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It is in fielding his position and in pulling down balls that are thrown wildly that the first baseman can show his chief skill. The positions of second base and shortstop are practically the same, and these two players should understand each other perfectly and know just when to cover the base and when to back up the other.
I swung on that one, and trotted round the bases behind the runners while the center and left fielders chased the ball. Gillinger weighed nearly two hundred pounds, and he got all his weight under the "rabbit." It went so high that we could scarcely see it. All the infielders rushed in, and after staggering around, with heads bent back, one of them, the shortstop, managed to get under it.
Then came a game with a team not much above Brayton's standing. "Prescott and Darrin must be saved for some of the bigger games," decided Coach Luce. "Purcell, don't you think it will be safe to trust Ripley to pitch against Cedarville High School?" "Yes," nodded the captain of the nine. "I don't believe Cedarville could harm us, anyway, if we put left field or shortstop in the box."
Merriwell was playing off third, and pretended to make a break for home as the catcher made a short throw to the shortstop, who ran in behind Coulter, took the ball and lined it back to the plate. But Frank had whirled about and returned to third, so the play was wasted, and the runner reached second safely.
"There he is!" cried Cheever. "I say, you master of the hounds, come on over here. We want you." Blushing red His Highness approached the noisy group. "Did you ever play baseball, kid?" inquired the captain of the Harvard team. "I believe so once or twice," answered Walter soberly. "Want to come in with us as shortstop?" "Sure!" "I've a glove that will fit him," put in a man called Richardson.
Then Lane struck out and Mohler hit to shortstop, retiring the side. Natchez scored a run on a hit, a base on balls, and another error by Grace. Every time a ball went toward Grace at short Daddy groaned. In their half of the inning Madden's Hill made two runs, increasing the score 3 to 2. The Madden's Hill boys began to show the strain of such a close contest.
Bat and ball met fairly, and away sailed the sphere over the head of the shortstop. "Run!" That word was a roar. No need to tell Frank to run. In a moment he was scudding down to first, while the left fielder was going back for the ball which had passed beyond his reach. Frank kept on for second.
When they reached the middle of the structure, they were in plain sight, but their backs were toward Ben, who, however, had them where he wanted them. "I think I can plug one of them," muttered the shortstop of the Damietta club, as he carefully drew back his arm and fixed his eye on the fellows. "At least, here goes."
True, Dave Darrin sat only on the sub bench to-day, but he was ready to give relief at any moment if Gridley's beloved pitcher, Prescott, went under. Holmes was out in left field; Hazelton was the nimble shortstop; Dalzell pranced at the first bag on the diamond; Tom Reade was eternally vigilant on second base.
It is called a "sacrifice hit" when the score is close and a player comes to the bat, and, although he would like to make a run, nevertheless, for the sake of the man on the base, he makes a "bunt," so that, while the pitcher or shortstop runs up to get the ball and put him out on first base, the man on the bases may make another base.
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