The Home Run

Babe Ruth!?

Izzy's POV

A couple of days after the boys got over acting like big shots, they decided to stick to bubblegum.
We all ran to our spots on the field, watching and waiting. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Kenny pitched and Benny swung and hit. We all gasped at what we saw. We all ran right in between second and the pitchers' mound.
It was an Omen. We all looked down at the skin as Smalls held the guts of the ball.
"Oh, man," Bertram said.
"I don't believe it," I said.
"Bitchin'." Yeah- Yeah said.
"Nah, it ain't," Benny said.
"Come on, Benny, man. Maybe two or three guys in history ever busted the guts out of a ball." Squints said.
"Must be an Omen," Ham said. We all agreed, still in awe.
"All's it means is that we can't play no more. It's only 12:00, and I just ruined the whole day for us." Benny said, upset.
"No, you didn't. That's the most amazing thing I ever saw." Kenny said. We all agreed again.
"Anybody got any money?" Benny asked us. We said a collective no.
"Then it ain't okay, 'cause now we can't play no more," Benny said.
"Yeah, we can," Smalls said.
"What, you got 98 extra cents lying around, Smalls?" Benny asked, looking up at Smalls.
"No, but I got a ball," Smalls said
"Go get it!" we all said, looking up at him and pushing him.

*~*

"I got it, guys! I got it! I got the ball, guys! I got it. Right here, guys. I got the ball. I got it." Smalls yelled, "Here, Benny. I got it."
"Bitchin'. Your ball, your ups." Benny said, handing Smalls the bat, "Here you go."
"Okay," Smalls said.
"All right. Come on. Kenny, here." Benny tossed the ball to Kenny as he ran to his spot in the outfield next to me.
"Batter up!" Ham yelled.
"Hey, doll face," Benny said, winking at me.
"C'mon, Benny, pay attention to the game." I smiled, rolling my eyes.
"I can't make small talk with my girl?" he asked.
"Not while we're in the middle of a game," I said, smiling at him.
"All right," he said, smiling back at me.
We all yelled at Smalls in hopes to get him to strikeout. We watched him as Kenny pitched again and he hit it.
"Oh, my. Oh, man." Benny said, running to get the ball.
"Run!" Ham yelled.
"Yes!" Smalls yelled, happily.
"Way to go, school meat! I taught him everything." Ham said, proud. We all watched as the ball went over into The Beast's territory.
"Oh, man, that was great. That went clear over." Bertram said. Smalls slowed to a walk and didn't turn to third base. "Hey, uh, Smalls, third base is that way."
"Hey, Smalls. Smalls." Squints said.
"Go to third," I said as Smalls walked toward Benny and the fence.
Smalls mumbled something quietly as we all started walking up to him, confused.
"Yeah! Nice hit, Smalls." Benny said, "Nice hit. Yeah!"
"Oh, no," Smalls said as we all ran up to him. He was just in front of second.
"It's outta here! Who's got the big bat now?" Benny said, putting his hands on Smalls' shoulders.
"Smalls! Smalls! Smalls!" we all tried getting his attention.
"Smalls? You forgot to turn. You go to third base! Smalls..." Ham said.
"What the hell's he doing?" I asked. We all continued watching him walk toward the fence.
"Maybe the shock of his first homer was just too much for him," Bertram said. We all agreed and ran up to Smalls who was just looking at the fence.
       We all called out to him trying to get his attention. The Beast growled and Smalls didn't even budge.
       "We got to get that ball back," Smalls said, looking at us.
       "Oh, yeah, right. Good one, Smalls." Squints said.
       "Yeah, yeah, good one, Smalls." Yeah- Yeah said and we all laughed awkwardly.
       "Hey, forget about it, man. Let's get another ball." Benny said, turning around to walk away with the rest of us, except Smalls.
       "No, you don't understand!" Smalls said, hysterically.
       "Sure, we do. You feel bad 'cause you belted a homer. Now we can't play no more." Benny said, turning back around.
       "No, you don't understand! That wasn't my ball!" Smalls said. He sounded crazed. We all exchanged looks then looked at Smalls confused.
       "What do you mean, that wasn't your ball?" Squints asked, seriously.
       "It was my stepdad's. I stole it from his trophy room. It was a present or something. Somebody gave it to him. We gotta get it back. He's gonna kill me!" Smalls said, barely breathing.
       "Listen to me, Smalls. It's a matter of life and death. Where did your old man get that ball?" Squints asked, getting bugged.
       "What? I don't know. Some lady gave it to him. Why?" Smalls asked.
       "What? Some lady?" I asked. We all exchanged confused glances.
       "Yeah. She even signed her name on it." Smalls said as we all looked at each other confused. "Some lady named... Ruth, Baby Ruth."
       "Babe Ruth!?" we all shouted running past him and up to the fence. We all looked over quietly trying not to disturb The Beast. It was right in front of its doghouse. You could see his signature perfectly. Suddenly a giant paw came out and snatched the ball.
       "No!" we all screamed, getting off the fence.
       "The Beast got it," Kenny said.
       "You're dead as a doornail, Smalls," Timmy said.
       "You're dead as a doornail," Tommy repeated.
       "Smalls, you mean to tell me that you went home and swiped a ball that was signed by Babe Ruth, and you brought it here and actually played with it?" Timmy questioned.
       "And actually played with it?" Tommy repeated.
       "Yeah. Yeah, but I was gonna bring it back." Smalls said.
       "But it was signed by Babe Ruth!" Squints said.
       "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You keep telling me that. Who is she?" Smalls said.
       "What?" Ham asked, dumbfounded.
       "What!?" I questioned, my voice raising an octave.
       "The Sultan of Swat," Kenny said.
       "The King of Crash," Bertram stated.
       "The Colossus of Clout," Timmy said.
       "The Colossus of Clout," Tommy repeated.
       "Babe Ruth!" we all yelled.
       "The Great Bambino!" Ham said.
       "Oh, my God! You mean that's the same guy?" Smalls asked.
       "Yes!" we all yelled.
       "Smalls, Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player that ever lived!" I said.
"People say he was less than a god but more than a man. You know, like Hercules or somethin'. Smalls, that ball you just aced to The Beast is worth," he paused "more than your whole life."
       "I don't know about that," I whispered.
       "You know what I mean," Benny whispered back.
       "I don't feel so good," Smalls said, falling to his knees.
       "Uh-oh, fan him." Squints said as we all fanned him with our hats and gloves.
       "Give him air, give him air." Yeah- Yeah said.
       "We have to get that ball back," Smalls said.
       "All right, when does your old man get home from work?" Benny asked.
       "He's gone on business. Out of town. But he could be back anytime." Smalls said, standing up.
       "All right. Find out when. And, guys, spread out and look for bottles and cash 'em in. We need 98 cents. We gotta buy us a ball." Benny said and we all ran out of the Sandlot.

*~*

       "Come on. Open it up!" Yeah- Yeah said, "Hurry up, hurry up!"
       "Give me the ball," I said.
       "Why you?" Squints asked.
       "Oh, c'mon we all saw how that signature looked. I probably have the nicest handwriting." I said, taking the ball from Benny.
       "True." some of the boys said.
       "Give me something to write with," I said.
       "I got a pencil," Bertram said.
       "Give her a pen, not a pencil!" Benny said. We were all on edge.
       "Sorry," Bertram said.
       "I got a pen," Ham said, handing it to me.
       "Babe..." I said, quietly as all the boys chattered around me.
       "Baby Ruthie?" Smalls asked.
       "It says, 'Babe Ruth.'," I said, rolling eyes.
       "I don't know, Benny, man," Bertram said.
       "Yeah, yeah, boy, that looks pretty crappy." Yeah- Yeah said.
       "It doesn't matter what it looks like." I said, "His mom's never gonna know the difference."
       "This'll just buy us some time, you dorks," Benny said, taking the ball from me and giving it to Smalls.
       "Okay, come on," Small said and we all ran off.