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The Redheaded Outfield By: Zane Grey (1872-1939) |
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by ZANE GREY CONTENTS THE REDHEADED OUTFIELD
THE RUBE
THE RUBE'S PENNANT
THE RUBE'S HONEYMOON
THE RUBE'S WATERLOO
BREAKING INTO FAST COMPANY
THE KNOCKER
THE WINNING BALL
FALSE COLORS
THE MANAGER OF MADDEN'S HILL
OLD WELL WELL
THE REDHEADED OUTFIELD AND OTHER BASEBALL STORIES There was Delaney's red haired trio Red Gilbat, left fielder; Reddy
Clammer, right fielder, and Reddie Ray, center fielder, composing the
most remarkable outfield ever developed in minor league baseball. It
was Delaney's pride, as it was also his trouble. Red Gilbat was nutty and his batting average was .371. Any student of
baseball could weigh these two facts against each other and understand
something of Delaney's trouble. It was not possible to camp on Red
Gilbat's trail. The man was a jack o' lantern, a will o' the wisp, a
weird, long legged, long armed, red haired illusive phantom. When the
gong rang at the ball grounds there were ten chances to one that Red
would not be present. He had been discovered with small boys peeping
through knotholes at the vacant left field he was supposed to inhabit
during play. Of course what Red did off the ball grounds was not so important as
what he did on. And there was absolutely no telling what under the sun
he might do then except once out of every three times at bat he could
be counted on to knock the cover off the ball. Reddy Clammer was a grand stand player the kind all managers
hated and he was hitting .305. He made circus catches, circus stops,
circus throws, circus steals but particularly circus catches. That is
to say, he made easy plays appear difficult. He was always strutting,
posing, talking, arguing, quarreling when he was not engaged in making
a grand stand play. Reddy Clammer used every possible incident and
artifice to bring himself into the limelight. Reddie Ray had been the intercollegiate champion in the sprints and a
famous college ball player. After a few months of professional ball he
was hitting over .400 and leading the league both at bat and on the
bases. It was a beautiful and a thrilling sight to see him run. He
was so quick to start, so marvelously swift, so keen of judgment, that
neither Delaney nor any player could ever tell the hit that he was not
going to get. That was why Reddie Ray was a whole game in himself. Delaney's Rochester Stars and the Providence Grays were tied for first
place. Of the present series each team had won a game. Rivalry had
always been keen, and as the teams were about to enter the long
homestretch for the pennant there was battle in the New England air. The September day was perfect. The stands were half full and the
bleachers packed with a white sleeved mass. And the field was
beautifully level and green. The Grays were practicing and the Stars
were on their bench. "We're up against it," Delaney was saying. "This new umpire, Fuller,
hasn't got it in for us. Oh, no, not at all! Believe me, he's a
robber. But Scott is pitchin' well. Won his last three games. He'll
bother 'em. And the three Reds have broken loose. They're on the
rampage. They'll burn up this place today." Somebody noted the absence of Gilbat. Delaney gave a sudden start. "Why, Gil was here," he said slowly.
"Lord! he's about due for a nutty stunt." Whereupon Delaney sent boys and players scurrying about to find Gilbat,
and Delaney went himself to ask the Providence manager to hold back the
gong for a few minutes. Presently somebody brought Delaney a telephone message that Red Gilbat
was playing ball with some boys in a lot four blocks down the street.
When at length a couple of players marched up to the bench with Red in
tow Delaney uttered an immense sigh of relief and then, after a close
scrutiny of Red's face, he whispered, "Lock the gates!" Then the gong rang. The Grays trooped in. The Stars ran out, except
Gilbat, who ambled like a giraffe. The hum of conversation in the
grand stand quickened for a moment with the scraping of chairs, and
then grew quiet... Continue reading book >>
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Fiction |
Literature |
Short stories |
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