The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-28
CASEY AT THE BAT

By Ernest l.. Thayer. The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudl
 vile nine that day; The score stood four to two with but one
 inning more to play And then when Cooney died at first, and
 Barrows did the same, A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of
 the game.
 A struggling few got up to go in deep
 despair. The rest Clung to the hope which springs eternal
 in the human brest; They thought if only Casey could get a
 whack at thht-- We'd put up even money now with Casey
 at the bat
 But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also
 Jimmy Blake,
 And the former was a lulu and the latter
 was a cake;
 So upon that stricken multitude grim
 melancholy sat. For there seemed but little chance of
 Casey's getting to the bat. But Flynn let drive a single, to the won-
 derment of all,
 And Blake, the much despised, tore the
 cover off the ball. And when the dust had lifted, and the
 men saw what had occurred, There was Johnny safe at second, and
 Flynn a-hugging third. Then from 5000 threats and more there
 rose a lusty yell; It rumbled through the valley; it rattled
 in the dell;
 It knocked upon the mountains and re-
 coiled upon the flat, For Casey mighty Casey. was advancing
 to the bat.
 There was ease in Caseys manner as he
 stepped into his place; There was pride in Casey's bearing ana
 a smile on Caseys face. And when responding to the cheers, he
 lightly doffed. his hat. No stranger in the crowd could doubt twas Casey at the bat. Ten thousand eyes were on him as he
 rubbed his hands with dirt: Five thousand tongues applauded when
 he wiped them on his shirt. Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, Defnace gleamed in Casey's eye, a
 sheer curled Casey's lip. And now the her-covered sphere
 came hurtling through the air, And Casey stood awaiting it in
 naughty grandeur there. Close by the sturdy batsman the ball
 unheeded sped .rhat ain't my style" said Casey.
 Strike one!" the umpire said. From the benches black with people.
 there went up muffled roar, Like the beating of the storm waves
 on stern and distant shore. sfKill htn! Kill the umpire" shouted
 some one in the stand; And it's likely they'd have killed him
 had not Casey raised his hand. With smile of Christian charity great Caseys visage shone; He< stilled the rising tumult; he bade
 the game go on; sHe signaledl to the pitcher and once
 more the rspheroid flew; But Casey still ignored it and the um- pire said Strike two!" sEraud!"cried the maddened thousa nds,
 and the echo answered fraud. X But one scornful look from Casey and X the audience was awed. They saw his face grow stern and cold.
 they saw his muscles strain. And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again. The sheer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clinched in hate; He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate. l. And now. the pitcher holds the ban and now he lets it go. And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey,s blow. Ohl somewhere in this favored land the S sun is shining bright; The hand is playing somewhere and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout But there is no joy in Mudville mighty E Casey had struck out.