The Assistant Coaches: George Grant, #6

Table of Contents

Front Cover

The Assistant Coaches

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

About the Author

Other Stories by Jay Henry Peterson

The

Assistant

Coaches

Jay Henry Peterson

Copyright © 2022 Harvey Owen Dahl

All Rights Reserved.

This story is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, places and events are the product of the author’s imagination or they are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental.

Dedication

For Gloria . . .

. . . and for every kid who ever aspired to play baseball, whether in a sandlot game or on an organized team. It is for everyone who enjoys sitting in the stands watching the action; from the sound of a pitch smacking into the catcher’s mitt, to the sight of a well-hit ball flying in a graceful arc over the outfield, to the beauty of a double play.

This book would not have been possible without the editorial advice and assistance of Gloria Gillen and Linda Collum. I am indebted to them for their support.

ROY STOOD IN THE OPEN DOORWAY. The barn door was open only a foot or so. He grimaced as the freezing windblown snow stung his bare face. Then he grinned as he watched his older brother George trudge over the snow drift in front of the barn.

As George approached the barn Roy pushed the door open another two feet so George could easily get into the barn and then he stepped to the side, out of the opening. As soon as George stepped into the barn, Roy reached for the strap and pulled the door closed to keep the cold out and to keep the snow from blowing in.

As George brushed the snow off his coat Roy grinned at him, saying, Happy Monday, George. You sure didn’t look like you were enjoying your walk through all that blowing snow. As cold as it is and as hard as the wind is blowing, it’s a good thing it’s a short trip from your house to the barn.

Roy paused for a few moments while George brushed snow off the sleeves of his coat, then commented, February is always cold, and miserable, and snowy, and not fit for man or beast to be out in.

You’d think I would remember that from one February to the next, especially after just walking out here through a ground blizzard, George answered with a chuckle, shaking his head. I think that wind is blowing at least 20 miles per hour and I could hardly see the barn from the back door of the house. I sure wish those Loganland visitors would go back home.

Roy laughed at George’s comment. I can picture us sitting at the kitchen table with Dad telling us about visitors from Loganland every time we had bad weather. Logan was the county on the west side of the Grant farm.

Yeah, George said. He even had Mom and Uncle Fred agreeing with him. I think I was in the second or third grade before I realized Logan County was not where all our storms started. He laughed. Of course, that didn’t keep us from telling the same Loganland stories to our kids when they were little. He took off his cap and slapped it against his leg to get the snow off and then pulled it on again.

He was silent for a few moments and then said, After living on this farm for 56 cold and miserable February winters you’d think I would be smart enough to stay inside until April.

It’s a cinch the groundhog didn’t see his shadow last week because of the snow storm we were having then, Roy laughed. I don’t think we’ve seen the sun since last month. If the groundhog was silly enough to pop his head up to see what was going on, he probably got a faceful of snow. I’m sure he retreated deep into his burrow to go back to sleep for another six weeks or so. If he’s really smart, he won’t stick his nose out for at least a couple of months.

If he was really smart, George chuckled, he would have known February was a cold and miserable month and he would have just stayed snuggled up deep down in his burrow. He clapped his mittened hands together and said, I guess we better get out and check on the beef cattle to see how they’re faring in this weather.

The Grant farm had three large pole barns with solid walls on all sides except the south. That side was open to the barnyard so the cattle could easily get in and out of the shelter. When the weather was bad, like it often was in January and February, the farm workers would spread straw in the pole barns every day so the cattle could lay on dry bedding at night.

When I left my house 10 minutes ago, Roy commented, the thermometer outside next to the kitchen window showed it was eight below. With the wind blowing strong enough to form deep snow drifts, I don’t want to even think about what the wind chill might be. That two-foot high drift in front of the barn and the others you just walked over weren’t there when I went to bed last night.

That drift was pretty solid, too, George noted. When I stepped on it my foot didn’t sink in at all. I stepped over a half dozen of them on the way here. I guess Brian will be out with the tractor and snow scoop right after breakfast and clean all the little drifts away.

It was still dark an hour and a half later when George and Roy walked into the old farm house where George and Marcy lived. The sun wouldn’t rise for at least another half hour. They took off their mittens, jammed them into the pockets of their heavy winter coats, hung the coats on hooks in the entryway and placed their caps on top of the coats. They reached down and unbuckled their overshoes and took them off.

Good morning, Roy, Marcy said as the two men stepped into the kitchen.

Morning, Marcy, he replied, rubbing his hands together. My fingers are kind of numb and my nose feels half frozen, he added.

Keep them away from me, then, his wife Sally exclaimed with a laugh, holding her hands up in front of her. She was sitting at the table across from Marcy. They had been drinking coffee while they waited for their husbands to come in from helping do the morning chores. I thought I might never get my nose warm again after walking over here from our house.

February is always like this, Marcy said. My dad says every farmer he knows wishes February was an even shorter month. She reached for the coffee pot and filled the two cups on the table at the breakfast settings where George and Roy would sit. You should start with this and in a few minutes I’ll have some eggs ready. Everything else is in the oven so it’s nice and hot. She set the coffee pot on the table and turned to the stove to start frying some eggs.

I didn’t think to ask Bo before he left for the metro yesterday after supper, George said as the four of them started eating, if everything was all set for the wedding. It’s only three weeks away.

Irma can’t decide what she wants to carry for a bridal bouquet, Sally said, shaking her head. I told her yesterday afternoon and reminded her again after supper as she was getting ready to drive back to school that I wanted an answer no later than tomorrow night. She paused and laughed, Her dad told her if she didn’t make a decision really soon he would have a bouquet of dandelions shipped in from down south. Other than the bouquet, everything is all set.

George looked at Roy and chuckled. As cold as this winter has been, if you had to send for dandelions you’d have to go all the way to South Texas to find some that weren’t frozen.

Sally and I will be in Texas in a month, Roy said, but by that time the wedding will be over and we won’t need a bouquet for Irma. We can admire all the bluebonnets in Texas instead.

They should be in full bloom when we’re there, Sally said. This year I think Gary and Ann are planning a side trip for us to the Texas Hill Country near Austin to see them. Gary and Ann were the college classmates Roy and Sally visited in Dallas.

How soon after the wedding are you planning to leave? Marcy asked.

I think that will depend on the weather, Sally replied. If March starts off as bad as February has been, we might head south two days after the wedding. If the weather is more pleasant, we might be home for a week and then leave. We expect to be gone for only 10 days this year. She sipped some coffee and asked Marcy, Have you decided when you’re going to Phoenix?

On Monday after the wedding we’re going to the capital to spend several days with Toby and Mona, Marcy replied. We’ll stay in Irma and Bo’s condo since they will be off honeymooning someplace. Willie and Sharon are going to meet us there and then they are joining us for the drive to Phoenix. Willie is going to leave his car at Toby’s house. After we spend a week in Phoenix the four of us are going to California and up to Oregon before we come home. Arnold wants Willie to stop in Fresno and Eugene to talk with the coaches and two college seniors. Arnold might want to draft them.

I didn’t think the team needed more pitchers, Roy commented. Is Arnold worried about losing some from the current staff?

I think he’s concerned that the bullpen depth isn’t as strong as he would like it to be. I think he’s satisfied with the starters. He needs at least four solid middle innings and closers pitchers and I think he’s only got one he feels comfortable about. He wants Willie’s opinion on how he thinks the prospects will fit in with the team.

Maybe he hopes you’ll come back and win another championship for him this season, George, Sally said.

Arnold knows there’s no chance of that. I’m definitely retired from playing baseball, George replied with a smile. Any baseball I play from now on will be some occasional pitching at our old crib mattress. He hesitated. That’s not going to happen until it gets a lot warmer.

That’s for sure, Roy laughed. If it isn’t at least 70 degrees out you’ll need someone to take my place out behind the granary. I think 70 to 80 degrees is the best temperature range for us to practice your pitching.

That sounds like a good range to me, too, George said. I wouldn’t mind if it was 85 degrees as long as the humidity wasn’t that high.

I thought Willie was retired, too, Sally said. Why is he going to do some scouting in California and Oregon?

The coach in Fresno played ball with Willie and Toby in college and the coach in Eugene was on two of the World Series teams with Willie. George paused to sip some coffee. When we talked with Willie and Sharon about joining us for the trip, he thought it would be a good chance for him to see a couple of old teammates. It happens that our plans take us right by where they live.

Lots of professional baseball players go into coaching after their playing days are over, Roy said. I once asked Willie if he ever wanted to be a head coach. He told me he didn’t because he didn’t feel like he knew enough about the management of a team to do that. He said he could be a pitching coach because he understood pitching best.

If he was interested in being a head coach, George commented, I think his baseball playing career and all the years he was the pitching coach for Arnold’s team would make him as qualified as any candidate. He also had a chance to observe Roger Collins as the team’s manager. Roger is a good coach.

Like you, George, Roy stated, I think Willie is content to be retired. I think he wants to concentrate on teaching his grandchildren how to catch fish. He played in three World Series, won a game in each and was the pitching coach on two more World Series championship teams. That’s a pretty impressive record.

February reluctantly became March, but not before it kept its reputation as being the coldest, snowiest and most miserable month of the year. As often happened, March came in like a lion. A blizzard that started on February 27 continued until March 1 and dumped 18 inches of snow on the farm. When the winds died down Brian and a crew of helpers spent a day clearing the snow away so everyone could move around the farmyard without climbing over drifts. Only the young children of the farm’s employees enjoyed the extra high piles of snow at the back of the farmyard near the grove of trees on the west side. They were the only hills on the farm they could sled down. The piles weren’t that high, but Brian made sure they were sloped so the kids could enjoy sledding down them.

The day before the wedding Bo, his parents and two cousins arrived at the farm. Bo and his cousins, Bruce and Ryan, would stay at the house with George and Marcy. Bruce would be Bo’s best man and Ryan would be the groomsman. Bo’s parents, Milt and Cindy, would stay at Roy and Sally’s house, as would Irma and Mary, George and Marcy’s daughter. Janice, the daughter of Greg and Marilyn Robinson, who were long-time Grant farm employees, would be Irma’s maid of honor. Irma and Janice had grown up together, had been high school cheerleaders together and had been the farm team responsible for taking care of the large chicken flock. Irma’s cousin Mary would be her bridesmaid.

Irma had asked Randy and Carmen Belsen if she could have their young daughter and son, Mavis and Ernie, as the flower girl and ring bearer. The Belsen farm was just south of the Grant farm and Randy’s grandparents, Mavis and Ernie, had been close friends of Gene and Irma Grant, her grandparents. Randy and his sister Nancy had been the ring bearer and flower girl when George and Marcy married. I’d like to keep the tradition going, Irma had told Randy. He had laughed and agreed it was a good tradition.

Reverend Garrison, the man who performed the marriage ceremonies for George and Marcy, Roy and Sally and several other couples at the Grant farm, had been retired for 10 years. He lived in the city and with respect for his relationship to the Grant family, Irma asked him to assist Reverend Hamilton. You taught me in Sunday School when I was a little girl only this tall, she told the old man as she held her hand out level with her hip, and now I would like you to be at the altar when Bo and I get married. Reverend Garrison had smiled and told Irma he would be honored to be included in another Grant family wedding.

After three days of acting like a lion, the March weather changed. The wind stopped blowing and the sun was shining for the Saturday afternoon wedding. It was bright out with the sun reflecting off the many snowbanks piled up by doorways, along the sidewalks and at the curbs of the streets. The temperature was in the low 40s, which felt balmy to everyone after the bitterly cold weather they had experienced a few days before.

The church was filled with friends, neighbors and relatives. Arnold Hemmings chartered a plane and brought his entire team, including coaches, spouses and trainers. When his star pitcher got married, Arnold wanted the whole team to help celebrate. They flew to the airport at the capital and Arnold had two charter buses waiting to take everyone to the wedding. All the employees at the Caldwell-Grant Farms were there, along with their wives and children.

It’s a good thing they expanded the church several years ago, Brian told Gene and Ralph, his Grant cousins. With the enlarged sanctuary and the balcony, it will hold about 350 people.

Well, Ralph laughed, Irma did say she wanted a simple wedding.

Good thing she did, Gene chuckled. Otherwise we would have had to use the high school gym. The bride could have made an entrance like she did when she was a high school cheerleader. His brother and cousin joined him in a laugh.

I talked with Jack Cummings, Gene added. He said he expected the reception would fill both banquet halls at the Cattle Company Steakhouse. Jack inherited the business from his parents. He was a classmate of Roy and Sally. He was a starting guard on the high school’s state basketball championship team with Sally’s brother, Brian. Jack had also starred on the basketball team at the State College.

Dad had me pick three steers from the beef herd at Thanksgiving, Brian said. They’ve been in the barn for several months being treated like royalty. Two weeks ago Jack sent a truck out to get them. He will be serving them to everyone at the reception tonight.

The wedding and reception was a happy affair for everyone. As Irma walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, she looked down at the bouquet she carried. It was all white and pink except for one small yellow dandelion stuffed down in the middle. She looked up at her father, smiled and said, Thanks, Dad, I like that! Roy smiled and nodded. He had the local florist find one, nurture it to full bloom and then stick it down in the middle of the bouquet.

After a number of post-dinner toasts at the reception, Brian and Arlene, his fiancé, whisked the newlyweds out of the steakhouse and drove them to the airport at the capital, saw them aboard a chartered jet and watched them fly off to a Caribbean island for five days.

As they drove home, Arlene said, I know Irma said she wanted a simple wedding, Brian, but when we get married in June I’d like ours to be even simpler.

I sure hope so, he laughed.

In the morning Marcy and George served breakfast to Bruce and Ryan, Milt and Cindy and Roy and Sally. How long will it take you to get back to Nebraska? she asked Bruce.

Probably four or five days, he replied. We’re stopping in Sioux City to visit Aunt Cindy’s sister and family for a couple of days. They haven’t seen each other for more than a year and we decided that it wouldn’t be much out of the way to stop there. After we take Uncle Milt and Aunt Cindy home Ryan and I thought we’d drive down to Phoenix and spend a week or so watching Bo and his team. It will be too cold to do anything at home in Nebraska.

On Monday morning George and Marcy drove to the capital. Willie and Sharon joined them for lunch and then Toby and Mona joined them for the evening.

We’re practicing here on the indoor football field this week, Toby told George and Willie as he ushered them onto the field the next morning. In two weeks we go south for a 10-day trip to Texas. Last year we went to Louisiana. We’ll play at least seven games in six days. So far this season we’ve played six games, all with schools in this area. We won at home and lost on the road. We have a 4-2 record.

He added, You know we’re the state’s land grant institution and one of our largest programs is our College of Veterinary Medicine. When the state legislature changed the name of the school from the State Agricultural and Mechanical College to the State Agricultural and Mechanical University they planned upgrades for all athletic facilities. We just completed a remodeling project for the baseball field and locker rooms. We hoped to be outside on the field this week, but that last snowstorm has made the field too wet. We do pitching, catching and exercise work here early in the mornings. Can’t do any hitting, though. The football team does its spring training here in the afternoons.

The baseball team was scattered around the field. Toby raised his arm and yelled, Bob. He motioned for the man to come over where he stood with George and Willie. Bob, I’m sure you remember George Grant and Willie Anders. They’re here for a couple of days so we can reminisce about our misspent youth as high school baseball players.

Sure, I remember them well, Bob Sumner said, reaching out to shake hands with George and Willie. Bob was the pitching coach. I was the new pitching coach here when Willie pitched his last shutout in a World Series game and I was lucky enough to be in the stadium and see Grandpa Grant pitch the team to victory in the last World Series. He paused for a moment. And now Toby tells me Bo Bowman is part of the Grant family since last Saturday afternoon.

Yes, it was a great wedding ceremony and reception, Willie said. The owner of the professional team Bo pitches for brought his entire team up for the wedding.

If you can gather everyone around us, Toby said, I’d like to introduce our visitors to the team.

Sure thing, Toby, Bob responded. I’ll be right back with them. He turned and trotted off to get the rest of the team.

Toby introduced his friends to the team and then said, George and Willie are visiting for a couple of days. If you want any advice or have questions for a Hall of Fame pitcher and the guy who won back to back World Series for his team with his pitching and hitting, this is your chance to do it.

I’m Kent Holter, one of the team members said. I’m one of the senior pitchers. My best fastball is only 90 miles per hour. I know both of you and Coaches Corbet and Sumner had fastballs that were a hundred or more miles per hour. What am I doing wrong?

You might not be doing anything wrong, Kent, Willie responded. Do you have a pitching mound in here? He asked as he looked around.

Yes, over behind that end of the field, Bob said, pointing. That’s the only place we could put it.

Let’s take all the pitchers and catchers over there, Willie told Bob. We can have Kent get on the mound and throw some fastballs.

As the team moved to the end of the field with Willie and George, Toby and his pitching and batting coaches lagged behind. I’m hoping the pitchers might take the tips they get from Willie and George more seriously than they do from us.

I hope so, too, Bob said. Sometimes I think they let whatever we say go in one ear and out the other. I know from what you’ve told us many times, Toby, that you, Willie and George had the benefit of getting tips from the same man. Those tips very likely played a big part in your successful careers.

They sure did, Toby replied. I suspect Willie and George will give our team some of Joe Wagner’s tips. The things he taught us sure worked.

Kent stood on the mound with Willie next to him. George and the rest of the players and coaches stood along the end zone line. The first thing to keep in mind, Willie said, turning to speak to all the pitchers, is to never pitch from a flat surface. A pitcher can warm up by playing catch with another player on a flat surface, but when it’s time to practice your pitching, always do it from a mound. Some pitchers who practice on flat surfaces have a hard time adjusting to throwing the ball from the mound because they are aiming at a target slightly below their feet.

He turned to Kent. Okay, Kent, the first thing you want to do is get warmed up. Most conferences allow pitches up to eight warm-up throws at the beginning of the game. Some allow five for subsequent innings. We’ll say this is the start of the game so you get to throw eight pitches to get warmed up. Willie stepped back and motioned for Kent to throw his first warm-up pitch.

Kent stepped up to the rubber, went through his windup and threw his first pitch just like he would throw it in a game. As the catcher threw the ball back, Willie stepped in and said, Okay, here’s the first thing I would change. I would lob my pitches to the catcher, concentrating on throwing just hard enough to get the ball to cross the plate in the strike zone. The reason for that is the first batter to face you doesn’t know what to expect when he steps up to the plate. That gives you an advantage that very often leads to the first out of the game.

I’ve told the pitchers that many times, Bob said to Toby and George in a low voice.

So have I, Toby quietly answered. That’s one of the first tips Willie, George and I got from Joe Wagner.

As Kent was lobbing the rest of his warm-up pitches, Willie turned and said to the rest of the pitchers, You might need to practice the lob pitch a number of times before you get comfortable with it. Your catcher might also need to make an adjustment to catching the slower ball. You want to make sure your lobs cross the plate in the strike zone but don’t resemble any regular pitch you have.

When Kent finished his warm-up lobs Willie said, Okay, now throw a couple of fastballs. Kent went through his windup and threw a hard fastball. It flew in a flat trajectory to the catcher, crossing the plate waist high.

That’s a good pitch, Willie said. There are two things I’d like you to try on your next pitch. First, let’s move your hand away from the side of your head another four or five inches. You’re throwing the ball with a full overhand motion. Pitchers who throw like that usually don’t have fastballs that move at more than 90 miles per hour. Bring your arm away from your head about four or five inches more as you bring your arm back and then keep it in that position as you bring your arm forward. That little sidearm change gives your arm more speed and the pitch will be several miles per hour faster. He tossed a ball to Kent and said, Okay, let’s try that and see how it looks. Kent wound up and threw a fastball.

Hold it, Willie said before Kent could throw another ball. I see something interesting. Your arm comes forward and you release the ball before you push off from the rubber. You’re not getting all your strength into the pitch. That causes you to lose some speed. I’ll bet your fastball doesn’t rise, does it?

No, it doesn’t, Kent replied. I’ve never been able to get it to rise. I can throw it over the middle of the plate but it’s too slow and that makes it easy for a batter to hit.

Let’s try this, Willie said. When you bring your arm forward and just before you release the ball, make sure you can feel the pressure on your leg that you’re pushing off the rubber. When you feel that pressure push off real hard and stretch a little more toward home plate. That’s the second thing to do to gain a little more speed. He handed another ball to Kent. Let’s try doing that. Use the new motion with your arm and push hard off the rubber.

Glenn Weston, the batting coach, was standing next to George and he chuckled, For many years I’ve heard Toby telling the pitchers to do that.

That was another tip we got from Joe Wagner, George told him.

Kent stepped up to the rubber, went into his wind up and pushed off hard as he released the ball. That looked great, Kent, Willie said, Now that you’re warmed up, let’s throw a half dozen fastballs as quickly as you can. We’ve got seven balls here. I’ll toss one to you as soon as you’ve thrown the one in your hand. Willie looked at the catcher and said, Just drop the ball near you instead of throwing it back. Kent went into his windup and started throwing the fastballs as quickly as he could.

Hey! he exclaimed when he had thrown the seven balls, that felt good and I think the pitches were faster.

They sure were, the catcher said in a loud voice. I could feel the sting in my hand. If you’re going to throw that hard, Kent, I’m going to put an extra pad in my mitt!

Let’s take a look at how you’re gripping the ball, Willie said. He turned to look at George and said, George, I’d like you to come over here so you can see how Kent is gripping the ball.

As George walked over to the mound Willie told the entire team, George is the real expert on how a ball should be gripped for different pitches. Coach Corbet and I were seniors on a high school team when George was a sophomore pitcher. He won the state baseball championship for us that year with his pitching and hitting. Then he repeated it his junior and senior years. No other high school in the state has ever won more than two consecutive state baseball championships. While he waited for George to get to the mound, Willie added. Then George’s younger brother Roy led the team to its fourth state championship two years later. Roy played his college baseball right here. He was an outstanding second baseman.

Let’s see how you grip the ball for your fastball, Kent, George said as he stood beside the young pitcher. Hold the ball in the glove and get your grip where you want it. Then without moving your thumb or fingers, hold it out so I can see it. Kent went through the motions and then held out his arm. George took Kent’s arm and turned it so he could clearly see where the thumb and fingers were. If you move your thumb about a quarter inch this way, he said as he slid Kent’s thumb a little to the side, your pitch will get to the plate on a flatter trajectory and it won’t have as much tendency to move to the left or right.

He turned Kent’s hand some more and said, turn the ball back just a little more so your fingers are on the seams like this. He turned the ball and then said. Okay, now you need to make sure that’s how you’re gripping the ball and then let’s try a couple of fastballs using that grip.

He held his own hand up in front of his face. One of the best ways to check your grip on the ball is to look at it when your hand is in the glove. Hold it up on front of your face and look at it. Make any adjustments you need to have it in the correct position. No one else is going to see what you’re doing. But, you need to do that for every pitch you throw so it becomes part of your normal windup routine.

He put his hand down. Remember to use the arm motion the way Willie just told you and push hard off the rubber. George stepped aside and Kent went into his windup, concentrating on keeping his arm coming forward away from the side of his head and pushing hard off the rubber at the moment he released the ball. The ball hit the catcher’s mitt with a loud smack everyone could hear.

Wow! That feels much better, Kent exclaimed. Does it feel like it’s faster, Clark? he asked the catcher.

It sure does. If you’re going to throw all your fastballs like that, I’m going to put two cotton pads in my mitt!

Willie held up his arms and told all the pitchers, Remember, the faster your pitch gets to the batter, the harder it will get hit back at you. He paused, smiled and added, But, the faster the pitch, the harder it is for the hitter to get his bat around before the ball is in the catcher’s mitt.

What other pitches do you throw, George asked.

I have a curve, a changeup and sometimes I try a slider, Kent said. Mostly, I use fastballs and curves.

Let’s see how your curve works, George said, handing a ball to Kent. But, first I want to see your grip.

Kent took his normal grip on the ball for his curve and turned his hand up so George could see the position of his thumb and fingers.

Ah, you’re palming the ball instead of letting your fingers and thumb hold it in place. Try moving it out on your fingers so the ball doesn’t touch the palm of your hand. Here, let me put it where I think you want to hold it for maximum power and curve. George moved the ball a little farther out on Kent’s fingers and told him to try several pitches that way, remembering to push off hard from the rubber.

Kent repositioned the ball in his hand, checking to make sure it was where George suggested, stepped up to the rubber and threw, putting all his strength behind the pitch. It flew in a flat trajectory right at the middle of the strike zone and just before it got to the plate it dipped down and slightly left, smacking into the catcher’s mitt just above the knees and inside the left edge of the plate. A clear strike.

George commented. That’s good. Now let’s throw a half dozen curves real fast and see how it works. Kent threw the balls and five of the six were in the strike zone. All of them dipped down and to the left just before they reached the plate. Use that grip and always push off the rubber hard for maximum power, George explained. If you do you’ll convince a lot of batters to swing where the ball isn’t!

While George was working with Kent, Willie had gone over to stand by the other pitchers. After Kent had thrown his last curve ball, Willie said, Here’s something else for everyone to watch for. Some pitchers use a different stance for a fastball than for a curve or a slider. If you’re a batter and you watch for that, you know what kind of pitch is coming at you. If you know what it is, it will be easier to hit. I just watched Kent change from a fastball to a curve. When he throws a curve he raises the elbow on his throwing arm about six inches higher than his waist. When he throws a fastball his elbow stays by his waist. If I was the batter I would know what kind of a pitch he’s going to throw. That makes it a lot easier to hit.

He paused for a moment and then added, I think all pitchers need to concentrate on using the same stance, the same windup and the same arm motions for every pitch they throw. That gives them more chances for success.

Willie paused for a few moments and looked around at the entire team. The solution for a pitcher to disguise what he’s going to throw is to make sure he uses the same windup motions for each kind of pitch he throws. The solution for the batters is they need to watch from the dugout while waiting for their turn to bat. If you see the pitcher use different windup techniques make sure you tell the rest of your team about them. When you know what the pitcher is going to throw you’ll get more hits, score more runs and win more games.

You know, Coach, Gary Brewster, a graduate coaching assistant told Bob Sumner, I remember when I was playing ball, you and Coach Corbet told us things like that all the time. It’s funny, but I didn’t remember them until I heard them again.

Martin Sandberg, another graduate coaching assistant, was standing on the other side of Bob. You’re right, Gary, he said, When I was a freshman I remember Coach Corbet telling me about the tips, just like Willie and George have been saying.

I suspect that knowing all those tips and then remembering to use them in games might be why Willie Anders is in the Baseball Hall of Fame and Grandpa George Grant is considered one of the best baseball players ever, Bob replied with a chuckle.

For the next two mornings Willie and George joined Toby’s team to offer tips on pitching and batting. Willie concentrated on working with the pitchers while George worked with both. There was only one pitching mound so when George was working on the grip and motions of a pitcher on the mound, Willie would be with the other players on the sideline watching for differences in the motions. With some pitchers differences were easy to spot. With others, Willie had to help the young ballplayers see what he described as subtle changes. You have to watch several consecutive pitches to see if there are differences.

After a two-hour session the team would take a break and meet with the coaches in the back of the school cafeteria for a coffee break. It was an opportunity for the players to ask other questions of Willie and George.

What was it like being in the World Series? a player asked Willie. How was it different than playing a regular game?

It was much more exciting with a lot more pressure, Willie said. Everything you do in the Series is viewed under a microscope. The smallest flaw is blown up to look like the biggest mistake ever. An error that affects the outcome of a game has been known to ruin a player’s career. And, winning a World Series Championship ring is really special.

The thing to remember, George interjected, is that no matter how exciting the game gets, you need to try staying calm. He smiled as he turned to look around at all the players. That’s sometimes easier to say than do. Staying calm will help you think more clearly and you’ll play a better game. Every player always needs to know where he has to throw the ball if it’s hit to him. And, he needs to have the answer before the ball is hit.

I can’t thank you enough for spending some time with our team, Toby said as the three couples sat at a corner table at a steakhouse enjoying supper together. The visitors would be leaving for Phoenix in the morning. They were very impressed getting personal training time with a Hall of Fame pitcher, the greatest baseball player of all time and one of the stars of the college program from before we were changed into a university. Several of them complained they hadn’t gotten to see any of you play.

We were pretty impressed with the job you’re doing here, Toby, Willie said. I hope you have a lot of success this year.

Being here and seeing you and Mona was our pleasure, George said. We haven’t been able to spend as much time with you and Mona as we would like. Willie and I enjoyed working with your team and we were not surprised to overhear some players and coaches saying they remembered you telling them everything we talked about. It’s good to know Uncle Joe’s tips are being used by the young players.

Marcy, Mona and I had a great time, too, Sharon said. I don’t think we’ve had a chance to gab that much since we were in Mrs. Blount’s homeroom in high school.

In the morning the travelers left the capital early. They were allowing themselves two nights on the road before they got to phoenix.

OH, I JUST LOVE THIS WEATHER, Marcy exclaimed as she got out of the car at the motel. She looked up. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the tops of the palm trees were just barely moving in the light breeze. They were in the same motel suite where she and George had stayed last spring. She arranged for Willie and Sharon to have the suite next to theirs.

We have time for a little sunbathing by the pool before supper, Sharon said. I know the suntan I had last summer completely disappeared during the cold winter.

So did mine, Marcy said. I’ll meet you at the pool in 10 minutes.

That pool does look inviting, George said. He turned to Willie and said. I think I’ll join the ladies.

I will, too, Willie replied, "but first I need to call Arnold. I told him I would call as soon as we got in. It won’t be a long call so I’ll join you in a few minutes. When he came out from the room George was in the pool and their wives were lying back on chaise lounges.

Willie moved to the deep end of the pool, jumped in and swam to the shallow end. Well, he said to George and their wives, Arnold said he and Edith would welcome us at 6:30 at his favorite Phoenix steakhouse. His treat.

Wow! That sounds great, George responded. I’m always ready for a good steak and that place always has good steaks. He swam across the pool, stood up in the chest-deep water and asked, Did he say how well they did in their first week of games?

Yes, they are 5-2, Willie answered. Bo got one of the victories before he and Irma got married. A shutout. He missed one rotation and Roger changed the order so Bo is pitching tomorrow. Arnold said their two losses were because of fielding errors.

That sounds like normal spring training issues.

Yeah. Arnold said they started five rookies in each of the games, pushing them hard to see how well they might fit in with the team. He said he would have to make quite a few cuts over the next couple of weeks. Willie paused for a few moments. I know Roger hates to part with anyone he thinks has any big league talent so the cuts will be difficult for him to make. Arnold said most of the regulars have played in only a few of the games and then for only half the game.

I suspect Roger will use more of the regulars starting this week, George commented. They get a little rusty, too, during the off season and for some of them three weeks of training is barely enough.

The only baseball player I’ve ever heard of who didn’t get rusty, my friend, is you, Willie told George. I know the winter was too cold and snowy for you and Roy to go out and beat on that old crib mattress. You probably haven’t pitched a ball since the World Series but I would bet you could pitch a full game tomorrow, not get tired and not give up a hit.

I’m not so sure about that, George laughed. "I do know that I’m not going to try. My playing days are over. From now on I’m just a spectator