Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-06
T.----. ...-.,- .,,,,-,, A Base Ball Story
WuN I'm l1t MIMI christy Mathewson
! Ooprish 1soby BodmerC

first two balls were bad ones and were
| SO called by the umpire.
Just let him put one over" said Hal
to himself, land I'll put it over the
fence" But Mellen wasn't pitching that
kind of ball then. The third ball pitch
ed Hal struck at and missed. The next
one was straight over. but looked high
and the umpire called it a strike, al
which the stands roared in rage: The
next one was a pretty good one, but
Hal took chance and let 1t go by, and
the umpire called ball three" 1t was
now two strikes and three balls, and Mel
len decided to put the next one over an6
| take chance. 1t came straight for the
plate. Hal took a mighty swing at IL
| and the ball started on line for second
but Mellen stuck out his right hand
knocked IL down and threw to Brest ir
time to force Talkington at the plate
Halls chance was gone. He would have
| made good only Mellen didn't mind TAX
ing chance with his pitching hand.
Most pitchers would have preferred to
sidestep the danger. There were still
three on bases and Arthur was at bat
He got three balls and two strikes on ac-
count of fouls, and then Mellen gave him
one where he could hit it, but it was a
pop fly which fell into Hollins' mitt and
there were two out. 1t was now Gibbies
chance to save the game. but Mellen' S
also had three balls and two strikes and
then he knocked a long fly to Warcford
and the inning was over.
Black gathered himself together for a
mighty ninth inning effort. He felt sure
Of the fielding of the boys behind him,
| but he made his mind up to take as few
chances as necessary. So he decided to
strike out the side if he could, and after
he had succeeded in doing that with
Twitchell and Brest, he had a lot of con-
fidence in his ability to do the same to
Mellen. and he did this, striking out the
side.
The last half of the ninth opened
rather we'll for Lowell. Black was the
ferson infield by a perfect bunt which put
him on first. This surely was a good
start.
Everson. however, waited too long. He
| let two strikes be called on him and they
were good ones, too. The third one look
ed good also and Johnny struck at ii
and missed and there was one out. Capt
Larke then knocked one down the line
| toward Church, and the latter tried to
complete the out unassisted, but Larke
beat him to the bag and Black reached
second. iris knocked a slow rolling
grounder to Hollins and by the time he
got to 1t he could only catch iris AT
| first. for Black reached third and Larke
was at second.
| Robb came to bat feeling good. He
was to have his great chance after all.
Two men on bases and a single would
| tie the score. He even allowed himself
| TO remember that homer would win the
game for Lowell. Mellen, on the other
hand. realized his great. chance. If he
could outguess Robb this time there
| would be game to Jefferson's credit
His was the first move and he tried to
tempt Ty with ball. but Ty let it pass.
| Then Mellen tried him with another one
Of the same kind, thinking, perhaps, Ty
| would bite on the second one, but he just
waited.
The next ball came straight over the
plate and Ty hit it and it went sailing
out over first base, a fast liner that
didn't stop until 1t hit the fence; but II
was like La joys ninth-inning hit in
the first game only longer. for it struck
the fence two feet outside Of the line
and the umpife said Foul one strike"
The next ball also came straight and
Ty thought to fool them by bunting.