Curveball A Benny Love Story

The Omen

After the so-called celebration, we all agreed that the boys should not try anymore chewing tobacco & just stick to Bazooka. We all walked back to the Sandlot after leaving Vincent's, & we just assumed that today would be a normal day.

Benny walked up to bat once again, & I admired him in the sunlight as he was focused. Kenny threw the pitch & Benny hit it making the ball's covering explode making Scotty catch the string from the ball.

We all ran toward the covering & saw it busted all over. "Bitchin!" Kenny said. I nodded in agreement, speechless about what I had just saw. "Nah, it ain't." Benny argued back. "Come on Benny, maybe a few guys in history ever busted the guts out of a ball. Must be a omen." Squints said trying to encourage him.

"Yeah, you never know. Maybe, The Great Bambino himself busted the guts out of a ball babe." I said while rubbing his shoulder. "Yeah, but still. I mean, it's only 12:00 & I just ruined the whole day for us!" Benny complained. 

Everyone was bored but, Scotty told everyone that he had a ball so, everyone except for Benny & me told him to go get it. Scotty ran all the way home to go get it & came back yelling how he got the ball. "Bitchin, your ball, your ups. Here you go." Benny said happily. I smiled at Scotty & hugged him wishing him good luck.

Scotty got up to bat & Ham started teasing him like he does almost everyone. Then, after Kenny threw the second pitch. Scotty hit it & it went past the fence. I ran to Scotty hugging him & the boys came over to congraulate him. But he just walked past without saying a word, it was like he was frozen. "Smalls, you forgot to turn. You go to 3rd base. Smalls! The hell's he doing?" Ham said nearly irritated.

Scotty stood there smack dab looking at Mr. Myrtle's fence. Then, turned around talking about we need to get the ball back. I hugged Scotty as he started freaking out about how his stepdad was gonna kill him if he doesn't get the ball back. "Listen to me Smalls, This is a matter of life & death, where did your old man get that ball?" Squints asked.

"I don't know, some lady gave it to him." "Some lady?" The boys questioned. "What are you talking about, Scotty?" I asked. "Yeah, she even signed her name on it. Some lady named Ruth, Baby Ruth." Scotty explained about the ball. "BABE RUTH!!!!" We all yelled out & ran to the fence to see where the ball was.

I looked all over & I saw the ball. Then, I wished I didn't see what I also saw. I saw a giant paw grabbing the ball & I saw The Beast for the first time. The gang & I screamed & the boys told Scotty on how he was dead for bringing a Babe Ruth signed ball & playing with it. "Yeah. Yeah, you keep telling me that. Who is she?!" Benny & I looked down & sighed while the boys got mad.

 "WHAT, WHAT?!" Ham said. "The Sultan of Swat." Kenny said. "The King Of Crash." Bertram said. "The Colussus of Clout." Timmy said. "The Colussus of Clout." Tommy repeated. "BABE RUTH!" They all said.

"THE GREAT BAMBINO!" Ham finally finished. "Oh my god, you mean that's the same guy?" Scotty said finally connecting the pieces. We all said yes, & I finally spoke up. "Scotty, Babe Ruth is the best baseball player that ever lived. I mean, some people say he was less than a God. But more than a man, you know like Hercules or something." "That ball you just aced to The Beast is worth, well more than your whole life, man." Benny finished.

I nudged his side & Benny winced at the jab. Scotty fell on his knees & we all fanned him down. Benny then came up with a plan to get a fake ball for a few days, so his mom couldn't tell. Then we all agreed to head back to the treehouse for the next day to figure out what the hell we were going to do to get the ball back. And I knew, it would take anything.