“The position is not a pleasant one,” said Frank. “I’d much rather look on and see the game.”
“We will pay you if you——” began the Newport captain.
“You cannot hire me for money to umpire,” he said, promptly. “If I did so——”
One minute later criers were running over the ground announcing that the ball game that afternoon would be umpired by the great Yale pitcher, Frank Merriwell.
Frank was given time to change his clothes, and then, still accompanied by Hodge, he went onto the ball ground.
The ground was not fenced, and it was completely surrounded by a throng of spectators. The M. C. I.’s were practicing.
Frank was dressed in a spotless white flannel suit, and he made a handsome appearance.
The captains of the two teams approached him, and he asked them about ground rules. They gave him the desired information, and then he was provided with a fresh Spaulding in an unbroken box.
The Newports had practiced already, and the time for the game to begin was past, so Merriwell stepped out behind the plate and called:
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It had been decided that the M. C. I.’s should take the field, so they remained in their positions, and the game began with a sharp two-bagger from Newport’s first batter. To the astonishment of everybody, although he had been behind the plate when the ball was hit, Frank was down to second base ahead of the runner, standing in just the proper position to see the play perfectly, and he pronounced the man safe on a close play, a decision that might have been disputed had he remained near the plate. In fact, the second baseman opened his mouth to dispute the ruling, but closed up immediately on seeing that Frank was not more than ten feet away.
Then followed an exhibition of umpiring such as no one present had ever witnessed before. Frank was all over the diamond, and he always seemed on exactly the best spot to see any play to advantage. How he covered so much ground was a mystery, but he did it without seeming to exert himself remarkably, and he kept the game hustling from the very start.
Newport scored twice in their half of the first inning, and were prevented from making a third tally by a beautiful throw from deep left to the plate.