Too Hot to Handle by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online Page B

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Canaries
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12
    T HE weather was chilly Friday morning, the day the Flickers were to play the Bluebirds. By noon it was warmer. But the sky
     remained gray and overcast. David hoped it would not rain.
    It didn’t.
    Again the game started with him on the bench and Legs on third base. David wondered what Don would think. Don was sitting
     in the stands with Ann Marie, Mom and Dad.
    Jerry was on the mound for the Flickers. He had trouble getting the ball over the plate that first inning. His southpaw deliveries
     weremostly outside. He walked two men before he found the plate. Then the Bluebirds began to hit the ball, and two runs scored
     before the Flickers could get them out.
    The Flickers evened the score, though, with a walk by Ken, a single by Jimmy and a double off the bat of Rex Drake.
    Legs, leading off in the second inning, struck out. But then another hitting spree started, and the Flickers chalked up three
     more runs.
    The Bluebirds scored once at their turn at bat, then held the Flickers from getting a runner past first. The first two outs
     were on a double play by the shortstop. He snared Bonesy’s line drive and threw out Marty Cass at first before Marty could
     tag up on the play. Then Legs grounded out to second.
    The Bluebirds kept hitting and scoring, but so did the Flickers. It was a ball game with lots of noise from the people in
     the grandstand.
    Suddenly David heard a voice that was kindof familiar, although he was sure he had never heard it at the ball park before.
    “Come on, Jerry! Hit that ball! Sock it over the fence!”
    The voice was coming from someone behind the dugout. It was a loud voice. And it was a woman’s.
    David smiled. He knew who that woman was.
    Jerry didn’t sock one over the fence. But later on Rex Drake did with two men on bases. When it was Legs Mulligan’s turn at
     bat, Coach Beach had David pinch-hit for him. David blasted a double. But he died on second as Windy Hill flied out to center.
    The Bluebirds hit two to David that inning as if they had hoped he would get into the game to help them out. David missed
     the first one, a hot grounder to his left side.
    “Come on, David!” yelled a fan. “A Kroft isn’t supposed to miss an easy grounder like that!”
    David blushed.
    The second was a high bouncing ball, which he caught. Quickly he pegged the ball to second, forcing out the runner. Second
     baseman Jimmy Merrill whipped the ball to first, and the hitter was out on a nice double play.
    “Now you’re looking like a Kroft!” cried the same voice.
    “Thataboy, David!” yelled another voice. “Fine play!”
    That was Mrs. Finch. She caught his eye and waved to him. He smiled and waved back. It was almost impossible to believe that
     she was sitting there in the stands, yelling as if she were a regular baseball fan. Beside her was Mr. Finch. He was looking
     at her and grinning, too.
    Just behind them sat Ann Marie, Don, Dad and Mom. All four of them were laughing heartily over the way Mrs. Finch shouted
     and jumped excitedly on the seat.
    Dad said something to Mrs. Finch, and she turned and looked around at him. Then she looked away from Dad and didn’t make a
     peepfor almost half an inning. Afterward she started in yelling again, and for the rest of the game Dad didn’t say any more to
     her.
     

    Maybe, thought David, she was going to like baseball after all. And Dad certainly would not want to discourage her.
    The Flickers led 10 to 7 going into the sixth inning. The Bluebirds put one run across, but that was all. The Flickers won
     it 10 to 8.
    David saw Dad and the rest of the family walking out of the ballpark with Mr. and Mrs. Finch. Everyone was laughing except
     Mrs. Finch. Which was natural.
    At home David said, “Do you think Mrs. Finch has changed her mind about baseball, Dad? She sure did a lot of hollering at
     the game.”
    Dad smiled. “She didn’t want to admit it when I asked her that same