OLD WELL WELL BY ZANE GRAY A BASEBALL STORY

Welcome back everyone to 1001 Clash. classic short stories, and tales. It's time for another Zane Gray baseball story. A little bit about Zane Gray. He was born into a family that immigrated to the American colonies in 1673 and grew up in Zanesville, Ohio, a town founded by and named after his maternal great grandfather, who was an American Revolutionary War patriot named Ebenezer Zane. He was an avid reader. Among his favorite adventures, Robinson Crusoe, James Fenimore Cooper's leather-stocking tales, and dime novels featuring Buffalo Bill. No wonder he became so fascinated with history, particularly the American West, for its far-reaching opportunities, danger, and intrigue. As a writer, Zane Gray was recognized as an iconic voice of the Western genre and the American frontier. He was also a great writer of baseball and sport fishing. His most famous novel is the popular American western Riders of the Purple Sage. Many of his works had a second life. 112 movies and at least one television series were adapted from his stories. Old Wellwell was first published in the July 1910 issue of Success. He wrote a number of baseball stories for magazines, later publishing a collection in which this story was included, titled The Red-Headed Outfield and Other Stories. some of which you'll find in our archives now at 1001 Classic Short Stories and Tales. And just to let you know, we have a wonderful baseball story by Edna Ferber, playing this week at 1001 Greatest Love Stories. And now, Old Well Well by Zane Gray. He bought a ticket at the 25-cent window, and edging his huge bolt through the turnstile, laboriously followed the noisy crowd toward the bleachers. I could not have been mistaken. He was Old Wellwell, famous from Boston to Baltimore as the greatest baseball fan in the East. His singular yell had peeled into the ears of 500,000 worshippers of the national game and would never be forgotten. At sight of him I recalled a friend's baseball talk. Do you remember Old Wellwell? Well, he's all in, dying, poor old fella. It seems young Bert, whom the Phillies are trying out this spring, is Old Wellwell's nephew and protege. He used to play on the Murray Hill team, a speedy youngster. When the Philadelphia team was here last, manager Crestline announced his intention to play Bert in center field. Old Wellwell was too ill to see the lad get his tryout. He was heartbroken and said, If I could only see one more game. The recollection of this random baseball gossip and the fact that Philadelphia was scheduled to play New York that very day gave me a sudden desire to see the game with old Wellwell. I did not know him, but where on earth were introductions as superfluous as on the bleachers? It was a very easy matter to catch up with him. He walked slowly, leaning hard on a cane, and his wide shoulders sagged as he puffed along. I was about to make some pleasant remark concerning the prospects of a fine game when the sight of his face shocked me and I drew back. If ever I'd seen a shadow of pain and a shade of death, they hovered darkly around old Wellwell. No one accompanied him. No one seemed to recognize him. The majority of that merry crowd of boys and men would have jumped up wild with pleasure to hear his well-remembered yell. Not much longer than a year before, I'd seen ten thousand fans rise as one man and roar a greeting to him that shook the stands. So I was confronted by a situation strikingly calculated to rouse my curiosity and sympathy. He found an end seat on a row in about the middle of the right field bleachers and I chose one across the aisle and somewhat behind him. No players were yet in sight. The stands were filling up and streams of men were filling into the aisles of the bleachers and piling over the benches. Old Wellwell settled himself comfortably in his seat and gazed about him with animation. There had come a change to his massive features. The hard lines had softened. The patches of gray were no longer visible. His cheeks were ruddy. Something akin to a smile shone on his face as he looked around, missing no detail of the familiar scene. During the practice of the home team, Old Wellwell sat with his big hands on his knees. But when the gong rang for the Phillies, he grew restless, squirming in his seat and half-rose several times. I divined the importuning of his old habit to greet his team with the yell that had made him famous. I expected him to get up. I waited for it. Gradually, however, he became quiet as a man governed by severe self-restraint and directed his attention to the Philadelphia center fielder. At a glance I saw that the player was new to me and answered the newspaper description of young Bert. What a lively looking athlete. He was tall, lithe, yet sturdy. He didn't need to chase more than two fly balls to win me. His graceful, fast style reminded me of the great Kurt Welch. Old Wellwell's face wore a rapt expression. I discovered myself hoping Bert would make good, wishing he would rip the boards off the fence, praying he would break up the game. It was Saturday, and by the time the gong sounded for the game to begin, the grandstand and bleachers were packed. The scene was glittering, colorful, a delight to the eye. Around the circle of bright faces rippled a low, merry murmur. The umpire, grotesquely padded in front by his chest protector, announced the batteries, dusted the plate, and throwing out a white ball, sang the open sesame of the game. "'Play ball!' Then old Wellwell arose as if pushed from his seat by some strong propelling force. It had been his wont always when play was ordered, or in a moment of silent suspense, or a lull in the applause, or a dramatic pause when hearts beat high and lips were mute, to ball out over the listening waiting multitude his terrific blast Well well well Twice he opened his mouth gurgled and choked and then resumed his seat with a very red, agitated face. Something had deterred him from his purpose, or he had been physically incapable of yelling. The game opened with White's sharp bounder to the infield. Wesley had three strikes called on him, and Kelly fouled out to third base. The Phillies did no better being retired in 1-2-3 order. The second inning was short and no tallies were chalked up. Brain hit safely in the third and went to second on a sacrifice. The bleachers began to stamp and cheer. He reached third on an infield hit that the Philadelphia shortstop knocked down but couldn't cover in time to catch either runner. The cheer in the grandstand was drowned by the roar in the bleachers. Brain scored on a fly ball to left. A double along the right foul line brought the second runner home. Following that, the next batter went out on strikes. In the Philadelphia half of the inning, young Burt was the first man up. He stood left-handed at the plate and looked formidable. Duveen, the wary old pitcher from New York, to whom this new player was an unknown quantity, eyed his easy position as if reckoning on a possible weakness. Then he took his swing and threw the ball. Bert never moved a muscle, and the umpire called strike. The next was a ball, the next a strike, and still Bert had not moved. "'Somebody wake him up!' yelled a wag in the bleachers. "'He's from Slumbertown, all right!' shouted another. Duveen sent up another ball, high and swift. Bert hit straight over the first baseman, a line dry that struck the front of the right-field bleachers. Picharino! howled a fan. Here the promise of Bert's speed was fulfilled. Run! He was as fleet as a deer. He cut through first like the wind, settled to a diving stride, rounded second, and by a good long slide beat the throw into third. The crowd, who went to games to see long hits and daring runs, gave him a generous hand clapping. Old Wellwell appeared on the verge of apoplexy. His ready face turned purple, then black. He rose in his seat. He gave vent to smothered gasps. Then he straightened up and clutched his hands onto his knees. Burt scored his run on a hit to deep short, an infielder's choice, with the chances against retiring a runner at the plate. Philadelphia could not tally again in that inning. New York blanked in the first or the next. For their opponents, an error, a close decision at second favoring the runner, and a single to right, tied the score. Bell of New York got a clean hit in the opening of the fifth. With no one out and chances for a run, the impatient fans let loose. Four subway trains in collision would not have equaled the yell and stamp on the bleachers. Maloney was next to bat, and he essayed a bunt. This the fans derided with hoots and hisses. No teamwork, no inside ball for them. Hit it out! yelled a hundred in unison. Home run! screamed a worshiper of long hits. As if actuated by the sentiments of his admirers, Maloney lined the ball over short. It looked good for a double. It certainly would advance Bell to third, maybe home. But no one calculated on Bert. His fleetness enabled him to head the bounding ball. He picked it up cleanly and, checking his headlong run, threw toward third base. Bell was only halfway there. The ball shot straight and low with terrific force and beat the runner to the bag. What a great arm! I exclaimed, deep in my throat. It's the lad's day. He can't be stopped. A keen newsboy sitting below us broke the amazed silence in the bleachers. What do you think of that? Old Wellwell writhed in his seat. To him it was a one-man game, as it had come to be for me. I thrilled with him. I gloried in the making good of his protege. It got to be an effort on my part to look at the old man so keenly that his emotion communicated itself to me. The game went on, a close, exciting, brilliantly fought battle. Both pitchers were at their best. The batters batted out long flies, low liners, and sharp grounders. The fielders fielded these difficult chances without misplay. Opportunities came for runs, but no runs were scored for several innings. Hopes were raised to the highest pitch, only to be dashed astonishingly away. The crowd in the grandstand swayed to every pitched ball. The bleachers tossed like surf in a storm. To start the eighth, Stranathan of New York tripled along the left foul line. Thunder burst from the fans and rolled swellingly around the field. Before the hoarse yelling, the shrill hooting, the hollow stamping had ceased, Stranathan made home on an infield hit. Then Bedlam broke loose. It calmed down quickly for the fans sensed trouble between Binghamton, who had been thrown out in the play, and the umpire, who was waving him back to the bench. You dizzy-eyed old woman, you can't see straight, called Binghamton. The umpire's reply was lost, but it was evident that the offending player had been ordered out of the grounds. Binghamton swaggered along the bleachers while the umpire slowly returned to his post. The fans took exception to the player's objection and were not slow in expressing it. various witty iconiums not to be misunderstood attested to the bleachers love of fair play and their disgust at a player getting themselves put out of the game at this critical stage the game proceeded a second batter had been thrown out then two hits in succession looked good for another run White, the next batter sent a single over second base Burt scooped the ball on the first bounce and let drive for the plate it was another extraordinary throw Whether ball or runner reached home base first was most difficult to decide, but the umpire made his sweeping wave of hand, and the breathless crowd caught his decision. You're out! In action and sound, the circle of bleachers resembled a long, curved beach with a mounting breaker thundering turbulently high. Rubber! bawled the outraged fans, betraying their marvelous inconsistency. Old Wellwell breathed hard. Again, the wrestling of his body signified an inward strife. I began to feel sure that the man was a mingled torment of joy and pain that he fought the maddening desire to yell because he knew he had not the strength to stand it Surely in all the years of his long following of baseball he never had the incentive to express himself in his peculiar way that rioted him now. Surely before the game ended, he would split the wins with this wonderful yell. We'll rejoin this episode right after this message from our sponsor. And now, back to our story. Duveen's only base on balls with the help of a bunt, a steal, and a scratch hit resulted in a run for Philadelphia, again tying the score. How the fans raged at Fuller for failing to feel the lucky scratch. We had the game on ice, one cried. Get him a basket. New York men got on bases in the ninth and made strenuous efforts to cross the plate, but it was not to be. Philadelphia opened up with two scorching hits and then a double steal. Burt came up to bat with runners on second and third. Half the crowd cheered in fair appreciation of the way fate was starring the ambitious young outfielder. The other half, dyed-in-the-wool home team fans, bent forward in a waiting, silent gloom of fear. Burt knocked the dirt out of his spikes and faced Duveen. The second ball pitched he met fairly and it rang like a bell. No one in the stands saw where it went, but they heard the crack, saw the New York shortstop stagger, and then pounce forward to pick up the ball and speed it toward the plate. The catcher was quick to tag the incoming runner and then snap the ball to first base, completing a double play. When the crowd fully grasped this, which was after an instant of bewilderment, a hoarse crashing roar rolled out across the field to bellow back in loud echo from Coogan's Bluff. The grandstand resembled a colored cornfield waving in a violet wind. The bleachers lost all semblance of anything. Frenzied, flinging action, wild chaos, shrieking cries manifested sheer insanity of joy. When the noise subsided, one fan, evidently a little longer winded than his comrades, cried out hysterically. Oh, I don't care what becomes of me, now! Score tied, 3-3. Game must go 10 innings. That was the shibboleth. That was the over-mastering truth. The game did go 10 innings. 11. 12. Everyone marked by masterly pitching, full of magnificent catches, stops, and throws, replete with reckless base running and slides like flashes in the dust, but they were unproductive of runs. 3-3. 13 innings. Unlucky 13th, willed a superstitious fan. I had got down to plugging, and for the first time, not for my home team. I wanted Philadelphia to win, because Bert was on that team. With old Wellwell sitting there so rigid in his seat, so obsessed by the playing of the lad, I turned traitor to New York. White caught a high twisting bounder inside the third base, and before the ball could be returned, he was standing safely on second. The fans howled with what husky voice they had left. The second hitter batted a tremendously high fly towards center field. Bert wheeled with the crack of the ball and raced for the ropes onward the ball soared like a sailing swallow the fleet fielder ran with his back to the stands what an age that ball stayed in the air then it lost its speed gracefully curved and began to fall Bert lunged forward and upwards the ball lit in his hands and stuck there as he plunged over the ropes into the crowd White had leisurely trotted halfway to third He saw the catch, ran back to touch second, and then easily made third on the throw-in. The applause that greeted Burt proved the splendid spirit of the game. Bell placed a safe little hit over short, scoring white. Heaving, bobbing bleachers. Wild, broken, roar after roar. Score, 4-3. Only one half inning left for Philadelphia to play. How the fans rooted for another run. A swift double play, however, ended the inning. Philadelphia's first hitter had three strikes called on him. Asleep at the switch, yelled the delighted fan. The next batter went out on a weak pop-up flight a second. Nothing to it. Oh, I hate to take this money. All over. Two men at least, of all that vast assemblage, had not given up victory for Philadelphia. I had not dared to look at old Wellwell for a long while. I dreaded the next portentous moment. I felt deep within me something like clairvoyant force, an intangible belief fostered by hope. Magoon, the slugger of the Phillies, slugged one against the left-field bleachers, but, being heavy and slow, he couldn't get beyond second base. Kless swung with all his might at the first pitch ball, and instead of hitting it a mile as he had tried, he scratched a mean, slow, teasing grounder down the third baseline. It was as safe as if it had been shot out of a cannon. Magoon went to third. The crowd suddenly awoke to ominous possibilities. Sharp commands came from the player's bench. The Philadelphia team were bowling and hopping on the sidelines and had to be put down by the umpire. An in-breathing silence fell upon the stands and field, quiet, like a lull before a storm. when I saw young Bert start for the plate and realized it was his turn at bat I jumped as if I'd been shot putting my hand on old well well's shoulder I whispered Bert's at bat he'll break up this game I know he's going to lose one the old fellow did not feel my touch he did not hear my voice he was gazing toward the field with an expression on his face to which no human speech could render justice he knew what was coming it could not be denied him in that moment. How confidently young Bert stood up to the plate. None except a natural hitter could have had his position. He might have been Honus Wagner for all he showed of the tight suspense of that crisis. Yet there was a tense alert poised to his head and shoulders which proved he was alive to his opportunity. Deveen, the pitcher, plainly showed he was tired. Twice he shook his head to his catcher, as if he did not want to pitch a certain kind of ball. He had to use extra motion to get his old speed, and he delivered a high, straight ball that Burt fouled over the grandstand. The second ball met a similar fate. All the time the crowd maintained that strange waiting silence The umpire threw out a glistening white ball which Duveen rubbed in the dust and spat upon Then he wound himself up into a knot slowly unwound and swinging with effort threw for the plate Bert's lithe shoulders swung powerfully. The meeting of ball and bat fairly cracked. The low driving hit lined over second, a rising glittering streak, and went far beyond the center fielder. Bleachers and stands uttered one short cry, almost a groan, and then stared at the speeding runners. For an instant, approaching doom could not have been more dreaded. Magoon scored. Kless was rounding second when the ball lit. If Bert was running swiftly when he turned first, he had only got started, for then his long sprinter's stride lengthened and quickened. At second he was flying. Beyond second he seemed to merge into a gray, flitting shadow. I gripped my seat, strengthening the uproar within me. Where was the applause? The fans were silent, choked as I was, but from a different cause. Kless crossed the plate with the score that defeated New York. Still the tension never laxed until Bert beat the ball home in as beautiful a run as ever thrilled an audience. In the bleak dead pause of amazed disappointment, old Welwell lifted his hulking figure and loomed, towered over the bleachers. His wide shoulders spread, his broad chest expanded, his breath whistled as he drew it in. One fleeting instant his transfigured face shone with a glorious light. Then, as he threw back his head and opened his lips, his face turned purple, the muscles of his cheeks and jaw rippled and strung, The veins on his forehead swelled into bulging ridges. Even the back of his neck grew red. Well, well, well! Ear-splitting stentorian blast. For a moment I was deafened, but I heard the echo ringing from the cliff, a peeling clarion call, beautiful and wonderful, winding away in hollow reverberation, then breaking out anew from building to building in clear concentration. A sea of faces whirled in the direction of that long, unheard yell. Bird had stopped statue-like as if stricken in his tracks. Then he came running, darting among the spectators who had leaped the fence. Old Wellwell stood a moment with slow glance lingering on the tumult of the emptying bleachers, on the moving, mingling colors in the grandstand, across the green field to the great-clad players. He staggered forward then, and fell. Before I could move, a noisy crowd swarmed about him, some solicitous, many facetious. Young Bert leaped the fence and forced his way into the circle. Then they were carrying the old man down to the field and toward the clubhouse. I waited until the bleachers and field were empty. When I finally went out, there was a crowd at the gate surrounding an ambulance. I caught a glimpse of old Wellwell. He lay white and still, but his eyes were opened, smiling intently. Young Bert hung over him with a pale and agitated face. Then a bell clanged, and the ambulance clattered away. We'll rejoin our post story right after this message from our sponsor. Thanks for joining us at 1001 Classic Short Stories and Tales. What a fantastic baseball story by Zane Gray. Hope you enjoyed it. I wanted to share a few reviews with you today, and here are a few recent reviews for 1001 Classic Short Stories. Five stars. This family of subject-driven podcasts is by far the best in every subject they cover. Best group of podcasts on the air right now. Hands down, my favorite. That one from Barton Bella, Apple Podcast, U.S. And this one, five stars. Classics read with enthusiasm. I love the narrator's enthusiasm and his eclectic and varied selection. He especially shines with making imaginative but wordy writers like H.P. Lovecraft exciting. My mother and I downloaded and listened to the Sherlock Holmes stories as our Going to Sleep podcast on a recent hiking trip. That one from Irving679, Apple Podcast, U.S. And this one, great short story podcast, five stars. Love, love, love this podcast. A great selection of short stories and a great reader. I love all of the 1001 podcasts. The Sherlock Holmes stories are my favorites. Great selection of stories as well. That one from Jane and Joe Wildcat, Apple Podcast, US. And this one, thumbs up, listen every night. That one from Lisa Lucho, Apple Podcast, Norway. And Wonderful Gift to the World, five stars. I was burned out after university and five years of intense reading when I found this podcast. This is a wonderful gift to the world and a great way to catch up on the classics all the while having the coziest time of listening to a great voice reading you a fantastic story. A more than one story. My go-to podcast on tiresome days and for my early walks to work. Thanks again for making this podcast. K.E. Tham, Apple Podcast, Denmark. And this one, everything is top-notch, right from the stories, from the way they're told. Prem Singh Rayo, Apple Podcast, India. Thank you all so very, very much for taking the time to write us these reviews. They help new listeners find us, and we appreciate them very much. We'll be back next Sunday night, 8 p.m. Eastern Time, with a brand new 1001 Classic Short Stories and Tales. Everyone stay safe, and we'll be back soon. Don't forget to download 1001 Greatest Love Stories and catch another baseball story. This one from a woman's point of view. Classic author Edna Furbert. You're gonna like this story. That's 1001 Greatest Love Stories, available at Apple and Android Podcasts. Just look them up. Google search 1001 Greatest Love Stories if you're not sure. Enjoy. Thank you. you