登陆注册
5165600000006

第6章 THE REDHEADED OUTFIELD(6)

The teams changed sides with the Grays three runs in the lead.Morrissey, for the Stars, opened with a clean drive to right.Then Healy slashed a ground ball to Hanley and nearly knocked him down.When old Burns, by a hard rap to short, advanced the runners a base and made a desperate, though unsuccessful, effort to reach first the Providence crowd awoke to a strange and inspiring appreciation.They began that most rare feature in baseball audiences--a strong and trenchant call for the visiting team to win.

The play had gone fast and furious.Wehying, sweaty and disheveled, worked violently.All the Grays were on uneasy tiptoes.And the Stars were seven Indians on the warpath.Halloran fouled down the right-field line; then he fouled over the left-field fence.Wehying tried to make him too anxious, but it was in vain.Halloran was implacable.With two strikes and three balls he hit straight down to white, and was out.The ball had been so sharp that neither runner on base had a chance to advance.

Two men out, two on base, Stars wanting three runs to tie, Scott, a weak batter, at the plate!

The situation was disheartening.Yet there sat Delaney, shot through and through with some vital compelling force.He saw only victory.And when the very first ball pitched to Scott hit him on the leg, giving him his base, Delaney got to his feet, unsteady and hoarse.

Bases full, Reddie Ray up, three runs to tie!

Delaney looked at Reddie.And Reddie looked at Delaney.The manager's face was pale, intent, with a little smile.The player had eyes of fire, a lean, bulging jaw and the hands he reached for his bat clutched like talons.

``Reddie, I knew it was waitin' for you,'' said Delaney, his voice ringing.``Break up the game!''

After all this was only a baseball game, and perhaps from the fans' viewpoint a poor game at that.But the moment when that lithe, redhaired athlete toed the plate was a beautiful one.The long crash from the bleachers, the steady cheer from the grand stand, proved that it was not so much the game that mattered.

Wehying had shot his bolt; he was tired.Yet he made ready for a final effort.It seemed that passing Reddie Ray on balls would have been a wise play at that juncture.But no pitcher, probably, would have done it with the bases crowded and chances, of course, against the batter.

Clean and swift, Reddie leaped at the first pitched ball.Ping! For a second no one saw the hit.Then it gleamed, a terrific drive, low along the ground, like a bounding bullet, straight at Babcock in right field.It struck his hands and glanced viciously away to roll toward the fence.

Thunder broke loose from the stands.Reddie Ray was turning first base.Beyond first base he got into his wonderful stride.Some runners run with a consistent speed, the best they can make for a given distance.But this trained sprinter gathered speed as he ran.He was no short-stepping runner.His strides were long.They gave an impression of strength combined with fleetness.

He had the speed of a race horse, but the trimness, the raciness, the delicate legs were not characteristic of him.Like the wind he turned second, so powerful that his turn was short.All at once there came a difference in his running.It was no longer beautiful.The grace was gone.It was now fierce, violent.His momentum was running him off his legs.He whirled around third base and came hurtling down the homestretch.

His face was convulsed, his eyes were wild.His arms and legs worked in a marvelous muscular velocity.He seemed a demon--a flying streak.

He overtook and ran down the laboring Scott, who had almost reached the plate.

The park seemed full of shrill, piercing strife.

It swelled, reached a highest pitch, sustained that for a long moment, and then declined.

``My Gawd!'' exclaimed Delaney, as he fell back.``Wasn't that a finish? Didn't I tell you to watch them redheads!''

同类推荐
  • 玄要篇

    玄要篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上洞神太元河图三元仰谢仪

    太上洞神太元河图三元仰谢仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文殊师利般涅槃经

    文殊师利般涅槃经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Cymbeline

    Cymbeline

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 礼记

    礼记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 混沌世界

    混沌世界

    《混沌世界》汇集了作家赵本夫历年的中长篇小说力作,作品有长篇小说《混沌世界》,中篇小说《在寂静的河道上》《杂木林的呼唤》《林楠子》等。
  • 淡定的女人最优雅

    淡定的女人最优雅

    做一个淡雅的女人,有一个幸福人生,饱满一个丰富的生命,珍惜并享受之中那一份淡然的轻盈,从容地越过层层的荆棘,沾满一身幸福的清香。这种悠然自得、笃定自信是每个女人追求的理想状态。在卡耐基看来,做个淡雅的女人并不是遥不可及的梦想,每一个女人有使自己淡定、优雅的潜能。当然这是个漫长的修炼与积累过程,只要不断地学习和补充,灵活、明智地运用一些行为准则和做事指导,相信每一个女人都会成为一道靓丽的风景,优雅地行走在蜿蜒曲折的生命里,开启一个崭新的人生。
  • 天道独行

    天道独行

    天道不仁,以万物为刍狗,而今御风将以凡人之资挑战天道,以《九宫显圣》成就真正的圣位天尊,且看御风如何突破天道,傲视寰宇!
  • 1分钟读懂顾客心理

    1分钟读懂顾客心理

    顾客的心理有多种,其中包括“求实惠”和“求便宜”的心理,对抱有这种心理的顾客,一般可以用价格和产品的质量来说服,重点指出自己产品的“物美价廉”,那么他们就很容易被打动。抓住顾客的“面子”心理,给顾客“面子”不要吝惜你的赞美之词,这点对任何顾客都适用。另外顾客的求“效率”心理,求“舒适”心理,求“安全”心理,求“方便”心理等,在读懂消费者心理的旅途中,本书将为您一一展现!让您1分钟之内读懂顾客心理,打开顾客的钱袋!
  • 大宋江山(全十卷)

    大宋江山(全十卷)

    本书以宋太祖赵匡胤为主人公,描写了赵匡胤历经高平、秦凤成阶以及清流关之战后逐步成长、崛起,成为一代战神,获得广泛拥戴,进而获得问鼎皇帝宝座机会的故事。全书以赵匡胤匡时救民的理想和家国飘摇的现实之间的矛盾为主线,深入剖析赵匡胤时代社会的现实矛盾,把我一代雄主的人生关键点,构成了一部“一个人崛起的史诗故事”,“同时也构成了一部一个时代变迁的宏阔交响乐。”
  • 海游记

    海游记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom

    A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 人类地球未解之谜

    人类地球未解之谜

    本读本是我们在新时期为当代青少年量身定做、专业打造的一套融科学性、知识性、趣味性为一体的全方位提升青少年素质水平的优秀图书。它涵盖了青少年在成长的重要时期不可或缺的科普知识,带领青少年探索神秘的大千世界,激发青少年对科学及未知空间的求知欲。我们希望以此引领青少年探求无穷的科学知识,让青少年在对知识的渴求与完善中不断成就自我。
  • 穿越电影世界旅行

    穿越电影世界旅行

    是命运的巧合,还是捉弄;偶然获得的它,让吴安穿越在各个世界之中,动漫、电影、幻想,让那些不存在的都成为现实,一起来一场环游环游三千世界的旅行吧!神之手重新拨动了世界的齿轮,命运的轨迹被烙印新的纹耀,当时光倒退在那关键的一刻!你就能改变未来……
  • 巨星老公,轻点撩!

    巨星老公,轻点撩!

    “夏无忧!小爷我都被你看光光了,你得对人家负责!”他欺身上前,一双勾人的桃花眼闪呀闪。“负责?负什么责?!我是为了救你好吧!”她无奈地摊摊手。“救命之恩,无以为报!小爷我只好以身相许咯!”“噗!这位男神,请自重!”她不过是随手从大街上捡了他,他却死乞白赖地跟着她缠着她非要把她娶回家!躲?躲不起!逃?逃不掉!索性她一路打怪升级,变身金牌大编剧,转过头来包养他!