TIED IN THE NINTH INNING
The crowd stood up again, and there arose a jargon of cries followed by
the appearance of a small wiry man dressed in blue, and wearing a cap
after the usual type umpires prefer, so it seemed as though the delayed
game would be quickly started.
When Hendrix, the expert hurler from Harmony, mowed down the first three
men who faced him, two by way of vain strikes at his deceptive curves,
and the other through a high foul, the shouts of the visitors told what
an immense number of Harmony people had come across to see their
favorites effectually stifle the rising ambition of Chester's athletes
on the diamond.
Then came the turn of the locals in the field. Everything depended now
on what Jack's new find could show in the way of pitching. Not an eye in
that vast throng but was leveled at the youngster. It was certainly
enough to try the nerve of any veteran, let alone a newcomer in the
arena.
When his first ball sped across with a speed that made it fairly sizzle,
many of the Chester rooters gave a shout of approval. Hutchings, the
reliable first baseman of the visitors, had struck vainly at the ball.
It was doubtful whether he had really seen it flash past, though it
landed with a thud in Mullane's big mitt.
But the knowing ones from afar only laughed, and nodded their wise
heads. They had seen speed before, and knew how often a pitcher "worked
his arm off" in the start of a game, to fall a victim to their heavy
batters later on. Unless this wonder of a youngster could stay with
Hendrix through inning after inning, why, his finish could be seen. So
they settled back in their seats with sighs of contentment, under the
conviction that they might see a good game after all.
"Hendrix needs something to make him pitch his head off," remarked one
of the visiting fans, in the hearing of Specs and Ernest. "He's taken
things too easy most of the time. Why, not once this season so far has
he been touched for as many hits as Chester got in the last game. It
made the big fellow wake up, and we hear he's been doing a lot of
practice lately. Today he ought to shine at his best."
"We all hope so, Mister," said Ernest, boldly, "because, unless the
signs fail, he's going to need all his cunning this same day. That lad
has the measure of your hard hitters already taken. Did you see him mow
down Clifford then like a weed? Why, he'll have the best of them eating
out of his hand before the day is done, believe me."
The gentleman only laughed. He could make allowances for a boy's natural
enthusiasm. They did not know Hendrix at his best, as the Harmony folks
did. He needed a little scare to force him to exert himself to the
utmost. Yes, it really promised to be something of a game, if only the
youngster kept going for half a dozen innings before he went to pieces,
and the ball commenced to fly to every far corner of the field.
When the play was called the two nines on the diamond were lined up as
follows:
Chester Harmony
-------------- ----------- --------------
Jack Winters First Base Hatchings
Phil Parker Left Field Clifford
Herbert Jones Second Base Martin
Joel Jackman Centre Field Oldsmith
Toby Hopkins Shortstop Bailey
Big Bob Jeffries Right Field O'Leary
Fred Badger Third Base Young
Steve Mullane Catcher Chase
Alec Donohue Pitcher Hendrix
The first inning ended in no hits on either side. It looked very much as
though the game might turn out to be a pitchers' duel. Some people like
that sort of battle royal, but in the main the spectators would much
rather see a regular old-fashioned batting fest, especially if it is
_their_ side that is doing most of the hitting.
Again did Hendrix start in to dazzle the locals with an exhibition of
his wonderfully puzzling curves and drops. He certainly had them
guessing, and in vain did they try to get the ball out of the diamond.
Joel Jackman, the first man up, did manage to connect with the ball,
perhaps by sheer accident. At the crack everybody held his or her breath
and waited, for Joel was long-legged and a noted sprinter, so if only he
got on first there might be some hope of succeeding batters working him
around the circuit.
But Martin out near second made a leap, and snatched the ball off the
ground as easily as though it were a habit of his to get anything that
came within reach. He took his time to recover, and then sent the sphere
to first as accurately as a bullet fired from a rifle.
Toby fouled three times, and then whiffed; while the swatter of the
team, Big Bob, let a good one go by, and then vainly smote the air
twice, for his judgment was certainly at fault, and the ball not where
he thought it was.
Once again did Donohue step into the box, and after a few balls to
Mullane, the first batter, Oldsmith, strode forward swinging his club,
and looking especially dangerous. But when he only swung at the air, and
backed away from the plate, shaking his head as though puzzled to know
what it all meant, long and lusty yells broke out from the loyal Chester
rooters.
Bailey, the alert little shortstop, managed to touch a whizzing ball,
and send up a skyrocketing foul which Mullane amidst great excitement
managed to get under, and smother in that big mitt of his.
Next in line came the terrible O'Leary. He was a swatter from away back,
and all sorts of stories were circulated as to the number of home runs
he had to his credit up to date.
Donohue looked perfectly cool and confident. He continued to send them
in with a dazzling delivery. O'Leary allowed two to pass by, one strike
being called on him by the alert umpire. Then he picked out a nice one,
and there was an awful sound as he smote it with all his might and main.
Every one jumped up, and necks were stretched in the endeavor to follow
the course of that wildly soaring ball, looking like a dot against the
low sky-line.
"A homer!" shrieked scores of delighted Harmony fans.
"Watch Joel! He's after it!" shouted the local rooters, also thrilled by
the spectacle of the long-legged centre fielder bounding over the ground
like a "scared rabbit," as some of them said to themselves.
They saw Joel jump into the air and make a motion with his hand. Then he
rolled over with a mighty lunge, but scrambled to his feet holding his
hand aloft, to almost immediately hurl the ball in to Jones on second.
It had been a terrific swat, likewise a most amazing catch; and all of
the yelling that burst forth was for Joel, who came trotting in,
grinning happily, as though he rather liked that sort of thing.
And so the great game went on, inning after inning, amidst excitement
that gripped every one present like a vise. When in the sixth Harmony
managed to get a man on first through a fluke Texas leaguer, and began
to work him along by bunt hitting, it looked dangerous for the locals.
In the end, the visitors scored through a slip on the part of Herb Jones
on second, who allowed the ball to get away from him because of his
nervousness. The run was not earned, but it might decide the game, many
people believed.
Jack put more ginger into his crowd when they went to bat in turn. The
result of it was he himself made a neat single, and the crowd woke up to
the fact that possibly Hendrix might not be so invincible as he was
rated.
Up stepped Phil Parker with a grin, and pasted the sphere out in short
left, advancing the runner a base with himself safely anchored on first.
Jones did his duty and bunted, so that while he went out the runners
were now on second and third with only one down.
It was amusing to see how the staid elderly men of Chester became
excited at this critical juncture of the game. They could hardly keep
their seats, and were watching the movements of those occupying the
diamond as though the fate of nations depended on the outcome of this
bitter rivalry in sport.
Joel Jackman was next. He, too, connected with the ball, but, alas, only
to send up a tremendous foul that was promptly caught, after a smart
run, by Clifford in short left field.
Everything depended on Toby Hopkins now. Toby was not known as a heavy
hitter, but managed to connect frequently. He was due for a hit, the
crowd yelled at him; whereupon the obliging Toby shot a swift one
straight at Young on third. It was a hard ball to trap, and Young
juggled it. Jack started like a blue streak for home as soon as he saw
Toby had connected. He made a slide that carried him over the rubber
just before Chase had the ball. It meant that the score was tied, with
men on first and third, and two out.
Such shouts as broke forth, the very air seemed to quiver. Hope ran high
as Bob Jeffries stepped up, swinging his bat. Alas! he failed miserably
to connect with those puzzling curves of Hendrix, and after two vain
strikes popped up a little infield fly to the pitcher that, of course,
finished the exciting inning.
The game went on, without any more scoring until finally the ninth
inning came. Both pitchers were doing as well or better than in the
start, and it looked as though extra innings would be the rule. Such an
outcome to a game always arouses great enthusiasm among the spectators.
A few began to notice the fact that the sun was long since hidden by the
rising clouds, and that overhead the blue had given place to a gray that
looked suggestive of trouble.
Oliver in particular called attention to the fact that no matter how the
other fellows had made fun of his prediction about the weather, it was
likely to come true after all. If the game went into extra innings some
of that mighty host of spectators might get soaking wet before they
could find shelter.
Harmony was out to win the game in this inning. They had managed to get
a line on Donohue's speed ball, or else guessed when it was coming over,
for the first man up, Clifford, got a safety past short that Toby only
stopped by such an effort that he rolled over, and by the time he could
deliver the ball to Jack the runner had gone leaping past the bag and
was safe.
Pandemonium broke loose just then. The Harmony crowd yelled and whooped
and carried on as though a legion of real lunatics had broken out of an
asylum near by.
"Here's where we clinch the game, Chester!"
"It's all over!"
"Martin, your turn to swat the bean!"
"Get Donohue going at last. The best pitcher may go to the wall once too
often, especially the Harmony well!"
"Now make it three this inning, boys, and we'll forgive you for holding
back all this time!"
These and dozens of other cries could be heard. They were partly
intended to flustrate the Chester slab-artist, and make him send in the
ball wildly, so that the next man might be given his base, something
that had only occurred once thus far with Donohue. But Jack sent him a
cheering word, and Donohue seemed as cool as ice as he proceeded to
serve Captain Martin with his choice swift ones.