With many clubs it is the custom of the catcher to signal the pitcher just what kind of ball to throw next. It was a tribute to Joe that Mylert had long since given this up, as he had learned to trust Joe’s judgment rather than his own.
But apart from his natural pitching ability, there was a special reason for the wonderful record that Joe was making this season. The very fact that he felt himself the object of a conspiracy to discredit him roused all the resistance in his nature and made him determine that he would not be discredited. Every time he went into the box he put all that he had on the ball, and pitched as though that special game was one of the World Series. Of course he lost games once in a while, but they were so infrequent as to provoke surprise when it happened.
McRae was delighted, and yet at the same time a little anxious for fear Joe would break down under the tremendous strain.
“You’re doing wonderful work, boy,” he said one day in Philadelphia, when Joe had pitched a superb game, shutting out the Quaker City boys and allowing them only two hits, one of them a scratch. “But you want to be careful not to throw your arm out. If anything happened to that arm of yours, our chances for the pennant would glimmer away.”
“Nothing to worry about, Mac,” laughed Joe. “It feels as fine as silk. If I had nothing more than that to worry over I’d be happy.”
The last words had slipped from him before he thought, and the alert manager pounced upon them like a hawk.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, in some alarm. “What’s troubling you? Anything happened at home?”
“Nothing like that,” answered Joe. “I couldn’t possibly be happier than I am in my home life.”
“Then what is the matter?” persisted McRae. “You’ve as much as admitted that there is something. Come, out with it! Maybe I can help you in some way.”
Joe reflected for a moment. He had said too much not to say more. He liked McRae, not only as a manager but as a man, and he had confidence in his discretion. Besides, it was something that in a certain sense McRae had a right to know. But he resolved not to mention names as yet.