“But I like him.”
“And he knows basketball,” said Robin Hood.
The second quarter was no better for Emmett. He was called on traveling, and twice fouled his man. The few fans who were there
yelled at him. “Who’s that doozy? Send In back to the hills!”
The Fireballs crept slowly forward. Their set shots began to hit. Their passes began to work. They moved ahead of the Penguins
like a slow-moving bulldozer. Emmett wished something would happen to him so that he’d have an excuse to get out of the game.
That terrible old feeling haunted him again. He was thinking about the fans yelling at him. Their voices were like gunshots
blasting in his ears. He worried that Mickey, Robin Hood, and the others would get sore at him and ask him to quit the team.
He didn’t care how far behind the Penguins were. He only wished this terrible game was over.
Finally it was over. Emmett was exhausted. That night he had a horrible dream about basketball. He couldn’t hit no matter
how often he tried, and everybody was poking a finger at him and laughing as hard as he could. It was the worst dream Emmett
had had in a long time.
Emmett was glad that the whole team was presentthat Saturday morning when they played the Kodiaks. He watched the first quarter from the bench. He started the second, substituting
for Johnny Clark. He played the whole quarter and didn’t take a shot. He only passed, and never kept the ball very long.
At one time he was open and Robin yelled for him to shoot. Emmett took a set shot and missed. He didn’t run in for the rebound
the way he should have. He just stood there like a wax figure.
“Come on, Em! Wake up!” cried Robin Hood. “What’s happened to you?”
Emmett didn’t say anything. He played only two minutes of the last quarter. The Kodiaks won, 30 to 25.
“I knew I’d feel this way again!” Emmett cried to himself— “I knew it!”
15
T HE NEXT SATURDAY a warm, welcome face was among those behind the Penguins’ bench. Bright red hair was brushed back like the brisk comb of
a bantam rooster.
“Mr. G.!” exclaimed Emmett, as he ran out onto the court with the team. “It’s Mr. G.!”
A grin sparkled Mr. G.’s face. Emmett and the boys ran over to him. “Boy! Am I glad to see you!”
“So are we!” said Robin Hood. “Where have you been?”
Mr. G. laughed. “I read about your recent losses in the paper,” he said. “I felt you might need some immediate assistance.”
“I guess we do!” replied Robin Hood. “This is our last league game. We have to win to get in the playoffs!”
“Jumping jack rabbits!” exclaimed Mr. G. “I guess we do!”
The game was against the Polar Bears, who were holding tight on to second place in the Ice Cap League. Emmett didn’t go in
until the game was three minutesold. He replaced Glenn. He took a pass from Mickey, dribbled downcourt, pivoted, shot a quick overhand pass to Rusty. Rusty
made a fast break for the basket, leaped, and laid one in. Two points!
The Polar Bears took out the ball and moved it upcourt. They passed back and forth, looking for an opening to drive. Then
a man took a set shot, but missed. Rusty and Robin went up for the rebound with two of the Bears’ men. Rusty came down with
it, an opponent’s hand clamped on the ball. The whistle shrilled.
Jump ball.
A Bears’ man took the tap. He dribbled away. Emmett ran up beside him and stole the ball from him! Emmett passed to Mickey
and raced down the court. Mickey threw a long one back to him. Emmett leaped, pushing the ball against the boards. Two points!
“Yay!” screamed Robin Hood. “We’re rolling now!”
And roll they did. Emmett stayed in for the rest of the game. They came out on top, 36 to 27.
“I guess you’ll have to come to all of our games, Mr. G.,” said Ed Long.
“You gave us luck,” added Rusty. “You helped put us in the play-offs.”
Mr. G. smiled. He stood beside Emmett and put an arm over
“And he knows basketball,” said Robin Hood.
The second quarter was no better for Emmett. He was called on traveling, and twice fouled his man. The few fans who were there
yelled at him. “Who’s that doozy? Send In back to the hills!”
The Fireballs crept slowly forward. Their set shots began to hit. Their passes began to work. They moved ahead of the Penguins
like a slow-moving bulldozer. Emmett wished something would happen to him so that he’d have an excuse to get out of the game.
That terrible old feeling haunted him again. He was thinking about the fans yelling at him. Their voices were like gunshots
blasting in his ears. He worried that Mickey, Robin Hood, and the others would get sore at him and ask him to quit the team.
He didn’t care how far behind the Penguins were. He only wished this terrible game was over.
Finally it was over. Emmett was exhausted. That night he had a horrible dream about basketball. He couldn’t hit no matter
how often he tried, and everybody was poking a finger at him and laughing as hard as he could. It was the worst dream Emmett
had had in a long time.
Emmett was glad that the whole team was presentthat Saturday morning when they played the Kodiaks. He watched the first quarter from the bench. He started the second, substituting
for Johnny Clark. He played the whole quarter and didn’t take a shot. He only passed, and never kept the ball very long.
At one time he was open and Robin yelled for him to shoot. Emmett took a set shot and missed. He didn’t run in for the rebound
the way he should have. He just stood there like a wax figure.
“Come on, Em! Wake up!” cried Robin Hood. “What’s happened to you?”
Emmett didn’t say anything. He played only two minutes of the last quarter. The Kodiaks won, 30 to 25.
“I knew I’d feel this way again!” Emmett cried to himself— “I knew it!”
15
T HE NEXT SATURDAY a warm, welcome face was among those behind the Penguins’ bench. Bright red hair was brushed back like the brisk comb of
a bantam rooster.
“Mr. G.!” exclaimed Emmett, as he ran out onto the court with the team. “It’s Mr. G.!”
A grin sparkled Mr. G.’s face. Emmett and the boys ran over to him. “Boy! Am I glad to see you!”
“So are we!” said Robin Hood. “Where have you been?”
Mr. G. laughed. “I read about your recent losses in the paper,” he said. “I felt you might need some immediate assistance.”
“I guess we do!” replied Robin Hood. “This is our last league game. We have to win to get in the playoffs!”
“Jumping jack rabbits!” exclaimed Mr. G. “I guess we do!”
The game was against the Polar Bears, who were holding tight on to second place in the Ice Cap League. Emmett didn’t go in
until the game was three minutesold. He replaced Glenn. He took a pass from Mickey, dribbled downcourt, pivoted, shot a quick overhand pass to Rusty. Rusty
made a fast break for the basket, leaped, and laid one in. Two points!
The Polar Bears took out the ball and moved it upcourt. They passed back and forth, looking for an opening to drive. Then
a man took a set shot, but missed. Rusty and Robin went up for the rebound with two of the Bears’ men. Rusty came down with
it, an opponent’s hand clamped on the ball. The whistle shrilled.
Jump ball.
A Bears’ man took the tap. He dribbled away. Emmett ran up beside him and stole the ball from him! Emmett passed to Mickey
and raced down the court. Mickey threw a long one back to him. Emmett leaped, pushing the ball against the boards. Two points!
“Yay!” screamed Robin Hood. “We’re rolling now!”
And roll they did. Emmett stayed in for the rest of the game. They came out on top, 36 to 27.
“I guess you’ll have to come to all of our games, Mr. G.,” said Ed Long.
“You gave us luck,” added Rusty. “You helped put us in the play-offs.”
Mr. G. smiled. He stood beside Emmett and put an arm over
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