Commerce High School - Commerce Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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lesson while waiting for his turn to come. Tie was a good looking fellow with clear-cut feature, light hair and blue eyes. Ilis clothes were neat and of a dark color, a direct contrast to those worn by Dawson which were conspicuous for brightness and the variety of colors. At the first glance Dawson knew this fellow was a new pupil, for he hadn’t seen him before. He wondered what position he was trying for. He turned to one of his companions and said in a voice, loud enough to be heard, “Say, I wonder who that Hayseed is yonder that’s studying so hard. Looks like a regular mamma-boy, doesn’t he.’’ The last remark was greeted by a boisterous laugh by Dawson’s friends. But further conversation was cut short and the line moved up. The young stranger was apparently cool, but his eyes flashed while attempting to answer the coach’s questions. “Name?” “William Webber.” “Age?” “Seventeen.” “Ever played before?” “A little.” “What position?” “Pitcher.” At the mention of pitching, Dawson straightened up, surprised, and angry that anybody should presume to take his position. Later his anger grew into hatred for the stranger. About a week afterward, the weather being pleasant, practice began. The experienced players were placed in their old positions: Hamilton, as catcher. Ward as 1st baseman, Howell as 2nd baseman. Madden as shortstop and Lawrence as 3rd baseman. Substitutes were placed in the other positions while a second team was formed out of the best of those that were left. Dawson was placed as pitcher for the first team while Webber was given the same position on the second. April second, the first game was played with Lawreneeville School. The day was clear and brisk. The game was to be played on Verdi's grounds at two o’clock in the afternoon. Both teams were anxious and nervous although they denied this fact. The first inning ended without either side scoring. At the end of the fourth inning the score was 4 to 2 in favor of Lawreneeville. Dawson’s arm was tired, apparently, for his pitching had no vim in it. The deliveries were all of the same kind and seemingly very familiar to the opposing team. Good fielding on the part of the Verdi’s, however, prevented the score from going higher. The Coach disliked taking Dawson out because he was not sure of the quality of Webber’s pitching. But he knew he would have to do something, for at the end of the fifth inning. Dawson was exhausted and the score favored the opposing team. At the beginning of the sixth inning the Coach crossed the field and motioned for Webber. The boy needed but one bidding. Dawson, however, would not agree to go out of the game without making some trouble. He looked at ■Webber and muttered, “Mamma-boy,” and walked off the field. The game began in earnest then for the new pitcher inspired confidence in his team-mates. His pitching was a mystery to the Lawreneeville team and as the first man 128

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chemistry room are coming up to torment me. The smallest will be first, followed by larger ones; they’ll march up the steps in single file, and come and surround me. I suppose they’ll nearly tease me to death and then explode and kill me with all their old acids, and bases, and sulphides. Well, such is life at night. My! What do I smellt Cheese, combustified hydrogen of zinc, oranges, or—Bless my soul! It’s doughnut crumbs, right on this very desk! Oh, now for a grand old feast before I lay me down to sleep. EMMA APPLEBY, 1912. Eljp (EanMfmtrs THE school bell rang and a large group of excited boys, ranging from fourteen to twenty years of age, dispersed with reluctance. After lunch they had all gathered in the Gymnasium to talk over the prospects in Baseball, for the Spring. It was the latter part of February, basket-ball was over and the next thing of interest would be baseball. And so after hastily eating their lunch, they gathered in groups and took note of this or that new candidate and bewailed the fact that the best pitcher the school afforded, had graduated and without him the team would be incomplete. The sudden and mysterious disappearance of most of the boys at noon, for about a week, led to the discovery that these secret meetings were being held. They were not prevented, however, from holding them, except that the ones concerned must be punctual at the next class. Thus it had gone on day after day and at last a notice was posted on the bulletin board, one day, that the candidates for baseball were to report at the “Gym” the following day after school. The next day the fellows strolled in, both in groups and individually. Jim Lawrence, the big captain, was there before the others, and as they filed in, he took mental note of each and wondered if he would be favorable or not. This was his senior year at Verdi High School and he hoped to make it a success. He wanted his team to have a victorious season and as he viewed them all together he thought he could accomplish his purpose. There were about forty candidates, four or five of whom were those who had played the year before. There were some there too, who had nearly made the varsity team the year before and hoped to fill the places left vacant by the graduates. One of these was a fellow of eighteen years, of strong build, with dark hair and blue eyes. He was known as “Beauty Dawson,” because he evidently made people know he was good looking and with the aid of plenty of money, he attempted to domineer over all those who came near him. He intended to make an illustrious record for himself as the “pitcher of the Verdi High School Nine.” He also expected to be captain for the next year. He had no doubts as to being pitcher, for the position was vacant and he was acknowledged to be the best in the school at the time. As he stepped into the line of candidates, he got directly behind a tall, broad-shouldered fellow of about seventeen years, who was studying some 127

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struck out and the second one did the same, they began to grow alarmed. The surprise, however, was not limited to these for the Coach now blamed himself for having given Dawson so much attention and letting this fellow shift for himself. The game ended with a score of 10 to 8 in favor of Verdi. Dawson sulked, secretly mortified that the game had been won without him. Some of the glory which had fallen to his lot until now, was transferred to Webber. Honors, however, were now evenly divided, as Dawson and Webber pitched alternately. Dawson was looking forward to pitching the last game because Webber was to pitch the preceding one and the captaincy, in a great measure, depended on the final playing. The game was the deciding one of Walton and Verdi High Schools. A pennant was to he awarded to the winner. These schools had been rivals for several years and the balauce had hung pretty even, until they agreed that this game should decide the championship. The game started and Dawson began to pitch with a swaggering air, glad that he had triumphed over Webber. The thoughts of the captaincy were running through his mind and he was wondering whom they would dare to nominate against him when his election was so positive. Suddenly he heard somebody call from the grandstand, “Say, beauty, wake up, this isn't practice.” Anger surged over him, that anyone should call to the future captain in that way. He capped the climax by sending the next ball wide from the plate. The Coach, disgusted with his poor attempt at pitching, motioned for Webber to take his place. Dawson, hardly believing this, did not move at first until he heard the cries from the grandstand, “Don’t you know enough to walk when you're told to, Beauty,” or “Hurry up, Beauty, clear out, we want to see some pitching.” Angry at himself and at those around him, he retreated to the sidelines and the game went on. It was a hard fought contest and the score persisted in being tied. At the beginning of the ninth inning, it was 5 to 5. The Waltons batted first. The first man went to first base on balls, the second struck out, the third batted a “grounder” which gave him time to get to first base. The next man was put out at first base. There were two men on bases now, 2nd and 3rd, and two men out. Webber noticed that the man on third was trying to steal home and caught him with a quick turn and throw to third, when lie was not watching. Then the Verdi boys came in resolved to raise the score. Their playing was similar to that of the other team. There were two men out and two men on bases when Webber’s turn came to bat. One of Dawson’s friends called out, “Mamma’s-boy is going to try to bat.” Webber heard it and gritted his teeth. The first ball he did not strike at, the second he missed. The excitement in the grandstand was felt by the batter. He knew he would have to strike at the next for he would be sure to miss the last. He struck and the bat and ball met with a clear, sharp crack. He started to run, for although the ball had gone out beyond the outfielder who was playing in too far, he would have to hurry. He passed first, second, then third and the cries of 129