The second week of out-door practice the regular work of the boys was increased. At batting practice every fellow was expected to run clear around the bases after he made his hit. The coaches and managers got a line on the base-running ability of the boys in this way. Hagner, Robb, Case and Talkington all showed up well in this direction. Toward the end of the week the fellows were lined up on the diamond at their regular positions, the coaches trying out the various candidates for the fielding jobs. Hughie batted grounders to the infield, to each of them in turn. After each play the ball was thrown from base to base in all of the different combinations necessary to all the imaginary situations, from short to first it went, from first to third, from third home, and from there to second, a white streak, the speed of the players increasing daily as the men got surer of their positions. Others were batting flies to the outfield and the coaches were moving about watching the work of each man as he was tried in the different positions. Each of the fielders was given a variety of work, at bunting and the fielding of bunts, catching high infield flies, picking up sizzling grounders, etc. This work enabled Hughie to pick out his first line-up for the first and second squads. By the middle of March the two squads were playing practice games among themselves. The first squad generally lined up as follows: 1st Base Dill 2nd Base Everson 3rd Base Delvin Short Hagner Right Fielder Robb Center Fielder Talkington Left Fielder Larke Catcher Gibbs Pitcher Black The second squad was composed of a miscellaneous crew generally lined up as follows: 1st Base Ross 2nd Base Gane 3rd Base Conley Short Wallach Right Fielder Raymur Center Fielder Oakley Left Fielder McKee Catcher McLuin Pitcher Radams Harold Case was a sort of substitute pitcher for both squads. He would relieve Black for a while for the first squad and Radams for the other squad, so that both teams got plenty of practice in batting a left-hand pitcher. There was no way for him to find out in advance what Jenkins thought of him, but he had high hopes of making the team, and he felt absolutely confident that if he ever got a chance in one of the full regular games, he would be able to make good. Crossley also was given a good deal of work during these practice games, as he gave promise of doing well and it began to look as though the choice for left-hand pitchers would be between these two. CHAPTER VI PICKING THE VARSITY