Read Online Sophomore Campaign by Frank; Nappi - Free Book Online Page A

years. All of the scheming and complaining. And all of the losing. The memory quicklybecame a burden. He had been thinking for a while that his interest would be better served with someone a little younger, someone who did not have so much baseball baggage and such an irritating penchant for challenging his authority with these chimerical ideas. All of these thoughts, and so many more, found their way to his thin lips, which suddenly morphed into a sadistic smile. “Job on the line, heh?” he said, raising his eyebrows. “I just may accept that challenge.”

OPENING DAY
    It was a dazzling, cloudless April afternoon, with a golden swim of light falling to the ground at Borchert Field in bolts of brilliant yellow that lit up the lush green grass as it danced happily in gentle wafts of wind. It was a classic spring day, and a beautiful day for baseball.
    In front of a stadium filled to capacity with rabid fans who had awakened ravenous from their baseball hibernation, the Brewers and Rangers both busied themselves with their pre-game rituals. All across the field, players from both teams were fielding grounders, playing pepper, and shagging fly balls. While to the casual observer this appeared to be just another start to the season, most knew otherwise. Never before did one game possess so many subplots—issues that transcended the field into realms far more human and compelling. There was Arthur Murphy, pitted once again against his nemesis, Chip McNally, the man who crashed into him in the outfield years ago while chasing a ball that was clearly Murph’s, destroying a career that was destined for Cooperstown. Murph never forgave him. And McNally still insisted it was his ball.
    The bad blood had only escalated through the years, reaching an all-time high with last year’s battle for first place that woundup going McNally’s way after much controversy. Then there was the highly anticipated showdown between George “Lefty” Rogers, the ex- Brewer and fireballing ace of the Rangers, the man Mickey nearly killed after Lefty showed up at Murph’s house and attacked the boy—and Mickey, the beloved, albeit slow-witted phenom who still did not understand everything that had transpired. After the incident, Lefty spent weeks in the hospital recovering from the injuries he sustained, followed by some time spent in the town jail for aggravated assault. Mickey was incarcerated as well, long enough to miss that last game against the Rangers, until a pardon from the governor released the boy once again. Now the two of them would face off, once and for all.
    â€œLook at him over there,” McNally said, pressed up against Lefty’s ear.
    They were watching Mickey loosening up on the foul line with Boxcar and Murph. “That retard messed you up last year. Bad. Now look at him. Everyone yelling his name, painting some picture like he’s the next Warren Spahn. Pathetic. Are you gonna let that freak show get the best of you? Huh?”
    Lefty’s ductility was easily exposed. Somehow he had forgotten all about McNally and Quinton’s role in what had happened. How the two of them used him, and set him up for the disaster that eventually befell him. Now all he saw was a monster on the other side of the field, one against whom all his anger could be directed. “I’ll get ‘em, Chip,” he said, gritting his teeth. “I’ll get all of ‘em.”
    And then there was the less publicized, understated drama surrounding Boxcar. Were all the rumors true? The press had leaked the story just days before, and everyone was captured by the startling news. Would the heart and soul of this team, the captain both on and off the field, be able to play despite the illness that had seized him so unmercifully? Just the sight of him,noticeably thinner and much less demonstrative, was enough to fuel that fire.
    Murph recognized all the commotion swirling on the periphery and