Baseball Crazy by Nancy Mercado

Author:Nancy Mercado
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Curtain/lights out.

Act II

At rise, Nick is pacing and acting anxious. Most of the players are on their feet, rally caps on. There’s more trash around.

NICK: We can do this. Andy gets on. Doug brings him home. Q moves Doug up. Walcott homers and we win. We go out winners, okay? Okay? (to Charlie) We can do this!

CHARLIE: I heard you.

NICK: You don’t think so?

CHARLIE: Phil Walcott has never hit a home run with men on.

NICK: You’re negative, man.

CHARLIE: He’s not good under pressure.

NICK: My dad’s negative, so I know negative.

CHARLIE: I hope Phil comes through. I hope the cover comes off the ball like in that movie The Natural. But the numbers say no.

NICK: Screw the numbers. The last couple of innings we’ve been playing like a team.

CHARLIE: Is that why we’re down by three?

NICK: Doesn’t matter. There’s this little click and it’s not nine separate guys anymore. You didn’t feel it ’cause you quit, but I felt it. If that second baseman hadn’t made that miracle stop, it’d be six—six.

CHARLIE: He’s the coach’s kid.

NICK: Second base for Cancun?

CHARLIE: Yeah. Bob Hickok.

NICK: Wild Bob Hickok.

CHARLIE: The Wildman. He’s really good. Everybody in his family is. His sister pitches and she’s got real heat.

NICK: You watch girls’ slow-pitch?

CHARLIE: Sometimes. I might like to scout. You know—be one. Move around a lot. Find guys nobody’s ever heard of. It’s like a treasure hunt.

NICK: You might not be home for your birthday or Christmas.

CHARLIE: So?

(Andy comes off the bench. Everyone is on their feet. Nick angles away from the seated Charlie, joins the others in encouraging Andy.)

ANNOUNCER: Batting for Elite Cleaners, Andrew “Moose” Ward.

(Mooing sounds from Ward’s teammates. Nick drifts back toward Charlie, but still with his eye on the plate.)

CHARLIE: Look at Scott.

NICK: So?

CHARLIE: He hates Andy.

NICK: He doesn’t hate Andy.

CHARLIE: Yeah, he does. Watch him.

NICK: What? (He looks, sees, frowns.) He’s like everybody else.

CHARLIE: No way. He’s not clapping. He’s not yelling as loud.

NICK: He doesn’t hate Andy.

CHARLIE: Okay.

NICK: Why would he?

CHARLIE: He wanted to be called Moose. He doesn’t like Scottie. Scottie is a dog.

NICK: Who calls him Scottie?

CHARLIE: Moose.

NICK: (to batter) Take your time, baby. Good eye.

CHARLIE: Scott says the only good thing about losing is that Moose loses too.

NICK: How do you know this stuff?

CHARLIE: Guys talk. They stand around (nods toward the Gatorade cooler) and talk. I hear. I’m kind of invisible. Or they just tell me because they think I don’t count.

(Crack of the bat)

NICK: Yes. No. Yes!

(Groans followed immediately by cheers)

NICK: Mr. All-League Big Shot Wild Bob Hickok muffed that one.

COACH FOR CANCUN: (faint but harsh) Are you thinking of the pizza you’re gonna get after the game, Bobby? Well, you’re not getting a pizza after the game. Everybody else is, but not you. You’re gonna sit in the car and think about how you ruined things for everybody.

CHARLIE: (pointing) I hate that guy.

NICK: That’s Hickok’s dad, right?

CHARLIE: The coach, yeah. And Hickok has to ride home with that and listen to it at dinner.

NICK: And I thought my old man was bad.

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