Argosy, Vol. 119, No. 2 — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

238 The fans were wild; even Alonzo J. Brown — appeared to be ortnd about something or other; and for me—I can remember a lot of times when I’ve felt a whole lot easier in my mind than I did then. And Ina was the worst of the lot. You see, Ina had got an idea into her head that this series was a make-or-break thing with Jim VanNess—and maybe it was. It would be hard to find two teams more evenly matched than the Pink Sox and the White Caps. For instance, we split the first four games of that series fifty-fifty— two and two. : We locked horns for the fifth battle. _ Cutting it short, when the White Caps went to bat in the first half of the seventh —the lucky, or unlucky seventh—the score ~ was two to nothing—in our favor. So far so good. Al Leavitt, the king pin of the Pink Sox twirling squad, was dealing ’em for us; and he was never in trouble—until that same seventh inning. Then, before you could say Jack Rebin- son the bases were filled! The first three men up had hit safely. Three on and none down! The White Caps were rattling bats, yelling their heads off, and all that. And the grand stand and bleachers were full of maniacs yelling ‘‘ Take him out!” ‘Well, would I or wouldn’t I? Would I pull Leavitt or not? Yes or no? To save my life I couldn’t quite seem to make up my mind! I tried to remember what Professor Aloysius X. Beecroft ad- vised you to do when a feather-headed fil- bert went up in the air and started blew- ing a ball game—and so far as I could recollect he hadn’t covered the situation at all. And there I was! I happened to be standing by that little door that led under the grand stand—and I dodged into it. It wasn’t ten seconds when I turned to go out again—and ran plump into Spike McGinnis! He had followed me under the grand stand and had béen standing right behind me all the time! Give it here!” said Spike, I gave it to him. Then Spike shot out one word—putting as much scorn and sarcasm into it as if he'd made a half-hour speech: gS ae THE ARGOSY. “ Judgment !”’ Now of course there wasn’t any time to settle it then—and so we'll let the expla- nation go till the proper moment. Just the instant Spike and I stepped out 7 from underneath the stand, the fourth man up for the White Caps met Leavitt’s first delivery squarely on the nose—and a run came in. Two to one, none down, and the bases still choked! Hod Wheeler, the Pink Sox backstop, straightened up, took off his mask, and strolled down to the mound to pass the time of day with Leavitt. And the whole Pink Sox ball club, including the kid that looked after the baie—and Spike McGinnis—the whole pack were after me like wolves to pull Leavitt and save the game. Would I or wouldn’t IP 3 Leavitt turned and looked toward tae bench. I signaled to him to stick. And then I made a little speech to the bunch of es- caped lunatics that were dancing around me and trying to tell me how to run a ball club. . Nothing stirring!” I says. Stays in.” _ “ Holy hope!” sobbed Spike McGinnis. “And that’s what you call judgment! Good-by ball game; farewell to you!” Leavitt knelt down and fussed with a shoe-string. Then he straightened up—- and fanned two men hand-running! The next hitter zipped one straight down the first-base line; and the first-sacker made the play without taking his foot off the bag. And, as it turned out, the game was won. And of course I don’t know, but it surely looked to me as if everybody was happy, except, perhaps, the White ——— Spike McGinnis. * Leavitt At any rate, I knew that Spike vast : Satis fied. Right after the game I went looking for Spike; and no doubt Spike was lotking for me. But Alonzo J. Brown, the magnate, saw me first. He shook me by the hed and congratulated me. JI thanked him. Then he said: ‘ And just a ee Jim. When I make a mistake I’m willing to acknowledge it; and I want to say that I’ve had you wrong. Olniie 0(0Y0) SS (E(0) m