The Rival Pitchers: A Story of College BaseballChadwick, Lester
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The Rival Pitchers: A Story of College Baseball
Chadwick, Lester
Baseball stories; College sports -- Juvenile fiction
"Parsons will pitch the remainder of the game," went on the coach to the
Randall players and he made the necessary announcement to the game
officials. "Tom," he called, "come on; you're up in place of Langridge."
Tom Parsons' heart gave a great throb. At last he had the chance for
which he had waited so long. He was to pitch in a big game!
Tom was a good batter. He was also acquainted with many pitchers'
tricks, for Mr. Lighton had given him good instruction. Tom was ready
for whatever came. The first ball Ogden delivered was an incurve. Tom
instinctively stepped back to avoid it, but it went neatly over the
plate and a strike was called on him. He shut his teeth hard. He
reasoned that Ogden would expect him to be on the lookout the second
time for an outcurve, for it might naturally be supposed that the
pitcher would vary his delivery.
"But he thinks I'm looking for an out," thought Tom. "Therefore he'll
give me another in. I'll be ready for it."
He was. He stepped right into the next ball, which was an incurve, and
with a mighty sweep sent it sailing far over the right fielder's head.
It was good for three bases and Tom took them.
"Go on! Keep running! That's a beaut! Take another! Make it a homer!"
yelled the crowd, which was on its feet shouting like mad, waving hats,
hands, handkerchiefs and college colors.
"Stay there!" cautioned Coach Lighton, for the ball was being relayed
home.
Tom's sensational hit seemed to put new life into the team and Bricktop
Molloy also brought in a run. That, however, ended the good work.
Then came Tom's turn in the box. That he was a little nervous was
natural, but he kept control of himself and only allowed one hit, though
it was good eventually for a run. There was a noticeable stiffening in
the work of the team and the coach congratulated Tom as he came in with
his chums to take their turn at the bat again.
The seventh inning saw four runs safely laid away for Randall, while
the marker put up a neat little ring in the square for Boxer, for Tom
struck out two of the three men who were up, one going out on a pop fly,
the pitcher having misjudged his batter. Neither side scored in the
eighth, and when Randall got three runs in the ninth, and, in spite of
strenuous work on the part of Tom, the Boxers got one run that same
inning, the score was tied--11 to 11.
"Ten innings! They've got to play ten innings!" went the cry around the
field. Then came more cheers. It was a game of games and it began to
look as if the hoodoo against Randall was broken and that the college
had a chance for the pennant.
"Three cheers for Tom Parsons!" yelled Ford Fenton, and what a shout
there was!
"What would your uncle think of him?" asked a student.
"He'd say he was all right!" rejoined Ford good-naturedly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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