CASEY AT THE BAT.

Grey River Argus, 18 June 1927, Page 1 (Supplement)

CASEY AT THE BAT.

(By Joseph Quinlan Murphy.) It looked extremely rockey for the Mudville nine that day; The score stood four to six, with but an innings left to play. And so, when Cooney died at first, and Burrows did the same, A pallor wreathed the features of the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go, leaving there the rest, With that hope which springs eternal within the human breast; For they thought if only Casey could get a whack at that, They’d put up even money wi|h “Casey at the Bat. 11 but Flynn preceded Casey, and likewise so did Blake, And the former was a pudding, and the latter was fake; So on that striken multitude a deathlike silence sat, For there seemed but little chance of Casey’s getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single to the wonderment of all, And the much despised Blakey tore the cover off the ball, And when the dust had lifted and they saw what had occurred, There was Blakey safe on socond, and Flynn a-hugging third.

Thcfii from thp gladdened multitude went up a joyous yell, It bounded from the mountain-top and rattled in the dell, ft struck upon the hillside, and rebounded on the flat, For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat. he stepped into his places There v.as pride in Casey’s bearing. And when, responding to the cheers’ doubt * twa> ‘ ’ Ca»» y a; ;h< Bat!” Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed liis hand with dirt. Five thousand tongues applauded as he wiped them on his shirt, And while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, Definance glemed from Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air, And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there; Close by the sturdy batsman the bail unheeded sped— That ham’t my style, said Casey. Strike one, the umpire said.

From the bleachers black with people there rose a sullen roar, Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore; Kill him! Kill the umpire! shouted some one from the stand — And it's likely they’d have done it had not Casev raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone, He stilled the rising tumult, and he bade the game go on;. He signalled to the pitcher, and ago the spheroid flew, But Casey still ignored it. and the umpire said Strike two. Fraud, yelled the maddened thousands, and the echo answered Fraud. But one scornful look from Casey, and the audience was awed; They saw his face grow stern and cold; they saw his muscles

strain, And they knew that Casey would would not let that ball go oy again. The sneer is gone from Casey's lips; his teeth clinched with hate, He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate, And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go, And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.

Oh! somewhere in this favoured laud the sun is shining bright, The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere children shout, But there is no joy in Mudville--mighty Casey has Struck Out