He continues, ‘From now on, I’m going to be hard on you – very hard. When you’re playing, you’ll get nothing but unconditional love from me. But when we’re practicing on our home field some of you are going to find out how loud I can yell. If you’re goofing off, you’re going to sit down. If I tell you to do something and you don’t do it, you’re going to sit down. Recess is over, guys – everybody out of the pool. This is where the hard work starts.’

A few nights later, Waterman hits a shot to right during fielding practice. It almost amputates Arthur Dorr’s nose on the way by.

Arthur has been busy making sure his fly is zipped. Or inspecting the laces of his Keds. Or some damn thing.

‘Arthur!’ Neil Waterman bellows, and Arthur flinches more at the sound of that voice than he did at the close passage of the baseball. ‘Get in here! On the bench! Now!’ ‘But…’ Arthur begins.

‘In here!’ Neil yells back. ‘You’re on the pine!’

Arthur trots sullenly in, head down, and J. J. Fiddler takes his place. A few nights later, Nick Trzaskos loses his chance to hit away when he fails to bunt two pitches in five tries or so. He sits on the bench by himself, cheeks flaming. Machias, the Aroostook County/Washington County winner, is next on the docket – a two-outof-three series, and the winner will be District 3 champion. The first game is to be played at the Bangor field, behind the Coke plant, the second at Bob Beal Field in Machias. The last game, if needed, will be played on neutral ground between the two towns. As Neil Waterman has promised, the coaching staff is all encouragement once the national anthem has been played and the first game starts.

‘That’s all right, no damage!’ Dave Mansfield cries as Arthur Dorr misjudges a long shot to right and the ball lands behind him. ‘Get an out, now! Belly play! Let’s just get an out!’ No one seems to know exactly what ‘belly play’ is, but since it seems to involve winning ball games, the boys are all for it.