Double Play: A Story of School and Baseball

by Ralph Henry Barbour

And the “Big Game” was on.

A moment later the Yardley partisans were leaping and shouting for joy. Durfee bunted past Herring and the pitcher fielded too late. Durfee was credited with a hit, but with a quicker man in the box he would never have reached first safely. But he was there, very much there, and that was enough for the wavers of the blue flags. Then came Colton, and there were cries of “Home run, Colton! Hit it out!” And in the outfield the players stepped back, for Colton’s reputation was well known. With two balls and one strike on him, Colton raised his bat in front of a waist-high ball and sent it rolling slowly toward third. Third baseman and pitcher both made for it, but it was a clean hit this time and Durfee was safe at second and Colton at first. How Yardley did shriek and yell!

“Well, I guess that’ll do for a starter!” shrieked Smith, coaching back of first. “I guess that’s going some! On your toes, now! Down with his arm!”

Herring, plainly worried, tried to throw Colton out at first, but Smith laughed derisively and Colton climbed to his feet again, dusted the front of his clothes and edged again into a lead. Herring scowled, glanced around at Durfee, who was dancing back and forth at second, and settled down to the next man, Condit. Evidently Condit thought that what had served twice would serve again, or maybe he had his orders from the bench. At all events, he, too, bunted. The ball rolled toward the pitcher’s box as straight as an arrow and Herring scooped it up. But he was rattled, threw hurriedly and the ball instead of reaching first baseman’s hands landed on Condit’s shoulder and glanced away under the rope. Little Durfee raced home, Colton went to third and Condit took second.

The Yardley cheers were deafening. Gerald and Harry pounded each other on the back and shrieked into each other’s ears, and even Mr. Pennimore was excited and kept saying “Good! Good! Good!” over and over in a voice that, owing to the noise about him, no one could possibly hear. Patterson, Broadwood’s catcher, held a consultation with Herring midway between box and plate, and everyone knew that he was trying to steady the pitcher down. That his efforts were successful was proved a minute later when Lawrence hit a ball into Herring’s territory and was thrown out neatly. However, that was only one out and Yardley was still delirious with joy.

Alf Loring was up next and he, like Colton, was enthusiastically advised to “Lam it out for a homer!” “Knock the cover off it, Alf!” He didn’t quite do that, but he managed to find one to his liking and singled to center, scoring Colton and Condit. Alf himself, however, went out trying to make second, and when Richards struck out miserably a few minutes later, the side was out and Broadwood was so relieved that she cheered long and loudly. Yardley let her cheer. With three runs already to her credit she could afford to be indulgent.

For Broadwood, Cross, second baseman, was the first man up. Colton’s first ball went wild and took Mr. Cross squarely in the ribs, dropping him where he stood, but not incapacitating him from hobbling to first a moment afterwards. So apparently painful was his progress down the line that Yardley men forbore to jeer and a murmur of sympathy arose from the feminine onlookers. Colton looked quite remorseful for a moment, but for a moment only. For just as soon as he had transferred his regard from Cross to the man at the bat, Cross, disabilities and all, streaked down to second, making one of the prettiest steals of the day and awakening peals of laughter from friend and foe alike. Dan ran to the base to cover, but Richards was taken so wholly by surprise that he didn’t even make the motion to throw down. Colton looked disgusted, tried to catch Cross napping, and turned his attention resolutely to the batsman. But Colton hadn’t found himself yet; that was apparent to everyone. With two balls and two strikes on the batsman he was unable to please the umpire and Captain Gale walked to first.

The next man came to bat and swung at a wide one and an attempt at a double steal was made. Cross, however, was out on a fast throw from catcher to third and it was a close decision that called Gale safe on second, so rapidly did the ball fly about. Such snappy work deserved applause and received it. The batsman made the second out, Colton to Millener, and right-fielder Boudinot, who followed him, fell a victim to Colton’s deceptive curves and canny change of speed. So ended the first inning, the score 3 to 0 and Yardley well pleased and confident of the outcome.

Dan’s first chance at the willow came in the next inning, after Millener, first man up, had hit a hard liner that first baseman was unable to handle. I wish I could say that Dan faced the enemy’s pitcher unflinchingly and drove out a three-bagger. But truth compels me to narrate the fact that Dan did nothing of the sort. It was his first appearance in a big game and he was distinctly nervous; and Herring and Patterson saw it and simply toyed with him. He aided in his own defeat by knocking two flies in succession, and then reached out for a wide ball and walked dejectedly back to the bench. He found the whole team smiling, not maliciously, but with a sort of “We’ve-all-been-there” expression that was rather comforting to him and helped him hold his head up again.

“You’ll do better next time,” muttered Alf, clapping him on the knee. “Just don’t let him scare you, Dan.”