The Team That Stopped Moving Read Free Page B

I’m kind of a male witch,” he went on, a glint of devilish pride flashing in his ice blue eyes. “My specialty is helping teams
     get started that need help — baseball, football, hockey — you name it. And, believe me, you guys need help. Now — are you
     ready?”
    Dick gulped. “For what?” he managed to blurt out.
    “For a lesson in baseball, kid!” Jack snapped as if Dick should have known.
    “What about these guys? These people?” Dick swung an arm around at his teammates and the fans, all of whom had not moved from
     their frozen positions. “Will they always stay like that? Like statues?”
    Jack Wanda laughed loudly. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t explain that!” he said. “Actually, kid, when you and I are finished with this lesson, everything will go on
     as if nothing had happened. I’ve stopped time, you see.”

    Dick stared, wide-eyed. “You mean all — all over the world?”
    “Oh, no. Just yours. At this moment you are my subject, therefore
this
time applies only to you. And me, of course. Now, let’s get back to the ball game. Are you ready?”
    “Ready,” said Dick, still unable to believe that this crazy phenomenon was actually happening.
    “Good. You know what would happen if both you and Art go after that grounder, don’t you? No one will cover first, and the
     hitter will get on base safely.”
    “But — what about Mark?”
    “Mark? Well, look at him. He’s playing too far back to get to first base before thehitter does. What you should do, Dick, is run back, cover first, and let Art handle the grounder. Get it?”
    “Got it,” said Dick.
    Jack Wanda flashed a smile that seemed to make his moustache and beard more radiant than ever. “Good! See you later, kid.
     And good luck.”
    In the next instant he was gone — just like that — and Dick found himself chasing the grounder that the batter had hit toward
     first. From his right side, Art was chasing after the grounder, too. It was quite likely that a collision would occur unless
     one of them stopped.
    Dick stopped. It wasn’t the thought of a possible collision, though, that made him decide. It was the instruction from someone
     who had appeared to him for a split second — some strange, moustached, bearded character wearing baseball clothes and a cap
     with “Champ” on it.
    Sliding to a halt, Dick spun and dashed back to first base. “Get it, Art!” he yelled.
    Art fielded the grounder and snapped it to first. The throw beat the runner by a step.
    “Out!” yelled the ump.
    The runner on third started for home, then changed his mind as Dick made a motion to throw there.
    One out, a runner on third, and the next Bear came to bat. Art fed him a neat pitch over the heart of the plate.
Crack!
A sharp blow to deep center field! The ball hit the tip of Jim Tanner’s glove and bounced out to the wide-open field for
     a home run, much to the enthusiasm of the Bears’ fans and the dismay of the Tigers’.
    The next Bear popped out to Art, and a ground ball to second base ended the half-inning.
    “That’s four to nothing,” Stan grumbled as he dropped onto the bench. “Looks like it’s going to be another circus.”
    Eddie socked Dick lightly on the knee. “Nice play at first base, Dick. You, too, Art.”
    “Right. That was a good play,” Coach Banks said. “Darn good thing you changed your mind at the last second, Dick, or no one
     would have been covering first. You probably avoided a collision, too.”
    Dick smiled. The strange experience he had just had seemed like a dream. It had to be a dream. Time just didn’t stop and everybody
     didn’t freeze like statues. But, a dream like that when you’re in the act of playing baseball? It was crazy! — what
was
that man’s name? Jack Wonder? No, it was
Wanda.
Dick smiled again.
    No one got even close to getting a hit that half-inning. And only Stan managed to get on base, thanks to an error by the second
     baseman. Sadly, nobody drove him in.
    The Tigers