PITCHER POLLOCK [Illustration: Down came Bert’s arm and it was all over] PITCHER POLLOCK BY CHRISTY MATHEWSON AUTHOR OF FIRST BASE FAULKNER, CATCHER CRAIG, Etc. ILLUSTRATED BY CHARLES M. RELYEA [Illustration] GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK Made in the United States of America Copyright, 1914, by DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I TOM HUNTS A JOB 3 II AND FINDS IT 14 III UNCLE ISRAEL SAYS “NO” 27 IV AT CUMMINGS AND WRIGHT’S 35 V TOM LOOKS AT HIS HAIR 48 VI TWO PAIRS OF SKATES 64 VII TOM GAINS PROMOTION 82 VIII AN OUT-CURVE 100 IX TOM WANTS TO KNOW 114 X TOM PLAYS IN A REAL GAME 124 XI THE BLUES VISIT LYNTON 138 XII “BATTER’S OUT” 151 XIII TOM TWIRLS TO VICTORY 164 XIV COACH TALBOT MAKES A CALL 180 XV THE PUMP CHANGES HANDS 197 XVI THE DETECTIVE DONS A MASK 214 XVII AFTERNOON PRACTICE 224 XVIII TOM TWIRLS FOR THE SCRUBS 237 XIX WITH THE TEAM 249 XX AMESVILLE LOSES THE GAME 264 XXI KNOCKED OUT OF THE BOX 283 XXII UNCLE ISRAEL SITS UP 293 XXIII “PLAY BALL!” 304 XXIV PITCHER POLLOCK 313 XXV THREE OUT 325 ILLUSTRATIONS Down came Bert’s arm and it was all over _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE “I was wondering sir,” said Tom, “if after I’ve paid that bill I couldn’t have the pump” 46 “‘Grasp the ball firmly,’” recited Sidney, “‘between the thumb and the first two fingers’” 120 “Now you watch, son. Better get behind me so’s you can see” 210 PITCHER POLLOCK CHAPTER I TOM HUNTS A JOB “Want to hire a boy?” Mr. Cummings looked around and across the showcase at the youth who stood there. “Want to what?” he asked. “Hire a boy. I’m looking for a job.” “Oh.” Mr. Cummings turned back to his task of rearranging a number of carpenter’s squares in a green box and made no other reply for a moment. The boy waited silently, watching interestedly. Finally, fixing the cover on the box and laying it on a shelf, “Ever worked in a hardware shop?” he asked. “No, sir.”