Baseball Joe, Captain of the Team; or, Bitter Struggles on the Diamond

ar enough about what Clara means to do. Perhaps it won't amount to anything after all. A

life if there should be any break between them. Clara seemed to be dead in love with Jim; and as for him, he fairly worships the ground she walks on. When he gets one of her letters, he's dead to the world. And he's one of the finest fellows that ever brea

haking. Lots of girls of course are dazzled by millions, but I never believed Clara would be one of the

ther about such things a good deal better than any man can. Try to bring her to her senses and urge her not to wreck her own

ut now let's dismiss all unpleasant though

, he found some compensation in the fact that he could spend more time with Mabel than would otherwise have been possible. He d

of the most enthusiastic rooters when he was scheduled to take his turn in the box. More than once Joe had won some critical game because of the inspiration that came to him from the knowledg

that fate had tr

ought to look over our branch in this city, and the guv'nor fell for it. It's rippin', simply rippin', the way you've been pitchin' and battin' ever since th

a game yet through that blessed monocle of yours. If you

was happily spared the Giants. McRae put in Jim again, and this

e, as Jim, after the game, came up to th

Jim," was Mabel's tribut

less way. "But most of the credit was due to the team. They playe

ther, as Jim stalked away acro

responsive, does

's bubbling over with enthusiasm after the Giants have

d there was anything wron

tched you when we were talking about Clara. Hang it all!" he burst out, with a vehemence that startled Mabel. "If Clara throws him

l. "Myself, for instance. That's t

left nothing for Mabel to desire. "I'm the luckiest fellow on e

e in shape to do their best work as much as we need them now. And the most important men on any team are the pitchers. I'm not saying that because I'm a pitcher, but because it's a simple fact that every one knows. Let the pi

ented Mabel. "And yet I thou

ve noticed it, but I did. He got by because the boys played well behind him and because the Cubs let down and played indifferent ball. But he wasn't the old Jim. Already that thing is beginning to work

heart was heavy as she thought of the possibili

res, for the Cardinals were going none too well. Mornsby, their famous shortstop, had had a quarrel with the manager, and was seeking to get his release to some other te

they were to meet the Giants. They reserved their best pitchers for those games, and

ure, carried off the first game by a comfortable margin. He was one of the pitchers who when

g pitchers, by a score of eight to five. On the following day, the pendulum swung again to the othe

e series. He was not so good as on the opening day, but even then he might

ell had reached first on a single, and on a wild pitch had advanced to second. Burkett, the heav

e ball down to second, hoping to catch him napping. Iredell, however, made a quick slide back t

, and again took a lead off the bag. Quick as a flash, Salberg, who had

That a big-league player could be caught by a trick that was as old as the hills seemed almost incredible. It w

ae forebore to tell him what he thought of him, it was because he was so choked that the words would not come. B

sitting beside her in the stands

"To think of a Giant player be

l. "I was looking at the batter at the

as so busy dusting off his clothes that he didn't make sure of it. Why, Shem tried that on Japhet when they came out of the ark. And to think that he cho

sing cheer from the Giant partisans, and hope revived that the game might yet be saved. But the hope was vain, for the fly that Wheeler sent out

d, as he could easily have done on the three base hit of Burkett, the latter would have been on third with only one man out instead of two and with the score tied. Then Wheeler's long hit, even though an out, would have gone for a sacrifice and B

king three out of four, had had to be content with an even break. It was small consolation that that was better than they had been able to do with

nited States are snickering at the Giants. Not merely a Giant player-that would be bad enough-but the Giant captain-get me?-the Giant captain, supposed to show his men how the game should be played, ge

Robbie. "Of course that f

him another chance, I couldn't do it now. When a captain, instead of being respected by his

y manager sought out Ire

talled him. "You want my resignation as captain of th

t this, and I won't say anything more about that play, because I know how sore you're feeling and I don't want to rub it in.

top too, if you want it," growled Ired

w that you've got nothing to think about except playing your position, I hope you'll do better than ever. One thing I'm c

ld have changed his opinion if he had seen the ugly glare in Iredell's eyes and th

lying down, do you?" he snarled. "You've got