The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-22
THE PITCHERS wooINa.
A BASEBALL STORY.

his long absence OF four years abroad.
How small the town Of Fielding looked to
him nowl But he was glad to return once
mere to the old familiar place-if only to
look into pair OF laughing brown eyes
that haunted his memory. He was sur
prised to find the town in wild excitement,
and soon learned the cause OF 1t all. The
second game OF the series OF three, which
was to decide the baseball championship
between Batville and Fielding, had been
PLAYED that day. In the first after a close
contest, THE latter nine had come oil
with flying colors, but in today's game
they had met with disaster that brought
dismay to the hearts Of its stoutest sup
porters.
During the early part Of the game Jack
Marmaduke, Fieldng's crack pitcher, bat
ted out long two-base hit, and in daring
" attempting to reach third base by
headong slide severely injured the wrist
of his right hand, so as TO disable nm
from further play. There was not man
In Fielding that could I'll Jacks place, and
although the best substitute the little town
afforded was put in TO pitch he was no
match for the famous Batville hillers, who
won the game III canter.
The two towns lay on opposite sides OF a
small STREAM, and from time whereof the
memory OF man runneth not TO the con-
trary, intense rivalry had existed between
them, which came to the surface at all &C.
casions and now found It's elimination in
the claims for superiority Of their two base
ball clubs,
With rs best pitcher disabled him on
whom OF all others, the hope OF Fielding
for victory centered-and the patent TACT
that the best man that had been found to
I'LL his place had proved nm easy victim to
the "big sluggcrs" on the other side, II
was no wonder that things looked blue in
Fielding.
The,match was the talk Of both towns;
nj eyeryrrorner excited groups were dis
cussing the points Of the games. or course
the Marmadukcs took deep interest in
the outcome OF the match. In the bcauti-
fil garden surrounding the spacious Mar
maduke mansion were seated in the gath
ering darkness both captains Of the rival
clubs, Jack MarmaJlukc, with his arm in
a sling, and Luke Stanley, OF Batville
Whose deceptive curves had proved such n
puzzle 10 the Fielding nine. There, too,
was Jack'ssistcr, Why, aspiritcd, sprghtly
lass, paSsiona,cly fond Of all outdoor
amriscmcnts. II was no unusual thing TO
see her dashing along on her black charger,
firmly aud gracefully seated in the saddle,
or sldhnlly returning the balls in u game
OF lawn tennis; and she was every whit ~
enthusiastic about nor brothers nine ~
q any boy in Fielding.
II was but natural that there should he
playful bantcring between the three as Ia
The merits Of the respective mines, and
that each should insist on the immcasura.
BILE superiority of the particular iavoritc;
buf there waS no denying that Luke stan.
ley had decidedly the better ground for
Dragging as TO how tho Batvlles would
take the ycrdant "chumps' OF Fielding
into camp ON the morrow.
"Say. Jack, do you think any OF the al
legged ball club of dis hamlet will turn up
tomorrow for our boys 20 bcnt?' asked
Stanley with mock gravity, after this had
been going ON ior SOME time.
"Wen, II they can find anybody 10
tackle them they will They let u club
from n ono-horsc town across the river
beat them today IN ~ 20 encourage them
10 play another game"
'Iras-n We'll, line encouragement
win be duly appreciated. Perhaps We can
lend YOU pitcher or two from liatyilc
Just IN make II interesting The Ficldings
never had but one player anyhow, and
now that he's laid out, nine school girls
could beat them aud never hall try; or
maybe YOU could get that What.is.it college
dandy that We met this afternoon 80
SAY, Luke, you better go easy there, OF
You'll have Ms 90 Tor YOU. They we're
great friends before be- left, and bclicy,
she's been signing tot his return cycl
since, ell, Niyg'
"Oi course haven't YOU observed ho,
I've been fading away?' she replied laugh
ingy, hut nevertheless with u touch q
colot. "But perhaps Mr.. llaycrcourt doc
playbs-ohall ~
"oh, 4 dare say lac hasn't touched q ba
since lac left here long ago tcazcd he
brother II guess hp thinks himself IA
uppish for that since he's been 10 Bosioi
moving hcar'in the SWEETEST society
These college dudes spend ~ niue
time over their crayats and collars ihI
they began Stanley, hut lac was q
short by the click Of the gate, ~ youn
man entered and approached the groul
IL was lacey llaycfcoun himself
"Conlound the fellow muttcrcd tll
Datvillo pitcher, who did not like the NJ
pcarmerui the newcomer ON the seen,
and still lcss the cordial manner in whic
lac was greeted by tho Murnadukcs.
The two young men had met once N
fore that afternoon In the presence oi Wis
Mnrmadukc, aud neither Of them seem,
90 be- oycrjoycd at this renewal OF thc
acquaintance.
f.acey was Just n little anxious ahol
how thing had gone In ficldingsincc Il
departure, and hence was not particular
delighted 10 find this gentleman her
whom both Niyy aud Jack familiar
called Take aud lac at once BEGAN
suspicious Ot him.
With Luke Stanlcy's unfinished A.
tcncc IN her mind, IL was With somcthil
akin 10 disappointment that the girl not
the sctupulpus aud iau!tlcss manner
which hsf oil friend was atiifcd. shc 4
not know that be had spent motc time
making his toilet that evening than
had In preparing for the most rcChcrc
evening Of the scasun IN Boston.
The uniayorablc impression was sifcngl
cncd when, instead of the fuddy, heat
ful glow With which she had been ",
Co call up bis features when almost u
consciously comparing him IN her mi
with Luke SpAleyl she observed dec
cd pallor, which she ascfibcd ~ lack
exercise and indoor habits.
After brief time the conversation.
most ~ matter Of course, again turn
90 the absorbing topic Of the day, a
Lacey llaycrcouu soon learned from Wv
lively talk Of the proves VI his new
quaintancc In that field.
Lacey noted with surprise the cntht