The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-05-24

of bad luck. First their best infelder
was hit in the face by ball and in
capacitated. then their next strongest
man fell and broke his leg, and lastly
their pitcher was taken down with ty-
phoid fever. Thus in the space of a
month the Ringolds were reduced from
the better to far inferior team
why don't you try Courtenay?"
asked man who was sympathizing
with Captain Paddock.
What! That Miss Nancy? What
could he do at baseball? He'd be all
eight for tiddledewinks, but baseball
never"
"You can at least try him in prac-
dee game"
"Yes; | can do that. But what's the
1se? 1t would be time lost"
Paddock's friend insisted, and Cour-
tenay was invited to show what he
could do. He accepted the invitation.
What he did on the diamond was kept
a secret. But on the day of the game
when the Ringold team was walking
out on to the oval BERTHE, conspicuous
n crimson. silk handkerchief around
his neck, was among them. wilkins
remarked him with unconcealed as
constituent
Great Scottw he exclaimed rs
hat all they could do in making up
heir deficiency? We've got them
sure"
The game opened with inconspicuous
play on the part of the Ringold team.
which had the inning. till 1t came
Jourtenay's turn at the bat. The
first ball sent him he knocked straight
up in the air, dropped the bat and
walked leisurely around the bases.
Every man of the opposing team stood
looking up for the ball to come down,
but either 1t did not come down or if
1t did 1t landed in some other place.
Courtenay completed his walk, and
every one looked mystified Some
maintained that the ball had gone
far out of bounds, but the majority
declared that it had gone up in a
straight line and should have fallen
on the plate
After ten minutes spent In hunting
all over the field for it the hit was
declared foul. The next ball received
by Courtenay he sent diagonally into
the corner Of the fence inclosing the
field and again began his walk around
the bases completing it before the ball
was found.
During the game Captain Paddock
put the substitute into various posi-
lions, and he did as well in one as in
another He would catch bail wheth-
er it came down in curve or whether
it was sent from the bat in line par
allel to the ground. When he pitched
the batter never touched the ball.
When behind the batter no pitcher
could give ball that he could not
catch. He declined to use a body
protector; indeed, there seemed no
need for one. since he could catch any
ball.
When the game was over the Rim
Colds had scored largely. while the
Resigns had made but three or four
runs. Courtenay had carried the game
on his shoulders. and that without any
apparent effort. He had made but
few runs himself, and then it seemed
that he had been shot out Of gun.
The Ringolds wanted to take him up
on their shoulders and carry him
around the oval. but be protested so
firmly that they desisted.
Courtenay was last seen. with the
others. walking toward the dressing
rooms. No one could say that he had
seen him there or seen him leave
there. Some thought that he had TAX
en- train that passed about the time
the game was over and gone to his
home, wherever that was Neverthe
less the fact remains that without
word of farewell to any one he left
the oval and the town.
Months afterward Kate Hathaway
met a student of university. to
whom she told the story of Albert
Courtenay.
"Oh. 1 know who that is! He's Ad
Crichton"
"And who is Ad Crichton?
$50 called from the Admirable Crieh-
ton who lived In the sixteenth CEN
fury. He knew everything. beat every
one at any sort of exercise and spoke
ten different languages. Courtenay is
his counterpart He's a queer duck.
He's the wonder of our college"
Kate married Charlie Wilkins