The Homerun Mystery

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  “Hurry,” Henry told him. “We don’t want the Half Moons to lose.”

  Before he turned, Benny found what he was looking for on the picture wall. It was an old photograph of the Pikesville Grays. Next to it was a list of the players’ names. Benny checked the list, looking for Herman’s.… Herbert Smith — no, that wasn’t it.… There it was: Herman Wash-burn Soper. Benny hadn’t been looking for a middle name and almost missed it. An idea began to form in Benny’s head. But he didn’t have time to think it through. Henry was rushing toward the bleachers.

  In the stands, Henry handed the bat to Emily’s grandfather.

  Carl Soper hefted the bat. “Corked,” he said. “Where did you find it?”

  “In the clubhouse,” Benny responded.

  “I bet there’s two of these bats,” said Carl. “And I bet the Eagles are using the other one right now. You kids did good work. I think we should call a time-out.”

  The boys followed Carl down the stands and over to the umpire. He showed the bat to the umpire, who called loudly for a timeout.

  Jessie wondered what was going on. Henry, Benny, and Carl Soper stood with the umpire. They were all staring at a bat.

  Violet came over. “What is it?”

  Jessie shook her head. “I don’t know. But I think something is about to happen. Let’s find out.” She and Violet moved closer to the action.

  The umpire signaled to the coaches. When Coach Jenkins saw the bat Henry had found, his face turned bright red.

  “Get the other one!” Carl Soper demanded. “And don’t pretend you don’t have it.”

  Angry, Coach Jenkins snapped his fingers at the batboy. The boy brought over a bat and reluctantly handed it to the umpire.

  Henry could see the second bat had a lighter-colored circle on the end, the telltale plug. It, too, had been drilled and filled with cork.

  “You’ve been cheating all along!” Carl Soper accused Coach Jenkins. “You couldn’t beat us fairly, so you decided to cheat!”

  Coach Jenkins threw his hat to the ground. “Who needs this? I volunteered my summers for years, and for what?” He turned and left the infield.

  “The coach just quit,” said Violet. “In the middle of the game!”

  Carl Soper shook his head in disgust.

  “The teams can still play, can’t they?” asked Benny.

  Mike Percy tapped his wristwatch. “I’m afraid not. Not after today. The town council will vote at one o’clock. As soon as they do, nobody will be able to use the ballpark.”

  The Aldens stared at one another.

  They had run out of time!

  CHAPTER 8

  Game Over!

  “The Eagles forfeited the game by cheating, but it’s not the same as us really winning,” Emily said, dejected, “and it’s not going to change anyone’s mind about Home Run Herman or the ballpark.”

  “We’re really sorry,” Benny told her.

  “It’s not your fault,” said Emily. “At least you guys found how the Eagles were cheating.”

  “But not in time,” Henry said.

  Players were leaving the field, shoulders slumped. Danny Jenkins skulked off with his older brother.

  “Technically, we didn’t lose, because they cheated,” Mike Percy told Emily. “Too bad we can’t replay the entire season.”

  Jessie thought the coach seemed awfully cheerful, considering his team had lost the chance to win their last championship.

  “Maybe you kids can play soccer instead,” Mike said breezily. “I’ve heard a rumor the town might build a field out by the highway. Well, I’d better go. I’m meeting my wife for a quick bite before the council meeting. It’s at one.”

  Jessie’s heart thumped. How could they possibly save the ballpark by one o’clock? They had hardly started on that mystery.

  Carl Soper must have read her mind. “I’m going to miss this place,” he said, gazing around the outfield. “I’ve spent many Saturdays here, playing or coaching or watching games. It just won’t be the same.”

  “I know,” sighed Emily. “And I don’t believe anybody will build a new ballpark for us. They’re more interested in turning the factory into a mini-mall.”

  The Alden children, Carl Soper, and Emily wandered slowly around the foul line. Brandon joined them.

  “If only we had won,” said Brandon. “Then at least we’d have the trophy.”

  “Nobody won,” Emily commented. “So nobody gets the trophy.” Suddenly she turned to her grandfather. “The clubhouse will be torn down, too, won’t it? What will happen to all the old stuff inside, like our old trophies and the photographs?”

  Before Carl could answer, footsteps thudded behind them.

  Violet whirled to see Eric, the shy boy who had been hiding under the bleachers.

  “Eric!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? The game is over.”

  “I know,” he said. “I saw your brothers hand over that special bat to the umpire.”

  “You knew about the bats?” Henry asked.

  Eric nodded. “Not at first. But then I thought it was funny that Coach Jenkins always made us use a certain bat. We couldn’t pick our own.”

  “Could you tell it had been tampered with?” asked Carl.

  “This is my first year playing ball,” Eric replied. “I wasn’t sure there was anything wrong with the bat. Once I took another bat by mistake. I could tell it was heavier.”

  Jessie had a question. “Did you hit home runs?”

  “Yeah,” said Eric. “And I’m not very good. I finally figured it was the special bat making me hit better. So I quit the team.”

  “Is that what you wanted to tell me the other day?” Violet queried. “And yesterday when you were under the bleachers?”

  Eric looked embarrassed. “Sorry I ran off. I got nervous. Yeah, I did want to mention the bats. But there’s something else I think you should know. About the ballpark.”

  Now Emily was interested. “What about the ballpark?”

  Eric glanced around, then froze.

  The others looked in the same direction.

  Mike and Beverly Percy were crossing the infield. Beverly carried a large white paper sack. They sat down on the bottom bleacher in the grandstand and began taking wrapped sandwiches and drinks from the bag.

  “Strange to choose this place to have lunch,” said Henry. “Considering she wants to tear it down.”

  Eric became nervous. “Can we get out of here?”

  Jessie knew he was afraid of the Percys. “Sure. Let’s all get something to eat.”

  Carl Soper told them about a little eatery nearby called The Doghouse. “They serve the best chili dogs in town.”

  “Mmmmm,” said Benny. “Let’s hurry before they run out!”

  Emily laughed. “It’s a restaurant, Benny! They aren’t supposed to run out of food!”

  The Doghouse was small. But the food was cheap and good. Everyone got chili dogs, potato chips, and soft drinks to go.

  Then they went to the park along the river. Under the shade of an oak tree, the group claimed a wide picnic table and unpacked their lunches.

  Benny bit into his chili dog, loaded with meat, beans, cheese, onions, and mustard. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” he declared.

  “Until tonight at dinner,” Jessie teased. “Then you’ll say that is the best thing you’ve ever eaten.”

  Violet wanted to know what Eric had to say. “Can you talk now?” she asked him.

  Eric wiped mustard off his chin. “Yeah. Those guys aren’t around.”

  “You mean the Percys,” said Henry.

  Eric nodded. “After a game last week, I forgot my jersey. My mom said she needed to wash it, so I went back. I had left it in the clubhouse. Everybody had gone home except the coaches. When I walked up to the clubhouse, I heard them talking.”

  “What were they saying?” asked Benny.

  “Coach Percy was telling my coach, ‘You must find it!’” answered Eric.


  Jessie took a thoughtful sip of her soda. “Find what? What were they talking about?”

  “Some kind of paper,” Eric replied. “Coach Jenkins said he had been looking for it every night. In the factory.”

  Jessie looked at Henry. “The ghost that Danny told me about. It was his brother! Coach Jenkins was ‘haunting’ the old factory, looking for something.”

  “Except one night there were two ghosts,” Violet reminded her. “Mr. and Mrs. Percy. They were looking for something in the file room.”

  “I bet they were all looking for that paper,” Benny put in. Then he asked Eric, “But what does this have to do with the ballpark?”

  “When Mr. Percy and Coach Jenkins were in the clubhouse,” Eric went on, “I heard Coach Jenkins say, ‘You don’t need it. As long as no one else finds it, the ballpark will be torn down anyway.’”

  “That’s what he said?” Carl queried. “That the ballpark will be torn down anyway?”

  Brandon was bewildered. “How could they know that? The meeting isn’t until today.”

  “Good question,” stated Henry. “It sounds like that paper the Percys and Coach Jenkins were looking for is important.”

  “Do you know about any paper?” Emily asked her grandfather.

  Carl Soper shook his head regretfully. “I can’t think of anything that might save the ballpark.”

  “We’re missing a piece to the puzzle,” Jessie said, nervously chewing her thumbnail. “I bet it’s right under our noses.”

  Benny glanced up at her. But before he could speak, Danny Jenkins came running up to their picnic table.

  “Hey!” he greeted the Aldens. “I just saw your grandfather. He said to meet him at the old factory. That’s where the town council is meeting to vote.”

  Without waiting for a reply, Danny ran off.

  “That’s weird,” said Violet. “Wouldn’t the town council have their meeting in the town hall?”

  “They always have before,” said Carl Soper. “Maybe they want to look at the factory one last time before the vote.”

  “We’d better go,” Henry said, hastily picking up the trash from their lunch. “We don’t want to miss the vote.”

  Both Eric and Brandon said they had to go home and the rest of the group hurried back to the old hat factory. Carl Soper went up to the front doors and tried the handle.

  “It’s locked!” he declared. “Nobody is in this building.”

  “Danny led us here on purpose!” Jessie exclaimed. “He wanted us out of the way when the council voted!”

  Henry checked his watch. “We still have time to make it.”

  Everyone pelted down the steps and followed the cracked walkway around the factory. Jessie, who was in the lead, saw two people slip into the clubhouse.

  She held up a hand to silence the others. “The Percys just went into the clubhouse,” she informed them.

  Emily frowned. “I thought Mrs. Percy was at the town meeting.”

  “This looks very suspicious,” Henry said. “Maybe the game isn’t over yet!”

  “Let’s find out what those two are up to,” said Carl.

  Everyone rushed to the clubhouse.

  The door was open. Mrs. Percy’s voice floated out.

  “Well, it’s not here, either,” they heard her say. “Did you tell Jenkins we were coming back for one more look?”

  “No, but things look good,” came her husband’s voice. “Everything is going according to plan.”

  “I just wish we had found that letter,” said Mrs. Percy.

  Benny got so excited he forgot to keep his voice down. “I think I know where the letter is,” he cried.

  Just then Beverly Percy stepped out and saw them. She looked very angry.

  CHAPTER 9

  Mrs. Pettibone’s Letter

  “What are you people doing here?” demanded Mrs. Percy.

  “Anyone can come here,” Carl Soper returned.

  “We should be going,” Mike Percy said, clearly nervous. “The council meeting will be starting.”

  He and his wife started to leave.

  Benny tugged on Carl Soper’s sleeve. When the older man bent down, Benny whispered something in his ear.

  “Isn’t the meeting in the old factory?” Henry asked the Percys. “That’s what Danny Jenkins told us.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Mrs. Percy. “Why would the council meet in that run-down old place? Now, if you’ll excuse us —”

  “We think somebody ordered Danny to get us out of the way,” Jessie concluded. “So we won’t upset the vote.”

  Mrs. Percy snorted. “How ridiculous. You’re just children. You can’t vote!”

  “No, but these children can find out things,” said Carl. “Like Benny here.”

  Jessie was surprised. “Benny, what did you find?”

  “Nothing yet, but I think it’s in the factory, in Herman’s locker,” Benny said. “I’m not sure what it is, but I think it’s important.”

  “But I looked there!” Mrs. Percy blurted out. Mike Percy stiffened.

  “Please let the boy show us what he’s thinking of,” Carl Soper said to them.

  Reluctantly, the couple followed Benny and the others to the factory.

  Once inside, Benny walked straight to the break room where the old workers’ lockers lined the walls. He passed right by the locker labeled H.S. and looked at all the others carefully.

  “I bet this is it!” he cried in front of one of the lockers. “I bet what they are looking for is in here. See, H.W.S. — Herman Wash-burn Soper. He had a funny middle name, didn’t he?”

  Everyone was shocked.

  “Benny,” Jessie asked, “how did you know Herman’s middle name was Washburn?”

  “I saw it in the clubhouse. On the old team photograph. I started to get the idea about the initials and the lockers, but the idea sort of got stuck. When I heard the Percys talking in the clubhouse about some letter they were looking for, the idea just kind of got unstuck.”

  “It certainly did!” exclaimed Henry, and they all laughed, all except for the Percys.

  “I think we’d better see if anything’s in here,” Carl Soper said, and he opened the locker. He drew out an old newspaper, laid it carefully on the floor, and peered long and hard into the top shelf and the larger bottom part of the locker. He reached his hand in and ran it carefully up and down the sides. “That seems to be it,” he said.

  The Percys breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Wait,” said Carl. “I think I feel something. It seems to be stuck between the shelf and the back of the locker.” Slowly he drew his arm out. In his hand was a letter.

  Everyone gathered around.

  “Who’s it to?” Violet wanted to know.

  Carl squinted at the faded handwriting. “It’s addressed to Herman Soper! And it’s dated June 4, 1908! That was the year my uncle disappeared!” Carl Soper said. He turned the envelope over. “Why, it’s still sealed!”

  Carl’s hands shook as he opened the letter. He read the document silently for a while. “Listen: ‘Dear Mr. Soper,’ it says. ‘It has come to my attention that I have unknowingly been the cause of some injustice done to you and I am writing this letter to fix it. I took your name from the newspaper. Your address was not reported, but the Pikesville Hat Company was mentioned as your place of employment, so I am directing my letter to you there. Please feel free to forward my letter to your local newspaper so they may print the true story of your generosity. I will guarantee the truth of this letter in person should the paper so wish. But as I plan to leave next month on an extended trip …’ This is incredible! According to this, Herman didn’t throw the game!”

  “This is all very interesting, but we need to get to that meeting,” Beverly Percy said crisply.

  “Not so fast,” Carl told her.

  Jessie noticed both Percys had become jittery since Benny’s discovery. They acted like they knew something about this mysterious letter.

/>   Carl took a deep breath. “It was written by Mrs. Daisy Pettibone from Eddington, New York.”

  “Who is she?” asked Benny.

  “She’s the lady my uncle stopped to help on the way to the big game,” said Carl Soper, scanning the paper. “It confirms everything Home Run Herman said. He came upon a lady whose Model T was stuck in the mud.”

  “Model what?” asked Benny.

  “The Model T was an early Ford car,” answered Henry.

  “Automobiles were pretty new in those days,” Carl went on. “And roads weren’t very good. Mrs. Pettibone asked Herman to push her car out of the ditch. After he helped move her car, she noticed he was rubbing his shoulder. According to the letter, Mrs. Pettibone was in a terrible rush to get home to Eddington. She offered Herman twenty dollars to pay for his assistance. Herman refused. But she insisted and he stuck the bill in his pocket. When he hurried off to the game, he probably forgot about the money.”

  “Did Mrs. Pettibone go to the game?” asked Emily.

  Carl shook his head as he scanned the letter. “No, she got in her car and drove home to the party she was late for. It says here that she didn’t know what happened at the game until she got her local newspaper later that week.”

  “Boy, the news sure was slow in the olden days,” Benny commented.

  Henry smiled. “Only big cities had daily papers,” he said. “Small towns like Pikesville and Eddington had papers that came out once a week.”

  “It’s too bad,” Carl Soper remarked. “If Mrs. Pettibone had known sooner, my uncle wouldn’t have left town in disgrace.”

  “Why?” asked Violet.

  Carl Soper returned to the letter. “According to this, Mrs. Pettibone was very upset to learn he was accused of throwing the game because he had her twenty dollars in his pocket. She wrote to Herman so he could show the letter to the president of the ball club and the newspaper, and be cleared of any wrongdoing.

  “But I don’t think he ever received the letter,” Carl said sadly. “It was sealed. It was probably delivered after he left town in disgrace.”

  Mike Percy cleared his throat. “We’d like to hear about old baseball games, but we really have to get to that meeting.”