Madison High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Madison, OH)

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THE HIT THAT WON. Collins was the whole show, hitting the ball safe every time up and fielding in a manner that would draw attention from a major leaguer. Collins had cinched his position and would play against G. H. S. It was an ideal day in June, the G. H. S. rooters had arrived two hundred strong and the red and black from their section of the bleachers looked as if a rainbow had leveled itself upon them. Pretty young girls were holding red and black parasols, while the boys tooted megaphones by the dozens. The Torrington school was equally represented with rooters, and the orange and black from their section waved defiantly in the breeze. Tally-ho-coaches loaded with laughing youths and maidens were drawn up at one side of the grounds w'hile several autos coughed dis- mally in the wTarm sunshine. To glance over the scene made one think of the days when Roman chivalry was at its height. The young knights prepared to enter the arena and battle for their ladies’ amusement By the side of one of the automobiles stood a young man dressed in baseball uniform. A large letter “T” was on hie sweater. It was “Billy” Black, the outfield sub. He wTas talking to his fair, little swreatheart, Grace Brown, who sat in the auto excitedly watching the players at practice. An orange and black pennant was held in her hand aud ribbons of the same color were tied to the machine. The G. H. S. students barked their yells across to the T. H. S. crowd, who answered in as loud, if not a louder tone, with the famous old “Tell-a-ca-toot” war cry, that had pulled their team out of many a defeat. The game was delayed for some time on account of a kick on the umpire by the G. H. S. captain. This was at last settled and the T. H. S. boys took the field. For five innings neither side scored. Both captain Johns and coach Thorney watched Collins like a hawk, but never a complaint could they make. He accepted three difficult chances, while he made their only hit thus far. In the 6ixth there was something “doin.” Three scores were made off the pitcher of G. H. S. The Torrington rooters’ hearts were filled with joy, while the Georgetown boys were silent. In the first of the seventh. G. H. S. managed to get a man around the circuit making the score 3 to 1 in favor of T. H. S. The excite- ment was at fever heat, when the G. H. S. boys again came to bat in the eighth. This proved Tornngton’s hoodoo inning. Things somehow or other went wrong. A pass by the pitcher, three scratch bingles and then hitting a a man. And it should be noticed that those three scratch hits went through Collins. The rankest kind of a player should have handled them. When the smoke cleared away the score stood 4 to 3 in favor of G. H. S. Coach Thorney called Collins aside and told him to “git.” All that Collins did was to laugh and remark that it was what he wanted. Black was sent to right. T. H. S. tried hard to get a man around in the last of the eighth, but he died on third. THE EXCHANGE BANK OF MADISON Interest paid on Sav= ing Deposits. YOU WILL FIND Spaulding's Base Ball Goods Fine Stationery Choice Books Unique Souvenirs Waterman's Fountain Pens The Best Candy The Latest Music Hammocks, Etc., Etc., Etc., At THE CITY BOOK ST0RE9 Geneva, Ohio. Lillian P. [ones, Proprietor.

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THE HIT THAT WON. BY M. A. WOOD, ’07. GERLING ADLARD The baseball season was at white heat. Torrington High School had won two and lost two, but the big game still remained to be played. It was the annual contest between T. H. S. aDd G. H. S. for supremacy. For the past two years neither school had had any ath- letic relations with each other whatever, owing to a quarrel that arose between the two. Matters now however, had at last been righted and as a consequence each team was in for gore. The game was but a week distant and already there were rumors of a special train loaded with G. H. S. rooters who would be on hand to see the battle. DEALERS IN Staple and Fancy GROCERIES. Each night after school the Torrington lads assembled upon the athletic field to practice yells, songs and various other accessories so helpful in winning a game from the stand-point of the spectators. The team was hard at work both upon the field and in the “gym” preparing themselves. Coach Thorney looked rather doubtful as he sized up the boys one afteinoon preparatory to their daily practice. Captain Johns approached the coach with a brand new ball in his hand. “Who’ll we send to right field this afternoon, Coach?” he asked. “Send Collins out and tell him that this is his last chance to make good,” Thorney replied in a deep voice. Collins had, for the last three years, been the mainstay in the out- field, playing regularly upon the varsity since his entering school. Of course, this being his last year, he expected the captaincy, but when Johns was elected by one vote over him, he grew bad. He declared at first that he would not try for the team at all, but his friends finally induced him to come out and to “make good” any- how. He did so, and in the first two games that Torrington played, he was the whole team, both of these games being victories. Since then however, his work had fallen off. He had muffed easy flies, struck out when before he was always to be depended upon at the bat. And in the last game with the score 5 to 2 in favor of Torrington up to the ninth inning, he had allowed a ball get away from him with three men on bases. A primary boy could have caught it, but Collins did not. Stationery and School Supplies. A. N. Benjamin, Wholesale Dealer in PRODUCE. After recovering the ball he threw wild to home, letting the runner in. Thus losing the game to their opponents, 6 to 5. The humiliation of this defeat was great to the T. H. S. boys as they had merely played the game for practice. Many of the high school students hinted that he “threw ” the game on purpose. This is the reason for the coache’s doubtful look. If Collins con- tinued to play in this manner a new man w ould have to be developed to put into the right garden. The only man possible was “Billy” Black, and he was anything but promising. The players took their places and Thorney proceeded to “hit ’em” to the outfield. Sending most of them in Collins’ territory. Collins accepted everything that was in running distance. Pulling them off the fence, digging line drives out of the ground and throwing them true as a die into the catcher’s big mitt. He was at last the Collins as of old. The heart of the coach began to brighten as practice continued and he wondered if the boy had not had an off week. The climax of the day was when the “scrub” and varsity lined up for a three inning game. Retail Dealer in LUMBER AND FEED. Madison, Ohio.

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THE HIT THAT WON. G. H. S. came to bat in the first half of the ninth but went out m one-two-three order. It was now or never with the lads of Torrington High School. The students were sorrowfully shaking their heads, some leaving the grounds, not being able to wait for the rest of the game. Threats were in the air against Collins, for if it had not been for him Torring- ton would now be in the lead. Johns was the first man up, and after much waiting drew a free pass to first. Brown, the little short stop, followed with a single which placed both men safely upon first and second. The Torrington rooters began to pick up their heads and wonder if there was still a chance. But their hopes were trampled upon when the next two men were retired in easy order, making two down. They were more downcast when Black came to bat. The game lay in his hands. Would he win it? He advanced to the plate in a sort of daze. Five hundred voices were howling as if mad. The coach stood on the side lines begging him to “hit ’er out.” He stooped to the ground and touched his hands to the dust so as to be able to grasp the bat more firmly. The umpire’s “play ball” sounded in his ear. Then almost instantly he was conscious of something which sounded like the hiss of a bullet passing him. “One strike,” he heard called from the rear. He brushed his hand over his eyes and distinguished the pitcher winding up. The ball came two feet above his shoulders, but he struck at it with all his might while the G. H. S. rooters howled in derision and T. H. S. in dismay. He steaded himself with the bat and glanced at an automobile in a far corner of the field. A little orange and black pennant waved cheerfully to him. “Look out,” came from the coach; he turned like lightning, saw the ball coming at terrific speed. Closing his eyes he swung his bat—crash—the meeting of timber and horsehide is a beautiful sound. Especially to the T. H. S. boys, and at this time. Far aw'ay soared the ball,—far away into oblivion. When noses had at last been counted and the excitement some- what abated, it was found that T. H. S. had beaten her old rival, 6 to 4. That night when “Billy” Black and Grace Browm met in the little drawing-room off the dance parlor—well I will leave it to your imagination. Summer Outing Before taking your Summer Vacation you will need a New Outing Suit, Shirts, Ties, Oxfords, Hat, Cap, and Suit Case, Telescope, or Trunk. In fact a complete outfit. C. L. Kimball can supply you with the latest and most up- to-date goods. Ml Head to foot out-fitter, C. L. KIMBALL, Madison, Ohio. ’Phone No. 90.