Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: WEAK (07/22/21)
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TITLE: Casey | Previous Challenge Entry
By David Story
07/29/21 -
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The game started and with the opposing team batting first. Every time a player came up to bat, Casey screamed from second base some obscenity. “Weak,” he thought, “everyone here is weak. Well, everyone but one.” At that thought Casey smiled, knowing he was the one he was referring to.
Game play continued, with both teams trading runs. Casey batted twice, getting a single once and a triple the second time. He was responsible for the two runs the team had, and the crowd let them know their appreciation of him every time he came up to bat, or even when he made a defensive play at second. After all, thought Casey, they’re all here to see me, not the weak team that we’re playing, or even the less superior players on his own team. Casey could not stand weakness, could not abide by it. Only the strong survive in life, and that means in baseball as well.
Which is why the Mudville Nine found themselves down two runs in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs. “Weak,” he whispered to himself. “Everyone around me … weak.”
Some of the fans left, hurrying to get home and beat the crowd. But many stayed, and boy, were they glad they did!
After force outs at first from Conney and Barrows, the top of the order came to bat. Starting with Flynn.
Flynn hit a single right over the pitcher and second baseman’s head.
Flynn, safe at first.
Next up was Jimmy Blake. He swung at the first pitch and the ball went down the first base line, rolling all the way to the wall in outfield. When all was said and done, Jimmy was safe with a double, and Flynn had moved to third.
Two outs. Two on. Bottom of the ninth. Down by two.
With Casey at bat.
He took his time getting to the plate, until finally the umpire yelled at him.
Slowly he walked, disgusted at the signs of weakness all around him. Still, he was glad to have this chance, to show the world his superior strength.
The first pitch came across the plate and Casey just stared at it. Give the crowd all that they paid for. This is all they have, anyway, he mused. Pitiful, weak lives.
“Strike one” the umpire yelled. But Casey just smiled.
The second pitch was a fast ball as well, the pitcher determined to beat Casey with his heat. Casey reached out and caught the ball. “Is that all you have?” He yelled at the man on the mound. The umpire wasn’t sure what he should do after such a rude and blatant display of non-sportsmanship. After a moment’s hesitation, he grabbed the ball from Casey’s hand, looked Casey in the eyes, and yelled at the top of his lungs for all to hear, “Strike two!”
Casey grinned as the umpire threw a fresh ball to the mound. This was the reason he was here, for such a time as this.
The crowd hushed as Casey stepped up again to the plate, an arrogant sneer across his lips.
The ball came out of the pitcher’s hand. Another fastball. Casey was homed in on it, watching it almost in slow motion. Finally, his chance to prove to everyone his strength compared to all of their weaknesses.
He grinned, close his eyes, and swung, and hit nothing but air. The crowd stood in amazement, as the “more superior than all the others” Casey … struck out.
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 19:19, KJV).
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Based on Casey at the Bat. The poem was written in 1888 by Ernest Lawrence Thayer.
A personal note – I might have been a bit hard on Casey, but did so only to prove my point about what true weakness is. And what it isn’t.
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