The Washington herald., 1915-05-09

well. I'll be dinged! He looks 1t,
replied Spears. Here. RUDE, get off
the bench. Come here"
Rube iurched toward us. He seemed
to be walking in his sleep. His breast
was laboring and he was dripping
with sweat
"Who ever told you that you could
pitch,' asked Spears, genially. He was
master at baseball ridicule. | had
never yet seen the youngster who
could stand his badinage. He said a
few things, then wound up with ::
Come now, you cross between hay
rack and a wagon tongue, get sore
and do something. Pitch If you can.
Show us! Do you hear, you tow-head
ed Pogie!"
Rube jumped as it he had been
struck. His face famed rcd and hi, lit
tie eyes turned black. He showed his
big fist under Capt. Spears nose.
Mister. I'll lick you fer thet-aftcr
the game,
And I'll show you og-goncd well
how ! can pitch
Good" exclaimed Raddy: and
echoed his word. Thea | went to the
bench and turned my attention to the
game. Some one told me that Mccall
had made a couple of fouls, and after
waiting for two strikes and three balls
had struck out. Ashwcll had beat out
a bunt in his old swift style, and
Stringcr was walking up to the plate
on the moment. 1t was interesting.
even in losing game, to see Stringer
go to bat We all watched him. as we
had been watching him for weeks.
expecting him to break his slump with
one OF the drives that had made him
famous. Stringer stood to the left side
Of the plate, and could see the bulge
Of his closely locked jaw. He swung
on the first pitched ball. With the
solid rap we all rose to watch that hit.
The ball lined first. then scared and
did not begin to drop till it was far
beyond the right-held fence For an
instant we were all still: so were the
bleachers. Stringer had broken his
slump with the longest drive ever
made on the grounds. The crowd
cheered as he trottled around the
bases behind Ashwell. Two runs.
"Con, how'd you like that drive"
he asked me, with bright CLEAN in
his eyes.
"O-h-h,-a bcaut" | replied. inco-
herently. The playcSs on the bench
were all as glad as I was. Henley
few out to left. Mullaney smashed a
two-baggcr to right. Then Gregg hit
safely, but Mullaney. in trying to
score on the play, was out at the
plate.
-Four hits! tell you fellows, some
things coming off," said Raddy.
Nov, if only Rube-"
What difference there was in that
long rustic, He stalked into the box. I
unmindful of the hooting crowd and
grimly faced Schultz, the first batter
up for the Bisons. This time Rube was
deliberate And where he had not i
swung before he now got his body and |
arm into full motion. The ball came !
n Il a CLINT OF light Schultz look
ed surprised! The umpire called
Strike"
"Woww yelled the Buffalo coacher
Rube sped up the sidewhecler and |
Schultz reached wide to meet it and |
failed. The third was the lightning
drop, straight over the plate. The bat
ter poked weakly at it. Then Carl |
struck out and Manning following,
did likewise. Three OF the best hitters
in the Eastern retired on nine strikes!
That was no huke ! knew what it !
meant. and | sat there hugging myself !
with the hum OF something joyous in |
my ears.
Gregg had glow on his sweaty
face. oh, but say. boys! take a tip |
from me. The rube's a world beater!
Raddy knew it; he sized up that
swing, and now | know it. Get wise,
you it's"
When old Spears pasted a single
through shortstop. the Buffalo man.
ager took Clary out of the box and |
put in Vane, their best pitcher Bo-
CART advanced the runner to second.
bu. was thrown out on the play. Then
RUDE came up. He swung huge bat
and doomed over the Bison twirler
RUDE had the look of a hitter. He
seemed to be holding himself back
from walking right into the ball. And
he hit one high and far away. The
fast Carl could not get under it,
though he made a valiant effort
Spears scored and Rube's long strides
carried him to third The cold crowd
in the stands came to life; even the
sore bleachers opened up. Mccall
dumped a slow teaser down the line,
a hit that would easily have scored
Rubc. but he ran little way, then
tried to get back, and was
easily touched out. Ashwell's hard
chance GAGE the Bison shortStop an
error, and Stringer came up with two
men on bases. Stringer hit foul over
the richt-hcld fence and the crowd
howled. Then he hit a hard long drive
straight into the centerhelder's hands.
"Con. | don't know what to think,
but ding me it we amt hittin' the
oall," said Spears. Then to his play
,rs: "A little more of that and we're
back in our old shape. All in a min
ute! at 'em now! RUDE, you dinged
Did Pogie. pitchl''
RUDE toed the rubber, wrapped his
on2 brown fingers round the ball,
stepped out As he swung and-zing!
That inning he Embossed a few more
kinks in his arm and he tried some
new balls upon the Bisons But what
EVER he used and wherever he put
Hem. the result was the same-thcy
;ut the plate and the Bisons were
That inning marked the change in
ny team. They had come back. The
loodoo had vanished. The champion
hip Worcester team was itself again.
The Bisons were fighting, too, but
2ube had them helpless When they
lid hit hall one Of nv, ;,G.IJo.