Curveball Read Free Page A

Eddie’s right.
    Eddie lunged toward the ball and got his glove on it, stopping it as he fell to one knee. He scooped up the ball and raced toward first base as the batter ran up the base path. David was running toward the base, too, but Eddie decided not to throw the ball. He was closer to the base than the batter.
    He reached first base a half step before the batter, landing with his left foot and hopping back to avoid a collision.
    The umpire called the batter out, and Eddie tossed the ball to David with a grin. “Great pitching!” he said.
    Superb effort from Ventura, said that radio voice. A game-clinching play, for sure.
    â€œNice hustle, Eddie,” David said as he was lifted off his feet by Jared. All of the Hornets were on the field now, celebrating win number four.
    Eddie let out his breath. His heart was beating fast. He followed his happy teammates to the bus.
    â€œAll right, good effort,” Coach Wimmer said, standing in the aisle and gripping the overhead railing with one hand as the bus lurched forward. “A couple more like that and we’ll be contenders.”
    â€œCoach of the year!” called Miguel.
    Coach blushed. “Yes, Miguel, I’m certain that the Hall of Fame will be inducting me any day now,” he joked. “Okay, enjoy this win. We’ll get back to work tomorrow. You guys aren’t ready for the World Series yet, believe me.”
    Â 
    Sunday night Eddie sat at the computer terminal in the family room, pondering his next article for Wednesday’s school paper. He’d promised Calvin that he’d turn it in on Monday morning.
    â€œSchool project?” asked his mother, looking into the room.
    â€œNot really. Something for the newspaper.”
    â€œWonderful,” she said. Mom was big on extracurricular stuff. All of the Ventura kids had been encouraged to play musical instruments and get involved in school clubs and other activities.
    With Eddie, it had been mostly sports. He’d taken some piano lessons in second grade, but all the repetition bored him silly. He got out of that by promising to join the Cub Scouts. And soon he’d gotten out of Cub Scouts by promising to join the junior choir at church.
    That hadn’t lasted long, either. This time it wasn’t his choice; his singing was so flat and quiet that the choir director asked him to leave.
    But he always stuck with sports. From his first season of Little League baseball, he’d known this was for him. Now maybe he’d found something else, too. Writing for the paper seemed like fun.
    â€œDon’t forget to take the trash cans out tonight,” Mom said.
    â€œNo problem. As soon as I’m done writing.”
    He had done some studying that afternoon of the articles in the sports sections of the Hudson Dispatch and the New York Times. The most interesting articles did a lot more than just give the score and the major details of the games. They seemed to put Eddie right there in the moment, making him feel like a part of the action.
    He decided to try that, too. It shouldn’t be too hard, he figured, since he really had been part of the action.
    Bam.
    The baseball rocketed off the Weehawken hitter’s bat like a speeding bullet, zinging toward right field.
    That’s a double for sure! the fans must have been thinking.
    But quick as lightning, Hudson City first baseman Eddie Ventura dove for the ball as it skipped toward the outfield. With his arm stretched like a rubber band, Ventura managed to knock the ball down with his glove. Then, scrambling to his feet, he scooped up the ball and raced toward first base, getting there a mere step ahead of the speedy Weehawken hitter.
    â€œOut!” yelled the umpire.
    Game over! Hudson City 7, Weehawken 0. Another big win for the Hornets!
    Pitcher David Choi went the distance to earn the victory, allowing just two hits. Spencer Lewis and Miguel Rivera each had run-scoring doubles for the