Baseball Pals Read Free

Paul was his best friend, yet Paul had hardly looked at him when he was there a while ago.
    Was Paul mad at him? Was he annoyed because Jimmie wanted to pitch? But he did say he’d play the outfield, didn’t he? Didn’t
     he mean it? Did he still want to pitch?
    But I want to pitch, Jimmie told himself. We’re only going to play one game a week. There won’t be enough games for two pitchers.
     Can’t Paul understand that?
    There were footsteps behind him. Jimmieturned. Tiny Zimmer was coming down the cemented alleyway, a big grin on his moon-shaped face.
    “Hi, fellas,” he said.
    “Hi, Tiny,” Jimmie murmured. “Where’s Paul?”
    “Home.” The grin on Tiny’s face widened. “I have some news for you guys. Paul isn’t going to play with the Planets. He’s going
     to play with us. The Red Rockets.”

5
    J immie went home. He kicked a stone in the driveway. He banged the toe of his shoe against the first step that led to the porch.
     Why did Paul have to play with the Red Rockets? Why?
    He went inside. His mother was in the kitchen, mending a pair of Ervie’s pants.
    “What’s the matter, Jimmie?” she asked.
    “Nothing,” said Jimmie. He went into the living room. Ervie was playing with his toy stagecoach on the thick rug.
    “Hi, Jimmie,” he said. “Will you play with me?”
    “Not now.”
    Jimmie turned away and headed for his room. He could feel Ervie’s eyes on his back.
    He sat on his bed and thought about Paul Karoski. Paul and he were such great buddies. They were like brothers. They had always
     played together, ever since they were old enough to walk. Sure, they would get mad at each other once in a while. Who didn’t?
     But it never lasted long.
    How could Paul do that? Jimmie thought. How could Paul turn his back on him, and on the Planets, to play on another team?
    Jimmie swallowed an ache in his throat and wiped his eyes.
    “What’s wrong, Jimmie?” a voice said softly behind him.
    Ervie had come in so quietly Jimmie had not heard him.
    “Nothing,” he said. He went to his deskand yanked out a drawer. He took out two sheets of heavy yellow paper and a box of crayons.
    He tried to think of something to draw. But his mind was filled with thoughts of Paul. Without Paul the Planets would not
     amount to anything. He could hit. He could run. And if anything ever happened to Jimmie, he could pitch.
    Well, thought Jimmie angrily, let him pitch for the Red Rockets! I don’t care!
    He pulled the drawer out again and shoved the paper and box of crayons back into it. Then he rose and put an arm around Ervie’s
     shoulder.
    “Come on, Ervie,” he said. “I’ll play with you.”

6
    T he Planets couldn’t practice the next afternoon. It rained off and on and the field was too wet. Thursday morning though,
     the sun came out nice and bright. By afternoon the field was dry.
    The team gathered at the field. They played catch for a while. Some of the boys talked about Paul.
    “Why did he quit?” one of them asked.
    “I don’t know.”
    “He’s going to pitch for the Red Rockets, that’s why.”
    “The Red Rockets? He belongs to us, doesn’t he?”
    “He doesn’t have to. He can belong to any team he wants to.”
    Jimmie pretended he didn’t hear them. He wished that they would stop talking about Paul. After all, he was their pitcher.
     Once he got going, he’d be even better than Paul. Just wait and see.
    Mr. Nichols arrived. He was wearing a blue baseball cap and a sweatshirt. He looked like a real manager now.
    “Hi, boys!” His gray eyes sparkled as he looked at the faces. “Where’s Paul Karoski?” he asked.
    “He joined the Red Rockets,” Wishy said. “We’re going to miss him. He was a good player.”
    “He was the best pitcher we had,” Johnny Lukon said.
    “We don’t need a good pitcher,” Wishy said. “Jimmie can pitch as well as anybody. What we need are hitters.” Jimmie looked
     at Wishy and felt a little better that somebody was on his