Shadow Ball takes place in 1945, and tells the story of a ten-year-old white boy, Patrick, who has run away from home. While on his journey, Patrick stumbles across a Negro League barnstorming stop where they are playing a game of shadow ball. Shadow Ball is baseball played in pantomime - baseball with an imaginary ball. Intrigued, Patrick finds an opportunity and steals the invisible ball. Center fielder James 'Cool Papa' Bell follows the thief into the woods. After some trepidation, Bell indulges Patrick in a game of shadow catch.
