Welcome back everyone to

the one thousand one classic short stories and tales. This is your host John

Hagadorn. Today we continue with the young pitcher by Zane Gray. This one's

written in 1911 and gives you an idea of what

college and college baseball was like a little over a hundred years ago.

Today's two stories, The Cage and Out on field. And we begin with the cage.

Ken War dug down into his trunk for his old baseball suit and donned it with strange elation.

It was dirty and torn torn and the shoes that went with

were worn out. But Ken was thinking of what hardball playing they represented. He put his

over his overcoat on over his sweater, took up his glove, and sallied forth.

A thin coating of ice and snow covered the streets.

Winter still whistled in the air.

To Ken and his eagerness spring seemed a long way off.

On his way across the campus he saw strings of uniformed boys making for Grant Field and

many wearing sweaters over their everyday clothes.

The cage was situated at one end of the field apart from the other training quarters.

When Ken got there he found a mob of players crowding to enter the door of a big barn-like structure. Others were hurrying away.

Near the door a man was taking up tickets like a doorkeeper of a circus and he kept

shouting, Get your certificates from the doctor.

Every player has to pass a physical examination.

Get your certificates.

Ken turned somewhat in disgust at so much red tape,

...