The Great Zoo Baseball Game

The Great Zoo Baseball Game

The sun was shining, the crowd was buzzing. It was a beautiful Zoo Baseball day. The Red Horns Vs The White Paws in the Championship. Who would win? Nobody could say. Pitching for the White Paws was Peacock. The rookie that dazzled with his flashy feathers and sizzling heater. While throwing for the Horns was Flamingo, a tricky lefty rumored to be a cheater.

Lion stepped into the box and Peacock twirled strike 1, strike 2, strike 3! He strut around the mound, feathers fanned wide, proud as a young pitcher could be. Next to bat was patient Sloth. He saw strike 1 and then 4 balls in a row. “That’s a walk!” bellowed the umpire, “Off to first you go.”

With a runner on first and one out in the inning, Gorilla would get his first try. Peacock kicked and delivered a slow ball and Gorilla watched it float right by. “STTTRIKE,” yelled the umpire and Gorilla shook his head. He had wanted the fastball, but had gotten the slow one instead. Peacock threw another slowball and Gorilla took a mighty swing. He hit a ground ball and Otter did his thing. Otter played shortstop for the Paws, and was one of the best fielders in the whole Zoo! He gloved it up the middle, kicked second base, and threw to Elephant at first to turn two. The animals in the crowd exploded into roars, barks, hisses and caws! There were a few Red Horn fans in the stands, but most were pulling for their home team…. The White Paws!

El Tigre batted first for the Paws, and he hit one real deep. “Baaaaack Baaaaaack Baaaaaaack” yelled the radio announcer, Baaaaary black Sheep. But it wasn’t deep enough and Giraffe ran it down. “I’ll get him next time!” Thought Tigre, as he went to sit back down. Otter grounded out, then Panda hit a pop fly, and just like that the bottom of the first inning had flown right by.

Inning after inning neither team was able to score. A few runners reached first, but they couldn’t get much more. The crowd was on edge, the players were locked in! Eight innings had passed, but the game was about to begin! Peacock’s feathers drooped with exhaustion, but he kept pitching for his team! Flamingo was in the dugout getting a little nervous, and starting to scheme.

A slowball floated by, and Gorilla took a big swing and missed. Flamingo kicked the bench in frustration. “He can’t hit the sssssssslow one” Viper hissed.

“Hey Chicken!” Flamingo yelled at Peacock. “I thought you threw hard!” “Bawk Bawk” Chimed in Lion, “Send him back to the farm!”

Young Peacock fanned out his feathers, there was no chicken here. He would throw Gorilla a fastball and watch him tremble with fear. Peacock fired his best heater, but Gorilla smiled a wolfish grin. He saw the heater coming, and knew that his team would win.

He swung with all his might, and the crack of the bat made a sound like thunder! “My oh my where will that baaaaaaall land!” yelled Sheep, as the crowd watched it fly out of the stadium in shocked wonder.

Peacock’s feathers drooped and he kicked at the dirt, he knew he had been beaten. Flamingo called from the dugout “Hey Chicken! Don’t be sad, there’s always next season!”

The old catcher Turtle got a new ball from the umpire and went to talk to Peacock before his next pitch. “He couldn’t touch the slowball, why did you switch?”

Peacock kicked at the dirt and just shrugged, Turtle could see the young pitcher was really upset, “Shake that one off kid.” said Turtle, “We’re not cooked yet! I’m leading off the 9th and then Tigre is up after me. Get this last out for us and then you just wait and see.” Turtle put the ball in Peacock’s wing and patted the kid on his head. “Three hard one’s right here, and then we put ‘em to bed.”

Peacock nodded in agreement, Turtle was right. They could still win the Zoo Championship game! He had to fight!

After Gorilla, it was Giraffe’s turn to bat. He watched three Peacock fastballs zip right by, and that was that. The inning was over, but the damage had been done. The crowd’s beloved White Paws were now trailing the Red Horns zero to one.

Flamingo was sneering when Turtle stepped up to the plate. “Here comes a fastball old man! Try not to be late!” He put his head under his wing and winked at his friend, Spider. With a little of Spider’s web on the ball he threw a great slider.

Turtle watched strike one go by. Then Flamingo threw a slider that he swung through. The White Paws were counting on him now, but he was down in the count 0 and 2.

Turtle stepped out of the box and took in a big breath. The crowd stood up and cheered his name! Turtle had been on the team for 26 years and would likely be going into the Zoo Baseball Hall Of Fame. He got back in the box with steel in his eyes, and he looked out at that bird on the hill. Flamingo glared right back, standing on one leg, ready to deliver the pill.

He threw another good slider, but Turtle belted it into right! The fans exploded in noise! Wolves howled, Cows moo’d, and some excited birds even took flight.

With Turtle on first the winning run came to bat, and Tigre was the best hitter around! A young phenom from an island zoo where hitters were always to be found.

Flamingo sneered over at Turtle “You got lucky Granddad, but your ship has been sunk!

Your poster boy here is going to hit another ground ball right over there to Skunk.”

“Stop chatting and pitch,” said Turtle as he took his lead off first base. Turtle was nervous, he had been on the Paws for 26 years but they had never won first place!

Tigre stepped in the box and every animal in the crowd came to their feet! The Zoo Stadium was jam packed, but not one butt was in a seat. Tigre stared at Flamingo, determination etched in each stripe. Flamingo kicked and threw Tigre a hard fast one right down the pipe…….

CRACK!!

The crowd roared as the ball flew up, up, and away! It flew over the wall! A walk off homerun!

Tigre was the hero that day.

Turtle looked at Peacock and gave him an “I told you so” wink. Peacock stared back, feathers lying flat, he didn’t know what to think.

Flamingo was stunned. He hung his head from his long neck and trudged off the field towards the bench.

“Hey Flamingo”, Turtle shouted “Better luck next season, way to pitch.”

Flamingo stopped and gave Turtle a nod with determination in his long face, “Next year is our year! You just watch Turtle, my team will finish in first place!”

Turtle didn’t like Flamingo, but he respected him all the same. He was sure one day Flamingo would join him in the Zoo baseball Hall Of Fame.

Turtle jogged the rest of the bases with Tigre right on his shell. They got mobbed at home plate and roared with laughter as the whole team fell. The Commissioner brought out the Zoo Keeper’s Cup all shiny and gold. This Zoo Baseball game quickly became a story that every young Zoo baseball player was told.