Gilbert Patten

“ The Indians were more amused than alarmed. Harris, although a trifle sore, felt no twinge of fear and he twisted his mug at Samson, who had flung him a jeer. On the bench Dugan shifted his quid, spat and said, “Hear the —— fools! They think one run wins this game!”
Badger, next hitter, knew what he wanted to do and Harris found the man would not bite at coaxers. With three balls called, the pitcher was forced to find the rubber. He did it, and the busher took a called strike. But if Harris thought the batter would wait again, he was deceived. ”

“ The pitcher who is liberal with passes seldom wins pennants.
Coppinger was erratic and, though he often did brilliant work for a number of innings, he could rarely be depended on to hold down a hitting team throughout an entire game. Whipple seemed to be a wonder; besides winning the most of his own games, he was often able, when the enemy had them “on the run,” to step in and save games for his fellow twirlers. He became the joy of the fans and the pride of every Sahagan baseball enthusiast.
In coaching, Pennington pitched a great deal himself. ”

“ But the college pitcher had laughed at Dugan’s overtures, turning him down flatly.
Cast upon his own resources, following the break with his father, the young man had bethought himself of Dugan’s offer, not, however, with even the remotest idea of taking up baseball as a permanent career.
Seldom has a raw cub so quickly obtained his opening in fast company. The season had been cold and wet and, with his entire firing staff carrying lame arms swathed in flannels, Dugan sent the collegian on to the mound three days after Pennington joined the team. ”

“ IN THE final half of that inning the second Sahaganite had melted away before Kotman’s wonderful skill when a messenger-boy found Pennington resting on the bench and handed him a Western Union envelope. The envelope bore the name of John Morgan, but Pen tore it open with a premonitory throb of apprehension.
The message stunned him:
Just succeeded in locating you. Your father died four days ago. Will leaves you everything. Business needs your attention. At the bottom were the names of Gardiner Pennington’s attorneys. ”

“ He always had a word of commendation for the player who, of his own accord, gave proof that he had a head on his shoulders when it was needed. Deliberate “grand-standing” was not tolerated, yet the youngsters were encouraged to “try for everything,” and the one who made a sensational play without attempt at effect was sure of proper praise. An excusable error never evoked a growl or even a look of disapproval. ”

“ But Pennington did not have a genuinely weak hitter on the list, having studied every one and coached them all to overcome their failings. Conroy had once felt that he could not hit a high ball, but now he picked out one level with his eyebrows and hit it a smash that should have left it marked with a dent. It was more of drive than a fly, yet it passed over the head of the center fielder, and would have been a homer save for the rule which made a hit into the crowd good for only two bases. Badger jogged home and Eagan and Conroy camped on third and second. ”

“ Hunter scoop up that slow roller and get the batter in his last stride by a perfect throw to first.
THERE is a saying that “more games are lost on the third-base coaching line than anywhere else,” and Pennington hastened to take Coppinger’s place there. Some of the Indians were joshing Harris, and the pitcher did not seem greatly pleased over the success of Temple’s sacrifice. Giving his attention to Copley, who came next, he burned the ball across, a smoking white streak through the air. ”

“ Pennington took pains not to permit his players to become over-confident or careless.
“Don’t get the idea that we’ve clinched this game, boys,” he cautioned. “We’ll have to fight for it until the last man is down. Get more runs; we’re almost sure to need them.”
Kotman, however, soon gave evidence that he belonged in a different class from Harris; apparently he did not work for strike-outs, but his pitching was so baffling that Whipple, Collier and Temple popped to the infield or poled weak rollers into the diamond, not one of them coming within ten feet of reaching first. ”

“ Hunter, leading off in the third, “got a life” on an error and sought to shake Whip ple’s nerve by laughing at him from the sack; but when he tried to steal on the second ball pitched to Creel he was slaughtered by Bennett’s perfect throw and Grozman’s fearless covering of the anchorage. Then Creel fanned and Kotman drove a whistling liner straight into the unflinching hooks of Conroy. ”

“ Pennington wanted more runs, but Kotman still “had the goods,” and delivered them.
The seventh opened with Samson making a ludicrously weak showing against the slants and headwork of the Sahagan slab-man, being likewise retired by the strike out route. But Hunter hit a grounder to Grozman, who booted it and instantly there was a commotion. Dugan himself was on the coaching-line now.
“Ah-yah! ah-yee!” howled the manager of the Indians. “Here he goes! He’s soft! He’s easy! He’s a quitter! Make him pitch! We’ll make a hundred now! Yow! Look out!” ”

“ They’re baseball crazy in Sahagan. Tail-enders last year, they’re ready at any expense to make a hot fight for first place this season. They’ve got a local man as manager and he’s no good—don’t know his business. Last night the directors held a meeting and decided to hire another manager. We lay off to-day, and they’ve sent me down here to see if I can’t get a line on a good man who can be hired to manage—— Cæsar’s ghost! you’re the man!”
He pounced on Pennington, grabbing him by both shoulders ”

“ Whipple, pitching cautiously, presently found the count was “strike one and ball three,” the batter having fouled the only one to come over. Then the youngster remembered Pennington’s statement that Luchow always “took one” when it stood that way, hoping to get a walk. Straight over the heart of the pan hummed the ball, and the second strike was called.
“That puts you even with him, Whip,” laughed Bennett, the catcher. “Don’t lose him! Make him hit!” ”

“ If Samson hit safely, Maddern would be almost certain to tie the score and, with the Sahagan pitcher shaken and Kotman going at his strongest, that meant defeat. Pennington realized it and got a firm grip on himself. He tried the underhand rise and Samson fouled over the top of the stand. That man could hit in a pinch and he was dangerous now. ”

“ They’ll be likely to come easier now than later, if those fellows get the idea that you can play and tighten up. Start us off, Collier, if you can.”
Dugan had sent in Tom Harris, his weakest pitcher, thinking him fully capable of holding the bushers down. The Sahagan manager told his players just what to expect from Harris, who had an arm that would not let him make frequent use of his once marvelously effective drop. ”