Mystery at the Ballpark Read Online Free PDF Page A

said.
    Somehow they had to solve the mystery before anything else disappeared.

CHAPTER 5
The Bears
    “Meet our new mascot,” Benny said to Nicole and Michael the next morning. He proudly held up a battered teddy bear. Jessie had made the bear from old stockings back when they lived in the boxcar. “This is Stockings,” Benny told them.
    “Very nice,” Nicole said, panting a little. She squinted a little against the bright sunlight. They were starting their morning practice by running laps around the playing field. “But why do we need a mascot?”
    “To bring us luck,” Benny said seriously.

    “Baseball players always need something to give them good luck. Didn’t you know that?”
    “Sure,” Michael said. He dropped back a little to keep pace with Benny. “Some players make sure they tie their shoelaces the same way before every game and eat the same thing for breakfast. They think it makes them play better.”
    Benny nodded. “That’s why I brought Stockings. There won’t be anything else missing around here. You’ll see.”
    “Whatever you say, Benny,” Michael said with a chuckle. “Are you going to carry him around all day?”
    “I sure am!” Benny insisted. He hesitated. “Except for lunch. I’ll have to put him down when I eat my sandwich.”
    After they finished their laps, Chuck and Benny laid a sheet of plastic on the ground so they could practice sliding into a base. The sheet of plastic was about four feet wide and twenty feet long. When it was wet, it became very slippery. It was just like zipping over a patch of ice.
    Chuck explained that sliding was important because it helped you reach a base safely without getting tagged out by the baseman. And it was important to practice on the plastic so no one would get hurt. Everyone took their shoes off and Violet went first. She backed up a few feet and waited for Chuck to signal her to go. She felt a little nervous and wasn’t sure she would do it right.
    “Remember, Violet,” he said, “it’s just like falling.”
    “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she protested.
    “But this is falling without getting hurt,” Chuck pointed out. “Remember what I told you? If you do it right, you won’t hurt yourself or the other players. Just relax and go with the fall.”
    “I’ll try,” Violet said.
    “Go for it!” Susan Miller encouraged her.
    “Keep your head up!” Henry yelled.
    Violet took a deep breath and dashed toward the plastic strip. When her foot touched it, she immediately let herself go into a controlled fall, and tried to stay relaxed. It worked! Jessie applauded and Chuck gave her a thumbs-up sign.
    All the players took turns on the plastic until Chuck was satisfied that everyone knew how to slide safely.
    After lunch, Coach Warren called everyone together in the center of the field. “Listen up,” he said. His face was ruddy from the sun and he tapped his clipboard. “I have a challenge for you. How’d you like to play a real game the day after tomorrow?”
    “A real game?” Violet blurted out. To that point, they had just been practicing their skills. Chuck had gone over the rules of the game with them, but were they ready to take their positions on the baseball diamond?
    “Do you mean it?” Benny asked excitedly. He was all set to root the team on to victory.
    “Who would we be playing against?” Michael asked.
    “Beginners, I hope,” Nicole said under her breath.
    “It’s a team over in the next county, and they’re starting out, just like you.” Coach Warren looked down at his clipboard. “They call themselves the Pirates, and they’ve been playing for a month. Their coach called me last night, and asked if we’d be interested.” He waited while everyone thought it over. “Well,” he said finally, “are you ready for it?”
    “We’re ready!” Benny shouted. Everyone laughed. Leave it to Benny to speak for the whole team.
    “Anybody else?” Coach Warren asked.
    “I think we can do it,”