Yet before a practice baseball game seagulls flew across the field. All players around the age of 13 years old were bothered by it.
Pitcher Mitch Cartwright asked his coach/father Adam Cartwright, “Isn’t there anything that can be done about those rotten seagulls?”
“I will talk to the other coach for a second”, said Adam.
He walked to the other team where coach Ed Baker was worried too about the presence of the seagulls.
“Adam Cartwright, you are coming to complain about those seagulls for sure?”, asked Ed.
“How did you guess so? I love animals but not during a baseball game. Whose idea was it to let those beasts here in?”, Adam wanted to know.
“The son of the manager of the field hockey stadium, Dick Wilson. That chap doesn’t interest not even for baseball so that he has let come the seagulls come here”, answered Ed.
Meanwhile Mitch and his friend Matthew Walker had come there too.
Mitch asked, “Is that Dick playing field hockey?”
“Yes, how did guess so?”, asked Ed.
“Just a lucky guess. Why don’t we play together against their team? The those swanks know what a real sport is”, answered the youngest Cartwright.
Adam and Ed looked at each other and called their teams together. They explained their plan and of course they agreed.
The 2 teams played together so that Adam and Ed saw what they had going for themselves. At a certain moment Mitch had to hit a ball. He hit the ball full on the bat and the ball flew exactly against a seagull. The animal fell down dead on the ground with the ball next to it. Dick Wilson had seen it too and ran angry to the young Cartwright.
“Animal pester!”, Dick screamed at Mitch.
“You took care of it that those rotten beasts ruin our field”, reacted Mitch.
Adam and Ed came to the arguing boys.
“We play a baseball game against your team and then a field hockey game against our team”, Adam said to keep the peace.
“No”, Dick said right away.
He walked away angry.
“How old is that chap?”, asked Ed.
“Thirteen but he behaves himself like he’s already grownup”, Adam answered who knew Dick and his parents.
“He is at our school as a pupil in the first year of secondary school ”, said Matthew.
“And you are in a class higher for sure?”, Ed asked carefully.
“We are already graduated pupils in the first year of secondary school”, answered Mitch.
Adam knew enough, took Ed aside and said warning, “If I may give you a very good advice: never go into a discussion with Mitch. Because you always lose. Believe me because I speak from experiences.”
“He is your son?”, asked Ed.
Adam nodded and confessed, “His little brother and sister are beginning to take over his nasty habits that is concerned.”
“I wish you and your wife a lot of strength with your children”, Ed said laughing.
“Thanks”, said Adam.
The children hit each seagull out of the stadium. When the game started the seagulls returned. The little ball players were bothered by it so much that the coaches decided to stop in consultation.
“What are you a bunch of wimps. Afraid for a few birds”, Dick laughed mean.
His friends laughed too. But then they noticed that the ball players didn’t react the swanks went away too.
Due to the unexpected seagull plague the baseball stadium got closed temporarily. The owner of the stadium, Ponderosa ranch owner Ben Cartwright, let put a roof on top of it.
The next day (Sunday).
To have fun anyway Mitch and Matthew went to the field hockey stadium. The boys knew a secret entrance from where they could see the game well. But what they saw didn’t even happened in their naughtiest dreams.
“Go away rotten seagull!”, scold Dick Wilson.
The field hockey player shouldn’t have said that because he got a smack from the wing of the seagull. The other field hockey players also got bothered by a flock of seagulls. Mitch and Matthew couldn’t stop laughing anymore.
Dick said angry, “That is the fault from those stupid ball players. We stop with it.”
Of course Mitch and Matthew made sure that got away unseen.
“What was a nice field hockey game”, Matthew said while they rode to the ranch.
Mitch gave as answer, “I stop with baseball and go play field hockey. And my father becomes my coach.”
“He already is that. You as a field hockey player. Don’t make me laugh”, reacted Matthew.
“I am afraid that my family is going to try to talk me out of it. But I’m going to say it anyway. If it was only to see how they react”, said Mitch.
Arrived at home Adam asked the boys, “Where have you been this afternoon?”
“At the stadium where you will find me from now each day. At the field hockey stadium. I quit with baseball and ice hockey and go play field hockey from now on. The HCVC plays hockey with seagulls”, answered Mitch.
At once it was deadly silent in the normal lousy living room.
“Mitch, I don’t want to say much but I seem to remember that you have a stadium ban for the field hockey. How would you like to play field hockey then?”, Ben asked looking at his oldest grandson.
Mitch made the pressure even longer until Adam said, “Mitch, give an answer!”
“What are you very gullible concerning me. Why would I give up baseball and ice hockey for that stupid field hockey? I have heard that the Hockey Club Virginia City is now bothered by a seagull plague”, said Mitch.
Everybody laughed.
Whatever the field hockey club tried their property remained the hangout of the seagulls. This to great pleasure of the Cartwrights and the baseball club the Ponderosa Cowboys.