8 Safe!

8 SAFE! The small house smelled of fresh-baked cookies and coffee. The loud sound of a radio came from a back room. The twins led Jack and Annie down a hallway to the entrance of the kitchen. A large radio sat on the kitchen table. Four women were sitting in chairs, listening to the ball game. They were listening so closely, they didn't seem to know that Jack, Annie, and the twins had joined them.

Jack heard the roar of the crowd and the band playing on the radio. He heard the announcer say: "Fifth inning! The score: Brooklyn Dodgers, one—Boston Braves, one. Number 42 steps to the plate." "Come on, Jackie! We're with you!" one of the women yelled. "Give us a homer, son!" said another. Jack heard the sound of a loud crack. "Number 42 hits the ball!" the radio announcer shouted. "Culler catches the fly! Out! Throws to second base! Out!" "Noooo!" the women shouted. "Number 42 hit into a double play! Two outs!" the announcer said. The women groaned. "I hope they don't fire him," one said. Everyone kept listening intently. Jack heard "Out!" and "Safe!" from the radio. He

heard the bat crack against the ball. He heard "Foul ball!" He heard the band play "Three Blind Mice." Again, he wondered why this was such a big day for baseball. Nothing important had happened during the whole game. But the women in the kitchen seemed to hang on to the announcer's every word. "He's up again!" one said. "Knock it out of the park, Jackie!" said another. "Go, Jackie!" said another. "Hush! Hush!" another said. The kitchen grew quiet. The women leaned forward. A couple of them whispered a prayer. "Bottom of the seventh! The Brooklyn Dodgers are behind! Braves, three—Dodgers, two! And number 42 raises his bat high," said the announcer. "We're with you, son!" one woman said.

Jack heard the bat crack against the ball. "Robinson bunts—the ball rolls up the first- base line!" the announcer said. "Stanky to third!" The crowd roared. "And 42 to second base!" the announcer said. "Reiser up to bat!" "Bring our boy home!" one of the women cried. Crack! "Reiser hits the ball!" the announcer said. "Stanky scores! Here comes 42! He rounds third base! He's headed for home!" "Yes! Yes!" the women in the room shouted.

"Go, Jackie! Go!" one said, clapping her hands. "Safe!" the announcer yelled. "Safe!" the women in the kitchen echoed. A couple of them burst into tears. Jack turned to Annie. He was so confused. "What's the big deal?" he whispered. "Jackie Robinson, number 42, scores!" the announcer said. "Jackie Robinson!" whispered Annie. "Oh, man…," said Jack. Of course! Finally he understood. Jackie Robinson was the first black player allowed to play with white players in major-league baseball. "It's official now," the announcer said. "Jackie Robinson has made history!" The women all hugged each other and laughed. Otis and Olive jumped up and down and cheered. For the first time, the women turned toward the doorway. When they caught

sight of Jack and Annie, they seemed surprised. "Well, hello!" one of them said. "Who are you?" "Jack and Annie," said Annie. "Our new friends," said Otis. "They were batboys in the game today. At least for a while." "Until the magic wore off," said Olive. The women looked puzzled. One of them gave Jack and Annie a big smile. "My goodness," she said. "You're the first white people ever to come inside our home." "Really?" said Annie. "Really," the woman said. "Welcome." She pointed at a plate of chocolate chip cookies. "Would you like some cookies?" "Yes, thank you," said Annie. "Thank you," said Jack. He and Annie and the twins each took a cookie. "Have as many as you like," the woman