Select the paragraph that shows that Mason is excited after finding the baseball photo. Who Were the Spiders?

The Cooper family was about to move because Dad had a new job in Colorado. He had been out of work for a year, and Natalie and Mason knew he had been unhappy, but now a new job was making things look better. As Dad said, “Every cloud has a silver lining.”

Dad was already in Colorado, but Mom stayed behind so that the twins Natalie and Mason could finish fifth grade at Oak School. Today, Natalie and Mason were helping to pack boxes, and they enjoyed looking at the old treasures, especially the photo albums.

Mason found many photos, and Natalie picked up one of a baseball team in which the men’s uniforms had CLEVELAND printed on them. Someone had written 1895 on the photo, and Natalie asked, “Why is this photo here? The year is more than one hundred years ago.”

Mason asked Mom, “Is there a famous baseball player in our family?”

“I don’t know of anyone in my family, but maybe there was someone in your dad’s family,” she said, “so remember to ask about the photo when you talk to your dad tonight.”

That night Dad called, and Mason was eager to talk to him. “Dad, we found a photo today of a baseball team that played in 1895. Did one of your relatives play on a team a long time ago?”

Dad said, “It’s familiar, but I don’t know the story. Some of the photos are my father’s, so why don’t you call him and see if he knows?”

Grandpa Ken recalled that a relative played for a Cleveland team, a cousin of his great-grandfather whose last name was Zimmer, so Grandpa suggested they look up early Cleveland teams.

Mason and Natalie headed for the computer and found a baseball encyclopedia, where they clicked on “Teams” and found links to “Active Franchises” and “Earlier Franchises.” Mason knew that a franchise is a name for a professional sports team. Under “Earlier Franchises” they found three teams: Cleveland Blue, 1879–1884; Cleveland Infants, 1890–1890; and Cleveland Spiders, 1887–1899.

Mason shouted, “We found the answer! Our 1895 photo must show the Cleveland Spiders.”

Natalie said, “You might be right, so let’s find out about them.”

They looked for Cleveland Spiders and found the headline, “Grand Opening. About Nine Thousand People See the First Game.” A new Cleveland ballpark had opened on May 2, 1891. Cy Young was the starting pitcher, and Zimmer was listed as one of the players. “That’s the cousin of our great-great-grandfather!” said Natalie.

Mom said, “That means he played on the same team as Cy Young, who was an exceptional pitcher who won more games than any other pitcher in history.”

Mason wanted to know more, so they searched a baseball almanac. Natalie saw a list of players, and Zimmer was a catcher in 1895, a year in which the team came in second. She also read that in 1899, the Spiders were baseball’s worst team.

Natalie checked the 1899 team, and there was Zimmer again. “Oh, well, you can’t win them all,” she said.

Mom then said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” They would have to find out more about the Cleveland Spiders tomorrow.

A Mason asked Mom, “Is there a famous baseball player in our family?”

B“I don’t know of anyone in my family, but maybe there was someone in your dad’s family,” she said, “so remember to ask about the photo when you talk to your dad tonight.”

C That night Dad called, and Mason was eager to talk to him. “Dad, we found a photo today of a baseball team that played in 1895. Did one of your relatives play on a team a long time ago?”

D Dad said, “It’s familiar, but I don’t know the story. Some of the photos are my father’s, so why don’t you call him and see if he knows?”

E Grandpa Ken recalled that a relative played for a Cleveland team, a cousin of his great-grandfather whose last name was Zimmer, so Grandpa suggested they look up early Cleveland teams.