CHAPTER X.
THE FIRST CHALLENGE.
It must not be supposed from what has been written in these pages that the Lakeport Baseball Club as now organized was the first club that locality had ever had. In the past the boys, big and little, had had various clubs, and had played numerous matches with lads of their own age. But all of those had been nothing but boys' games and the organizations had been largely so in name only.
Now, however, matters were different. The new club had a duly elected set of officers, a regular clubroom, and, what was equally important, a treasury with some dollars in it. More than this, the club was to be uniformed and was to play match games under the rules of the regular amateur baseball associations.
"No more such hit-or-miss playing as we used to have," said Joe. "Every fellow has got to toe the mark every time, or I'll put him off the field and put somebody else in his place."
It had at last been decided what positions the various members of the club should play, and Joe was now drilling them in to team work and in a knowledge of signals. The line-up at the first game was to be as follows; the figures representing the batting order:
LAKEPORT BASEBALL CLUB.
SUBSTITUTES:
"I want you all to remember that this list is open to change," said Joe. "If I can't pitch to suit I'm going to put somebody in my place, and what holds good of me must hold good of everybody else. Perhaps before the season is over we'll all be changed around."
"I'm sure I'm satisfied," said Walter. "I didn't expect anything but a field position."
"So am I satisfied," put in Frank.
"I'm going after all the flies," said Paul. "I'll run my best to get 'em."
The only lad who was not satisfied was Augustus De Vere, who was a good deal of a dude and played very indifferent ball.
"Now this isn't fair, don't you know," he drawled. "Why didn't you put me in as first baseman, or something like that?"
"I did what I thought was best," said Joe, briefly. "You'll have first show, if any of us drop out or fail to appear on the field on time."
"It's beastly, don't you know," grumbled De Vere.
"Sure, an' it's yourself is ahead av me on the list," piped in Teddy Dugan, cheerfully. The Irish lad was modest and had expected nothing better.
"Ye-as, an' ahead o' me, my crickey!" came from Ike Suttervane, who was a genuine country boy and who had been made a member because of the fun of it. "Here I be down to the very bottom o' the list. Reckon it's goin' to be a hull month o' Sundays before I git to the top. But I don't care—I can't pitch no more'n a keow. But I kin hit th' ball all right," he added, brightening.
The positions definitely settled, team work went on nearly every day with great regularity. In the meantime the uniforms and other needed things were sent for, and one afternoon a big box arrived by express and was taken to the clubroom.
"Now we are the real thing!" cried Link, as the articles were taken from the box and passed around for inspection. "Here's the catcher's mask and another for the umpire, if he wants it, and here's the catcher's protector, and here are the gloves."
"And here are the shoes and stockings," put in another member.
"And the score-book," came from a third. "And the letters for our shirts."
"And one dozen regular league balls and six first-class bats with a canvas cover," put in another. "Now we are ready to play ball and no mistake."
"Well, it's time we were ready," came from Bart. "Here is a challenge that just reached me," and the secretary drew it from his pocket.
"The first!" cried Harry. "Who is it from?"
"I'll read it," said Bart, and proceeded to do so.
"To the Lakeport Baseball Club:"We, the members of the Excelsior Baseball Club, of Lakeport, do hereby challenge you to a game of ball, to be played on our grounds or on your own, as you may choose, on Saturday, June 10, at 3 P. M. It is understood that the admission to the grand stand shall be placed at 10 cents to everybody and that the winning team shall take three-quarters of the receipts and be declared the champions of Lakeport."Silas Voup, Captain E. B. C."Sidney Yates, Secretary E. B. C."P. S.—Kindly send reply inside of three days."
"To the Lakeport Baseball Club:
"We, the members of the Excelsior Baseball Club, of Lakeport, do hereby challenge you to a game of ball, to be played on our grounds or on your own, as you may choose, on Saturday, June 10, at 3 P. M. It is understood that the admission to the grand stand shall be placed at 10 cents to everybody and that the winning team shall take three-quarters of the receipts and be declared the champions of Lakeport.
"Silas Voup, Captain E. B. C.
"Sidney Yates, Secretary E. B. C.
"P. S.—Kindly send reply inside of three days."
"They mean business," said Joe. "June tenth? That is just nine days off."
"Grand stand, 10 cents to everybody," mused Bart. "That's pretty cheap. Now I should charge ten and a quarter."
"We'll have to give the public their money's worth on the first game," answered Matt. "In one way, the opening game ought to be free."
"I'd rather play on our grounds," came from Walter.
"So would I," put in Harry. "But their stand is larger."
"What if they beat us?"
At this question there issued a series of groans, followed by cheers.
"They can't beat us!"
"We mustn't let them do it!"
"We are bound to be the champions!"
"I think we ought to play them a series of three games," suggested Joe. "One game is hardly a fair test."
"That is exactly my idea," said Fred. "Let us talk it over with Voup and his crowd."
"Of course if he wants to play only one game let it be so," said Link. "I'm sure we can beat them."
A note was addressed to the members of the Excelsiors, asking for a conference, and the talk came off the next afternoon. The rivals had already considered the matter of playing three games for the local championship, and were willing to come to such an agreement. It was decided that the first game should be played on the Excelsiors' grounds, the second on the Lakeports' grounds and the third, if a third game was necessary, should be decided by a toss-up.
"We are going to wax you good and hard from the start," said Si Voup, after the meeting was over. "After the first inning you won't be in it a little bit."
"Talk is cheap," answered Fred, dryly. "It costs money to buy mules. Wait till the first game is over."
"I don't see how you can expect to win," put in Sidney Yates. "We have got the finest players in this vicinity on our club."
"No professionals are to be allowed," said Joe, quickly.
"Oh, we haven't any professionals," answered Si Voup. But this was not strictly a fact, since two of the players on his team had played for money several times.
It was soon noised about the town that a series of three games had been arranged between the rival clubs, and there was much discussion as to which club would win. Some grew enthusiastic one way and some another, and not a few wagers were laid.
"If we lose we'll never hear the end of it," said Harry to Joe one day, when on the way to school. "How Si Voup and his cronies will crow!"
"Don't think of losing, Harry. We've simply got to win, that is all there is to it."
As already mentioned, the school term at Lakeport was drawing to a close. Many of the boys had to work on the farms of that locality, and school was to shut up on the Friday previous to the day fixed for the first ball game of the series.
"We mustn't forget to give Old Stovepipe a good send-off," said Harry.
"Don't you worry about that," said Fred. "Matt Roscoe and I have one little plan fixed."
"And I've got a plan, too," came from Link. "Bart is going to help me carry it out."
"Here is something to set the ball a-rolling with," came from Frank, and he disclosed a big cigar box which he had been carrying under his coat.
"What have you there?" questioned Joe.
"Don't ask questions, but watch out. This is going into Old Stovepipe's desk."
"Matt and I have something for his hat," said Fred.
"And we have something for his coat pockets," put in Link. "We'll give him something to remember the boys of Lakeport by."
"Well, he deserves something," said Harry. "He has always been crabbed and cross from the first day he came here. I'll be mighty glad to have a new principal next term."
"Where is he going to from here?" asked another boy.
"He says he is going down-east."
"Well, I hope he stays there," came from Link. "Anyway, we don't want him here again."
"I pity the new school he goes to," said Bart.
It was the last day of school and the boys were talking matters over in a corner of the school-yard. The final session was to last only until noon, and soon the bell rang calling them in.