Free Long Stretch At First Base by Matt Christopher Page A

which was written the line-up.
     “Dave will catch. Kirby, you start at first base. Catch those throws and let’s see you get some hits at the plate. You haven’t
     been hitting at all. And we need hits. The Clippers are a tough bunch. The rest of the infield will be the regular startingline-up. Al Dakin at second, Bobby Jamison at short, and Mark Donahue at third. In left field is Toby Warren, in center Jim
     Hurwitz, and in right Jerry Echols.”
    The Redbirds, with their name printed in red on the front of their white jerseys, took the field first. Kirby started the
     chatter. It was quickly taken up by the other infielders.
    “Come on, Cappie! Come on, boy! Get ’em out!”
    “Whip it past ’em, Cappie!”

2
    C APPIE stepped on the mound. He was built like a young tree. His arms were like long, slender branches. He yanked on his red
     baseball cap and waited for the signal from Dave.
    A Yankee Clipper stepped to the plate. The Clippers wore white jerseys and blue caps. He cut at the first pitch and missed.
    “Strike one!” said the umpire behind the plate.
    Cappie breezed another past the batter for strike two. Then he threw two straight balls. The batter cut at the next one and
     grounded it to Bobby at short. It was a high bouncing ball. For a moment Bobby was afraid that it might bounce over hishead if he didn’t get in the right spot. He ran in a little, caught the ball as it hopped up just after hitting the ground,
     and pegged it to first.
    His heart rose to his throat. The ball was sailing wide of the base! Kirby stretched far out, the toe of his sneaker just
     touching the bag. The ball smacked into the hollow of his mitt an eye-winking second before the runner touched the bag!
    “Out!” yelled the base umpire, throwing up a thumb.
    Car horns tooted and people in the bleachers shouted their approval.
    “Nice catch, Bobby!”
    “Nice stretching, Kirby!”
    Boy! thought Bobby. It’s a good thing that Kirby’s playing first base. Tony would never have caught that ball. TonyMandos was their other first baseman.
     

    “One out, Cappie!” yelled Kirby, who was always the first to shout anything. “Let’s get two!”
    The second Yankee Clipper knocked a hot grounder to second. Al Dakin fumbled it. He picked it up finally and threw it wildly
     to first. Kirby stepped off the bag. By the time he caught the ball and touched the bag the runner was on.
    Now the Yankee Clippers fans yelled and tooted their horns.
    Cappie made his stretch and threw.
Crack!
A high fly to center field. Jim Hurwitz ran back, got under it, and plucked it out of the air. The runner on first stayed
     on the bag.
    The next man hit a high foul ball straight above Dave Gessini’s head. Dave flung off his mask, circled under the balllike a nervous tightrope walker. No one made a sound as the ball sailed as high as it could, then started coming down.
    For a while it looked as though Dave wouldn’t catch the ball. Then suddenly plop! He had it!
    Three outs!
    “Nice going, boys,” Curt Barrows said as the team ran in and stumbled into the dugout. “Now for some bingles.”
    Bobby led off. He was the smallest man on the team and managed to get on base more often than the others. He put the protective
     helmet over his cap and stepped to the plate.
    Tom Kohn, pitching for the Clippers, looked like a giant on the mound. He got his signal from the catcher, wound up, and delivered.
     He threw overhand. The ball sailed in as if from a great height.It headed for the heart of the plate like a white rocket. Bobby swung.
Tick!
The ball fouled to the backstop screen.
    The next two pitches were high. Strike one, ball two.
    Then,
crack!
A line drive over third!
    Bobby dropped the bat and beelined to first. He made the turn, ran to second as the left fielder picked up the ball. A two-bagger!
    Bobby pulled off his protective helmet and threw it to the first-base coach. Then he stood on the bag with his hands on his
     knees and waited for Al Dakin