RANDALL SCORES FIRST
Holly Cross was up first, and he faced John Allen, the Fairview pitcher, with a grin of confidence. He swung viciously at the first ball, and missed it clean.
“Make him give you a nice one,” called Bricktop, who was coaching from third. “We’ve got all day, Holly. He’ll tire in about two innings. He has no Irish blood in him, as I have,” and there was a laugh at Bricktop’s “rigging” while the Fairview pitcher smiled sheepishly.
But though Holly waited, it availed him but little. Three balls were called for him, after his first strike, though the Fairview crowd wanted to injure the umpire. Then Allen stiffened, and Holly walked back to the bench without even swinging the stick again.
“Only one gone. We’ve got plenty of chances yet,” called Bricktop, from the coaching box, and in his enthusiasm he stepped over the line. The umpire warned him back. Dan Woodhouse was up next.
“Make kindling wood of your bat,” yelled an enthusiastic freshman in the Randall bleachers, but though Dan sent a nice bingle to center, well over the pitcher’s head, the second baseman pulled it down, and Dan was out. Bricktop repeated this, save that he flied to Herbert Bower, in left field, and Randall had a zero to her credit.
In the second and third innings neither side scored, and when the fourth was half over, with another minus mark for Fairview the crowd began to sit up and take notice.
“This’ll be a hot game before it’s through,” prophesied Bert Bascome, who with Ford Fenton, and a crowd of like spirits sat together.
“That’s right,” agreed Ford. “My uncle says——”