Double Play: A Story of School and Baseball

by Ralph Henry Barbour

Over on third, however, Alf was poised, one foot on the bag, ready to sprint for home as soon as the ball touched earth or player. And the instant center-fielder caught it Alf settled his head between his shoulders and dug out for the plate. In came the ball, center-fielder to shortstop, shortstop to catcher, but it didn’t come quick enough to keep Alf from scoring. He was over the base and rolling out of the way amidst a cloud of dust when the catcher swung for him. And down on third Richards was watching hard for a chance to follow Alf in, and on second Millener was dancing exultantly about. Dan walked back to the bench and into the arms of the players there. They thumped him and shouted congratulations into his ears. They had to shout, for the cheering section was making such a noise that only shouts could be heard even over here at the bench. Dan grinned and sank into a seat. Danforth, whom Dan had displaced at second and who had been looking pretty glum all the afternoon, reached over and shook hands smilingly. Then came Alf and squeezed himself in beside Dan and rumpled his hair and punched him and beamed ecstatically. Meanwhile Smith was trying what he could do. Two balls and then a shout of joy as the ball arched up and away into left field dwindling to silence as left-fielder pulled it down, tossed away his glove and trotted in.

The side was out and the score stood 4 to 3 in Yardley’s favor. Cheered to the echo the blue-stockinged players ran into the field. The day was not yet won, and they all realized it. Some of the enemy’s best batters were coming up and if victory was to remain with the Blue it behooved the latter’s warriors to battle grandly.

“Now, then, fellows!” cried Millener. “Buck up, and get this over! Play the game!”

The last half began amidst such a pandemonium of sound as hadn’t been heard on Broadwood Field for years. Cheers for Yardley and cheers for Broadwood met in midfield and clashed heavenward in a mighty volume. Then, “Batter up, please!” called the umpire, and the final struggle was on.

Cross, the first of the foe to face Colton, was an easy proposition and struck out miserably. And Yardley acclaimed wildly. Then came Gale, the Broadwood captain. He looked at once anxious and determined. He found the first ball thrown for a safe hit over shortstop. Then it was Broadwood’s turn to shout, and she did it. After Gale came the dangerous Little, and the Yardley outfield fell further back. But although Little hit, his effort was good for only one base. Things began to look interesting now and Boudinot, after lingering at the bench for several moments listening to instructions, stepped to the plate with a gleam in his eye that put Colton on his mettle.

For a minute or two it seemed that Colton had taken his measure, for he worked two strikes on him in succession. But after that Colton couldn’t please the umpire and Boudinot walked to first and filled the bases. If there had been pandemonium before, what ensued is beyond any language I know. Back of first and third the Broadwood coachers were yelling themselves hoarse. Colton was plainly nervous, so nervous that he made the mistake of throwing to first in an attempt to catch the runner there. That almost proved disastrous, for Millener was not looking for the throw, and only stopped it by a hair’s breadth. If it had gone by, at least two men would have scored and the game would have been lost then and there. Richards walked down to the box and talked a moment with Colton, finally clapping him encouragingly on the shoulder before he returned to his mask and mitt.

Broadwood’s next man was Kent, the shortstop. He wasn’t big but he was spry and very much in earnest. He smiled derisively at the first ball and looked pained when the umpire called it a strike. He even wanted to argue about it, but the official refused to let him. So he gave his attention to Colton instead, looking quite incensed. Colton sent in an exasperating in-shoot that fooled Kent quite as fully as had the first delivery and the umpire called:

“Strike two!”

Kent got madder still, so mad that he quite forgot caution and stepped out after the next ball and, contrary to all law, found it squarely on the end of his bat. In raced the man on third, down from second went the next runner, off for second streaked the third, and away went Kent and the ball simultaneously, the former for the first bag and the latter, to all appearances, for somewhere in right center-field. Broadwood leaped deliriously and waved her banners. All this is what the first moment saw. [The next saw a lad] poised midway between first base and second and some yards back of the line, [leap high into the air in the path of the speeding ball], saw the ball tip the upthrust glove, bound into the air, and come down in that same glove, saw the lad race to second and tag that base, and saw Broadwood’s discomfiture and defeat, Yardley’s ecstasy and victory!