gden. In both
places they "cleaned up" easily, and it was not until a few days later
when they reached the slope that they encountered opposition that made
them exert themselves to win.

At Bakersfield, with Jim in the box, the game went to eleven innings
before it was finally placed to the credit of the Giants by a score of
three to two. The 'Frisco team also put up a stiff fight for eight
innings, but were overwhelmed by a storm of hits which rained from Giant
bats in the ninth.

The game with Oakland was the last on the schedule before the teams left
for the Orient, and an enormous crowd was in attendance.

Joe was in the box for the All-American team. He was in fine form, and
held the home team down easily until the fifth inning, but the Oaklands
also, undaunted by the reputation of their adversaries, and under the
guidance of a manager who had formerly been a famous first baseman of the
Chicago team, were also out to win if possible, and with first-class
pitching and supported by errorless fielding, they held their redoubtable
opponents on even terms.

At the end of the fifth, neither team had scored, although the Giants had
threatened to do so on two separate occasions. A singular condition
developed in the sixth. It was the Giants' turn at bat and Curry had
reached first on a clean single to right. A neat sacrifice by Joe advanced
him to second. A minute later he stole third, sliding feet first into the
bag and narrowly escaping the ball in the third baseman's hand.

With only one out and Larry coming to the bat, the prospects for a run
were bright.

Larry let the first go by, but swung at the second, which was coming
straight to the plate. His savage lunge caught the ball on the underside,
and it went soaring through the air to a tremendous height.

Both the second and third baseman started for the ball. It looked as
though neither would be able to reach it, and Curry ran half-way down the
line between third and home, awaiting the result. If the ball were caught
he figured that he would easily have time to get back to third. If it were
dropped, he could make home and score.

The third baseman got under the descending ball, but it was coming from
such a height that it was difficult to judge. It slipped through his
fingers, but instead of falling to the ground, went plump into the pocket
of his baseball shirt.

He tugged desperately to get it out, at the same time running toward
Curry, who danced about