The Reluctant Pitcher Read Online Free Page A

said Rocky Newcome. “That Kim isn’t so hot.”
    Lee started it off with a single. Sawbones flied out. Wally kept it going with a double, his third hit of the game, scoring
     Lee. Rocky singled, scoring Wally, but that was as far as they went. J.J. popped out to the pitcher, and Pete Jason, pinch-hitting
     for Steve Collins, struck out.
    The Fireballs couldn’t do a thing in the top of the sixth. But neither could the Pacers when they came to bat. The game went
     to the Fireballs, 4–3.

7
    T he Pacers were at the field again on Saturday morning. Cab Lacey was there, and so was Luke Hutter. Mr. Hutter had flown back
     from his business trip the day before.
    From the expression on Luke Hutter’s face, Wally knew that something was bothering him. But Coach Hutter didn’t say anything.
     Not until Cab Lacey mentioned it to him first.
    The men were standing in a corner of the dugout. Most of the team had taken their positions in the field. Wally had stopped
     to tie his shoe outside the dugout. He hadn’tmeant to eavesdrop, but then he heard his name.
    “Guess Wally Morris’s faith in my coaching didn’t bear out,” Cab said. “We lost both games.”
    Luke Hutter, ready with a bat and ball to start hitting grounders to the infielders, cleared his throat.
    “I don’t mind that too much, Cab,” he said. “That could happen even with me coaching. But why did you put him in right field?”
    “That’s the position he can play best,” Mr. Lacey answered.
    “Because Wally said so? He’s a bashful boy, Cab. He just
thinks
he can play right better than he can pitch. But that boy can throw. He has the physique of a pitcher. And he’s left-handed.
     He has everything a kid needs to be a great pitcher when he gets older.”
    “Tall left-handers make good outfielders, too, Luke,” replied Mr. Lacey. “There’s nothing wrong in letting Wally play right
     field. With that arm of his, he can throw a man out at third and at home. And he hits better when he’s in the outfield because
     he’s more confident in that position. He got three for three against the Fireballs.”
    “Yes. And he missed a fly ball that gave the game to them, too,” Luke Hutter answered quickly.
    “He made a good try,” said Mr. Lacey. “That ball was real high.”
    “Cab,” Luke said, “let’s not stand here and argue about it like a couple of old fools. I’ve had a lot of baseball experience.
     I can tell who could make it as a pitcher and who could make it as an outfielder. I think that if Wally played any position
     other than pitcher, he’d lose out on his best opportunity in baseball.”
    Wally was hurt that Cab Lacey was blamed for putting him in the outfield, and embarrassed that they were talking about him.
     He picked up a ball and had started away when Mr. Lacey called him back.
    “There you are, Wally. Say, do you know who Mr. Hutter played with? Some professional team?”
    “No. He just played with a team around here, Mr. Lacey. My dad used to play with him.” He squinted against the bright morning
     sun. “Did you ever play with a professional team, Mr. Lacey?”
    “Had about five years’ experience in minor league baseball, Wally,” answered Cab. A warm light twinkled in his eyes. “I was
     with Williamsport in the New York—Pennsylvania league most of the time.”
    Wally stared in surprise. “Wow! What position did you play?”
    “Some guy who thought he knew a lotabout baseball had tried to make a pitcher out of me. After a few years, my arm went bad and I couldn’t play any other position.
     Without a throwing arm, you won’t find a place in baseball, Wally. Well, better get going. Chris is waiting for you.”
    After practice all the boys began leaving the field. Luke Hutter asked Wally to wait.
    “I have to tell you, Wally,” Mr. Hutter said. His voice was friendly, his eyes the warmest blue Wally had ever seen them.
     “You really reminded me of my son, Del, out there today. I suppose that might sound