It was far before the match between the Ponderosa Cowboys and the Snobs. Coach Adam Cartwright was there already with his son Mitch. Both belonged to the Ponderosa Cowboys.
“Kid, I have the strange feeling that this will become no normal match”, Adam said looking across the field.
“Of course it won’t be a normal match. I am playing along, aren’t I”, reacted the boy.
Adam sighed and looked at his offspring.
“I just mean”, he said.
Mitch didn’t say anything but had laughing eyes though. They walked to the canteen to drink something.
“What is that for a team? I mean the Snobs”, said Mitch.
“That is a baseball team for children of very rich parents. They are also very stately”, answered Adam.
“That is more a field hockey team than a baseball team”, Mitch remarked.
“This is their 1st match and knowing you and Matt this will be their last one too”, said Adam.
Matt was Matthew Walker, the best friend of Mitch.
Mitch asked amazed, “Where do you take us for?”
His father answered, “You do know what I mean.”
Mitch nodded and finished his glass of cola.
The batting practice for the match went quiet for both teams.
It was obvious that the de Snobs never had been to a real baseball stadium. In the dug-out they sat neatly next to each other while the Ponderosa Cowboys just throughout the dug-out. Because the Snobs were the away playing team they were allowed to hit first. Mitch send the 1st 3 batters each with a strikeout back to the dug-out.
The 2nd baseman Jake said, “Coach, we didn’t even get the chance to get on that little cushion.”
His coach Martin Wallace answered, “You couldn’t get to the base because none of you 3 hit the ball away. I wonder if you know anything about baseball.”
“No, but we know how we must play field hockey”, said Jake.
“Well, I think that you now are getting a lesson in baseball”, answered Martin.
His team walked to the field and took their positions.
“Play ball”, called the head umpire.
Pitcher Patrick Jenkins threw the ball at such a bad way that 1st baseman Larry Willis hit a homerun. Right fielder Kenny Baker did that too.
“Mitch, cause some action. Hit at no ball which is a strike”, Adam whispered to his son.
The youngest Cartwright understood it. He grabbed his bat and walked with it to the home plate. Mitch got easily a walk and could go so to the 1st base. Then catcher Matthew Walker was at bat. The young Cartwright went to stand a bit from the base and waited for his chance.
The commentator said, “Matthew has 1 strikeout and 2 balls.”
At that moment Mitch grabbed the 1st base and took it with him while he ran to the 2nd base. He came there safely with a sliding.
“A stolen base for Mitch Cartwright”, they heard saying by the loudspeakers.
Mitch got up and pout the 1st base next to him. Adam saw what was going on and couldn’t stop laughing anymore. But the other players of the Ponderosa cowboys also couldn’t.
First baseman Greg Parker ran to his coach Martin Wallace and said, “The 1st base is gone. Cartwright has taken it with him so he may not do that!”
“It does count because in baseball you may steal a base”, said Martin.
A moment later Greg ran to Mitch and took off the base.
“The cushion must lie there”, Greg said angry.
“Do you know that when you are angry you are more uglier than your family at the zoo?”, Mitch asked quick-witted.
Greg looked at him non-understanding. He didn’t wait for an answer though and walked back to his field position with the base. Again Mitch saw a beautiful chance to cause commotion on the field, which he did. The boy grabbed the 2nd base and took this to the 3rd base.
“A stolen base by Mitch Cartwright. How weird. There are now 2 bases at the 3rd base. How can that be possible?”, asked the stadium speaker.
Hereby everyone noticed what Mitch had done and a big laughter filled the stadium.
“Where must those cushions lie?”, asked Derek Taylor who stood on the 3rd base.
Mitch looked around and answered then, “Oh eh, there in that den.”
He pointed at the dug-out of the opponent. Derek and Jake picked up the bases and carried them to the dug-out. Hereby Mitch could come home easily.
“A 3rd stolen base and a run for Mitch Cartwright where by the Ponderosa Cowboys have a lead with 3-0”, said the stadium speaker.
To make the disaster even worse Matthew hit the ball out of the stadium whereby the Snobs gave it up and left the stadium at once.
Their coach came to the head umpire David Jones and said, “This baseball team is cancelled. I was forced by Mrs Patricia Taylor to coach the children.”
Adam heard that and suggested, “We already had that idea. If you want you can help me with this team.”
“I accept. This was the most absurd and shortest but funniest baseball match I have ever seen”, said Martin.
The next day was an extend review of the match between the Ponderosa Cowboys and the Snobs in all local newspapers published.