“Pity the poor guy! He’ll die without moving a leg.”
Ken wound up. He threw the ball. The batter gripped his bat, swung it and ran toward first base. Ken stuck his gloved hand out and pulled it in again. Everybody looked for the ball but nobody saw where it went. The umpire called, “Out!” Then Ken took the ball between his fingers and held it up for public inspection. A wave of laughter rolled slowly across the field. The hit had been a fast level one and Ken had snapped it out of the air so quickly that no one saw it.
The second batter was at the plate. Ken poised; without winding up, he pitched. The batter swung. It was a pop fly. Ken ran forward several feet, caught the ball and threw it to Bluff at first base. The ball then travelled to Bobolink at third, to William at second and back to Ken.
The third batter was up. Ken took his time measuring up the fellow. The batter stood at ease as the ball bounced with a plop into the catcher’s mitt. The umpire called, “Strike one.” Paul signalled and Ken threw the ball. The batter gripped his stick, but at the last moment he shook his head and let it pass. “Ball one!” called the umpire. The third ball came sailing down the line, fast, an inside curve. The batter stepped back and swung. The ball sailed away far out in left field. Nuthin’ saw the ball coming; he walked back several steps, waited for the ball to drop into his glove, then threw it to William at second.
The boys threw their gloves into the air as they ran in from the field. “That’s the boy, Ken!” they called, “that’s showing them.”
Ted Slavin was pitching for his team. He was a good man. Several semi-pro teams were out to sign him up but he held out. He was now in good form and he struck out the first batter in three pitched balls. The second batter made an attempt to hit the ball but he merely scraped it and the ball went up into the air and was caught by the catcher. The third man also struck out.
In the second inning, the Slavin team sent a man to first and third but they died on base. Paul started off for his team with a double but he died on third. During the next inning, the boys were kept on their toes backing up Ken. A grounder to the shortstop precipitated a double play to second and first. Ted, on the other hand struck out his three batters in quick succession.
The fourth inning began with the Slavin team set to send in a couple of runs. The first man up bunted and landed safely at first. The second batter placed a swift grounder between the pitcher and first base. Bluff went after it and threw the ball to second. William tried hard to get it but it was far over his head. The spectators were on their feet, yelling themselves hoarse. William dashed after the ball and threw it, but the runner was already safe on third. Ken got the ball. He looked at the men on second and third. Bobolink called, “Don’t worry, Ken, they’ll die on base.”
Someone else called encouragingly, “Come on, fellow, show them your speed.”
“Strike him out!”