff，the mud's farmer，knows where to find it.
1．Before 1938，baseball was________．
A．boring B．world-famous
C．dangerous D．unpopular
2．The magic mud makes baseballs________．
A．easier to control B．easier to make
C．look prettier D．look bigger
3．What did American League umpires think of Blackburne's method?
A．It might work. B．It was great.
C．It didn't work. D．It could be improved.
4．Which can be the best title for the text?
A．Baseball stars B．Baseball's secret
C．Baseball rules D．Baseball's origin
