It was the underside of the tenth. The Slumsville Porridges have been down 19-20, which was additionally the 12 months, in opposition to the Pecuniopolis Stockbrokers. The entire city had gathered within the stands, as a result of they have been too poor to afford a spot within the seats. Issues seemed unhealthy, however there was one hope.
The title of that hope was “Two Foot” Lumpy Stubbins.
Slumsville had been city as soon as. That had been when the soup manufacturing unit was nonetheless working. Then, the inventory market crashed. Now, all Slumsville had was baseball, Lumpy Stubbins, and the indomitable American spirit.
“I haven’t seen a battle like this since battle was ended without end by World Battle 1,” well-known sports activities commentator Jay Bobino introduced to his radio digicam. “Sadly, it appears the indomitable American spirit simply isn’t fairly as sturdy because the chains which maintain the working man down.”
“Are they going to lose?” Little George requested, sitting up weakly in his hospital mattress, which the orphans had carried all the way in which to the baseball court docket. He had labored within the mines for too lengthy, and he had caught the Iron Lung.
“I don’t know,” stated his lovely older sister, Louisa Mae, doing the Charleston. “I simply don’t know.”
Lumpy Stubbins stepped as much as first base on his signature two toes. The group held their breath. This was Lumpy Stubbins. Lumpy Stubbins, the one participant who had ever run from first to 3rd with out touching second. Lumpy Stubbins, who had by no means given up, even when he couldn’t afford lease and received evicted from house base. Lumpy Stubbins who had scored the ultimate landing in opposition to the Plessyburg Hatemongers, starting the Civil Rights motion.
If he might win, then possibly so might America.
The coach seemed puzzled. “Aren’t you going to make use of a bat?”
Lumpy Stubbins shook his head. “No. I wish to end this sport with my naked arms. Our ancestors constructed America with their arms. I can hit a baseball with mine.”
“What what what what what what what?!!!” cried Aloysius Eloise IV, the Stockbrokers’ quarterback, almost spilling the glass of champagne he was sipping. “Going to bat with no bat? However that’s most irregular!”
“You’re proper,” stated the referee. “However baseball has all the time been an irregular sport. Ever since Thomas Baseball first found that you may hit a ball after which run round a bit of bit, baseball has been a sport of the unusual. The bizarre. The irregular. There’s a cause baseball gamers by no means put on uniforms. There’s a cause Britain, the land of normalcy, has by no means been capable of invent an advanced sport involving a ball and a picket stick. If he needs to make use of his naked arms, then I say, as George Washington did earlier than me, ‘Play ball!’”
The orphans all cheered. Little George smiled, for the primary time in ten years. Above them, the solar broke by means of the thick, grey clouds.
“If telephones had been invented, I’d be calling my mom to inform her about this second,” Jay Bobino stated, wiping a single tear from his eye.
“This one’s for you, George,” stated Lumpy, taking his place on the pitching mound.
“It’s not over but!” Aloysius squealed, effeminately. “Don’t neglect, we’ve constructed a lodge on second and third base! In case you finish your activate both of them, you’ll owe us $500, which you don’t have!”
“I’m not stopping at any lodges,” Lumpy replied. “I’m going house.”
“We’ll see about that!” With that, he threw the ball, utilizing his left hand, the evil one. It was Aloysius’ signature pitch, the moneyball, and identical to the financial system, it went low.
Lumpy Stubbins made his transfer. Thwak! The ball rose up, up, up, like an immigrant dwelling the American dream. 200 yards. 300. And straight for the inexperienced.
“That’s strike one!” stated Jay. “He struck the ball!”
The group cheered. For the primary time in all the 1920’s, they realized that Melancholy wasn’t truly Nice. Truly, pleasure was higher.
Louisa Mae smiled, attractively. “ what I believe?”
“What?” requested George.”
“I believe the center class goes to make it.”
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