OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - A Baseball House Divided (Re-Boot)

legendsport · 10-19-2009, 01:56 PM

Brooklyn, New York, September 26, 1863:

Mary Cummings was concerned about her son. Arthur had not been himself since the day, just over a month earlier, that his father William had been killed in the fires started by anti-war rioting in New York. Mary was herself still in mourning, but Art had descended into a deep gloom and her main concern was how to get her son to accept his father's death and move on.

"Arthur, I have a surprise for you," she said in a soothing tone as she down on the foot of her son's bed.

Art raised his eyes to his mother, but said nothing.

Mary took a deep, steadying breath. Her heart was breaking for her son, and she hoped this idea - which came from Arthur's friend Jake Ganley - might be the right medicine.

"The Excelsiors are playing a match today. I thought we should go," she said with a smile. "Your friend Jake will be there."

Art shook his head. "I don't much feel up to attending a base ball match, mother," he said.

"Now Arthur, your father would not want you pine away like this. It has been over a month and you are young - it is time to accept that he's gone and go on with your life."

A tear welled in Arthur's eye. He shrugged his shoulders: "OK, I will go. I'd like to see Jake, if nothing else."

Mary smiled. "Jake informed me that someone named Asa Braintree is pitching."

Art gave her a weak smile. "That's Brainard, mother." He rolled his eyes slightly.

Mary got up and congratulated herself - her ploy of mispronouncing the pitcher's name had worked perfectly.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1863:

"Come on, boys! Let's get these breastworks finished!"

The foreman could shout and cajole all he pleased, but Doug Allison was already working as quickly as he could.

The foreman continued to bellow: "Scouts saw Stuart's cavalry just five miles from here yesterday. Lee could attack at any time!"

Allison wiped his brow with his sleeve. Though the weather was turning chill as autumn settled in, building earth and wood breastworks kept a man warm.

"Doug, you ever imagine you'd be out here moving logs and filling in dirt?" asked the man next to him, a fellow named Tim Henderson.

Allison frowned. "Of course not. When I signed on as a bricklayer, I expected to be laying bricks for people's homes, not building ramparts to defend the city from attack."

Henderson grinned. "Aww hell, boy. You're what, seventeen? You got plenty of time to be laying bricks. How often do you get to be front and center for history in the making?"

"I'd just as soon miss any history that involves folks shooting at me, thank you very much," Allison said as he shoveled more dirt into a gap between logs.

10-19-2009, 01:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
legendsport Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Behind The Lens Posts: 2,155 Thanks: 2 Thanked 8x in 8 posts	Introduction, Part 4. Brooklyn, New York, September 26, 1863: Mary Cummings was concerned about her son. Arthur had not been himself since the day, just over a month earlier, that his father William had been killed in the fires started by anti-war rioting in New York. Mary was herself still in mourning, but Art had descended into a deep gloom and her main concern was how to get her son to accept his father's death and move on. "Arthur, I have a surprise for you," she said in a soothing tone as she down on the foot of her son's bed. Art raised his eyes to his mother, but said nothing. Mary took a deep, steadying breath. Her heart was breaking for her son, and she hoped this idea - which came from Arthur's friend Jake Ganley - might be the right medicine. "The Excelsiors are playing a match today. I thought we should go," she said with a smile. "Your friend Jake will be there." Art shook his head. "I don't much feel up to attending a base ball match, mother," he said. "Now Arthur, your father would not want you pine away like this. It has been over a month and you are young - it is time to accept that he's gone and go on with your life." A tear welled in Arthur's eye. He shrugged his shoulders: "OK, I will go. I'd like to see Jake, if nothing else." Mary smiled. "Jake informed me that someone named Asa Braintree is pitching." Art gave her a weak smile. "That's Brainard, mother." He rolled his eyes slightly. Mary got up and congratulated herself - her ploy of mispronouncing the pitcher's name had worked perfectly. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1863: "Come on, boys! Let's get these breastworks finished!" The foreman could shout and cajole all he pleased, but Doug Allison was already working as quickly as he could. The foreman continued to bellow: "Scouts saw Stuart's cavalry just five miles from here yesterday. Lee could attack at any time!" Allison wiped his brow with his sleeve. Though the weather was turning chill as autumn settled in, building earth and wood breastworks kept a man warm. "Doug, you ever imagine you'd be out here moving logs and filling in dirt?" asked the man next to him, a fellow named Tim Henderson. Allison frowned. "Of course not. When I signed on as a bricklayer, I expected to be laying bricks for people's homes, not building ramparts to defend the city from attack." Henderson grinned. "Aww hell, boy. You're what, seventeen? You got plenty of time to be laying bricks. How often do you get to be front and center for history in the making?" "I'd just as soon miss any history that involves folks shooting at me, thank you very much," Allison said as he shoveled more dirt into a gap between logs. __________________ The Baseball Chronicle - Swinging thru History! The Football Chronicle - Hitting Hard Historically (PFS - 1962) Alternate Universe Football (FOF - 1994)