knew how to look cool. We knew how to glance casually and calmly at the coach for a sign about where or how to hit the ball. We knew to stare at the pitcher so heâd get nervous.
We knew everything except how to hit and catch and where to stand and what a sign from the coach might look like and where to throw if we ever did manage to catch anything.
âSure,â said Coach Darling, glancing at our uniforms and smiling. âSo, you guys are the Northern Coast League champs, eh?â
âWeâre undefeated,â said Susan.
âHey, arenât those pictures from the Bobbie and Bernice books on your uniforms? My son, our third baseman, he loved those books when he was little.â
âYeah,â said Dad. âOur team is called the Beavers and Mr. Entwhistle, who writes and illustrates the Bobbie and Bernice books, lives in our village. Actually, heâs right over there,â said Dad, pointing toward the street, where Mr. Entwhistle was inspecting a rose bush.
Mr. Darling glanced over at Mr. Entwhistle and then slowly looked at each of us. He wasnât really sure yet if we were a bad team or a really good team trying to psych him out.
Robbie was trying to shove his mitt on the wrong hand.
âRemember, Robbie,â said Susan calmly. âYou put the glove on your left hand so that you can use your right hand for throwing.â
âBut I still think itâs more important for me to catch the ball ï¬rst. I have a better chance of catching the ball if the glove is on my right hand.â
âMr. Mazzei, do we all get to wear these?â asked Big Bette, holding up a catcherâs mask. We didnât have a catcherâs mask in our school kit but Dad had bought one after dinner last night.
âNo, Bette,â said Dad softly, taking the catcherâs mask from her. âThe only person who wears a mask is the one who catches the balls that the pitcher throws.â
âBut any of us could get hit in the face.â
âThe catcher has the highest chance of getting hit, Bette.â
âThen can I be the catcher? Iâd like to wear the mask.â
âThe catcher has to be able to catch,â said Dad calmly.
âOh,â said Bette, tossing the mask back onto our pile of equipment.
Dad turned to face Coach Darling. âYou play with the mercy rule, donât you?â
âThe mercy rule?â
âYeah. If one team is leading by more than ten runs after two innings, then the game is declared over without the rest of the game being played.â
âI suppose we use that rule if itâs in the book,â said Coach Darling slowly. âItâs never happened, though.â
âWell, it will probably happen today,â said Dad.
Coach Darling nodded. He smiled sympathetically at us and jogged back toward his team. He pulled out a whistle and blew it, gathering his team together.
Dad seemed to think it was a good idea to give us a pep talk, too. He didnât have to call his team together. We were all sitting and lying on the grass, rubbing it and looking at it.
âI suppose,â said Dad, âthat I should tell you how we might be able to win if we concentrate. But the truth is that we donât even know what to concentrate on. Each of you should pick the player that is stationed at your position in the ï¬eld and watch that player closely. Copy what that player does. When weâre out on the ï¬eld and a ball is hit toward you, try not to let it get past you. If you canât catch it, just stop it. If you happen to hit the ball when itâs your turn to bat, then ï¬rst base is to the right and not to the left the way it is at home. Run to ï¬rst base and stop. If Mr. Entwhistle tells you to run to second base, go â fast. Thatâs it. Remember, have fun. Now, letâs play some baseball!â
We got to bat ï¬rst, which was great since everyone who wasnât batting could
Cameron Harvey
Honor James
Susan Wright
Marie Force
Sabrina Morgan
Briana Gaitan
Augusten Burroughs
Paul Torday
Mindy Klasky
Duffy Brown