PREFACE
Although a complete tale in itself, this story forms the second volume in a series devoted to sports in the forest, on the water, and on the athletic field.
In the first volume of the series, entitled, "The Gun Club Boys of Lakeport," I took some boys of Lakeport into the depths of the forest during the winter months. Here, in company with a trusted old hunter, they succeeded in bringing down game of various kinds and in learning many of Nature's secrets which, in the past, had been unknown to them.
With the coming of summer the thoughts of the boys turned to baseball, and it was not long before an amateur nine of no mean ability was organized. Challenges were both sent out and received; and in this volume a number of the games played are described in detail. The rivalry, as in all small towns, was of the "red-hot" variety, and the particulars are also given of a plot to injure the Lakeport nine and thus make them lose the most important game of all.
Baseball is pre-eminently an American game and as such will probably remain the leading athletic sport of village, town, city, school and college for years to come. It is not such a rough game by far as football, the individual plays, good and bad, are more readily followed, and because of these points it should be encouraged at every opportunity.
The writer of this story is a good deal of a baseball "rooter," and consequently the penning of the tale has been more of a pleasure than a task. Many of the plays described are such as I have myself seen on the diamond. In a few instances team work which would do credit to a professional nine is mentioned, but such mentioning is in strict conformity to facts.
Edward Stratemeyer.