“I caught that one,” I said.
“Good hit,” he said evenly. “How'd you
guess it?”
“He wiggled his glove,” I said. “I watched
him three innings. He does that when he throws that slow hook.”
“Good eyes,” he said, moving back to
position.
I felt pretty cocky and took my lead and
the pitcher turned, off the rubber, and grinned at me; and then the big man
moved with deceptive speed, cutting in behind me, took the underhand flip from
the second baseman and tagged me out by five feet.
“Watch the ball,” he said tonelessly. “Don't
start no jaw-act when you're feeling so good.”
This is the titular story from O’Rourke’s 1948
collection of sports stories. I offer this baseball story so we can have a look
at a master of the Western genre operating in another area of expertise, the
sports story.
All the skill and inside knowledge is there.
This tale of redemption has the earmarks of the young
gunfighter receiving hard-won wisdom from the Old Hand.
It is told in O’Rourke’s trademark terse laconic
informed style.
I am, admittedly, not a baseball guy, yet still
enjoyed O’Rourke’s take.
It seems no matter the genre, his mature humanity is
ever-present.
