Rival Pitchers of Oakdale

yard and across the gymnasium, where their baseball suits were kept. Eliot followed more sedately, yet with quickened step, for he was not less e

we had to play a stiff game in order to take a fall out of Barville. You know, they developed a strong pitcher in that man Sanger, the last of the

it his pace; but Springer ought to be in good shape for the opening, not

oints. He's not a stayer; he never was, and he never will be. With the game coming his way, he's pretty good-especially so, as long as he can keep the bases clean; but one or two h

who are more than passably successful; to the outsider, to the watcher from the stand or the bleachers, the pitcher frequently seems to be the man who is pitting his brains and skill against the brains and skill of the opposing batters and delivering the goods, when the actual fact remains that it is the man at the "receiving end" who is doing nine-tenths of the th

part of the work, so that he won't use himself up, and I have hopes that he'll succeed in coa

d Grant can make a pitcher of himself or not, but I was thinking that Hooker might pan out fai

o egotistical to listen to advice and coaching, and he entertains the mistak

might ac

tience to try for it and work ha

opening of the previous season when the team had purchased new suits. There was a great deal of joshing and laughter, in which Roy took no part; for he was a fellow who found little amusement in the usual babble and jests of his schoolmates, and nothing aroused his resentment quicker than to be made the b

ong, burnt, battered bat. "Here's Old Buster, the sack cleane

is shoes, "I've never seen you do

"Mebbe yeou've forgot that three-sacker I

e the ball, weren't you, Sile? You just shut your blinkers and ducked, and Pitkins' inshoot carromed off the bat over into right f

k Crane. "I made a clean thr

ted on a signal for the squeeze. The Clearporters had barrels of fun with y

open gym door and carrying his pet bat. "Som

to say!" grinned Coo

few minutes all the boys were on it and ready for business. Announcing that they wou

ht, Roy?" he asked, turning

"That's not my position. I'm no

said Roger. "Tutt

waddling promptly away to f

ed the captain. "After we warm up a little, we'll try some regu

of sports lay in football, and who, therefore, had taken no part in baseball after making a decided f

Fred," said Roy. "If you'll catch me,

lse?" asked Sage reluctant

ulating. Who would ever think you were the quarter back

quested Fred. "I'll let that

throwing them. He had them all; but, as usual, he was wild as a hawk, and Sage would have been forc

rs, Roy, if you could ever p

the retort. "It's only a chump pitcher who

action of Sage. Eliot was just announcing that the team would begin regular batti

. Start it off, Springer, and run out your hit. You'll follow him. Grant. Come in from the field, Stone

return the balls he chose to let pass, and then Hooker toed the slab, resolved to show these fellows what he could do. He put a

o?" spluttered the batter, as he h

ooker. "I got more of a tw

on. Three times Roy pitched wildly, and then when he finally got the

ellows," called Eliot

Grant stepped to the plate. Like a fla

the club, and it fell to the ground almost as soon as the ball. Like a jack-rabbit he was off, shooting down t

and now in his haste to secure the sphere, he stumbled over it, and ere he could recover and

than usual, Roy returned to the box, ignoring Chippe

toward the pa

de ones, all of which were declared balls by Sage, who had been requested to umpire

t, caught it about six inches from the end of his bat, and laced it fai

af to the laughter of the boys, as the runners trotted over t