A Pitch in Time

I hope I haven't kept you waiting. Yes, this is the crime club. I'm the librarian. A pitch in time. Yes, we have that story for you. You're here. Good. Take the easy chair by the window.

Comfortable? The manuscript is on this shelf. Here it is. A pitch in time. The very unusual story of a baseball game that was held up by foul play. Let's look at it under the reading lamp. Hank Harper was young and handsome and he trusted everyone and just why he became a policeman no one in Spencer Town could understand. And after

the initial surprise was over no one cared. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon just the right kind of a day for the annual baseball game between the police and the fireman. And rookie Hank Harper was on his way to the ballpark with the equipment for the police team.

It was one of his jobs to get it there. The other one was that of a pitcher. As Hank's jalopy dribble through town, the back seat loaded with baseball equipment and the front seat loaded with Hank and Mabel, his girlfriend, a small drama was taking place in the aforesaid front seat.

I would still like to know what makes you think you're a pitcher. Well, all the boys in the force think so. I've been practicing with the team for two months. That doesn't answer my question, Hank Harper.

Sergeant Keith said they got the best fast ball you ever seen. Huh, what does he know? He's the manager and the coach. Why, if you don't know about baseball and pitchers then... He doesn't know about pitchers.

Yeah, what about my curves and my control? What, sir? Inside and out. I know how to make them break, Mabel. There's no such thing like a curve in baseball, Hank. What? It's an optical illusion.