TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
Frank Merriwell’s Support
OR,
A TRIPLE PLAY
BY
BURT L. STANDISH
Author of the famous Merriwell Stories.
STREET & SMITH CORPORATION
PUBLISHERS
79-89 Seventh Avenue, New York
Copyright, 1901
By STREET & SMITH
Frank Merriwell’s Support
(Printed in the United States of America)
All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreignlanguages, including the Scandinavian.
It was the seventh inning, Frank Merriwell’s teamhad not scored, while the Omaha Stars, who had beenputting up a hard game against the boys from theEast, had made two runs, one in the first inning andone in the fifth.
Frank had been pitching a fine game, although hiswrist, sprained some time before, had not permittedhim to use the double-shoot. In the seventh inning,with the very first ball he pitched, he gave his wrista twist that sent a shooting pain all the way to hisshoulder.
The ball went wide of the plate, and the batter didnot strike at it. When Bart Hodge returned the ball,he knew something had happened, by the expressionon Frank’s face. Merry caught the ball with hisleft hand and stood still, holding it.
“Play ball!” roared the excited crowd. “Make himpitch!”
Still Frank seemed in no hurry. He took the ball[6]in his hand, while Bart gave the signal for a drop.Merry shook his head, and Bart signed for an out.Again Frank shook his head, assuming a position thattold the entire team he intended to use a high, straightball. But he did not pitch.
Dorrity, the captain and first-baseman of the Stars,demanded of the umpire that Merriwell be compelledto deliver the ball.
“Pitch the ball!” roared the crowd.
Even that did not seem to incite Frank to put it over.
“Two balls!” called the umpire, although Frankhad not again delivered the sphere to the bat.
“Ha!” shouted the crowd. “That’s the stuff!”
The second ball had been called on Merry as apenalty for delaying the game for no good reason.
A grim look came into the face of the greatestpitcher ever graduated from Yale. He did not kickat the decision of the umpire, nor did he show greathaste in pitching after this.
“Call another!” cried several of the spectators.“He’s in a hole, and he knows it!”
Frank settled himself firmly on the ground, justas Bart was ready to start down to ask what was thematter. Then he sent over a high, straight one thatwould have been a ball had the batter let it alone.
But the batter hit it