He still carried in his pocket Mabel’s glove, that he had come to regard as his mascot. He touched it now. Then he wound up for the first pitch and split the plate for a strike.
It was an auspicious beginning of one of the greatest games he had ever pitched in his whole career. The Pirates simply did not have a chance. All through the game they were swinging wildly at a ball that seemed to be bewitched, a ball that dodged their bats and appeared to be laughing at them. Angered and bewildered, they tried every device to avoid impending defeat. They bunted, they put in pinch hitters, they called the umpire’s attention to Joe’s delivery in the hope of rattling him, they tried to get hit with the ball.
Through it all, Joe kept on smiling and mowing them down. Only three men got to first. Not one got to second. Thirteen men went out on strikes. And then, to cap the climax, Joe sent a screaming homer into the right field bleachers, sending in two men ahead of him.
The final score was 8 to 0. The Giants had won the championship of the National League. Now they were to battle for the championship of the world!
[CHAPTER XXVIII]
THE WORLD SERIES
It was a happy team of Giants that left Pittsburgh that night on the sleeper for New York. The season’s strain was over. The coveted flag was theirs. They had fought their way through many discouragements, had stood the gaff, and now they were at the top of their League, with none to contest their title as champions.
“Some victory, eh, Joe?” remarked Jim to his chum.