where he boarded a train to Meriden, eighty miles to the southwest

[chichi]

The season didn’t open until May 3, but Mack said, “No, this Saturday is my last day. After that I’ll never spend another day in the boot shop.”

Sometimes, when retelling the story, Mack was apologetic. “Maybe I was too rude to him. I should have worked the extra week.”

On Monday morning Mack stuck his buckskin glove in his pocket and walked to the depot, where he boarded a train to Meriden, eighty miles to the southwest. A prosperous, rapidly growing town of twenty thousand midway between Hartford and New Haven, Meriden was the center of the silverplate industry. Two days later Mack auditioned in a game against the Yale freshmen. That morning he received two telegrams, forwarded to him from East Brookfield. One came from Frank Selee, offering him $12 a week and board. The other was from New Britain with an offer of $60 a month. Mack said nothing about the wires. He put on a gray uniform with light blue trim and warmed up his pitcher, Will Hogan.

Mack batted third in the lineup and had 2 hits, but it was his work “at the points” that drew the most notice. Hogan struck out 17, allowed 1 hit, and walked 6, which accounted for half the Meridens’ 12 errors (walks were charged to the pitcher as errors). The game, won by Meriden, 8–4, was called after 7 innings because the Yale catcher was too “broken up” to continue.

The next day’s Meriden Republican enthused, “Hogan and Mack proved themselves to be first class men, and it was said by many that they were the best battery ever seen on the grounds. Mack and the Yale catcher received painful injuries, but pluckily kept on playing. If East Brookfield has any more players like Mack and Hogan, let’s have ’em.”

Albert Boardman wasted no time in sending for Will’s brother Jack to play third base.

Will Hogan had worked up a sweat during fifa 15 ultimate team coins the game. The chill evening air brought on a cold. For all his strong appearance, Will had inherited a disposition to lung disease that made him susceptible to colds that were difficult to shake off.