"Regular line-up, now no monkey biz," I went on. "Take two cracks and
a bunt. Here, Hurtle," I said, drawing him toward the pitcher's box,
"don't pay any attention to their talk. That's only the fun of ball
players. Go in now and practice a little. Lam a few over."
Hurtle's big freckled hands closed nervously over the ball. I thought
it best not to say more to him, for he had a rather wild look. I
remembered my own stage fright upon my first appearance in fast
company. Besides I knew what my amiable players would say to him. I
had a secret hope and belief that presently they would yell upon the
other side of the fence.
McCall, my speedy little left fielder, led off at bat. He was full of
ginger, chipper as a squirrel, sarcastic as only a tried ball player
can be.
"Put 'em over, Slats, put 'em over," he called, viciously swinging his
ash.
Hurtle stood stiff and awkward in the box and seemed to be rolling
something in his mouth. Then he moved his arm. We all saw the ball
dart down straight--that is, all of us except McCall, because if he had
seen it he might have jumped out of the way. Crack! The ball hit him
on the shin.
McCall shrieked. We all groaned. That crack hurt all of us. Any
baseball player knows how it hurts to be hit on the shinbone. McCall
waved his bat madly.
"Rube! Rube! Rube!" he yelled.
Then and there Hurtle got the name that was to cling to him all his
baseball days.
McCall went back to the plate, red in the face, mad as a hornet, and he
sidestepped every time Rube pitched a ball. He never even ticked one
and retired in disgust, limping and swearing. Ashwell was next. He did
not show much alacrity. On Rube's first pitch down went Ashwell flat in
the dust. The ball whipped the hair of his head. Rube was wild and I
began to get worried. Ashwell hit a couple of measly punks, but when he
assayed a bunt the gang yelled derisively at him.
"What's he got?" The old familiar cry of batters when facing a new
pitcher!
Stringer went up, bold and formidable. That was what made him the
great hitter he was. He loved to bat; he would have faced anybody; he
would have faced even a cannon. New curves were a fascination to him.
And speed for him, in his own words, was "apple pie." In this
instance, surprise was in store for Stringer. Rube shot up the
straight one, then the wide curve, then the drop. Stringer missed them
all, struck out, fell down ignominiously. It was the first time he had
fanned that season and he looked dazed. We had to haul him away.
I called off the practice, somewhat worried about Rube's showing, and
undecided whether or not to try him in the game that day. So I went to
Radbourne, who had quietly watched Rube while on the field. Raddy was
an old pitcher and had seen the rise of a hundred stars. I told him
about the game at Rickettsville and what I thought of Rube, and frankly
asked his opinion.
"Con, you've made the find of your life," said Raddy, quietly and
deliberately.
This from Radbourne was not only comforting; it was relief, hope,
assurance. I avoided Spears, for it would hardly be possible for him
to regard the Rube favorably, and I kept under cover until time to show
up at the grounds.
Buffalo was on the ticket for that afternoon, and the Bisons were
leading the race and playing in topnotch form. I went into the
dressing room while the players were changing suits, because there was
a little unpleasantness that I wanted to spring on them before we got
on the field.
"Boys," I said, curtly, "Hurtle works today. Cut loose, now, and back
him up."