Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-19

u. n
Hal had sat on the bench all the time
with Ross ad Miner and some of the
second squad.
At the beginning of the eighth Jen-
kins turned to Ross and said, You cover
the first bag and then to Hal, 60 on
in the box for little real practice. Hal.
That's all right, Babe noticing look
OF disappointment on Radams' face. You.
are doing fine, but you can't have all
the practice"
Remember. HAL" he called from the
bench. Let them hit 1t. but we can't
have any scoring against us
"All right" said Hal. as he picked up
the ball.
The first man up hit the first ball pitch
ed for q base. The second batter laid
down a neat bunt along the first base
line. Ross, the first baseman. came in
for 1T, and Hal hustled over to cover the
bag. Meantime the batter, who was a
fast man, was tearing down the base
line like mad. Ross made good pickup
and turned to throw.
BY that time the batter was only few
feet from the bag where Hal was to re-
ceive the throw. Ross had TO throw
quick and in doing so threw the ball at
Halls feet. Hal reached down, made a
neat pickup and the umpire waved the
runner out
There was now one out, with a man on
second. The third batter hit a hard one
at Everson, who retired the runner at
first, the man on second reaching third.
The next batter hit slow bounder be-
tween the box and first Hal started
after the ball, grabbed it on the bounce
with one hand and without stopping
raced to first base. which he reached Just
ahead of the runner, making the third
out.
As he walked to the bench jenkins
came up to meet him and. patting him
on the back. said, Good boy, Hail.
which was fine, Hal thought.
1t was his turn at bat. and he walk
at least two-bagger. The first ball
looked like straight one. SO Hal took
good swing at it and missed. That's all
right" cried Hughie from the coaching
coming oyer directly" The next was
ball. The third was a slow one, and
as Hal noticed the left fielder playing
pretty far out. he thought he would just
tap it for a nice little short fly back of
third. He thought of this as the ball
was coming toward him from the pitch
ers hands. He whirled his bat with his
short quick swing and-thud-he heard
the ball strike the catchers mitt.
Well he heard Hughie calling him,
you only need one to hit it, and you
fouied off. The next two the umpire
called balls and it was two strikes and
three balls. Hal set himself for the
was probably his only chance today to
make hit, and he might not get into
another game for weeks and show what
he could do with his bat Slowly the.
every move. Here it came. waist high
and straight. Now watch it. He swung
at it hard. He heard first-a tick. then
a thud. He had made a foul tip and the
ball had hit in the catcher's mitt.
That's all right he heard Hughie
saving, 1--WE don't expect pitchers to hit
EN-, anyhow" But Hal was disappointed
and sore as he walked to the bench.
The next two men were retired on m
field hits. and as Hal walked to the
box to pitch the first half of the ninth
inning he was nervous and sad at NM
SELF
The result was he served up four bad
balls in succession and there was man
on first The next up hit the first bail
right at Ross. who was hugging the base,
and he booted it. Hal was over on nrst
bag in a Jump, but Ross got the ball to
him too late to earn an assist, and there
were two men on and nobody out. The
crowd began to yell Take him out.
"Where's Minor but jenkins paid no
attention. Many a pitcher had given a
base on balls, and Hal was not response
BILE fol the second man. g
Hesgot ready to pitch as he. laced the
batter;~he somehow felt the man was
going to- bunt. AS he delivered the ball
her started toward the plate on the run.
following the ball in The batter hunted.
Hal was almost on top of him. He reach
ed out. caught the ball Off the bat be-
fore 1t had reached the ground. thus MAX
ing caught fly out of what would have
been a perfect hunt. whirled around and
fired the all to Everson at second. who
nearly missed 1t because the play was
almost too quick for. him, thus .complet-
ing a remarkable double play. s
The crowd cheered. He. heard them
saying "Oh. you Hal! Good boy. =, You
needn't take him OUT 's.sAnd he felt so
good he went back into the box and
struck out the next batter and the game
was over Then there was the usual rush
to get the sweaters and the fans and
/ players hustling to get of the field as fast
as they could together the fans to get
home to dinner and the players to the
shower baths and rubdowns.
Hal hustled along with the rest. On
| the way he caught up and passed Jen-
kins and Everson together as usual.
They did not see him, but he heard Jen-
kins say, HE looks more like fielder
than q pitcher and he thought they
meant him. Later as he walked along
to his boarding house with Hans they
talked about the game and the part
each of them had taken in It, and Hans
said: II think you would make a good
first baseman.' but Hal. who thought he
had come out Of his pitching test pretty
well. said: but. you see, they don't need
first baseman tthey all have their bad
days, like Dill and Ross today and they
may need a good pitcher any time
ITO be continued. tomorrow