Long Stretch At First Base Read Online Free

said.
    Crack!
The sound of bat meeting ball caught Bobby’s attention. He saw the white pill fall behind second. Ann chased after it. She
     picked it up on a hop and pegged it to second base. The second baseman caught it easily.
    “Nice throw, Ann!” Jerry yelled.
    Bobby stepped to the plate. He hit thefirst pitch over short, a clothesline drive to the outfield. Bobby circled the bases for a home run.
    He didn’t enjoy hitting that homer very much, though. After all, there were only two players in the outfield.
    After a while there were three outs and Kirby’s team came to bat.
    Because there weren’t enough players on each team, one of the rules was that a ball hit on the ground in the infield was an
     out.
    The first two players grounded out. Kirby walked to the plate, and Bobby wished he would hit the ball. It wasn’t important
     that Kirby was playing on the opposite team. What was important —
really
important — was for Kirby to learn to
hit the ball.
    Kirby doesn’t know about an All-Starteam going to Cooperstown, thought Bobby. He doesn’t know that Tony Mandos, the other first baseman for the Redbirds, will
     most likely go. There were a lot of guys who thought that Tony was the best first baseman in the league. Except Bobby. He’d
     take Kirby any day.
    Kirby let a pitch go by. Then he swung hard at a pitch and missed.
    “Don’t try to kill it,” said Jerry.
    Another pitch came in. Kirby swung easier.
Crack!
The ball sailed over the right fielder’s head!
    Bobby almost jumped with joy. What a drive! It went for a home run. It would have been a home run even in a real game.
    The next time up Kirby knocked out another long drive. The ball didn’t travel as far as the first one did. But almost.
    “I just swung easy!” Kirby kept sayingto Bobby and Ann after the game. “Maybe that’s the secret!”
    He had never been so happy in his life.
    Bobby’s heart swelled with pride. He told Kirby what Dave had told him, that an All-Star team was going to Cooperstown. And
     that everybody thought that Tony Mandos might be picked to go.
    A cloud came over Kirby’s face.
    “Tony’s good,” he said. “Maybe he is the best in the league.”
    Bobby looked at Kirby, and then at Ann. His lips quivered.
    Suddenly he cried out, “That’s not true, Kirby! You’re better than Tony is! Much better! You’ll beat him out! Just wait and
     see!”

5
    O N FRIDAY the Redbirds played the Seals.
    The first inning went scoreless for both teams. In the second inning Dave Gessini singled through short. Mark Donahue fanned.
     Jerry Echols hit a long fly to left that was caught for the second out.
    Kirby came to bat. He swung easy at the first pitch. Missed. He let a strike go by, then a ball. Then he swung easy again,
     and struck out.
    Bobby watched Kirby trot, head bowed in shame, toward first base. Don’t give up, Kirby! the cry went through Bobby’s mind.
     You’ll beat out Tony! You will!
    The Seals got a man on in their bottomhalf of the second inning. A sacrifice bunt put him on second.
    Cappie became nervous again. He stepped off the mound, picked up some dirt in his hand, and dropped it. He nodded at the signal
     from Dave Gessini, stretched, and delivered.
    “Ball one!”
    “Ball two!”
    At short, Bobby shook his head. Cap-pie never seemed to pitch very well when the pressure was on.
    Cappie put over a strike, then threw two more balls, giving the batter a free ticket to first. Now there were two men on and
     one away.
    Crack!
The ball sailed over second for a double, driving in the two runners. The next Seal hitter socked a hard, bouncing grounder
     between short and third. Itlooked sure to be a hit. The runner on second made a beeline for third.
    Third baseman Mark Donahue plunged after the ball. He couldn’t quite reach it. Bobby raced back beyond the edge of the dirt
     and onto the grass. He ran as hard as he could, his eyes on the high-hopping ball. Just as the ball started to bounce past
     him he