Chapter 7 BASEBALL BY WIRELESS

For the next week the radio boys worked like beavers. They had pored over the catalogue that, according to his promise, Dr. Dale had lent them, and, acting on his advice, had picked out a tube of well-known make that could be bought for a moderate price. They had had to send to New York for it, because Dave Slocum did not have just that kind in stock, and they were feverish with impatience until it arrived. In the period of waiting they pitched in and helped Jimmy with the horn, and even Herb became sufficiently infected by the energy of the others to turn to and do his share of the work.

The precious tube arrived on Saturday morning, and Bob, who had ordered it, was gloating over it when the other boys came over to the house.

"It's come at last!" he cried exultantly, holding up the tube for their inspection.

There were exclamations of satisfaction as the others gathered round Bob and examined it.

"And it's come just in time to get a good christening," declared Joe. "That is, if we can have everything ready by three o'clock this afternoon."

"What do you mean?" asked Bob.

"Why, I just read in the morning paper that the broadcasting station is going to send out the big baseball game between the Giants and the Pittsburghs at the Polo Grounds this afternoon," replied Joe. "They say that they're going to send out the game play by play, every ball pitched, every strike, every hit, every base stolen, every run scored, so that you can follow the game from the time the first man goes to the bat till the last man goes out in the ninth inning. What do you think of that?"

What they thought of it was evident from the chorus of jubilation that followed. All of them were ardent baseball fans, and in addition to that were good players themselves. Bob was pitcher and Joe first baseman on the High School nine, while Jimmy played a good game at short and Herb took care of the center field garden.

Naturally, with this love of the game, they were keenly interested in the championship races of the big major league ball teams and, during the season, followed the ups and downs of their favorites with the closest attention. That spring the race had been especially hot between the Giants and the Pittsburghs. Both had started out well, and the Giants had cleaned up the majority of games in the East, while the Pittsburghs had been cutting a big swath in the West.

Now the Pittsburghs were coming to New York on their first invasion of the year, and interest ran fever high in the Metropolis and the section round about. The newspapers were devoting columns of space to the teams, and it was certain that there would be a record attendance at the game that afternoon.

"Bully!" cried Herb, as he danced a jig on the receipt of Joe's news.

"It will be almost as good as sitting in the grandstand behind the home plate," exulted Jimmy.

"Best thing I've heard since Sitting Bull sat down!" exclaimed Bob, as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"First time we'll ever have seen a championship baseball game without paying for it," laughed Joe.

"I wouldn't exactly call it seeing the game," said Bob. "But it's certainly the next thing to it. But now let's get busy so that we'll be sure to have everything ready by the time the game begins."

They needed no urging and worked so fast and well that by dinner time they had the tube and horn arranged to their satisfaction. That left them time enough to go around among their friends and invite them to come in and enjoy the game with them. The invitation was accepted with alacrity, and some time before the hour set for the game to begin Bob's room was filled with expectant boys.

Naturally, Bob, as host, was a little anxious and nervous as the moment approached when his improved set would be put to the test. It would have been a mortifying thing for him to fail.

He felt sure that every attachment and connection had been properly made and that nothing essential had been overlooked. Still, it was with a certain feeling of apprehension that he turned the knob to tune in when his watch told him that it was three o'clock. The day was hot, and "static" was likely to be troublesome.

There was a moment of hissing and whistling while he was getting perfectly tuned. Then he caught it just right, and into the room, clear and strong, came the announcement of the umpire, repeated by the man at the broadcasting station:

"Ladies and gentlemen: The batteries for to-day's game are Blake and McCarthy for Pittsburgh, Hardy and Thompson for New York. Play ball!"

There was a roar of delight from the boys in the crowded room and a clapping of hands that made Bob's face flush with pleasure. But he held up his hand for silence, and the excited boys settled back in their chairs, listening intently so as not to miss a feature of the game.

Then followed, play by play, the story of the first inning with the Pittsburghs, as the visiting team, first at bat.

The hum of conversation had ceased in the room, and the boys leaned forward intently, anxious not to lose a syllable.

"Strike one!" came in stentorian tones.

"Ball one!" followed.

"Strike two!"

"Elton singles to center. Allison made a bad return of the ball, and Elton by fast running reached second. Maginn at bat."

"Strike one!"

"Maginn lays down a sacrifice between first and second and is out at first. Elton gets to third on the play."

It was evident that the Giant pitcher had not yet got into his stride, for he passed the next two batters, and the bases were filled with only one man out.

"He's as wild as a March hare," whispered Jimmy to Herb.

"Sure looks like a run with Krug coming up," replied Herb. "He can everlastingly lambaste the ball. He's made two homers this week already."

"Ball one," "ball two," "ball three," followed in quick succession.

"Looks as if he were going to pass him, too, to get a chance at Hofmeyer," murmured Joe.

"That would be poor dope, for it would force in a run," replied Bob. "I guess he simply can't locate the plate. It's funny the manager doesn't take him out."

"Krug hits a sharp grounder to Helmer," came the voice. "Helmer shoots the ball to Menken, forcing Ackerson at second, and Menken by a lightning throw gets Krug at first. Three out. One hit, no runs."

There was a ripple of applause at the snappy double play.

"That pulled the pitcher out of a tight hole all right," laughed Bob. "Gee, but I bet the Pittsburghs are sore. The bases full and only one man out, and yet they couldn't score."

"That's what makes a baseball game so exciting," returned Joe. "You can't be sure of anything. Just when you think the game is all sewed up something happens and the whole thing goes ke-flooey."

"Can't you imagine how the Giant rooters are yelling their heads off at the Polo Grounds?" chuckled Jimmy.

The Giants in their turn at bat went out in one, two, three order.

"Ladies and gentlemen," came the voice a moment later: "Roberts now pitching for New York."

"I thought they'd take out Hardy," commented Herb. "He was as wild as a hawk in that first inning, and the manager isn't going to take chances."

In the next three innings neither side scored. Roberts, the new choice of the manager, was pitching like a house afire, and did not let a man reach first. The Pittsburgh pitcher was also on his mettle, and mowed his opponents down almost as fast as they came to the plate.

In the fifth inning, however, the Giants broke the ice.

"Wharton lifts a Texas leaguer back of second," came the voice. "Krug and Hofmeyer went for it, but the ball fell between them."

"Strike one!"

"Foul-strike two!"

"Miller lines the ball to right. Maginn, instead of waiting for the ball on the bound, rushes in to make a shoestring catch and the ball gets past him. Elton retrieves the ball and makes a great throw to the plate to catch Wharton, who has rounded third and is racing for home. He slides under the catcher's arm and scores. Miller in the meantime makes third."

Again there came the murmur of applause that showed how the boys were wrought up by the play that they saw in their minds' eye almost as plainly as if it were right before them.

"Helmer hits to Hofmeyer," went on the voice, "and Miller is run down between third and home, the batter reaching second on the play."

"Ball one!"

"Ball two!"

"Helmer makes a clean steal of third."

"Ball three!"

"Guess the Pittsburgh pitcher is getting a little nervous," whispered Jimmy.

"That steal, together with the error in center, is getting his goat," assented Herb.

"Allison sends the ball on a line into the right field bleachers for a homer, scoring Helmer in front of him," the voice announced.

"Gee, but that must have been some clout!" ejaculated Joe. "That fellow sure can kill the ball."

The pause that followed told them as plainly as words of the yelling and excitement at the grounds that were holding up the game.

"Ladies and gentlemen," came the announcement: "Ralston now pitching for the Pittsburghs."

"Batted the other fellow out of the box!" exclaimed Jimmy gleefully, who made no bones of the fact that he was rooting for the Giants.

"Him for the showers," agreed Herb, who was also a Giant adherent.

"I guess the Giants have put the game on ice," exulted Joe.

"Don't be too sure," warned Bob. "Those Pittsburghs are fence breakers, and they may stage a rally any minute. It takes more than a three-run lead to make them curl up."

That they were not going to "curl up" became evident as the game progressed toward its close. They fought like tigers for every advantage, made hair-raising stops and throws and slugged the ball ferociously. But a Giant fielder seemed to be in front of every ball, and when the Pittsburghs came up for their last inning the score was still 3 to 0 in favor of the New York team.

But in that ninth inning!