Grapefruit league. Greyhound bus. Solo. Pocket cash. Omaha. Iowa, Illinois. Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia. Florida. 40 hours.

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Spring training. Walk on. Bush-leaguer. Bush. Busher. Rookie. Rook. Greenhorn, Teenager. Water boy. High School. High Schooler. Teeny bopper. Crewcut. Crewcut boy. Towhead. Country boy. Cornhusker. Baby face.

 

Lefty. Catch. Pepper game. Shag flies. Grounders. BP. Work. Work. Work. Yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, sir. Don’t know, sir. Yes, sir.

 

Florida sun. Snowbirds. That kid. There’s that kid.

 

Cheerful kid. Patient kid. Compact swing. Good eye. Sweet swing.

 

Prospect. Shortstop. Sure footed. Good range. Handy glove. Strong arm. Hard worker. Fundamentals. Contact hitter. Good eye. Waits. Sits on pitch. Goes deep. Downtown. 5 for 5. Hits for cycle. Crowd roots for that kid.

 

Training table. Steak dinners. Baked potatos. Dinner rolls. Butter patties. Soft serve ice cream. Sugar cone. Back for seconds.

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Letters to girl. FaceTime with mom. Early to bed.

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Makes cut! Travels north. Opening day. Extra innings. Bottom of 12th. Runner on 2nd. Pinch hits. Double. Off the wall!

 

That’s a winner!

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Utility man. Versatile. Pinch run. Unselfish. Sacrifice bunt. Pinch hitter. Punch hitter. Contact hitter. Advance the runner.

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On the road. Top of 9th. Runners on second and third. First pitch. Three run homer. Holy cow! 

 

June. Starting bid! Clutch plays. Clutch throws. Clutch hits. Clutch. Clutch. Clutch.

 

July. Player of the month. Phenom!

 

August. 10 game hitless streak.

 

September. Slump ends. Sees ball.

 

Pennant race. Magic number: 1. 9th inning. Tied up. Runner on Third. Two outs. Crowd on feet. Draws walk. Leads off base. Rookie mistake. Picked off. Dives back. Charmed life. Evades tag. Called safe. Ball gets away. E3. Runner scores.

 

Game over! Bedlam. Mobbed. Champagne.

 

World Series!

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Kid goes 1 for 18. Team swept. 0-4.

 

Season over. Still. Miracle team. Runner up, rookie of the year.

 

Hot stove. Back home. Nebraska. Works out. Splits firewood. Over does it. Sore shoulder. PT. Acupuncture. Rest. More PT. Still sore. Surgery. Doesn’t take. Can’t throw. Can’t hit. Can’t shake it.

 

Cut loose.

 

Career over.

 

Returns home. Marries girl. Takes job. Feed store. Assistant Manager. Yes, sir. No, sir. Family man. Daughters. Assistant coach. High school. Girls’ softball.

 

Retirement. Grandchildren. Cheerful man.

 

Old timers' day. Hey Pops. Hey Ballplayer. Big Leaguer.  

 

That kid. Remember him?