“Of course! He’s as full of advice as a pudding is of plums. He’s the sort who wants everyone to do things his way,” chuckled Mr. Hall. “We used to have some fine old spats when we were in college together. John not only wanted to catch, but pitch, too. If he could have had his way he’d have played every position on the team, I guess!” “He told me two or three things I didn’t know about catching, Mr. Hall.” “Oh, he can tell you things, all right! He’s full of perfectly wonderful information. He’s the sort who, if he was presented to the King of England, would start right off telling that gentleman how to improve his batting average!” Sam smiled. “What he told me sounded pretty good, though,” he said defensively. “It _was_ good; no doubt about that, Craig. Theoretically, John York was the best catcher Warner ever had. Actually, he was the most uncertain. You see, he was full of theories. He doped everything out ahead and when things didn’t go the way he’d arranged them there’d be trouble. He’d study a new batter when he came up and decide that the man would hit a high ball over the outside corner into left field. Then he’d signal for a low one and the batter would crack it into the middle of next week, and John would be so surprised and grieved about it! After the inning he’d sit on the bench and prove conclusively to you that the man had no business hitting a low one, that he was built for high ones! The trouble with John was that he wouldn’t practise what he preached. He knew how a thing ought to be played, but he had a hunch that he’d get better results if he played it differently. I used to tell him he thought too much with his head. But in spite of all that we loved him. He was one of the most popular fellows in college. And you’re not to think that he always went wrong with his game, for he didn’t. Lots of times his theories worked out like miracles.” “I remember”--Mr. Hall picked up a paper-knife and, leaning back in his swivel chair, played with it and smiled reminiscently--“I remember a game we played with Michigan. John was captain that year. (We made him captain because he’d have been it anyway and we thought there’d be no use having two.) We were two runs behind Michigan in the seventh and hadn’t got a run across for three or four innings. Michigan’s pitcher had us eating out of his hand, and if anyone did start a rally their infield cut it off. So, in the seventh John said, ‘Look here, fellows, we’re playing too close to the ground. What we’ve got to do is cut loose and run wild for a couple of innings. Now I want every one of you to hit at anything you see, as long as you don’t have to walk out of the box for it, and when you get on first I want you to go down to second on the first ball. And when you get to second, try for third. Those chaps aren’t used to fireworks. Let’s show them some.’