I don’t know if Crosby fell for all o’ that or not; but, anyway, I got him alone a while later and told him Childs was just kiddin’ and the rules was the same as ever. It’d probably been hard enough for him to learn ’em in the first place without ringin’ in no long list o’ changes for him to try and master.
The train was late pullin’ into Chi next mornin’ and Harry got one more crack at the kid before we come to Englewood.
“Well, Lefty,” he says, “you’re goin’ to have a real tryout right away. I was talkin’ to Cahill and he says he’s goin’ to start you Friday o’ this week.”
Crosby looked tickled to death.
“The reason for it,” says Childs, “is because Friday is Lady’s Day at our park. The womenfolks all comes in free and the boxes and stand is always full o’ them. And the old man wants to get ’em well pleased with the club right from the jump. He figures that if they see you once, they’ll make their husbands and sweethearts bring ’em every time you pitch.”
“I don’t know if I’m goin’ to be right to pitch Friday or not,” says the poor boob. “The old souper felt kind o’ numb when I worked yesterday.”
“On Fridays,” says Childs, “the boxes right back of our bench is always saved for showgirls. And the ball players that looks good to them, they always talk to.”
“If Friday ain’t a nice hot day,” says Crosby, “I’m goin’ to ask him not to work me. My arm feels rotten.”
II
Well, Cahill didn’t ask the kid to pitch Friday’s game; never had no intention o’ doin’ it, o’ course. But he did start him the followin’ Monday, against the Cleveland gang.
For five innin’s he pitched as pretty a game o’ ball as I ever seen and we had ’em licked 3 to 0. Then Childs, who was warmin’ the bench, got after him, either because he was sore on havin’ been took out o’ the outfield or just naturally couldn’t resist a chance to pull somethin’.
While Cahill was coachin’ at first base, Childs called Crosby up to one side o’ the shed.
“Did you see her yet?” he ast him.
“See who?” says the kid.
“I guess you know who,” says Childs. “They’s a peach right behind the middle o’ this bench. I noticed her lookin’ at you ever since you warmed up. And while you was out there pitchin’ last innin’, she ast me your name. I told her and she says you was the handsomest man she ever looked at. So then she ast me would I introduce her to you when the game’s over.”
“I won’t have no time,” says Crosby.
“But, man,” says Harry, “I promised I’d do it.”
Just then the innin’ was over and we went out. You never seen such a change in a pitcher. He couldn’t get one near the plate. He acted like he was scared stiff. He was so wild that he had the ushers duckin’.
Cahill left him in there a few minutes to give him a chance to steady himself. But they wasn’t nothin’ to do but take him out after he’d walked four o’ them without pitchin’ a strike. Cahill was ravin’ mad.
“Another yellow dog!” he says. “The next time Jake Atz recommends a man to me, I’ll wire him at his own expense to take a dose o’ bichloride. What do you think o’ this stiff? We give him a three-run lead and they can’t hit him with a board, and he’s only got four innin’s to go! And he blows higher’n a kite! Sixteen balls without a strike! And once he pretty near missed the whole grand stand! Go climb in the shower so you’ll be clean when you start back for Texas.”
Crosby was glad to sneak to the clubhouse and get out o’ the park. But I and Martin was suspicious that somethin’ had come off, and next time we come in we ast Childs.
“Yes,” says Harry, “I suppose it’s my fault. But if the poor boob is as simple as that, he’d ought to lose out.”
“What did you pull on him?” ast Joe.
“I just told him,” says Harry, “that they was a pretty girl settin’ right back of our bench that ast to meet him after the game.”
“That ain’t right, Harry,” says Martin. “He looks as good as any left-hander in the league, and we can’t afford to spoil him. Just lay offen him. You know he’s scared o’ women; but that ain’t the worst fault in the world, and you got to admit that he didn’t look scared o’ them Cleveland boys till he blowed up. Leave him alone and he’ll win a lot o’ ball games for us.”
“Why should I leave him alone?” says Harry. “Since they got me settin’ on
