The End of Baseball by Peter Schilling

Author:Peter Schilling
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ivan R. Dee
Published: 2008-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Barnhill sat nursing a tall chocolate shake in the club car on the train to Cleveland. It seemed like all he could eat lately were shakes and malts and cream soups. The Athletics filled the rest of the car, still bitter from yesterday’s loss. Serrell joined Barnhill for a drink. “There booze in that?” Serrell asked.

“Stomach can’t handle even beer right now,” Barnhill said, toasting him.

Serrell was carrying a handful of shotglasses. He poured a hit of whiskey down his throat, grimaced, and said, “Fuck, Dave, I was ready to pop you out there. Don’t fight me, man. Shit pisses me off. Even if you are my pal.”

Barnhill nodded. He watched Campy scrambling out the lounge car, toward the front of the train. “I wonder,” Barnhill said. “I mean, look at Roy. All excited. It would be good to just play, just thinkin’ about the pennant. How does he do it?”

“Do what?”

“Stay so calm. The poor guy’s trying to keep Josh dry, trying to keep all us pitchers in line. But he doesn’t stay awake at night like I do. He doesn’t get angry like I do.”

“Maybe he does. You gotta ’member he’s but a kid.”

“I wish I was like that when I was his age. I wish—”

“What?”

“It’s like today. Sometimes I wish I could just think about who this winged wonder is that Veeck’s bringin’ us. That I could laugh if it was a midget. That I could just throw.” He finished his shake in one final gulp.

Serrell said, “Think it’ll be a Negro?”

“What?”

“The midget? Think he’d get a little nigger? That’d be the right thing to do.”

Barnhill shrugged. “I don’t know. I care, but I don’t care.” He stood up and tossed a couple of bucks on the table. “Drink a couple for me, wouldya? I’m going to bed.”

Serrell nodded and stared into space. Shit, he thought, it looks like no one’s talking to me, either. “Boy, you just can’t win,” he said, and ordered another round.

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