Baseball Joe, Captain of the Team; or, Bitter Struggles on the Diamond

n, as though it would never stop. The centerfielder had cast one look at it, and then he turned and ran toward the distant b

top row, where it was hastily gobbled up and concealed by an enthusiastic bleacherite,

was going he moderated his speed in order to conserve his wind and just jogge

partisanship for the moment in the excitement of that mighty homer. And his teammates mauled and pounded h

"and I've seen lots of home runs. But if any one of the

way, the ball would be going yet," grinned R

and Axander settled down and prevented further scoring for that inning. But the Giants had t

as able to tally, although a scratch hit put a Giant on first and a passed ball advanced him

o take no more chances. The memory of that screaming homer still lingered. The catcher stood wide

king for compliments. What he wanted was another crack at the ball. There w

lty, but the Cub catcher threw the ball to the right of the bag, and the second baseman, in order to grab it, had to get in the way of Joe. There was a mix

ay under him, and he had to steady himself by catching hold of Ho

o kid me?

e back on me. Must have wrenched or twis

while McRae, Robbie, and the other men on the Giant team gat

Joe?" cried McRae, as he

"Guess it's only a sprain. But I'm afraid it puts me out of

ran his hands over Joe with

kle sprained. No more work for you, Joe, for a week, at least.

nd rubbing I can go on with

conically. "Get that right out of your

er was assisted to the clubhouse, where Dougherty and h

fe came down on the Giants' bench. Here was another p

had to go on. Jim and Markwith were sent out to warm

e fly to center. Iredell swung viciously at the ball and sent up a towering skyscraper that Axander was waiting for when it came

to finish the game

admonished the manager. "The boys have given you a lead of thr

ead off to do it

sixth inning. All the attempts of the Cub coaches and p

Mollocher looked surprised, but apart from glaring at the umpire made no protest. He laced out at the next one and fouled it to the top of the g

nd went as a ball. The next cut the plate for a strike. He fouled the n

ond came over below his knees, and was a ball. He struck at the next and missed, and t

bow. The score was now 3 to 0 on even innings, and, with only three more innings

ust keep that up and we'll not only beat 'em bu

is knuckles on the bench. "For the love of Pete, Robbie, cut

e Giants in their half in one, two, three order. Not a man reached

in for their half of the "lucky seventh," and the crowd rose as one ma

one hit off Jim, it counted for nothing, as the next three wen

ed to add to their score, there came one of the sudden changes

was up, and their supporters were fr

s though it were made to order for the latter, who did not have to budge f

n easy out, which it should have been, and Burton, who had slowed

ned it in the direction of second. But it went wide of Barrett, and though Jim,

opped a Texas leaguer that Bu

it," cri

outed the burly

ting for his comrade to make the catch. As a result, the

urled it to third. It went high over Renton's head and rolled to the stands. Burton kept right on and

e loose among th

hem going!"

but the

Miller, and put a fast rookie, Houghton, on second to run

tion, Jim stooped down to lace his shoe. He was a long time doing t

d off. The third just missed cutting the corner of the plate, and it went for a bal

chance to do so. However, it kept on the inside of the line, and by

be rattled, because the breaks of the game seemed to be going against him. But when two beauties in success

d of ball into the dirt. It ran according to form this time also. Wallace hit a grounder that went straight to La

rolled out into centerfield. Gallagher scored, Miller reached third, and Wallace got

ooked bad for the Giants. A single hit would probably score both of th

le the already shaky visiting team. But the noise subsided somewhat a

ting out Greaves, and then hurled to Mylert to catch Miller, who was legging it to the plate. But although Mylert made a mighty leap, the ball went

o rooters prom