The Argosy, April 1912 — page 98: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

84 THE ARGOSY. game, when his blunder meant one or more runs for the opposing team. 3 One cloudy, threatening afternoon, when the light was not, of course, so strong as when the sun shone, he managed to put up a fairly good game, showing, aside from a slight nervousness, almost his old form. This led him to believe that his eyes might have developed some weakness, but several of the best oculists agreed that his vision was unusually strong. He began to lose his nerve and imagine all sorts of things, as his improvement proved to be only temporary. The next game fell on an unusually hot day, and he established a new record for errors, as if to make up for the one game he had played decently. After this disappointment he went to pieces about as rapidly as a player can, but still the manager stood by him, doing everything possible to help him and keep his courage up. This “slump” of the new catcher could not, of course, be kept out of the papers. Every “fan” was discussing it. Mary Truesdell still refused to read the base- ‘hall news, but she overheard enough to gather that Curley McGrath had gone to pieces, and every one was wondering why. Standing’s plan was working excellently so far, but he went just a little too far, as people of this kind always do. When the first small item questioning McGrath’s honesty crept into print, he thought he was doing a clever thing when he cut the para- graph out and showed it to Miss Truesdell. She made no comment, but appeared thoughtful during the remainder of his call. When he had gone she sent out and bought an evening paper which she knew contained a first-class sporting page, and made an earnest attempt to read the account of the day’s ball game. ’ Smith had singled. Jones walked, and Brown and Ellis fanned. Clancy clung to O’Brien’s liner and the Buccaneers took up the stick. Noruns. Second half: King’s fly fell into good hands at center and Dinklehaus swung like a gate, etc. She understood something of baseball, but this was too much for her. “What absurd language! Ill just go to the game myself to-morrow and see what’s the matter,” she decided. ‘ Curley—Mr. McGrath—may be stubborn and a brute, and all that, but he never did a dishonest thing in his life, and I know he could not.” The following afternoon found her in the grand stand, armed with a big pair of field- glasses. She meant to find out what was wrong with Curley McGrath. Men were so stupid. The idea of accusing him of “ cheat- ing,” as she expressed it. Curely had been told by the manager that he could have one more chance that day. “Go in and make good now, or it’s ‘ cur- tains ’ for you,” he said. In the first inning he took his place be- hind the bat. The first man up had two strikes called against him and swung at the third, missing by a foot. The ball was high and Curley also missed it, letting it get clear past him so that he had to run back several yards for it. The batter looked astonished, and then started for first base as fast as his legs could carry him. Curley made a wild throw to first, and the man was safe. This was un- heard of, and the crowd sent up their first disgusted groan. The manager was all but put off the field for using improper language. Another wild throw to second base saw this same runner safe on third. The second man up was one of the Buccaneers’ best sluggers. He got two strikes, but hit the third ball in a straight line into the short- stop’s hands. The latter held onto it, put- ting the batter out, and threw the ball home in plenty of time to make a double play. Curley fumbled and the man was safe. One run for the Buccaneers, and only one man out. More hoots and hisses from the fans, and bad language from the manager. After this Curley made no bad breaks for a few minutes, but the visitors were bat- ting well and managed to get three men on bases. ‘The man on third was doing his best to “get the catcher’s goat,” pretending that he was going to try to steal home. He ventured too far from his base, and Curley made the proper play under the circum- stances. That is, he threw swiftly to third, trying to put this man out before he could get back to the bag. But the ball went ten feet wide of the mark, on the outside of the foul line, and was thrown with such force that before it could be recovered two of the men on bases were home safe, and the third was trying to make it. The ball was again thrown to Curley, and this time he managed to put his man out. But he had let in two unnecessary runs, and again the grand stand and bleachers yelled their disapproval. comicaoolkks (CO