When his first ball sped across with a speed that made it fairly sizzle, many of the Chester rooters gave a shout of approval. Hutchings, the reliable first baseman of the visitors, had struck vainly at the ball. It was doubtful whether he had really seen it flash past, though it landed with a thud in Mullane’s big mitt.
But the knowing ones from afar only laughed, and nodded their wise heads. They had seen speed before, and knew how often a pitcher “worked his arm off” in the start of a game, to fall a victim to their heavy batters later on. Unless this wonder of a youngster could stay with Hendrix through inning after inning, why, his finish could be seen. So they settled back in their seats with sighs of contentment, under the conviction that they might see a good game after all.
“Hendrix needs something to make him pitch his head off,” remarked one of the visiting fans, in the hearing of Specs and Ernest. “He’s taken things too easy most of the time. Why, not once this season so far has he been touched for as many hits as Chester got in the last game. It made the big fellow wake up, and we hear he’s been doing a lot of practice lately. Today he ought to shine at his best.”
“We all hope so, Mister,” said Ernest, boldly, “because, unless the signs fail, he’s going to need all his cunning this same day. That lad has the measure of your hard hitters already taken. Did you see him mow down Clifford then like a weed? Why, he’ll have the best of them eating out of his hand before the day is done, believe me.”
The gentleman only laughed. He could make allowances for a boy’s natural enthusiasm. They did not know Hendrix at his best, as the Harmony folks did. He needed a little scare to force him to exert himself to the utmost. Yes, it really promised to be something of a game, if only the youngster kept going for half a dozen innings before he went to pieces, and the ball commenced to fly to every far corner of the field.
When the play was called the two nines on the diamond were lined up as follows:
| Chester | Harmony | |
| Jack Winters | First Base | Hatchings |
| Phil Parker | Left Field | Clifford |
| Herbert Jones | Second Base | Martin |
| Joel Jackman | Centre Field | Oldsmith |
| Toby Hopkins | Shortstop | Bailey |
| Big Bob Jeffries | Right Field | O’Leary |
| Fred Badger | Third Base | Young |
| Steve Mullane | Catcher | Chase |
| Alec Donohue | Pitcher | Hendrix |
The first inning ended in no hits on either side. It looked very much as though the game might turn out to be a pitchers’ duel. Some people like that sort of battle royal, but in the main the spectators would much rather see a regular old-fashioned batting fest, especially if it is their side that is doing most of the hitting.
Again did Hendrix start in to dazzle the locals with an exhibition of his wonderfully puzzling curves and drops. He certainly had them guessing, and in vain did they try to get the ball out of the diamond. Joel Jackman, the first man up, did manage to connect with the ball, perhaps by sheer accident. At the crack everybody held his or her breath and waited, for Joel was long-legged and a noted sprinter, so if only he got on first there might be some hope of succeeding batters working him around the circuit.
But Martin out near second made a leap, and snatched the ball off the ground as easily as though it were a habit of his to get anything that came within reach. He took his time to recover, and then sent the sphere to first as accurately as a bullet fired from a rifle.