The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-09
CASEY AT THE BAT"
Regular Annual Publication of the
Epic of the National Game.


Reprinted in Response to Many and Per-
sistent Requests.)
1t looked extremely rocky for the Boston
nine that day;
The score stood two to four. with but an
inning left to play:
So when Cooney died at second, and Bur-
rows did the same,
pallor wreathed the features of the pa
irons of the game.
A struggling few got up to go. leaving
With that hope which springs eternal
within the human breast
For they thought: IF only Casey could
get a whack at that
They'd put up even money now, with
Casey at the bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey. and likewise
And the former was a pudd'n. and the
latter was a fake. -
So on that stricken multitude deatn-ike
silence sat,
For there seemed but little chance of
Casey's gettin' to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a single to the
wonderrrent of all,
And the nuch-despised Blakey tore the
cover off the ball"
And when the dust had lifted, and they
saw what had occurred,
There was Blakey safe at second, ana
Flynn a-huggin third.
Then. from the gladdened multitude went
It rumbied in the mountain tops, it rat
tied in the dell;
1t struck upon the hillside and repounded
For casey ca mighty Casey. was advancing
ia the bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he
stepped into his place.
There was pride in Casey bearing ana
A smile on CaSey'S race
And when, responding 10 the CHEERS lie
lightly DOTTED his hat, 80,
No stranger in the crowd couId DOUBT
twas Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes We're on him as ne
rubbed his hands with dirt
Five thousand tongues applauded when
he wiped them on his snirt; ,.o,,,5
Then when the writhing pitcher GROUND
the ball into his hip 49,.
Defiance glanced in Casep eye, sheer
curled Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came
hurtling through the AR,
An Casey stood a-watchin' it in naughty
grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball I'M
That tet amt s my style" said Casey.
Strike one" the umpire said
From the benches. black with people,
Like the beating of storm waves on the
stern and distant shore; -,
XIII himi Kill the umpire! shouted
some one on the stand:
And it's likely they'd have killed him mad
not Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity, great
Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult. ne MADE the
game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, ana once
more the sDheroid flew;
But casey still ignored it. and the umpire
said, Strike two.
"Frsud,' cried the maddened thousands,
and the echo answered Fraud!
R,rt one scornful look from Casey and
the audience was awed:
They saw his face grow stern ana coIu'
thev saw his muscles strain.
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let
the ball so by again.
The sheer is gone from Caseg's lips, his
teeth are clenched in hate.
He mounds with cruel vengeance his bat
upon the plate; -
And now the pitcher holds the ball. and
now he lets it go.
And now the air is shattered by the force
of C2sey's blow.
oh somewhere in this favored land the
sun is shining bright.
The band is playing somewhere, ana
somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing. and
somewhere children shout
But there is no 10y in Boston; mighty
Casey has struck out.
Ernest l.. Thayer.