Read The Lucky Baseball Bat for Free Online Page A

apple!”
    Then he heard his daddy. “Come on, Marv! Drive it!”
    He felt his heart swell inside him. He seldom heard his daddy shout at the ball games.
    Suddenly the pitch came in. He stepped into it and lifted the bat.
    He swung.
Crack!
The bat met the ball and it sailed out between left and center fields! He dropped the bat and ran. He touched first, then second, then third—and he did not stop until he crossed home plate!
    A home run!
    “Hurray! Marv!” everybody roared.
    Rick caught him and shook his hand. “Thataboy, Marv! Thataboy!”
    “Nice going, Marv!” exclaimed Jim.

    “Guess we’ll be heading for the World Series game!”
    Marvin grinned. His heart beat so fast from running and from happiness he thought it would leap right out of his shirt.
    The Bears lost hope after Marvin’s long clout. They didn’t score any more runs. The Tigers won — 9 to 5.
    Jeannie ran to her brother right after the game and hugged him. Then came his daddy and mother. Then Barry Welton.
    “You’ll be a big leaguer one of these days, Marvin,” Barry smiled.
    Marvin returned the smile, then shook his head. “I can’t use this bat all my life,” he said, holding up the bat. “It’ll be too small when I grow up.”
    Another voice broke in, a soft voice Marvin had heard only once before. “Marvin, I have a confession to make. I hope you’ll forgive me if I tell you.”
    Marvin looked around. It was Mr. Ginty, Freckles’s father. Marvin was puzzled. “What do you mean, Mr. Ginty?” he said.
    Mr. Ginty smiled. “I made that bat, Marvin.”
    Marvin stared. His heart flew to his throat. “You — you mean it isn’t the one I used to have? The one that Barry gave me? The one I busted in two?”
    “No. It isn’t. I don’t think I could ever fix that other one up so that you could use it again. This is a brand-new bat. I made it myself — just for you.”
    Marvin swallowed hard. He put out his hand. Mr. Ginty took it. “Thanks, Mr. Ginty! Thanks — a lot!” Marvin cried.
    Then he turned to his daddy. He could barely see him through the tears that blurred his eyes. His daddy smiled back.
    “You see? It wasn’t the bat, was it, son?” he said.
    Marvin shook his head.
    It was himself, all right.