A REVERSED DECISION
Two days later the Clearfield Baseball Club met at the railroad station
shortly after dinner time and boarded the train for Lesterville. Only
Harry Bryan was missing. A press of business had developed at the
grocery store and Mr. Bryan had, to Harry's sorrow, set his foot down on
a Saturday holiday. A small youth named Tim Turner, a youthful crony of
Fudge's, was drafted to play in right field and Jack Tappen was moved to
second in Harry's place.
None of the fellows was very hopeful of beating Lesterville, for the
neighboring mill town had maintained for several years a nine which
averaged fully two years older than Clearfield. But, as Dick pointed
out, the game would be fine practice, even if they were beaten. "We
really need," said Dick, "to run up against a spanking good nine and see
how the game is played."
Some of the fellows hooted at that, but Dick only smiled. "That's all
right," he replied. "I'll wager that you'll learn one or two tricks
to-day worth knowing."
"What's their pitcher like?" inquired Fudge anxiously.
"They have two of them, Fudge, and they're both pretty good."
"They won't be hard for Fudge," said Pete Robey. "Fudge will eat 'em
alive!"
"Bet you I make as many hits as you do," responded Fudge eagerly. "Come
on, now! Wh-wh-what do you say?"
But Pete only grinned and shook his head. You couldn't start an argument
with Pete.
On the way to Lesterville Dick exhibited a list of games which he had
already arranged. Rutter's Point was to play a return contest on the
High School field a week from to-day, Logan was to visit Clearfield the
following Wednesday and Corwin was to come a week later. "We have next
Wednesday open," explained Dick, "and a week from Saturday. I don't
believe we'll be able to find a game for Wednesday, but I've written
Shirley at Springdale to get up a team to play us that Saturday. I've
told him we'd go over there."
"Fine!" exclaimed Tom Haley. "I'd love to have another chance at those
fellows!"
"Well, I suppose it won't be quite the same team that we played last
month," said Dick. "I dare say some of their fellows have gone away for
the summer. But that gives us three games anyhow, and perhaps four. And
I heard of a team over at Locust Valley which may like to play us."
"All those games are at home, too," reflected Lanny. "How about trying
that scheme to charge admission, Dick?"
"No harm in trying it," returned the manager thoughtfully. "Whether it
will go or not we'll have to see. We could get a few notices printed and
stick them around in the windows down town. And I guess the paper will
announce the games if we ask."
"A lot of folks will pay a quarter to see a good game," said Jack
Tappen.
"Would you?" challenged Gordon.
"Sure," laughed Jack, "if I had the quarter!"
"Not if he could find a crack in the fence," said Fudge.
"Look here," announced Will Scott, "someone said they were surveying the
athletic field, Dick. Suppose they start to work there in a day or two.
We couldn't play those games, could we?"
"In that case we'll play the teams on their own grounds."
"It makes it pretty expensive," objected Way. "I'm nearly broke now. If
I lose my return ticket someone will have to pay my fare back."
"Oh, the walking's good," replied Tom carelessly.
"Another thing," said Lanny. "If we play away from home we can't make
any money."
At that most of the fellows observed each other with questioning and
somewhat dismayed glances. Dick, studying his list, replied:
"That doesn't make much difference, does it? None of those places are
far away and it won't break us to pay trolley fares. After all, we don't
need the money as far as I see."
"Don't we!" exploded Jack. "We need it like anything!"
Curtis Wayland kicked him on the ankle and Jack subsided.
"What for?" asked Dick, mildly surprised. "We've got four balls that
haven't been used and three that are still good. We've got bats and
gloves and a mask and about everything else. I thought we were in this
for the fun of it. What do we want to make money for?"
But Jack only mumbled, while the others regarded him with threatening
looks. Will Scott changed the subject gracefully.
"You fellows don't want to forget that there's a meeting to-night about
the new field. You'd better all show up. We want to get as many there as
possible."
"Thought it was just a meeting of the committee," said Gordon.
"No, it's public. We want to find out what the fellows think about it
before we go ahead and do anything."
"I don't see that there's more than one thing we can think about it,"
observed Tom. "The old field's going and we've got to have another.
That's dead simple."
"Yes, but we may have to rent ground," replied Way. "And we want to know
how far out of town fellows are willing to go. And how much we ought to
pay."
"And whether to get a place on the town side or across the river.
There's a field over toward the Point, right near the car line, that
might do."
"That's a long way from school, though," objected Fudge.
"Any place we find is going to be a long way," replied Will. "There
isn't any place in town big enough to play baseball on. As a matter of
fact, the whole thing is a good deal of a puzzle. It's going to cost us
a lot of money, any way you look at it. We've got to have a new track
and we've got to fence the field in and move the grandstand to it. It's
going to cost like sixty. I wish old man Brent had to make us a present
of the old field or lose his money."
"Stingy old codger," muttered Fudge.
"There's no sense in blaming Mr. Brent, Fudge," said Dick. "We ought to
be grateful to him for letting us have the field as long as he has. What
we'll have to do is get subscriptions from the graduates and anyone else
we can. The next station is ours, fellows. Get your bags together."
Lesterville was an unlovely town filled with smoking chimneys and the
busy whirr of looms. A muddy canal intersected it and on either side
immense brick mill buildings ran for the better part of a mile. But the
boys didn't tarry long in the town. A green trolley car bore them
swiftly away from the belching chimneys and the hot, weary looking
streets and out to the edge of the country. The ball ground was
surrounded by a sagging fence and was ridiculously small. A long hit
down the right or left foul line was certain to go over the fence, while
even a good clout into center was likely to disappear through some hole
in the rotting boards. A few unsheltered seats were clustered close to
the first base line and these were already occupied when the Clearfield
team arrived. The dressing-room was a ten-foot square space, unroofed,
thrown together behind the stand. As the fellows changed into their togs
the spectators on the top row of seats looked down upon them and offered
sarcastic advice and rude comments. Fudge in particular aroused their
humor and he was pestered so that he got his playing shirt on wrong side
to.
The Lesterville nine was a pretty husky aggregation. Most of them were
mill employees and their average age must have been fully eighteen. The
audience was particularly partisan and offensive, and Dick, settling
himself on the visitors' bench in the broiling sun and opening his
score-book, reflected that it was perhaps well that there was no
likelihood of Clearfield going home with the ball. He fancied that the
hundred or so local sympathizers would make it quite uncomfortable for
the visiting team if it won!
There's no necessity of following Clearfield's fortunes that afternoon
in detail. The contest was fairly featureless up to the eighth inning.
The visitors could do nothing with Moriarity, the Lesterville pitcher,
only three hits, one of them distinctly scratchy, accruing to their
score and bringing in but one tally. On the other hand the home team
showed itself very capable with the stick and Tom Haley's best offerings
were not puzzling after the second inning.
A slight attack of stage-fright in that round on the part of Clearfield
aided the home players. Almost every member of the visitors' infield
managed to make an error, while Tom's wild throw to first in the third
allowed Lesterville to add two runs to her already swelling score. When
the eighth inning began Lesterville had nine runs to Clearfield's one,
and there seemed no reason to suppose that the final tally would be any
more complimentary to Clearfield.
Dick had predicted that his charges would learn some new tricks and his
prediction was verified. Clearfield was the innocent victim of several
plays quite outside her ken. Unfortunately, most of them were the sort
she didn't care to emulate. For instance, when Curtis Wayland tried to
steal second on Jack Tappen's lucky grounder into short right he failed
for the simple reason that second baseman and shortstop occupied the
base line and Way had to crawl around them to touch the bag.
Unfortunately, by that time right fielder had sped the ball to
shortstop, and the umpire, a young gentleman whose impartiality had all
along been in grave doubt, ruled Way out. Of course Clearfield
protested. Way lost his head and threatened bodily injury to the second
baseman, who topped him by six inches, and some dozen or so Lesterville
youths flocked to the scene. Gordon, however, lugged Way, protesting
bitterly, from the field and then quietly asked the umpire to reverse
his decision. But the umpire wouldn't even listen and there was nothing
for the visitors to do but swallow their indignation and accept the
ruling. Again, earlier in the contest, the Lesterville pitcher objected
to having a new ball thrown to him after Lanny had fouled a soiled one
into the street, and turning, threw the new one far into center field.
The center fielder refused to go after it and the umpire yielded,
throwing out another old ball.
Still, Lesterville did show some playing that the visitors opened their
eyes at. Such base-running Gordon's team had never witnessed. One
red-headed youth named Myers never failed to steal second yards ahead of
the ball and on one occasion stole all the way around the bases,
reaching home on Tom's wind-up and subsequent hurried and wild pitch.
The Lesterville fellows were born ball players and had graduated from
the back lots outside the factories. They knew every trick of the game
and used them all.
When Clearfield went to bat in the eighth it was Jack's turn with the
stick and Jack connected with a straight one and slammed it far out into
left field, where it banged against the fence and rolled away from the
fielder while Jack reached second with time to spare. Tim Turner fanned,
Pete Robey worked a pass and Lanny hit into what should have been an
easy double. But the Lesterville second baseman fumbled the ball and the
bases were full. Unfortunately, with one out, it was Fudge's turn at bat
and Tom Haley followed Fudge. It looked to the visitors on the bench
very much like another shut-out. But Fudge, perhaps still smarting under
the gibes that had been thrown at him all the afternoon, surprised
himself and everyone else by hitting cleanly between first and second.
Two runs came in, Lanny reached third and Fudge stood panting on first.
Tom Haley went out on strikes and Will Scott came to bat. Fudge stole
without challenge. Will fouled off three and had two balls to his
credit. Then something that looked good came his way and he swung at it
mightily. The ball streaked far out into center field and the bases
emptied. Will got to second safely, heard the frantic cries of the
coachers and sprinted for third. Then in came the ball to shortstop, and
that youth turned quickly and pegged to third. The sphere went fully
four feet above third baseman's head and Will legged it home while his
team-mates on the bench shouted and cavorted and Dick, being unable to
jump around, beat the ground with a crutch!
Nine to seven looked a heap better than nine to one, and there was still
but one man out. Clearfield had ecstatic visions of a victory. But the
Lesterville pitcher settled down and disposed of Gordon with five
pitched balls and made Way pop up an easy fly to right fielder, and the
eighth inning was over for the visitors.
Lesterville came back in her half with vigor and poor Tom was kept
dodging liners that soon filled the bases. But the home team had a
streak of bad luck in that inning. The runner from third was struck by a
streaking liner that was meant for left field, and, fortunately for the
opponents, the ball, after colliding sharply with the base-runner's leg,
rolled toward the pitcher's box and Tom scooped it up and got it to
first ahead of the batsman, who, counting on a two-base hit, had made a
slow start. Lesterville resented her ill-fortune and, with two gone, the
next batsman sent a long fly into left field that barely escaped going
over the fence and had Way chasing around like a chicken with its head
off while two tallies were added to Lesterville's nine. A moment later
Tom secured his fifth strike-out of the contest and the teams changed
sides.
There was still a chance to win, declared Dick, and Jack was instructed
to lay down a bunt along third base line. Jack followed instructions
deftly and to the letter. The ball trickled a scant ten feet and,
although third baseman came in for it and both catcher and pitcher did
their best, Jack was easily safe. Young Turner, instructed to sacrifice
Jack to second, did his best but struck out miserably for the fourth
time. Pete got the signal for a hit-and-run play and swung at the third
ball. He missed it, but the Lesterville catcher, who so far had been
pegging the ball to second with deadly aim, threw low and before the
shortstop had secured the ball Jack was sprawled in the dust with one
foot on the bag.
Pete, with two strikes against him, was wary. Twice he spoiled good ones
by fouling and then he was caught napping and retired to the bench with
trailing bat. With two down the game looked to be over. But Lanny
evidently thought otherwise, for he hit the first delivery squarely on
the nose and Jack leaped away for third. The ball sped high toward
center and although second baseman made a gallant attempt to get it, it
went over his head. Jack turned third and streaked for the plate. The
center fielder, however, had come in fast and now the ball was flying to
the catcher. Lanny sped to second on the throw-in. Ten feet away from
the home plate Jack hurled himself feet-foremost through a cloud of
dust, rolled over the base and out of the way just as the ball settled
into the catcher's mitt. The umpire spread his hands wide to signify
that the runner was safe, but the catcher turned fiercely on him.
"He never touched it!" he bawled. "Look at where he went!" He indicated
a mark far back of the plate.
"Who didn't touch it?" demanded Jack, scandalized and indignant. "I
rolled over it!"
Players ran up excitedly. The umpire hesitated, glanced from the
belligerent catcher to the astounded Jack, shook his head and said:
"He's out!"
"_What!_" shrieked Jack.
"Sure you're out," said the pitcher with a grin. "You didn't go anywhere
near the plate. Beat it, kid!"
Gordon grabbed Jack's arm and hustled him toward the bench, pursued by
the laughter of the Lesterville players and the gibes of the spectators,
crowding off the stand. At second Lanny got to his feet and tramped
morosely in to the bench.
"I was all over the plate!" Jack was declaring fiercely. "He's a
robber!"
"Of course you were," agreed Gordon soothingly. "He knows it, but he's
scared of the bunch. Never mind, it's all in the day's work, Jack."
"I tell you I was safe!" sputtered Jack. "What do you want to quit for?
Why don't you make them play it out?"
"No good, Jack. Shut up and change your things. We've got to hustle for
the train."
Just then the Lesterville captain walked up to Gordon. "Say," he said,
"we'll play you fellows again some time if you like. You put up a good
game, all right, Merrick."
"Thanks, I dare say we can get together again," replied Gordon not
overly enthusiastic. "I'll let you know."
"Next time we'll have a decent umpire," cried Jack, pausing on his way
to the dressing shed. "That man's a thief!"
"Aw, don't be a baby," growled the opposing captain. "You were out all
right enough. I saw the play, didn't I?"
"I don't care whether you did or not. I was perfectly safe. I crossed
the plate before the ball ever got to him!"
"What if you did, kid? You didn't touch it. That ump is all right. The
trouble is you can't take a beating. Chase yourself."
Jack was fighting mad then and pushed his way back, but Gordon and some
of the others seized him, while the stragglers from the audience
clustered around, eager for trouble.
"Jack, you get out of here," directed Dick sternly.
"Like fun I will! That big chump can't tell me----"
"Just one more word and you'll be suspended!" Dick spoke very quietly.
Jack stared open-mouthed, his gaze traveling from the derisive face of
the Lesterville captain to the stern countenance of the Clearfield
manager. Gordon and Lanny still held him firmly. He swallowed hard,
rewarded Dick with a baleful glare and said:
"Go ahead and suspend! You're a peach of a manager, anyhow, to stand
around and let those robbers swipe the game on us! You----"
But Gordon and Lanny hustled him promptly through the throng at that,
the crowd dissolved and the field emptied. In spite of Jack's protest
the game was recorded: Lesterville, 11; Clearfield, 7.