Parker and Hal went through the inning like all the rest. It got so exciting for Hal that he forgot all about Parker and when he did remember him he saw that Parker had forgotten him. Parker was standing up on his seat with all the rest of them, bareheaded, for his hat had been discarded many minutes before. His hair was disheveled, his coat was in his left hand and he was whirling it above Hal’s head while with his other hand he was slapping his neighbor on the right violently on the back with a newspaper, while that party was hugging the fellow in front of him.
“I see you have joined the ranks of the lunatics, you told me about the other day,” said Hal.
“Me for the ball game after this,” replied Parker. “Think of it. Here it’s my first game of ball since I came to college, nearly the last game of the year, and me a Senior. I’ve been asleep. I’ve missed things.”
“That’s the way it gets everybody,” said Hal. “It surely is the great American game.”
Parker was sorry when the game was over. It was a great experience for him, and during the remaining few days of the term he had many talks with Hans and Hal about baseball and after he was graduated and became a famous preacher he became and remained a faithful enthusiast. Thus are “fans” made.
