The Redheaded Outfield, and Other Baseball StoriesGrey, Zane
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The Redheaded Outfield, and Other Baseball Stories
Grey, Zane
Baseball stories, American; Fiction; Short stories
White cut a high twisting bounder inside the third base, and before the
ball could be returned he stood safely on second. The fans howled with
what husky voice they had left. The second hitter batted a
tremendously high fly toward center field. Burt wheeled with the crack
of the ball and raced for the ropes. Onward the ball soared like a
sailing swallow; the fleet fielder ran with his back to the stands.
What an age that ball stayed in the air! Then it lost its speed,
gracefully curved and began to fall. Burt lunged forward and upwards;
the ball lit in his hands and stuck there as he plunged over the ropes
into the crowd. White had leisurely trotted half way to third; he saw
the catch, ran back to touch second and then easily made third on the
throw-in. The applause that greeted Burt proved the splendid spirit of
the game. Bell placed a safe little hit over short, scoring White.
Heaving, bobbing bleachers--wild, broken, roar on roar!
Score four to three--only one half inning left for Philadelphia to
play--how the fans rooted for another run! A swift double-play,
however, ended the inning.
Philadelphia's first hitter had three strikes called on him.
"Asleep at the switch!" yelled a delighted fan.
The next batter went out on a weak pop-up fly to second.
"Nothin' to it!"
"Oh, I hate to take this money!"
"All-l o-over!"
Two men at least of all that vast assemblage had not given up victory
for Philadelphia. I had not dared to look at Old Well-Well for a long,
while. I dreaded the nest portentious moment. I felt deep within me
something like clairvoyant force, an intangible belief fostered by hope.
Magoon, the slugger of the Phillies, slugged one against the left field
bleachers, but, being heavy and slow, he could not get beyond second
base. Cless swung with all his might at the first pitched ball, and
instead of hitting it a mile as he had tried, he scratched a mean,
slow, teasing grounder down the third base line. It was as safe as if
it had been shot out of a cannon. Magoon went to third.
The crowd suddenly awoke to ominous possibilities; sharp commands came
from the players' bench. The Philadelphia team were bowling and
hopping on the side lines, and had to be put down by the umpire.
An inbreathing silence fell upon stands and field, quiet, like a lull
before a storm.
When I saw young Burt start for the plate and realized it was his turn
at bat, I jumped as if I had been shot. Putting my hand on Old
Well-Well's shoulder I whispered: "Burt's at bat: He'll break up this
game! I know he's going to lose one!"
The old fellow did not feel my touch; he did not hear my voice; he was
gazing toward the field with an expression on his face to which no
human speech could render justice. He knew what was coming. It could
not be denied him in that moment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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