Six of his objects had been attained. Would he grasp the seventh, closing the season with the highest standing the Giants had ever registered in their history as a team?
On the last day but one of the season the Giants tied that record. Jim was in the box and pitched a masterly game. But the Boston pitcher, Northesk, also outdid himself, and the game was in doubt up to the very last inning.
When that inning opened the Giants had scored three runs and the Bostons two. The visitors came to bat in the ninth determined to do or die. The heaviest batters of the team were to come to the plate, and they started in with determination.
An error by Jackwell at third on a hot grounder permitted the first man to make his base. The error must have been contagious, for Renton also juggled a hit from Bailey, on which the runner reached first while Ellis easily made second.
With two on and nobody out, the Boston coachers got busy and filled the air with a stream of chatter designed to rattle the pitcher.
Joe was playing center and watching the batter and the men on bases with the eye of a hawk. Anderson, the heavy-hitting left fielder, drove out a hit almost on a line over Larry’s head at second base.
Joe sized it up and knew that he could make the catch. The men on bases thought so, too, and hugged the bases closely.
Joe ran in as though to nab the ball. Then he hesitated for a fraction of a second and set himself as though to catch the ball on the bound.
The moment that this seemed to be his intention the man on first broke for second and the man on second legged it for third.