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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3110506" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Ninety, “Take me out to the ballgame“, Tuesday June 6th , 1882, 12:00 P.M. Gonzales replies to Ginnie‘s question regarding inquiries about the uniforms, "We be truthful. Say that when I heard about the game I decided to order uniforms from some friends of mine who make uniforms for professional teams. We tell Chumbley that they arrived today in time for the game."  Ginnie adds, “Actually the shirts do have tags inside that say they were made in New York by the factory so I guess that does cover it.  I just don't trust the close-mindedness of the other team.”  Kate says, "If we win they will find any number of excuses why, none of which will be that we played a better game of baseball." Dorita brings over lunch for the entire school comprised of healthy foods that give high energy to athletes.  Not long thereafter Roger Fly and Rufus Davis come by to check on things. They are pleasantly surprised to see all of the children in uniform. Gonzales hands Kate the uniforms for the two men and says, "Why don't you present these."  Kate shrugged as she took the uniforms from her teacher.  "Mr. Fly, Mr. Davis, although you're not here every day you are most certainly part of the team that makes this school possible. And so you should look the part," Kate said and handed them each their own uniform.The men are surprised but pleased. Fly says he will go back to his house to change. Gonzales says, "Why not change in the next room instead. I'd like it to be a complete surprise when this entire team walks out of this building and onto the ball field in uniform."   "Or you could go on upstairs, there's a spare bedroom at the end of the hall.  Well have to get their uniforms to the others without them being seen, were the others going to stop by as well?"Rufus replies, "Oh yes, we're all planning to be here to support the school." Gonzales says, "If they're not here until the game we can just bring the uniforms with us and they can then go change when they get the chance."  Kate adds, "And now we need to try to study until game time." The gentlemen from the committee stayed and observed the few lessons there was time left for before game time. The children were restless but did their best to focus on them instead of what was going to happen at dismissal time, which did finally arrive.  By that time Neil Cassidy had also arrived and was thrilled to get his uniform. Nate Caudell also arrived and was given his for helping coach the team. The two men head off into the next room to change, with Nate turning back and says, "You don't need to worry about the game being a fair one, Judge Isby has agreed to referee."  Kate replies, "Thank heaven for that. I'll feel much better about sending the students out with the Judge in charge. Who's idea was it to ask him?"   "It was Kevin Tomlinson's idea," Nate says. "The Judge was more than happy to agree, it seems that he enjoys watching baseball so is familiar with the rules.""More familiar than I am, I'm certain," Kate laughed. "Of course, it leads me to ask why Kevin Tomlinson was interested, but I tend to forget anyone but those directly involved have much interest in what we're doing."  Nate and Neil disappeared into the next room while they got the children ready to go out and play the game. "Don't forget to have fun," she said finally. "And go right ahead and get dirty! That's exactly what these uniforms are for. Is everybody ready?"The children indicate that they are. The men soon return. Everybody is now dressed in their new uniforms and don their caps. It is now almost game time. The students are lined up single file, smallest in front tallest in back. The three teachers take the lead and file out the door with the twenty-five children following and with the five identically attired men, Nate Caudell, Neil Cassidy, Rufus Davis and Roger Fly and Manuel Gonzales behind them.  "We're just like a parade, aren't we?" Kate said to Gina as she walked along holding her hand. As they saw the field Kate was surprised to see so many people there to watch the game. Kate looked for the teachers of the "Moral Values" school, not wanting to miss their faces as the team came out.   The look on both Icabod Shakelton's and Doctor James Eaton's faces are priceless as the Hoover School marches onto the field. Just the sheer number of people in the new blue and white uniforms creates a contrast with thirty-three in the Hoover school colors as opposed to the fifteen comprised of the twelve students and three teachers of their opponents. Three-year-old Jeeter Smith, the youngest son of the Silver Dollar Restaurant owner Haywood Smith and one of the four non-uniformed youngest members of the other school points and says to his father "Daddy, how come their kids all get uniforms?" "Be quiet son," is the father's response.  Both Travis Calhoun and Cole Rixton are with the crowd at the field at look on with surprise. Neil Cassidy walks over to them and hands them their uniforms saying, "Hurry up and go get dressed!" They quickly hurry off to Calhoun's house to change.Kate couldn't help but feel just a bit smug at the look on Shackelton's and Eaton's faces. It was also a little disappointing since it confirmed in her mind that they'd hoped to intimidate her students with their glory.   The last members of their team to receive their uniforms ran off to change looking more like big boys than men and the rest of the team got settled on their bench. Kate stowed her carpetbag full of medical things under the bench and released the long braid of hair twisted behind her head so she could actually put her cap on. Then she approached Judge Isby. "Thank you for agreeing to referee," she said offering her hand. "I have no doubts we'll have a fair game with you here."  "Indeed you will" states the Judge. He calls Kate over as the lead representative of her team and Ashley King steps forward representing the other school. The Judge states, "There are a number of different sets of rules for baseball, each with slight variances to the other. For today's game we will use standard rules of a nine inning game, three strikes make an out and three outs end each side of the inning. Balls that don't pass the between the first and third base baselines are considered foul and do not count as strikes although if caught by the other team they count as outs." Ashley asks, "What about the base on balls rule?" Kate looks confused and Ashley says, "Four bad pitches and the player gets the base." Isby says, "Forget it King, today this is children's game! I'm planning to let those kids stand there and try until they've swung three times. For adult games we can deal with strike zones and bases on balls, not for children."   Isby then adds, "And I'd also like to see everybody get a chance to play if possible. But remember, once somebody is replaced in the game they can't return." Ashley says, "What about pitcher rotation?" Isby replies, "I expect each pitcher to stay on the mound until they've pitched to all nine positions in the other team's rotation. You can switch off any time after that. Any further questions?""I believe I understand. I'll make sure my team understand the rules and we'll be ready to start." She offered a friendly hand to Ashley King. "Good luck to your team," she said sincerely.  A smile comes to Ashley's face as he shakes her hand and replies, "And good luck to you too Mrs. Kale. This should be an interesting game." Judge Isby then takes out a silver dollar and says, "I'm going to flip the coin to see which team either bats or fields first. Why wishes to call it?" Ashley says, "Why the Lady of course should have that honor." Isby flips the coin up into the air.  "Thank you. Heads it is."  The coin lands tails so Kate loses. Ashley King says "We'll let the Hoover School bat first." As Kate heads back towards her team she sees Conrad Booth standing into he crowd. She also notices the arrival of Elton Hubbard coming to see his grandson play. And in an uncharacteristically general gesture he has brought both Shamus and Patrick O'Hara with him, allowing them to leave work at the mines an hour early. As they head over to the team Gonzales hands Patrick the final uniform and Nate says, "Go suit up Coach O'Hara, the game is about to start." The young man hurries off.Kate smiled when she saw Conrad there but couldn't catch his eye. When she returned to the bench repeated what the Judge had said about substitutions and that everyone would get to swing three times rather than getting to take a base after four bad pitches. "All of you probably understand that better than I do."   A flutter of nerves hit Kate's stomach as she remembered she was to bat first. Waiting for Judge Isby to start the game was quickly becoming uncomfortable.Coach Nate Caudell sets up the batting order with Catcher Kate as lead-off batter. He suggests that the five twelve-to-fourteen year olds being the team's best players should plan on playing as much of the game as they are physically able, and plans them for the fourth to seven and ninth place in the batting rotation, with the pitcher as eighth. That means that Kate will be followed batting by the right and left fielders, positions which will be rotated throughout the game between the eight children in the ages seven-to-eleven age bracket, which includes the half-ogre Rocky who Nate suggests they hold off on until they need him. He asks Kate which two she wants to have start, the remaining players in that group being 11-year-old Joanne Covington, 10-year-old Luke Wagner, 9-year-old Nathan Covington, 10-year-old Hosea Perez, 8-year-old Luis Soares, 7-year-old Consuela Tolucca and 7-year-old Richie Baines.  She replies, "Let's start off with Luke and Richie. Once we get a feel for how things are going we can decide who will come next."The Promise City School of Moral Values takes the field in their nice clean maroon and white uniforms. Icabod Shackelton take the catcher’s position; 15-year old Grant Porter takes 1st Base; 13-year old Barney Porter takes 2nd Base; Ashley King goes to 3rd Base; 9-year old Becky Eaton takes Shortstop; Rory Hubbard Fuller heads to the pitcher's mound; Doctor James Eaton heads out to center field with accompanied by his sons, with 5-year-old Tad Eaton taking right field and 7-year-old Philby Eaton taking left field. The remaining six uniformed members of that team, ranging in age from five to ten, sit on the bench. Elton Hubbard cheers on his grandson and has a wide smile on his face. Kate glances over at the richest man in Promise City who up until now she has never seen with anything but a dour look on his face. She also immediately realizes where that team got the money for the baseball uniforms.   Nate Caudell says, "Okay Kate, let's start this thing off."  "Alright," Kate said with poorly hidden nerves. She took one of the bats and stepped out toward the plate, then carefully held it as she'd been taught on Saturday.  As she held it up, it occurred to her that this wasn't so different than playing with her brothers in the gardens back home. They hadn't played baseball, but this wasn't really the first time she'd swung at things with what amounted to a large stick. She firmed up her grip, stepped up, and waited for the first pitch.     The world seems to go in slow motion as the sphere is lobbed in her direction. Kate focuses and concentrates, putting everything she had into the swing. Amazingly the bat makes a connection to the ball, sending it out towards left field. Shortstop Beth Eaton jumps up in an attempt to catch it but the ball is about two inches too high for the girl before it changes its trajectory downward. The outfield was caught unaware of Kate being able to put that much power behind her swing and are too far back to make a catch, the ball bouncing once as Philby Eaton runs forward to grab it.Kate was almost as shocked as the other team that she had hit. After a seconds pause she dropped the bat and ran toward first base, checking as she neared whether she had time to run for the second.  Philby is slow getting to the ball and Kate makes it safely to second base. The Hoover school all cheer. Luke Wagner steps up to the plate next. He misses on his first two swings but connects on the third. The ball heads straight towards second baseman Barney Porter but he flubs the catch, the ball falling out of his glove. He is still too close for Kate to attempt a run to third base, but Luke manages to safely make it to first base.  Richie Baines heads up next but strikes out after three swings. Melvin Caudell is next up. He allows Rory Hubbard Fuller to throw eleven pitches at him without attempting to swing at any. Shackelton yells, "What are you daft? Lots of those were good." "Just waiting for the right one" Melvin replies   On the next pitch Melvin swings with all his might. The ball goes sailing far and long, well beyond where James Eaton is standing and a good twenty feet beyond the poles 400 feet away that Judge Isby put out to mark the Home Run line. Melvin turns to Shackelton and says, "That Sir, was the right one."Kate jogged around the last two bases, then backed off and waited for Luke and Melvin to finish their runs as well. "Well done," she told them both. "That got us off on the right foot."  Cathleen O’Hara strikes out.  Colleen O’Hara misses the first pitch, fouls the second, misses the third, and hits the final pitch.  The ball bounces along the first base line. the first baseman catches the ball and gets Colleen out on a tag play.The Hoover School takes the field as the other teams heads up to bat. Roberto Tolucca, age nine, heads out to Pitch for the Hoover School. Ashley King steps up to the plate first. On the second pitch he hits a home run.  Icabod Shackelton is next. He is too aggressive and Tolucca manages to strike him out. Grant Porter is next and takes a total of five pitches, two foul balls and three strikes. Barney Porter comes up next and manages another home run. Rory fuller follows and strikes out, the first inning finishing with a score of 3 to 2. Ginnie is the lead off batter the next inning and strikes out. Nakomo follows and hits a ball way into the outfield. Doctor Eaton manages to field the ball and get it to Ashley King just as Nakomo slides into third. Judge Isby declares the Indian boy safe.  Roberto Tolucca is the next batter. He hits it near second and Barney Porter tosses the ball to his brother at first, causing him to be out but in the meanwhile Nakomo made it to home, bring in another run. They have now gone through the entire rotation and Kate is up again.   Kate fouls out the first ball but hits the second. It bounces to short and Beth Eaton then throws it to first but Kate surprisingly has made it to base first. Luke Wagner is up but has been replaced by Nathan Covington, who strikes out, ending the top of the inning.James Eaton begins the bottom of the second inning with a home run. His son Tad follows him up but strikes out. Philby Eaton manages a base hit. Ashley King steps up to the plate, starting the rotation again. The Hoover School calls for a pitching change, with Mollie Caudell coming in for Roberto. King gets a good laugh at that, as do Shackelton and Eaton.   Five minutes later neither King or Shackelton are laughing, as they both strike out ending the second inning, the score now Four to Three in favor of the Hoover School.Hosea Perez has replaced Richie Baines as the next batter. He manages a single. Melvin follows and also manages a single but Perez gets tagged out at second.   Considering that she was trying to teach the children good sportsmanship, Kate did not laugh out loud at Ashley King or the tutor when Mollie struck them out.  Cathleen hit it into the outfield but Doctor Eaton caught it making it two outs. Colleen misses the first swing, and hits the second which goes to Tad Eaton who proceeds to drop it. Melvin makes it home and Colleen makes it to third.  Ginnie is next up, striking out and ending the top of the inning. The Porter brothers are the first two batters and Mollie strikes them both out. Beth Eaton is next and hits the ball towards third. The ball is fielded by Colleen who scoops it up and throws a perfect pitch to Melvin who gets it before she reaches the base, ending the inning, the score now 5 to 3.  The next inning starts with Mollie striking out and then Nakomo hitting a triple. It is time for Kate to go up again unless she decides to have somebody else come in at this point for her.Luis Soares heads up to the plate and manages a single. Nakomo is dying to try to run home on that play but the ball is fielded so quickly by Barney Porter that he realizes he would probably be tagged out and the last thing he wants to do is allow the racist Shackelton to get the Indian out. The next batter for the Hoover Team is Consuela Tolucca, who strikes out. Ginnie is up next but she says she's not on her game and suggest that Rocky take her place. This proves to be a wise substitution as the half-ogre strikes the ball further than the previous home runs, bringing in three more runs.  Melvin is next and hits a double.  Score now 8 to 3, Cathleen strikes, strikes, and is out on a catch.  The bottom of the fourth should have started with the pitcher Rory Fuller up at bat, but Ashley King steps into the batters box instead, apparently now the new pitcher for his team. Mollie takes delight in striking him out.  James Eaton follows and manages to hit a triple, as the ball fell into the field that Rocky was covering and he is slow to get to it. Tad Eaton then hits a single which brings his father home, the score now 8 to 4.  Philby Eaton then strikes out. Rory Fuller steps in next, indicating that instead of being replaced in the game he and King just switched positions. Mollie strikes him out, ending the fourth inning.Colleen scores a home run on the first hit.  Now relieved of playing duties Kate became a vocal supporter, cheering on each student as they came up to bat and giving Colleen a big smile as she came back home after her home run.  Ashley King's first pitch to Mollie is straight towards her head. She manages to duck in time. Isby threatens to throw him out of the game. King claims it was an accident so is allowed to continue but warned that it had better not happen again. He manages to strike her out, but no more pitches come near her head. Nokomo manages to hit a double. Joanne Covington now goes in as the catcher so it is her place in the lineup. She is struck out. Bert Hoover goes in next and is also struck out, ending the top of the fifth inning.  Icabod Shackelton manages a single. Grant Porter then strikes out for the third time in the game. Barney porter hits a single, bringing Shackelton to second. Becky Eaton is then stuck out, followed by Ashley King who takes three very aggressive swings which Mollie successfully pitches around, the inning ending with a score of 9 to 4.Meagan O'Hara steps up to the plate, cheered on by the children and brother-in-law. She strikes out. Rocky and Melvin both follow and are also struck out by Ashley King.   The bottom of the sixth inning goes almost as quick. James Eaton manages a single. Tad and Philby Eaton both strike out. Rory Fuller hits a double but it is thrown to third in time for Colleen to catch and tag Doctor Eaton out, ending the inning with a score of 9 to 4.Cathleen gets out on the first throw.   Colleen gets to second base.  Mollie strikes out. Nakomo gets a double, bringing Colleen home. Caitlin O'Hara is the stuck out, ending the top of the inning. The bottom of the seventh begins with Icabod Shackelton being struck out. Grant Porter is pulled from the game, Barney Porter now moved up to 1st Baseman and next in the rotation. He manages to hit a double. Ten-year-old Jackie Stevens comes into the game, the first of the six from the bench to do so, as the new 2nd baseman. Mollie manages to strike him out. Becky Eaton should be next in the rotation but her father goes up to the plate instead, apparently now the new shortstop. He hits a triple, bringing Barney Porter Home. Ashley King is up next and Mollie strikes the ball hard to center field just shy of the home run line and is caught by Nakomo, ending the inning with a score of 10 to 5.Shackleton now in the center field position in the outfield with Jim Eaton at shortstop. Mary O'Hara bunts and successfully makes it to first base due to an error by Barney Porter. Ricardo Huesca is excessively anxious to get into the game and goes in next, striking out. Rocky is next and strikes out. Melvin is next and fouls out on the second pitch with Barney Porter managing to catch it, making the final out. Shackelton is up first and is struck out. Troy King, age seven, is sent in from the bench to replace Tad Eaton and manages a single. James Eaton switches positions yet again, now taking his son Philby's place. He manages a single but the ball is fielded to second and Cathleen tags Troy King out. Rory Fuller is up next and strikes out ending the 8th inning, the score still 10 to 5.Cathleen scored a home run on the first pitch.  Colleen's first hit got caught.  Mollie strikes out yet again.  With the rearrangement of the batting order on the other team to have the adults bat sooner two more bench players are in the outfield, namely 9-year-old Langdon Hudson son of the town baker, and 8-year-old Andrew Hamel. This creates an opportunity for Nakomo who hits it between the youngsters and manages to get to third. Jacob Wagner is next to bat and strikes out, ending the top of the 9th inning.Nate Caudell approaches Kate and says, "The score is now 11 to 5, how big a risk taker are you? We have seven players in uniform including the littlest ones who haven't played yet. Want to send all of them out?"  Kate says, "I had no intention of sending the smallest ones out at all, but anyone six or older who hasn't had a chance to play yet, let's send them out."  Nate says, "Six and older have all played. How about we send the three five-year-olds into the outfield?"  She replies, "That sounds good to me. Thanks."The Hoover School takes the field, with Sally Covington, Kellie O'Hara and Julia Baines now heading into the outfield. Nakomo takes the position of catcher.  Catcher Aime North should be the first batter, but an infuriated Ashley King replaces her. He hits what should be a double but it takes longer than usual for the youthful outfield to get it so he makes it to third before the ball is thrown in. Barney Porter is next up and hits a single. Jackie Stevens should be next in the rotation but Jim Eaton steps in for him. Mollie manages to strike him out. Andrew Hamel should be next but they send Jim Eaton in yet again. He hits a single which sends home Ashley King.  Ashley King comes back to the plate to bat next. He misses the first pitch. The third one is hit as a bounce between 1st and 2nd and starts to roll into the outfield. Kellie O'Hara charges up and grabs it, throwing it to her sister Colleen at third base as Barney Porter runs by it and Jim Eaton is running towards her. Colleen catches the ball and Jim Eaton stops running as Barney Porter continues towards home plate.Colleen throws the ball to home plate and Nakomo tags a sliding Barney Porter out. He then throws the ball back to third where Jim Eaton is now running towards again.  Colleen barely misses the ball as it bounces off of her glove.  Eaton rounds third and heads for home.  Cathleen picks up the ball and throws it to home.Her pitch is high and to the right but Nakomo makes a wild leap and manages to catch it but he lands well outside of the baseline as Eaton runs across the plate. King has now rounded third and is charging towards home plate. Nakomo cannot possibly get back there in time to make the tag but sees that Mollie is running in from the pitchers mound. He throws the ball to her and she tags Ashley King before he reaches the plate, ending the game.  Final score 11 to 7 with the Hoover School winning!</blockquote>

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