This took the Halford men by storm. They had never seen anything quite like Percy’s impudence, and the success of it staggered them. I was at the bat and waiting for a good ball, but the pitcher disconcerted by Percy’s feat, gave me my base on balls. At the next ball I ran down to second, the catcher not daring to throw it down for fear of letting Percy in home. Holland, who was at the bat, noticed that the pitcher was unsettled, and coolly waited for two strikes to be called. The pitcher continued to throw wild, and, as a result, Holland was given his base on balls.
This left us with a runner on each base, and only one man out. Ray Wendell then came to the bat and looked calmly at the situation.
“Now, Ray,” I said to myself, “you told us what to do. Now show us how. Practice what you’ve preached, my boy, and the day is saved.”
Ray planted himself firmly, and waited for a good ball. The pitcher, knowing well that if he gave Ray also his base on balls, it would force us all around, and bring Percy home, was careful to put the ball straight over the plate.
“One strike,” called the umpire.
The pitcher hurled another ball almost exactly in the same spot.
“Hit it! Hit it!” I exclaimed in a whisper.
Ray’s bat flashed in the air. [Crack! came a report that sounded over the whole field.] The ball shot over my head like lightning, about ten feet above the ground, landing safely between left and center field, and rolled on—on—on, while the two fielders ran desperately after it, and Percy, I, Holland, and lastly, Ray himself, dashed around in home, making four runs in all.
We were wild with joy, the other fellows receiving us with open arms. The grand stand greeted the play with some applause, and, considering the loss it brought to their friends in the field, we appreciated greatly their generosity. Ray’s hit was a long and hard one, and he could almost have walked around before the fielders reached the ball.
“Go around again, Ray!” shouted Tony, entirely forgetting the dignity of his position as our scorer, in the delight of the moment.