CHAPTER XXV
LINING THEM OUT
The pain in his injured hand was intense that night, and Joe pacedthe floor for hours before he was able to get to sleep. By morning,however, the hand had yielded to treatment, and the swelling hadgreatly decreased. At the earliest hour possible Joe, accompanied byJim, was at the surgeon's office.
The doctor's face expressed his satisfaction, as, after an examination,he rendered his verdict.
"It isn't as bad as I feared," he said while he deftly rebandaged theinjured member. "This dislocation is slight and you'll soon be as rightas ever. But you've got to take good care of it. It will be some timebefore you can pitch."
"But how about batting?" asked Joe anxiously. "That isn't a steadystrain, as I'd only have to do it three or four times in the course ofthe game."
"I don't know," replied the doctor with a smile. "I'm not familiarenough with the game to tell where the strain comes in that case. Ican imagine, however, that it would be chiefly in the arm and shoulder.It's possible that you may be able to bat before you can pitch. But Ican tell more about that later on, as I see how your hand mends. Forthe present, you'll have to go slow."
The sporting writers had no reason to complain of the dullness of newsfor that day's issue. The papers were ringing with the stirring eventsof the day before. Columns of space were devoted to the story of thegame, and there was unstinted praise of Joe for his wonderful exploit.
But mingled with the jubilation was a strain of apprehension. Theaccident that had befallen the great pitcher was a subject of thekeenest anxiety. It was recognized that a great blow had been struck atthe Giants' hope for the pennant. To have the greatest twirler of theteam put out of the game just in the hottest part of the fight was adisaster that might prove fatal. Pittsburgh stock took a decided upwardbound in consequence.
The effect on the Giants themselves, as far as their morale wasconcerned, was almost certain to be hurtful. The tremendous strainunder which they had been, while compiling their twenty-sevenconsecutive wins, had brought them to a point where a sudden blow likethis might make them go to pieces.
As a matter of fact, that is just what did happen to them that veryafternoon. The whole team was depressed and had a case of nerves. Theyplayed like a lot of schoolboys, booting the ball, slipping up on easygrounders and muffing flies that ordinarily they could have caught withease.
The Pittsburghs, on the other hand, played with redoubled skill andcourage. Their hopes had been revived by the misfortune that hadbefallen their most dangerous opponent. Joe was personally popular withall the players of the League, and they were sorry that he was hurt.But that did not prevent them from taking advantage of the chance tomake hay while the sun shone.
The game developed into a farce after the third inning, and from thattime on it was only a question of the size of the score. When the gameended, the Giant outfielders were leg-weary from chasing hits, and thevisitors were equally tired from running bases. The Pittsburghs won bya score of 17 to 3, and the Giants' winning streak came to an end.
But for once the team escaped a roasting from McRae. The team had donewonderful work, and any nine that wins twenty-seven games in successionhas a right to lose the twenty-eighth. Besides the break was due, andthe manager hoped that with this one bad game out of their systems theteam would pull itself together and start another rally.
For the next week or two, the race see-sawed between the two leadingteams. By this time it had become generally recognized that the pennantlay between them. The other contestants had occasional spurts, whengreat playing for a short period would revive the waning hopes of theiradmirers, but they soon fell back again in the ruck. It was quitecertain that the flag would fly either over Forbes Field or over thePolo Grounds.
In the meantime, Joe's hand was mending rapidly. His superb physicalcondition helped him greatly, and the doctor was visibly surprised andgratified by the progress of his patient. But it was hard work for Joeto be laid off just at the time that his team needed him most. Still hebelieved in the proverb "the more haste the less speed," and he triedto be patient, even while he was "chafing at the bit."
About ten days after the accident, the doctor delighted him by tellinghim that he need not come to see him any more. But he still orderedhim to refrain from pitching. As to batting, he said cautiously thatJoe could try that out a little at a time. If he found that after easybatting practice his hand did not hurt him, he might be permitted tobat in an actual game.
Joe was quick to avail himself of the permission. Very cautiously hetried batting out fungo hits. While at first the hand felt a littlesore and stiff, this soon passed off. Then Joe had Jim pitch him someeasy ones in practice, and found that he could line them out withoutill effects. Finally he let Jim put them over at full speed, and wasdelighted to find that he could lift them into the right field standsand not suffer much of a twinge. At last he was himself again, as farat least as batting was concerned.
His recovery came just in time to be of immense benefit to the team.The men had slumped considerably in batting, though they still held upto their usual form in fielding. But fielding alone cannot win games.Defensive work is all very well, but combined with it must be theoffensive work on the part of the batsmen. The best fielding in theworld cannot put runs over the plate.
Joe's return put new spirit into the team at once. The batting pickedup noticeably, with Joe leading the way. At first he was a littlecautious about putting his whole strength into his blow, and for a fewdays when he was used in emergencies as a pinch hitter, he gathered acrop of singles with an occasional double and triple. But with everysuccessive day he let out a new link, and at length he put his wholestrength into his swing. Home runs became again a common feature, andthe Giants started in joyously on a new upward climb.
The season was to end this year in the West, and by the time the Giantsstarted on their last swing around the circuit, they had a lead of fourgames over the Pirates. It was not necessarily a winning lead, but itwas very comforting just the same to have those four games as a margin.Still, the Pittsburghs were hanging on gamely, ready to forge to thefront on the least sign of weakening shown by their competitors. Itwas one of the hottest races that had ever been seen in the NationalLeague, and there was a chance that it would not be decided until thelast day of the season.
"The last lap," remarked Jim, as the team started on its trip. "Here'swhere we win or lose."
"Here's where we win," corrected Joe.