Ponderosa ranch owner Ben Cartwright had a sport organizer on visit for business. That was James Willis and he wanted to organize a tennis tournament in Virginia City. But he had a lack of money. James had heard that the oldest grandson of Ben, Mitch (13), was quite a talent on the area of sports. His sister was sports teacher at the secondary school which Mitch attended. But James kept this from Ben.
Ben said, “I know that my grandson loves baseball and ice hockey and is good at it too. But he has never played tennis. Knowing him Mitch will refuse that.”
“I have heard otherwise that he is good at that too”, said James.
“My grandchildren are getting raised so that they won’t be forced to do anything they don’t want to. We sponsor the tournament but if we discover or notice that something is fishy we stop at once with it”, answered Ben.
“I understand that, Mr Cartwright”, James said shocked.
They arranged everything and James went away. Though Ben didn’t trust it completely.
At school Mitch got to hear from his sport teacher Tina Willis, “Mitch, you represents your school at the tennis tournament. So you must win each game.”
“I can’t play tennis at all. So I’m not going to do it either!”, was the reaction of the young Cartwright.
“You are going to do that because nobody at school is so sportive as you are. Besides you are a natural. So from now on you only are going to play tennis and you drop baseball”, Tina said strict.
“Just tell that my father and coach! You don’t dare that anyway”, Mitch said where after he got sent out of the class by Tina.
In the evening Ben told about the sponsoring of the upcoming tennis tournament in Virginia City.
“I have to present the school of Miss Willis and may only play tennis from now on. She demands that I drop baseball”, Mitch said incidental.
Then Ben already smelled a rat.
“You just go play baseball. I will go and talk to her”, said Adam.
He was the father of Mitch.
“How is that new lover girl of your uncle Joe called?”, Hoss asked his oldest nephew.
“Tina Willis. Uncle Joe won’t be so stupid to take my sports teacher as his girlfriend, will he?”, Mitch asked worried.
“Son, in love everything is unpredictable and your uncle Joe often too”, answered Ben.
“Well, then he has a very bad taste now. That woman is crazy about tennis”, reacted his oldest grandson.
Everybody laughed.
Within 3 weeks the tournament was organized. Tina had charmed Joe Cartwright indeed and that’s why she thought that he had to convince his nephew to play tennis anyway.
“Mitch won’t let him be pushed”, said Joe.
“Give him then something that he likes in exchange for entering”, Tina said impatient.
“A Cartwright won’t let himself be bribed. Not even a 13 year old”, reacted Joe.
“Then suit yourself too!”, she snapped.
Tina went away and decided to approach Mitch herself and even to force him to play. That happened at the ranch.
Mitch said in the presence of his parents (Adam and Sally) and grandpa Ben, “I play but only to be off your nagging.”
“Of course. I know that you can and will make the school champion again”, Tina said suave where after she went away.
Mitch Cartwright had to defend the school name on the tournament. That was the demand of his sports teacher Tina Wilson. She was mad about tennis and bloody fanatic.
Before his 1st game Mitch said, “The others are much better than I am.”
“Nonsense. You just don’t feel like playing!”, said Tina.
The reaction of the young Cartwright was, “Tennis doesn’t interest me at all. And this tournament either. Just give me baseball and ice hockey.”
“None of the business. You will play against Dennis Clark later on and win!”, snapped Tina.
Mitch didn’t say anything anymore, grabbed his tennis bag and walked to the court where he had to play.
Strange enough Mitch played notable well and he pulled the game easily to him. Dennis hit the ball to Mitch and with a sliding the young Cartwright hit the ball back whereby he won. But by the unexpected sliding Mitch hurt his left wrist. Tina shouted hysterical with joy because her pupil had won.
Mitch walked up to her, pushed his tennis stuff into her hands and groaned, “Just find someone else to play.”
Tina was amazed for a second but grabbed the boy tight and said snappy, “You are through to the next round so you just play!”
“When is the next game?”, asked Mitch.
“Saturday afternoon at 14.00 hours”, answered Tina.
“I can’t because I have to play baseball”, was his reaction.
Tina grabbed him tight by his injured wrist and snapped, “You are going to play here!”
Mitch pulled himself loose and got changed. Here after he went home in a hurry.
Betsy Cartwright noticed at 1st that there was something with Mitch. She was busy hanging the wash to dry when her nephew came home angry. Although Betsy knew Mitch for years and well she wasn’t used to this attitude of his.
“Mitch, calm down first”, said Betsy.
The boy calmed down and told what had happened. He showed his wrist.
“That doesn’t look well, son. We will drop by the hospital”, said Betsy.
At the hospital Mitch got treated fast.
“Mitch, for the time being you won’t be able to play baseball and/or ice hockey. You have torn your tendon. I will wrap up your hand and wrist and put it into a sling”, said doctor Paul Martin.
On the way home Mitch said, “As soon as daddy, uncle Hoss and/or uncle Joe sees or see this the pestering begin again.”
“You know that grandpa, your mother and I take your part”, said Betsy.
Mitch nodded.
When Ben heard the whole story he said, “Now can that brother and sister Willis forget it. Adam, you look after your son and I am going to withdraw us as sponsor.”
“Mitch and I go along”, said Adam.
That happened and under force James told that his sister had hatched everything. The consequence was when this got known all sponsors withdrew themselves.
Adam and Mitch had more trouble with Tina.
“My son won’t be playing on this tournament anymore. By you he is injured”, said Adam.
“Mitch does play!”, said Tina.
“He has a testimonial which says that he can’t play. His tendon has torn”, said Adam.
“No way. Mitch can make the school champion. And he will do that too! Otherwise I will make sure that your son gets expelled from school”, snapped Tina.
Adam wasn’t impressed by this and said, “It is that we sponsor this tournament but from now on my son doesn’t attend your school anymore.”
“I want to know of the doctor first if Mitch can’t play indeed”, said Tina.
Adam agreed with it.
Doctor Glenn Baker examined the wrist of Mitch and came to the same conclusion as that of doctor Paul Martin in the Virginia City hospital.
He said, “Mitch can’t absolutely play for at least 2 months.”
The wrist got wrapped up again and put into a sling.
“I want to go home”, said Mitch.
“We go home. Your mother and I will arrange it with school”, said Adam.
They left the tennis tournament and went back home.
Yet that same evening Hoss came home with news about the failed tennis tournament.
“Adam, when you had that conversation with Miss Willis all loudspeakers were open so that everyone heard what you and she said. After your departure everyone was away quickly. So the tournament is over”, he said.
“That is just as good too. From now on I only sponsor my own baseball teams and ice hockey clubs”, said Ben.
Everyone was satisfied with this decision of the owner of the Ponderosa ranch.