the Shortstop (1992)

by Grey, Zane

  "Stealing a base means to run from first to second, or from second to third, without being put out. It really means stealing the distance, not the base."

  " What's a foul?"

  " A ball hit any way back of the white lines running from home-plate to first and third base."

  " What's a knocker? A fellow who gives the ball a knock?"

  "That's more baseball talk. A fellow who speaks ill of another is a knocker."

  " Oh, but doesn't he play the game Too? I heard Mr. Winters say he was captain and first knocker. I 'm surprised about him. He has such a nice face."

  "Captain Winters meant he was the first batter."

  " Then why did he say he was first knocker? Oh! - you see I 'm stupid. I knew you'd see it."

  " I haven't seen it."

  "You have. You as much as said so. I won't go to any more games." The flash of reproachful fire and the glimpse of a petulant face that accompanied the words caused a sinking of Chase's heart. What in the world had he said?

  " Marjory - " he cried. Then at the sound of his voice, at his boldness in so addressing her, he halted and began to fumble over his wet shoes and squeeze the water out of his coat. There was a long silence. He dared not look up. How quiet she was! How angry she must be!

  "We had better row home," she said, at last.

  He squared his shoulders and pulled hard on the oars. The little red boat flew over the placid water, leaving a troubled wake. Fast as he rowed he thought it a long way to the maple landing. All the way he never looked up or spoke. He could not think very connectedly; he only knew a terrible calamity had befallen him. He moored the boat and turned to help her out.

  Marjory glanced at him over a great load of pond-lilies which she held with both arms. At the very top of the load, just under her lips, lay the pink lily. "Take it," she said.

  " W - h - what? " stammered Chase. "The pink one."

  "Then -it 's all right" cried Chase, taking the lily. " We 're - you 're not angry?"

  "Because you said I was stupid? Oh, no."

  " I didn't say so. But I meant - about the - "

  "You're the stupid one." She tripped up the bank and turned again with her blue gaze shining above the lilies. " I'm having a little party to-morrow night. Will you come?"

  " Yes, yes, I'll come - thank you." " Good-bye. "

  Then the blue eyes and blue dress were gone. Chase had nothing to prove that they had been there except the pink lily which he clasped close to make sure of its reality. She had told him to take it, and she meant it to be his. Keep it? Forever !

  He tramped the meadows like one possessed. The sunlight dazzled him; the river shone like silver; the meadows gleamed white and gold. A glamour lay upon the world. The winds blew sweet in his face. The blue sky came down to meet the horizon like a deep azure curtain. Overhead, all around, sounded a low, soft, steady hum. To him it was music. He ran through the clover field and burst upon Mittie-Maru at his dinner-task.

  " Mittie, I never was so glad to see you. I've been on the river - been boating - pond-lilies. See, this pink one. Isn't it lovely? I fell in trying to reach it. She gave it to me -isn't that great? And we had a quarrel - I called her Marjory, or stupid, or something - we didn't speak for an age - I was sick. Then she gave me this, bless her! And Mit!tie, she's asked me to her party -it's to-morrow night - she really asked me. Oh ! -"

  "Say!" yelled Mittie, with all his might. " Cut it out, will you? Hev' I been pluggin' yer game with her fer two weeks jest to be mushed over like this? I knew you had it bad, but I'll be dinged if I thought you'd go dotty. You're up in the air. Steady up! Steady up, old man! If you get rattled this way in the first inning what'll you do when they tie the score along about the fifth? Miss Marjory's got a raft of fellars, as ain't no wonder. An' thet preacher guy I don't like is settin' the pace. Come down out of the air, Chase, me Romeo. Keep cool, play hard, an' along about the eighth hit one over the fence an' put the game on ice. Now, hev some dinner with yer Uncle Dudley."

  Chapter XI.

  INSIDE BALL.

  FINDLAY lost the second game to Toledo, and according to Mac, largely through the weird playing by Chase. The Chronicle gave the excuse that Chase had not had time to accustom himself to the new arrangement of his eyesight, hence his errors. Mac, however, was not disposed to be generous, and after the game, told Chase he might expect a " call " when there was time to give it. And the players had heaped such terms of reproach upon Chase that he was well nigh distracted. He felt the cardinal necessity of acting on Castorious's advice, yet was loath to bring matters to such an issue.

  On the day following, when he presented himself at the grounds he met Mittie-Maru at the dressing-room entrance. It was evident that Mittie wanted to speak to him, but had only time for a warning glance before the explosion came from the players.

  Chase walked to his locker through a storm of billingsgate, and somehow he sensed this was the climax. He turned his back, hurriedly got out his suit, and began to dress. If it must come to a fight he preferred to fight in his uniform. He listened to the storm, and for moments could scarcely distinguish any particular player's voice or epithet. Then suddenly he heard mention of a boat and a girl in such manner that his blood leaped through him like a flame.

  The moment had come. He was on his feet trembling. " Hold on ! " he yelled. " I know you're after me. But come now, one at a time - unless you're cowards!"

  A blank silence followed his words. Castorious slowly separated himself from the others. Enoch glanced keenly at Chase and said, "I'm called, sonny. I was only kiddinAE."

  Chase eyed the next player, who happened to be Havil.

  "Me, too," he said.

  " I only said you 're a swelled-up mutt," put in Thatcher, with a disarming smile.

  "Aw, you're gittin' too exclusive since thet hoodoo lamp was fixed; too handsome, by far," said Ziegler.

  "Go wan, Molly! " "You make me sick! " " Willie-off-the-yacht ! "

  Meade was the next player upon whom Chase fixed his flashing eyes.

  The firstbaseman evidently enjoyed the situation for he sneered and took a couple of steps in Chase's direction. He looked mean.

  " Throwin' a bluff, eh? Well, you can't bluff me. You 're a pie-faced tow head, that's what you are. Been shuttin' your eyes an' gettin' a few lucky hits - then swell up. See! Mama's little baby boy! Too nice to smoke a cigar or take a drink, eh? But you mush the girls, you lalligager!

  Boat-ridin', eh? I know the girl, all right. She's one of your dyin'-duck-in-a-thunder-storm kind. She's - "

  Chase struck out with all his strength. Meade crashed down into a corner, rolled over, twisted his body, but could not rise. Chase stood over him a moment, then turned round to encounter Benny. As usual, the second-baseman was partially drunk, and being a friend of Meade's, he leered threateningly at Chase and raised his arm. Chase promptly slapped him. Benny staggered, lost his balance, and tumbled over a chair. Then he set up a howl. Cas ran to him and helped him to his feet and held on to him.

  " Cas, lemme -- go. I ben hit," howled Benny.

  "No, you haven't. But you will git hit in a minute if you don't look out," said Cas.

  At that moment Mac came into the dressing-room. Some of the boys were helping Meade to rise, and once up he presented a sorry spectacle.

  His lip was puffed out and bloody. Benny was now in tears, and crying he had no "frens."

  "What's all this - a scrap?" questioned Mac.

  Chase briefly told him the circum! stances, and concluded in this wise.

  " Stood it as long as I could. And I want to say right here - if anybody gets after me again he 'll be sorry! "

  " Shure, it was about time you broke out," growled Mac. " Meade, you got what was comin' to you, an' from the looks of your mug you got it good. You can take thet uniform off. I 'm sorry to turn you down, but business is business. You don't fit in with Findlay. I think you might get on with Wheeling, for they like your work down there. You've overdrawn, but let it go
et thet."

  "An' say, Meade, take a tip from me," chirped in Mittie-Maru. " You're a crack fielder an' a fair sticker, an' you know the game. But you're a knocker. Get wise! Get wise!"

  Meade lost no time in getting out of his suit. To the other players his release was but an incident in baseball experience; they all said a good word to him as he was passing out, and then straightway forgot him. Cas was remonstrating with Benny. It appeared Benny could not get over the idea that he must fight Chase.

  "But, Benny, you 'll get all beat up," protested Cas. " Because if you lick Chase, which isn't likely, I'll have to lick you myself."

  This put an entirely different light on the subject. Benny began to cry again, and said, " Everybody but me hash frens."

  " Cut it out ! You're half full, I tell you. Brace up, or Mac will be letting you go, too. I'm your friend. So 's Chase. Here, Chase, shake hands with Benny. He thinks you've got it in for him."

  Chase readily offered his hand, which Benny grasped and worked as if it were a pump-handle. He seemed as anxious to be friends as he had been to fight.

  " Benny," said Mac, "you're shaky today. I want you to cut this boozin' out. Mind, I'll let you go if you don't. Now, take a little sleep before the game." Ford, the local player whom Mac was training, now came in for a talk from the manager.

  " Here, Ford, an' you, Chase. It won't hurt you to listen. Ford, most of the balls thrown in any game go to first-base, an' you must always be there. Practise gettin' back to the base fast. The farther you can play off the base an' still get back, the better you 'll be.

  Play deep when there's no one on the bases. Let the pitcher cover the base sometimes when you're fieldin' a hard chance, an' snap the ball to him underhand. With a runner on first, keep your eye peeled on the hitter. If he bunts down the first-base line, you dig for the ball an peg it to second, an' then hustle back to your base. A fast man gets in double plays thet way. Think sharp, throw quick!

  Now, on handlin' low throws, if you practise so you can pick up any kind of a bad throw, you will save many a game, an' you will steady up the other in-fielders. Nothin' helps a fielder so much as to know he can cut loose an' thet you 'll get any kind of a throw. You've got a long reach, so don't leave the base in reachin' for wild throws till you have to. Keep both feet before the base, so as to be able to touch it with either foot. An' reach toward the ball as far as you can. The sooner you catch it, the sooner the runner is out. Got thet?"

  "Now, Chase, a word with you. Thet was a weird game you put up yestiddy. Mind wasn't on the game. See! You was countin' your money, or somethin' like. Mebbe this talk about your bein' spooney has somethin' in it. Anyway, you brace! Mind, you're the keystone of the dia!mond. If you fall down-smash! You've got to play second an' third as well as short. You've got to think before the play comes off. You've got to take many balls on the run. The particular thing yestiddy was your failure to catch the signals between Hicks an' Benny. Twice you'd have saved runs if you'd caught the signal. Now, today, when Hicks signs Benny thet he's goin' to try to catch the runner off second, you back up the play. Got thet?"

  Mac then turned to the others of his team. " Say, Indians, I 'm goin' to pitch Poke today, an' I want you all to get up an ' dust."

  " Wha-at?" roared Castorious, with his under-lip protruding. "I'm going to work today."

  " Shure, Cas, you can't pitch all the 'games. I want to save you. There's the mornin' game on the Fourth with Kenton. We have to go over to Kenton for thet, an' we want to win it. We come back here for the afternoon game, an' I think Speer's good for it. What's agin tryin' Poke today? "

  "He's crazy." Don't put the Rube in." "He's wilder than a Texas steer." These and sundry other remarks expressed the players' opinion as to Mac's new find.

  "Well, he goes in, all right," returned Mac. "An' say, you fellars listen to this. Don't any of you lay down. We want thet pennant. The directors have promised us a banquet, a purse, an' a benefit game if we land the flag. Got thet? "

  A chorus of exclamations greeted Mac's news.

  " An' say, Beekman has put up an extra hundred for the leadin' hitter. Got thet?" Another howl from the players answered him.

  "An' say, King has put up an extra hundred for the leadin' fielder. Got thet ? " This time there was a louder howl. " An' say, Guggenheimer & Co. have put up an extra hundred for the leadin' pitcher. Got thet?"

  Cas began to dance and sing. " Dodiddle-de-dum-dum-do-diddle-de. Oh! I don't know. I guess maybe I haven't that extra hundred in my inside pocket right now."

  "An' say, if we land the buntin' this season we'll all have to get new trunks to carry away the suits an' hats an' shoes thet 's promised. Got thet ? "

  Cas, Benny, Enoch, and the others formed a ring around Poke and danced in Indian fashion.

  " Hey! you rail-splitter, if you lose today we'll kill you!" " Sonny, get them hayseeds out of your eyes ! "

  "Listen to this, fellows," yelled Cas, breaking up the ring.

  " Reuben, Reuben, we've been thinking That we'll put the kibosh on you If today you don't put 'em over, And cut the plate right in two."

  Chase found himself joining lustily in the song. There was a scene of wild excitement, which for no apparent reason centred about poor bewildered Poke. The boys sang and yelled at him and slapped him on the back till they were all out of breath.

  "Rube, you're on."

  " Git in the game, now, you long, lanky, scared-lookin' beanpole ! "

  On the way out, Chase, dazed at himself, not understanding why he had joined in the unanimous attack on Poke, slipped up to him and whispered, " Don't mind it. We mean well. Keep your nerve and pitch hard."

  The bleachers showed a disposition to resent Mac's choice in such an important game, and were not slow in voicing their feelings. " Mac, where did you get it? "

  " Lock the gate! Lock the gate! " "Get some straw for the calves of its legs!

  "

  " Help! Help! Help! Help!"

  " Well ! Well ! Well ! "

  Poke undoubtedly showed nervousness when he faced the first Toledo batter, and he was wild. He drove the batter back from the plate, and then gave him his base on balls. The bleachers broke out in a roar. But the Findlay players then showed one of the beautiful features of baseball, a thing that makes the game what it is.

  Hicks walked toward the pitcher, and handing him the ball said: " Ease up! Ease up! Pitch fer my mitt! Take more time ! " Then from all the players came soft, aggressive encouragement.

  "Make 'em hit, sonny," said Enoch, " Remember there's seven men back here playin' with you,"

  " Don't let any more walk, old man,'' said Ford.

  "There's a stone wall behind you, Pokie, so put 'em over," said Benny.

  "Let them hit to me," said Chase. From the out-field came low calls of similar import.

  Poke's heart swelled in his throat, as could be seen by the way he swallowed. He was white and dripping with sweat. His perturbation was so manifest that the Toledo players jeered at him. His situation then was the most important and painful stage in the evolution of a pitcher. Much depended on how he would meet it. He threw the ball toward the next batter, who hit it back at him. Poke made a good stop of the ball, dropped it, recovered it, and then stood helpless. Both runners were safe. The Toledo players yelled; the bleachers roared; Poke's chance shone a little dimmer.

  Again the Findlay players voiced their characteristic inspiriting calls.

  Poke threw off his cap and again faced a batter.

  "Stay with 'em till your hair blows out!" called Enoch.

  The batter hit the next ball sharply to Chase. He was on it with a leap, picked it up cleanly, touched second-base on the run, and whipped it to first, making a double play. The runner on second had of course reached third.

  "Two down, old man!" "Play the hitter!" "Make him hit!"

  Toledo's man drove up a long fly in Thatcher's direction. As he ran to get under it, the bleachers yelled: " In the well! In the well! " Past experience had
taught them what fate to expect of a fly-ball hit to the Dude.

  For Findlay, Enoch went out on a foul to the catcher; Thatcher had two strikes called, missed the next, and retired in disgust. Chase, now batting third, worked a base on balls. A passed ball sent him to second. Then Havil hit sharply through short field.

  Chase started for third with all his speed. The play was for him to score. When he reached third he was going like the wind. As he circled round the base, Budd, the Toledo third-baseman, stuck out his hip. Chase collided with it, went hurtling through the air, and rolled over and over. He felt a severe pain, and the field whirled round. He could not make a move before Budd got the ball and touched him out.

  Mac and Enoch came running, and the former spoke some hot words to Budd.

  " Wot you givin' us?" said that individual.

  "Didn't he run agin me? Go soak your head!"

  Enoch was bending over Chase. Mittie ran out with a cup of water, and other players surrounded them. " I'm not hurt much, I guess," said Chase. " I'm only dizzy. Wait a minute. What did he do to me?"

  "Call time," yelled Mac to the umpire. "Chase, I told you to look out for Budd. Thet's his old trick. He gave you the hip. Stuck out his hip an' spilled you all over the field. It's a dirty trick, an' a bad thing for a fast man to run agin. I hope you ain't hurt. Shure, you did tumble,-won't forgit thet in a hurry."

  "Say, Budd, why don't you ever try that on me?" demanded Cas.

  "Bah!" replied Budd, and walked toward the bench.

  Chase was considerably shaken up and bruised, but able to go on with the game.

  He did not say another word about it, only he made a mental reservation that he would surprise Mr. Budd the next time he rounded third base.

  Some snappy fielding saved Poke again in the second inning, and in the third Toledo made a run on a base on balls, a hit and a fly to the out-field. Then the long pitcher seemed to settle down and lose his nervousness. Thereafter he mowed the Toledo batters down as if they had been cornstalks on his farm. The harder he worked, the swifter he threw, the steadier he became. He was ungainly, he did not know how to pitch, but what speed he had! The fickle bleachers atoned for their derision, the grandstands showed their delight; and the Findlay players, one and all, kept talking to him, lauding him to the skies, and belittling the hitters who faced him.