Charlie Brown Wins the Game by becksterbeck

Bottom of the 9th. Bases loaded. Charlie Brown's team trailed 3-2. He was up to bat.

As he walked to the plate, he started to sweat and his hands were shaking uncontrollably. Charlie Brown didn't have the best batting average and he knew that he needed to do something miraculous in order to help his team win the game. Peppermint Patty was the best pitcher in the league. Her curveball was as fast as Sandy Koufax and she already had 10 Ks during the game. Yes, she had given up the two-run homer by Lucy, but she was able to get out of plenty of jams. Peppermint Patty knew that Charlie Brown separated her team from winning the league championship. Her team was like the Yankees, the dominant team in the league. Charlie Brown's team was the scrappy Red Sox, the hated rivals, the surprise of the season. They were in the cellar before they managed to win the final 10 games and upset the St. Paul Pirates for the wild card spot. Now, here they were. The weakest hitter facing the strongest pitcher. Who would be the one celebrating and drinking the apple juice boxes at the bench?

Charlie Brown took a deep breath. He was worried. He wasn't sure if he was the best person for this moment. Why hadn't he asked Linus, the best clinch hitter on the team, to pinch hit? Right. Linus got injured while trying to make the double play in the 7th. Never mind.

After taking a deep breath, Charlie Brown stepped up to the plate with the sun shining in his face and his tan bat glistening back at Peppermint Patty. She got the signal from the catcher. Two fingers, a knuckleball. Before the game, Peppermint Patty watched tape of Charlie Brown's previous trips to the plate. The knuckleball was his worst pitch. She threw the ball.

"Ball one."

"Ball one? It was completely in the middle. Is the umpire blind?" thought Peppermint Patty.

She wanted to argue, but she knew that it wouldn't matter. Peppermint Patty had to keep her composure. This was the most important game of her life. If she let Charlie Brown hit the ball, it would ruin everything. She got the next signal. A curveball. Peppermint Patty threw the ball as hard as she could.

"Strike one."

Charlie Brown knew that was a strike. It was the perfect pitch. Not even Linus on a good day could hit such a pitch. He dug his feet into the dirt and got ready for the next pitch. "I know I'm going to strike out," he thought, "but I might as well try."

Peppermint Patty got the next signal. Another knuckleball. "This time, it's gonna be a strike," she boasted.

"BAM!"

All of a sudden, Charlie Brown swung the bat. He didn't know what happened. It was a reaction. He knew it was the knuckleball and he just wanted to get a piece of the ball. He thought it would just be a foul ball or, more likely, a grounder to end the game. But no! The ball kept going. It went higher and higher, above the shortstop. The center fielder ran as fast as he could, like a sprinter trying to win the 400 meter dash in the Olympics. Too late. The ball went over the fence. Grand slam! Charlie Brown couldn't believe it. He was the hero. He was always the goat, but now he finally got to experience success. He felt like Kirk Gibson at the 1988 World Series and couldn't believe what he had done. As he ran the bases, the team cheered him on and hugged him once he arrived at home plate. Charlie Brown was no longer the loser or the blockhead. This time ,he was the champ.