The Washington herald., 1915-05-02

gloom of fear. Burt knocked the dirt
out of his spikes and faced Duveen.
The second ball pitched he met fairly
and it rang like bell.
No one in the stands saw where 1t
went. But they heard a crack. saw
the New York shortstop stagger and
then pounee forward to pick up the
ball and speed it toward the plate.
The catcher was quick to tag the in
coming runner. and then snap the
ball to first base, completing dou-
Bile play.
When the crowd fully grasped
this, which was after an instant OF
bewilderment, hoarse crashing roar
rolled out across the field to below
back in loud echo from Coogan's
Bluff. The grand stand resembled a
colored corn field waving in violent
wind; the bleachers lost all SEM
blance OF anything. Frenzied. fling
ing action-wild chaos-shricking
cries-manifested sheer insanity OF
JOY. When the noise subsidized. one
fan, evidently little longer-winded
than his comrades, cried out hysteri-
cally:
"O-h! don't care what becomes
OF mc-now-w!
Score tied, three to three, game
must go ten innings-that was the
shibbolcth; that was the overmastcr'
ing truth. The game did go ten in
nings - eleven twelve. every one
marked by mastery pitching. full OF
magnificent catches. stops, and
throws, repletc with reckless base
running and slides like flashes in the
dust. But they were unproductive OF
runs. Three to three! Thirteen IN
nings,
"Unluckv thirteenth" walled a SUI
perstitious fan.
had got down to plugging. and
for the first time. not for my home
team. | wanted Philadelphia to win,
because Burt was on the team. With
Old Wcll-Well sitting there so rigid
in his seat, so obsessed by the play
ing OF the lad, | turned traitor to
New York.
White cut a high twisting bounder
inside the third bag, and before the
ball could be returned he stood safe
" on second. The fans howled with
what husky voice they had lett. The
second hitter batted tremendously
high fly toward center field. Burt
wheeled with the crack OF the ball
and raced for the ropes. Onward
the ball SCARED like sailing swal-
low; the fleet fielder ran with his
back to the stands. What an age
that ball stayed in the air! Then It
lost its speed, gracefully curved and
began to fall. Burt lunged forward
and upward; the ball lit in his hands
and stuck there as he plunged over
the ropes into the crowd. White
had leisurcly trottcd half way to
third; he saw the catch, ran back to
touch second and then easily made
third on the throw-in. The ap-
plausc that greeted Burt proved the
splendid spirit OF the game Bell
placed a safe little hit over short.
scoring White. Hcaving, bobbing
bleachers-wild, broken, roar on
roar
Score four to three-only one half
inning left for Philadelphia to play
how the fans rooted for another
run. A swift double-play, however,
ended the inning.
Philadelphia first hitter had three
strikes called on him.
Asleep at the SWITCH yelled a
delighted fan.
The next batter went out on a
weak pop-up fly to second.
"Nothin' to it,
ooh, | hate to take this money!
".All-l o-ovcr"
Two men at least OF all that vast
assemblage had not given up VIC
tory for Philadelphia. had not
dared to look at Old Well-Well for
a long while. | dreaded the next
portentouS moment felt deep
within me something like clairvoyant
force, an intangible belief fostered
by hope.
Magoon, the slugger OF the Phil
lies, slugged one against the left
field bleachcrs. but being heavy and
slow, he could not get beyond sec
ond base. Cless swung with all his
might at the first pitched ball, and
instead of hitting it mile as he had
tried, he scratched mean. slow,
teasing grounder down the third
base line. 1t was as safe as if it
had been shot out of cannon. Ma
COON went to third.
The crowd suddenly awokc to
ominous possibilities; sharp COM
mands came from the players bench.
The Philadelphia team were bowling
and hopping on the side lines, and
had TO be put down by the umpire.
An inbreathing silence fell upon