Baseball Joe Around the World; or, Pitching on a Grand Tour

by Lester Chadwick

  CHAPTER VIII

  THE RIVAL TEAMS

  Robbie, who had come up just in time to hear Joe's last words, gave him aresounding thump on the back.

  "That's the way to talk, Joe, old boy!" he cried. "I've been telling Macall along that no matter who else weakens he could bet his last dollar onyou."

  "Not that I needed any bracing up," declared McRae. "I know a man when Isee one, and I count on you to the limit. I didn't send that telegrambecause I had any doubt, but I knew that they'd make a break for you firstof all and I didn't want you to be taken by surprise. By the way, have anyof them turned up yet?"

  "A chap named Westland came to see me the very day I got your telegram,"replied Joe.

  "And he came well heeled, too," put in Jim. "Money was fairly drippingfrom him. He just ached to give it away. It was only up to Joe to become abloated plutocrat on the spot."

  "Offered good money, did he?" asked McRae, with quickened interest.

  "Twenty thousand dollars right off the bat," replied Jim. "Fifteenthousand dollars a year for a three-year contract. And as if that weren'tenough, he offered to put the money in the bank in advance and let Joedraw against it as he went along."

  McRae and Robbie exchanged glances. Here was proof that the new leaguemeant business right from the start. It was a competitor to be dreaded andit was up to them to get their fighting clothes on at once.

  "That's a whale of an offer," ejaculated Robbie.

  "They've thrown their hat into the ring," remarked McRae. "From now onit's a fight for blood."

  "There's no need of asking what Joe said to that," said Robbie.

  "I wish you'd been behind the door to hear it," grinned Jim. "The way Joelighted into him was a sin and a shame. He fairly skinned him alive. Itlooked at one time as if there would be a scrap sure."

  "It would have been a tremendous card for them to get the star pitcher ofthe World's Series," said McRae with a sigh of relief. "And in these days,when so many rumors are flying round it's a comfort to know there's oneman, at least, that money can't buy. There isn't a bit of shoddy in you,Joe. You're all wool and a yard wide."

  At this moment, Hughson, the famous pitcher who had been a tower ofstrength to the Giants for ten years past, came strolling up, and Joe andJim fell upon him with a shout.

  "How are you, Hughson, old man?" cried Joe. "How's that wing of yoursgetting along?"

  "All to the good," replied Hughson. "I stopped off for a day or two atYoungstown and had it treated by Bonesetter Reese. I tell you, that oldchap's a wonder. He tells me it will be as good as ever when the seasonopens."

  "I'm mighty glad you're going along with us on this trip," said Jim,heartily. "It wouldn't seem like the Giant team with you out of it."

  "I'm going through as far as the coast anyway," answered Hughson. "Morefor the fun of being with the boys than anything else. But I don't thinkI'll make the trip around the world. I made a half promise some time agoto coach the Yale team this coming spring, and they don't seem inclined tolet me out of it. And I don't know if after all it may not be best to restup this winter and get in shape for next year."

  The three strolled on down the corridor, leaving McRae and Robbie inearnest conversation.

  "How many of the boys is Mac taking along?" asked Joe.

  "I think he figures on about fourteen men," replied Hughson. "That willgive him three pitchers, two catchers, an extra infielder and outfielder,besides the seven other men in their regular positions. That'll allow foraccident or sickness and ought to be enough."

  "Just as I doped it out," remarked Joe.

  "On a pinch, McRae could play himself," laughed Jim. "No better playerever held down the third bag than Mac when he was on the old Orioles. Theold boy could give the youngsters points even now on winging them down tofirst."

  "For that matter, Robbie himself might go in behind the bat," grinned Joe."No ball could get by him without hitting him somewhere."

  "It would be worth the price of admission to see Robbie running down tofirst," admitted Hughson, with a smile.

  "What kind of a team has Brennan got together for the All-American?" askedJoe.

  "Believe me; it's a good one," replied Hughson. "He's got a bunch of thesweetest hitters that he could get from either league. They're a bunch offence breakers, all right. When those birds once get going, they're apt tosend any pitcher to the shower. You'll have all you want to do, Joe, tokeep them from straightening out your curves."

  "I don't ask anything better," replied Joe, with a laugh. "I'd get soft ifthey were too easy. But who are these ball killers? Let me know theworst."

  "Well," said Hughson, "there's Wallie Schalk behind the bat--you know howhe can line them out. Then there's Miller at first, Ebers at second,McBride at short and Chapman at third. The outfielders will probably beCooper and Murray and Lange. For pitchers Brennan will have Hamilton,Fraser and Ellis,--although Ellis was troubled with the charley-horsetoward the end of the season, and Banks may take his place."

  "It's a strong team," commented Jim, "and they can certainly make the ballscream when they hit it. They're a nifty lot of fielders, too. I guesswe'll have our work cut out for us, all right."

  "Both Mac and Brennan have got the right idea," said Hughson. "Too many ofthese barnstorming trips have been made up of second string men, and whenpeople came to see the teams play and didn't find the real stars in theline-up they naturally felt sore. But they're going to get the simon-purearticle this time and the games are to be for blood. Anyone that laysdown on his job is going to get fired. It'll be easy enough to pick up agood man to take his place."

  "What's the scheme?" asked Joe. "Are we two teams to play against eachother all the time, or are we to take on some of the local nines?"

  "I don't think that's been fully worked out yet," replied Hughson. "I knowwe're going to play the Denver nine and some of the crack Californiateams."

  "Easy meat," commented Jim with a grin.

  "Don't you believe it," rejoined Hughson. "Don't you remember how the Wacoteam trimmed us last spring? Those fellows will play their heads off tobeat us--and they'll own the town if they succeed. They figure thatthey'll catch us off our guard and get the Indian sign on us before wewake up."

  "Yes. But do you think they can get the Indian sign so easily?"

  "No, I don't."

  "Of course, those minor teams will play their very best, because it wouldbe a feather in their cap if they could take a game away from us. They'llprobably look around and pick up the very best players they can, even ifthey have to put up some money for the purpose. Just the same, we ought tobe able to polish them off with these."

  "Well, of course, we've got to expect to lose some games. It would be aremarkable thing to go around the world and win every game."

  "Yet it might be done," broke in Jim.

  "I suppose there'll be quite a party going along with the teams, just forthe sake of the trip," observed Joe.

  "You've said it," replied Hughson. "At least half of the men will havetheir wives along, and then there's a whole bunch of fans who have beenmeaning to go round the world anyway who will think this a good chance tomix baseball and globe trotting. Altogether I shouldn't wonder if therewould be about a hundred in the party. Some of the fellows will have theirsisters with them, and you boys had better look out or you'll lose yourhearts to them. But perhaps," he added, as he saw a look of quickintelligence pass between the chums, "you're already past praying for."

  Neither one of them denied the soft impeachment.

  "By the way," said Hughson, changing the subject, "while I think of it,Joe, I want to give you a tip to be on your guard against 'Bugs'Hartley."

  "Why, what's he up to, now?" inquired Joe.

  "I don't know," Hughson replied. "But I do know that he's sore at youthrough and through. He's got the idea in that twisted brain of his thatyou got him off the Giant team. I met him in the street the otherday----"

  "Half drunk, I suppose," interjected Jim.

 
"More than half," replied Hughson. "He's got to be a regularpanhandler--struck me for a loan, and while I was getting it for him, hetalked in a rambling way of how he was going to get even with you. Ofcourse I shut him up, but I couldn't talk him out of his fixed idea. He'lldo you a mischief if he ever gets the chance."

  "He's tried it before," said Joe. "He nearly knocked me out when he dopedmy coffee. Poor old 'Bugs'--he's his own worst enemy."

  "But he's your enemy too," persisted Hughson. "And don't forget that acrazy man is a dangerous man."

  "Thanks for the tip," replied Joe. "But 'threatened men live long' and Iguess I'm no exception to the rule!"