The Base Stealers Club

By Vivian Zabel

When a thief begins to clean out locker rooms, not of trash but of money, while players are on the baseball diamond, members of the Jonesville Chargers decide to try to solve a mystery as they play toward a championship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: 4RV Publishing
• Release date: Jun 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781940310039

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Jonesville Chargers packed the locker room with players, managers, coaches, and bat-boys. Excitement about tonight being the first game of the season filled the air. The team practiced four nights a week for the past two months and now would discover how much they had improved. Of the fifteen boys on the team, fourteen had been on the same teams since they played tee-ball. Eleven of the boys went to school together from kindergarten, but all the friends worked together to make a good team.

Hey, Chevis! Ryan Scott, the first baseman, called as he brushed his dark blond hair from his face. Is your arm ready to pitch strikes?

I think so, Chevis Heaton answered as he sat on a bench to change his shoes. I hope I do as well today as I did at practice last night.

Come on, guys, get ready, Coach Randy Louis told them. The team called the big man Coach Randy, but his students at the college a few miles away called him Professor Louis. The coach turned to leave the room, ducking his head as he went through the door.

Quickly, the boys changed from their regular clothes into their uniforms. Each boy dressed in dark blue shirts with white letters and numbers, in baseball pants, some games white and sometimes black, as well as socks, rubber cleats, and a blue cap with a black bill. After they dressed, the boys shoved their regular clothes and shoes in lockers lined up against one wall. Then grabbing gloves, personal bats, and balls, the team ran from the locker room to the field. The equipment managers followed carrying the canvas bags full of team bats, balls, helmets, and other equipment.

The Chargers had just started warming up when the visiting team, the Carson Jaguars, ran from the door of the visitors’ locker room. Soon, after both teams had finished playing catch, the Jaguars’ coach took infield practice with his team, hitting the ball to different sections of the field, hopefully to be caught by a player. The player then threw it to the base designated by the coach. For example, the coach might hit the ball to the right fielder and tell him to throw the ball to first base. A few minutes later, Coach Randy worked his players through their infield drill.

When Chevis threw his next-to-last practice pitch, the catcher yelled, Balls in. Coming down! Dillan then threw the ball back to Chevis, who threw his last practice pitch. Dillan grabbed the ball from the mitt and zinged it to second base, where the short stop, backed up by the second baseman, caught it and made an imaginary tag.

The first batter for the Jaguars came to the plate. The umpire called Chevis’ first pitch a strike.

That’s the way, Chevis! Roger Ross yelled from left field.

Chevis looked toward the dugout and Coach Bryce, the pitching coach, who shrugged - the sign for do the same.

Strike two! the umpire called.

The batter moved back from home plate to watch for the sign from his coach. He nodded twice and stepped back in the batter’s box. Chevis pitched the ball, zinging it across the plate into Dillan Black’s mitt.

Strike three, you’re out! The umpire stood up and walked around a few steps as the batter dragged his bat through the grass back to the visitors’ dugout.

By the end of the inning, Chevis walked one batter and struck out three, leaving the one lonely runner stranded on first base. As he entered the dugout, some of his teammates slapped the stocky pitcher on the back, and others called their congratulations.

Good job, Chevis. As he left the dugout to go to the third base coach’s box, Coach Randy’s fist met Chevis’ fist.

The pitcher for the Jaguars threw nearly as well as Chevis. The fifth batter in the Charger lineup, third baseman Colby Bryce came to bat. Two of the players before him had struck out, one had hit a single, and one stood on first base after being hit by a pitch. Colby stood in the batter’s box, his heart wildly beating. Crouching over the plate, he didn’t give the pitcher much of a target.

Ball one! the umpire yelled.

Stepping back from the plate, Colby took a deep breath and tried to remember all Coach Randy taught him about hitting the ball. Giving a quick nod of his head, he stepped back in the box. The ball came whizzing toward him. He swung, causing the bat to meet the ball at the front of the plate.

Whack! The ball flew just above the pitcher’s head, heading toward center field. Everyone on base and Colby ran as fast as he could. The runner from second scored as the ball skimmed over the fence into the field beyond. The runner from first crossed home just a couple of steps in front of Colby, who was one of the fastest runners in the league. Home run! Team members lined up to slap Colby on the back and give him high fives. The score board read Jaguars 0, Chargers 3.

During the rest of the five-inning game, the Jaguars scored only two runs while the Chargers added four more runs. The team ran into the locker room after the game even more excited than they had been before the game started.

As the boys dressed in their regular clothes and gathered their gear to take home, they became quieter and quieter. One after another, they started looking around the room with frowns and puzzled expressions.

Finally, Larry Zuck asked Mr. Collins, one of the assistant coaches, May I talk with you?

Sure, Larry. Coach Collins, who owned the local newspaper, crossed the room to sit beside Larry on a bench. What’s the problem?

All of my money’s gone. Larry showed the coach the empty wallet that had been in his jeans’ pocket.

I see. How much did you have? the man asked.

Three dollars. It was my money for eating after the game. Larry bit his lip. He didn’t want to make the rest of the team think he would cry, and most of the boys had gathered around Mr. Collins and him.

My money’s gone, too, Josh Robins said. I only had some change, about a dollar and a half, but every penny is gone.

One by one each boy who brought money with him gave the same story: All the money had disappeared. Coach Randy asked Coach Collins, Coach Scott, and Coach Bryce to join him at one side of the room.

You guys just sit tight. Let us talk this over, and then I’ll visit with you. A few minutes later, he returned to face the group of solemn youngsters. Okay, how many of you had money that was stolen?

Thirteen of the fifteen boys raised their hands.

Okay, here’s what I want you to do: Give Coach Collins your name and the amount that’s missing. I’m going to talk to the concession stand people, and, if your money is gone, you’ll be able to charge a hotdog or hamburger, some chips, a pop, and a candy bar. You won’t have to repay the amount unless we find your money. Okay?

The boys smiled and nodded. The ones who lost money lined up by Coach Collins while Coach Randy asked the equipment managers to bag up all the equipment and take it to his pickup.

Just pile it in the back, he told them as he left the locker room to talk to the people in the concession stand. After leaving the stand, he walked over to the town policeman who patrolled each game. He explained about the theft to the officer. What should we do? the coach asked.

Officer White shook his head. I never thought that something like that would happen at one of our games. I don’t know what we can do about the robbery since no one was watching, but I’ll ask around anyway. You know, we might want to have someone sit by the doors to the locker rooms to keep unauthorized people out.

I’ll ask some of our parents and see if someone would be willing to do that. Coach Randy blew out a breath. I have a hard time believing any of my boys could do something like this. I’ll talk to them, seriously talk to them, about taking someone else’s belongings. The coach shrugged. But I don’t think the thief was one of the Chargers.

After everyone had something to eat and drink, the Chargers’ coaches always met with the team behind the locker rooms. That evening, Coach Randy explained that they as a team needed to be very careful about taking anything not theirs.

"I trust each and every one of you, and I will continue to trust you until someone proves to me that you are dishonest, and I mean prove. I don’t know who took the money today, but I hope if one of you did, that you will return it. He looked each boy in the eye. We need to watch who hangs around the locker rooms. Talk to your family and friends, ask them if they saw anyone around the locker room who shouldn’t have been there. He took off his cap and wiped his forehead before placing the cap back on his dark hair. Now, we’ll have practice tomorrow right after school. You did a great job tonight, and I’m very proud of you."

The boys lined up for the high fives the coaches always shared with them after every game; then they left to join their families waiting in a vehicle or in the stands ready to watch the next game.

Coach Randy watched them walk away, and shook his head, hoping that none of them had stolen the money.

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Chapter 2

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