In the dugout, Henry finished tying his cleats, heart racing under his jersey.

Practice was about to start and the team was in for a big surprise.

Grabbing his glove from the bench, Henry joined the other players who were starting to gather around Coach Taylor outside the dugout.

Henry gave Dale a discreet nod. Earlier, he had confided in him about Big Willy trying out for the Pioneers. Henry wasn't too sure how Dale would feel about having another colored player on the team. But his concern was lifted by Dale's response. "If he can help the Pioneers win, he's alright in my book."

"Afternoon, boys!" Coach Taylor said. "You all hang onto your ball caps. We've got quite a practice planned for you today."

"We?" Jake said with a quizzical look.

Coach pointed over to the stands. Frank Bell was sitting in the bleachers, sporting a charcoal gray suit and a fedora hat. He gave a wry smile and waved a scorecard at the players.

"Mr. Bell is here to watch today's practice, and he's planned a few surprises for you."

A few surprises?

Henry felt a pang of concern. What other surprises did Mr. Bell conjure up? And what if they spoiled Big Willy's chance to make the team? A flurry of possibilities swirled in his head. None of them seemed any good.

Coach Taylor swept a hand toward the dugout. "Surprise number one! We have a new player trying out for the team today."

A grin broke out across Henry's face as Big Willy emerged from the dugout into the bright afternoon sun. He couldn't wait for the other player's reactions.

"Bloody Hell," Rusty Ryan said.

Jake's face contorted. "Coach, is this a joke? Why do we need another one of them on our team?"

From the crimp above Coach Taylor's bulbous nose, Henry knew he'd heard what Jake had said, but he didn't acknowledge it.

Big Willy trotted over to the group and settled behind Henry. He cast an innocent look at Sam Porter, the right fielder. Sam's eyes grew wide, and he shifted over. Willy squeezed into the circle, and dipped his chin in appreciation.

"Whoa!" Dale said, looking up at Willy, and then at Coach. "You sure he's a baseball player?"

Coach ignored that too and continued. "Surprise number two! We're going to have an actual game today. Mr. Bell made arrangements with a local team to play us. This team is ranked number one in their league. They've taken time out of their busy schedule to be here. You boys will need to be at the top of your game to have any chance of keeping up with them. They are our guests, and I'm expecting you all to treat them that way."

Players began to emerge from the visitor dugout.

Henry blinked his eyes in disbelief. The Pioneers were going to play the Lawrenceville Panthers ... the black Lawrenceville Panthers.

There was a rustling amongst the Pioneers, whispers of concern. Henry supposed the players felt uncomfortable playing an all-black team ... and an unfamiliar team, no less.

But not unfamiliar to Henry!

Excitement stirred in Henry's thoughts. As a Rook, he'd played the Panthers at least a dozen times. He had memorized the opposing players' tendencies, including those of Bobby Eaton, who had just stepped onto the pitcher's mound to warm up.

Three Panthers took up positions on the bases as the rest hustled to the outfield. Then they started hurling balls around like stones from slings, and Henry realized one thing: The Panthers meant business.

Even Coach Taylor looked on, impressed. Finally, he said. "And surprise number three! Mr. Bell has hired the local umpires to call this game. Like the Panthers, these officials are here as our guests. You will accept their decisions on the field. Any questions?"

From a door in the right outfield wall, three umpires in dark suits stepped through followed by a fourth man: The home plate umpire with a handle-bar mustache and a stern glare.

The umpire from the exhibition game. Henry felt the man's eyes cutting into him, and Henry averted his gaze.

"So why do we have to play a colored team?" Jake asked.

Coach Taylor's expression changed, a mixture of frustration and sadness. "Because when Mr. Bell approached the other white teams, none of them wanted to play us."

"Hah," Jake scoffed. "You hear that, men. They don't want to play us, because we got a blackie on the team."

Henry lowered his eyes, ashamed. Again, his presence was impacting the team in a negative way. Other teams were disrespecting the Pioneers because of him. It just couldn't get any worse than this.

Coach stepped forward, arm's length from Jake, and said. "No, that's not the reason. They don't want to play us, because they don't want to be seen on the same field with a team as bad as we are. They won't play us unless they're forced to in a sanctioned game."

Jake didn't say a word. All the players remained silent.

"Warm up!" Coach said. Then he turned and headed for the visitor dugout.

The Pioneers started to stretch. Some of the players gawked at Willy. The big guy was swinging a bat, and it looked like a broomstick in his massive hands.

Henry watched as Jake and Dale studied the Panthers pitcher. Bobby had begun firing pitches at the catcher, and they looked like rockets. Bobby looked over at Henry and the two men exchanged respectful nods.

Henry felt a lightning bolt of an idea forming in his thoughts. His knowledge of Bobby and the Panthers was an advantage they had to use. He stepped into the space between Jake and Dale. "Hey, guys. The Panthers are a strong team, but they have a few weaknesses we can exploit."

Jake looked skeptical. "And what makes you the expert?"

Henry leveled his eyes at the Cowboy. "Because I've played them before. Willy too. The Panthers beat up on every other team in our old league. But against the Rooks, we never lost to them."

"Are you funning us?" Marshall's raspy voice came from behind.

When Henry turned around, the entire team had all turned their attention to him. And except for a few players who wore suspicious frowns, they looked like they wanted to hear more.

"Those boys hit hard when they connect, but they lack discipline at the plate. So let's make sure we pitch to the corners of the strike zone. Also, Bobby Eaton, the pitcher, he mixes in a lot of off-speed stuff. So look out for tricky pitches."

As Henry continued talking, Big Willy and the other players gathered around him.

"And bunting!" Willy added. "The Panthers love to bunt."

Henry nodded. "Willy's right. They'll try to catch us off guard. Just be ready for it."

The players nodded, their expressions stoic. Henry felt a swell of pride mixed with surprise. The players were actually listening to him.

After both teams finished warming up, the home umpire shouted, "Play ball!"

In the first inning, Jake threw fire across the plate like he didn't care if his arm fell off. He struck out the Panther batters in order.

It was in the second inning that Bobby Eaton smashed a homer with two runners on base. Henry sighed, the score – three to zero. Damn!

Coach didn't put Big Willy in the game until the third inning. He played him at first base.

Darby, the Panthers center fielder, smacked a line drive to Marshall, the Pioneers second baseman. Marshall whipped the ball to Willy. Running to first, Darby – a tank of a fella in his own right – rammed a hefty shoulder into Willy. An attempt to jar the ball loose. But Willy barely flinched. Darby fell backwards and landed on his butt, grabbing his shoulder and writhing in pain.

In the dugout, the players hooted their excitement at Big Willy.

Even Rusty Ryan said. "Maybe a couple colored boys on the team ain't such a bad idea."

Jake rolled his eyes at that, and Henry had to fight to keep the smile from bursting onto his lips.

As the game continued, the Pioneers clawed their way back. Henry banged in two runs in the fifth. Jake smashed a homer in the sixth. And Willy knocked in a run in the seventh.

The Pioneers were finally ahead with a score of three to four.

In the stands, school kids with books and lunch pails had started to trickle in. Some of the boys wore dark blue uniforms, but most of them wore blue jeans and buttoned shirts. Soon, an entire section of the stands was filled with rowdy youths, cheering for their Pioneers ... as if color didn't matter. And maybe it didn't. And if it didn't matter to them, why should it matter to anyone else?

Henry turned his attention back to the game.

And Jake continued to pitch, Henry had to admit, he was doing a pretty decent job.

In the ninth inning, Coach called on Big Willy to play catcher. Henry grinned. Willy looked like a brick wall, kneeling behind home plate.

Jake struck out the first two batters. Bobby Eaton was up at bat. Jake blazed two fastballs past Bobby. One more strike, and the Pioneers would win.

Henry just hoped the home umpire would make a fair call. He'd already made several questionable decisions during the game. Henry wasn't sure why either. Sure, there were two black players on the Pioneers, but they were playing against an entire team of blacks! Henry wondered if Mr. Bell hadn't asked the umpire to call in favor of the Panthers, just to see how the Pioneers would handle another game of lousy calls.

After the windup, Jake unleashed the final pitch, and it hit Willy's catcher's mitt with a resounding thud. The umpire stepped forward, and Henry worried he was going to call it a ball.

Big Willy shot to his feet, towering over the umpire by at least a foot and a half.

A tentative expression crossed over the umpire's face. "Uh ... that's ah ... strike three!" he called out.

Henry's heart leaped. We won!

The Pioneers cheered in jubilation, scrambling out of the dugout like children on a playground.

Moments later, Henry found himself surrounded by his fellow teammates. And they were hollering and carrying on.

"Way to go, Henry!"

"Maybe having you on the team isn't so bad."

"I don't care if that was just a practice game. That's our first win!"

Henry found himself grinning as the white players clapped him on the back and shook his hand. It might have been a practice game, but the win felt as good any he'd experienced.

Several beats passed, and Henry noticed Mr. Bell walking over, a seriousness on his face he'd never seen before.

Oh no!

He came up to the group and approached Willy with an outstretched hand and a smile.

"Congratulations, Willy. Welcome to the Pioneers!"

Author's Note

This chapter represents the start of the turning point we've seen in movies when things finally begin to come together for the hero. And of course, it won't last.

Anyway, coming up next: The montage scene! (one of my favorites)

I'm keeping it short again, so I can finish up the next chapter, and work through many of the remaining chapters. I'm looking to do a serious push of chapters in November and December. *fingers crossed*

Take care!

Tom