The Crimson Banner : $b A story of college baseballMoffat, William D. (William David)
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The Crimson Banner : $b A story of college baseball
Moffat, William D. (William David)
Baseball stories; College sports -- Juvenile fiction; College students -- Juvenile fiction
We went into the field for the ninth inning with the determination to
do or die. The first batter was promptly put out by a ground hit which
Ray captured neatly, in spite of the disconcerting howls from the grand
stand. As the excitement had increased during the latter part of the
game, the behavior of the Park men had of course grown more riotous.
In every way they had tried to put us out by their noise, but our
attention was so absorbed in our work that it had scarcely affected us.
The second batter in this last inning reached first on a safe hit, and
was followed by Arnold, who, from the scowl he wore, seemed bent on
knocking the cover off the ball. I was sorry to see him at the bat at
such a moment, for he was a strong batter, and I was pretty well tired
out by my hard work of the afternoon and Saturday. Several balls were
called, and I was compelled to send one directly over the plate. Arnold
saw his chance and took it.
With a sharp crack he sent the ball away out toward right field, and
reached second base in safety, sending the former runner to third. This
made two men out, with runners on second and third bases.
Beard then came to the bat. From the care with which he settled
himself, one could see he appreciated the gravity of the situation.
If he succeeded in making a heavy hit, the chances were that he could
bring in two runs.
At the second ball he struck wildly; and, more by chance than good
judgment, drove it well up into the air toward center field. We all
looked after it with anxious eyes.
“Take it, Page!” cried Ray, as he saw both Lewis Page and Alfred
Barnett run for it. Arnold and the other runner ran around toward the
home plate. The fate of the game, therefore, rested on Lewis Page, who
now stood well under the ball, his hands up, ready to receive it. We
watched its descent in breathless suspense. Downward it shot like a
swallow. Lewis Page’s hands closed quickly about it.
“Striker out,” called the umpire, and the game was over.
Immediately the field was a scene of wild confusion. In a mass, Clinton
Edward’s band of followers, who had been with difficulty suppressing
their excitement, charged across the roadway, shouting and cheering.
Seizing hold of us, they hugged and tore us half to pieces in their joy.
“Boys, it was glorious,” croaked Clinton, in a hoarse voice scarcely
above a whisper. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. The Crimson
Banner will soon be ours;” and off he went again into a wild fit of
ecstasy, clasping the man who happened to be nearest to him.
Among those pressing around to congratulate Ray I was interested in
seeing Len Howard. I had not noticed him in any of the omnibuses, but
he seemed to be one of the most enthusiastic. The fellows were eager to
carry us off with them, but Ray objected.
“No,” he said. “We have our omnibus, and we must return to the hotel,
for I have to see Beard by agreement after the game.”
“Do you intend driving back to Belmont?” I asked Clinton.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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