Rival Pitchers of Oakdale | Page 3

cried, "the old broncho bub-buster has got onto
the drop. He threw it first-rate to-day noon. I'll make a change pitcher
out of him yet."
"Oh, I'm destined to become another Mathewson, I opine," said Rodney
Grant laughingly; "but if I do turn out to be a phenom, I'll owe it to my
mentor, Mr. Philip Springer."
"The team is coming out for practice tonight," said Eliot, "and we'll
give you a chance to pitch for the batters. We've got to work up a little
teamwork before that game Saturday."
The second bell clanged, and, still talking baseball, the boys moved
slowly and reluctantly toward the cool, dark doorway of the academy.
Roy Hooker lingered behind, a pouting, dissatisfied expression upon

his face.
"So they're bound to crowd me out again, are they?" he muttered. "Well,
we'll see what comes of it. If I get a chance, I'll cook that cowboy for
butting in."
CHAPTER II.
BASEBALL PRACTICE.
With the close of the afternoon session, many of the boys, palpitantly
eager to get out onto the field, went racing and shouting, down through
the yard and across the gymnasium, where their baseball suits were
kept. Eliot followed more sedately, yet with quickened step, for he was
not less eager than his more exuberant teammates. Berlin Barker,
slender, cold, and sometimes disposed to be haughty and overbearing,
joined him on his way.
"We'll soon be at it again," said Barker. "The season opens Saturday,
and I have a feeling it's going to be a hot one. It wouldn't surprise me if
we had to play a stiff game in order to take a fall out of Barville. You
know, they developed a strong pitcher in that man Sanger, the last of
the season. Why, he actually held Wyndham down to three hits in that
last game, and Barville would have won only for the blow-up in the
eighth inning."
Roger nodded. "Lee Sanger certainly did good work for Barville after
he hit his pace; but Springer ought to be in good shape for the opening,
not having been compelled to pitch his wing stiff, the way he did last
year."
"Confidentially, Roger," said Berlin, "I've never regarded Springer as
anything great. I wouldn't say this to any one else, for we are good
friends; but I fancy you know his weak points. He's not a stayer; he
never was, and he never will be. With the game coming his way, he's
pretty good--especially so, as long as he can keep the bases clean; but
one or two hits at a critical moment puts him up in the air, and he's
liable to lose his head. Only for the way you steady him down behind

the pan, he'd never show up half as well as he does."
Now, this was a truth which no one knew better than Eliot himself,
although he had never whispered it to a living soul. Springer owed his
success mainly to the heady work, good back-stopping, clever coaching
and steadying influence of Eliot, who did nearly all the thinking for
Phil while the latter was on the slab. This, however, is often the case
with many pitchers who are more than passably successful; to the
outsider, to the watcher from the stand or the bleachers, the pitcher
frequently seems to be the man who is pitting his brains and skill
against the brains and skill of the opposing batters and delivering the
goods, when the actual fact remains that it is the man at the "receiving
end" who is doing nine-tenths of the thinking, and without whose
discernment, sagacity, skill and directing ability, the twirler would
make a pitiful show of himself. There are pitchers who recognize this
fact and have the generosity to acknowledge it; but in most cases,
especially with youngsters, no matter how much he may owe to the
catcher, the slab-man takes all the credit, and fancies he deserves it.
"Oh, Springer's all right," declared Roger loyally; "but, of course, he
needs some one to do part of the work, so that he won't use himself up,
and I have hopes that he'll succeed in coaching Grant into a good
second string man. He's enthusiastic, you know; says Grant is coming."
"Queer how chummy those fellows have become," laughed Barker
shortly. "I don't know whether Rod Grant can make a pitcher of himself
or not, but I was thinking that Hooker might pan out fairly well if only
Phil would take the same interest and pains with him as he's taking with
Rod."
"Perhaps so," said the captain of the nine; "but I have my doubts. Roy
is too egotistical to listen to advice and coaching, and he entertains the
mistaken idea that curves and speed are all a pitcher needs. He hasn't
any control."