XX中考英语阅读素材 The Magic Bat The Magic Bat Harry is every coachs dream kid: He shows up for every practi _ early, stays late and is enthusiastic. Harry is also every coachs night _re: He has neither the instinct nor the physical talent for the game. I stepped in as a stand-in coach for my sons Little League team when the regular coach got _rried. Somehow he thought a honeymoon took pre _den _ over next Tuesdays game. How can you blame him? Our team hadnt won in more than two years. As I aepted the fill-in spot, I promised myself that I would show no disappointment if we lost. That was the least I could do. The best I could do was give a good heart to the effort. I met Harry at the first practi _. A s _ll, thin, awkward kid his best throw was about five feet, which _de the choi _ of fielding position difficult. And he was scared. Every time he came to bat, he would glan _ at the pitcher, lean the bat on his shoulder, close his eyes and wait until the misery of three pitches was over. Then hed trudge back to the dugout. It was painful to watch. I met Harry before Tuesdays game, took him aside and worked with him on keeping his eyes open. He tried, but its tough to overe the habit of fear. We were about to play a team that had beat us 22-1 the last time. It didnt seem a fortunate moment for a breakthrough. Then I thought, Why not? I went to the dugout, got a different bat and returned to our practi _ area. Harry, I said, I want you to use this bat. Its the one for you. Its a _gic bat. All you have to do is swing and it will hit the ball. Harry seemed skeptical, but he said he would try. I hoped I wasnt plicating an already tough problem for Harry, but I wanted to try to help. Our team was trailing from the first inning. No surprise in that, but we had some loyal parents in the stands to give constant encouragement to the kids. On Harrys first at bat, I noti _d he wasnt using his special bat, but I didnt step in. He struck out, as usual, and I decided to let it ride. We were able to score from time to time. In the last inning, we were behind by only three runs. I was thinking about a respectable oute speech to give the kids while packing up the gear. As the home team, we were last up. We alternated for five batters between singles with players safely on base and strikeouts. We had bases loaded and two outs. Only then did I noti _ that Harry was our last chan _. Surveying the field from my spot by first base, I saw the left fielder sprawl on the grass as Harry came from the dugout. He obviously expected no action. The right fielder was bothering some butterfly that was flitting about. The shortstop had moved well in, I suppose anticipati ng the possibility of a miraculous bunt. Clearly, the opposing players were already tasting the double-scoop i _ cream cones they would go for after the victory. Harry limped up to the batters box. I noti _d he had his usual bat. I called a time out, ran up to him and whispered, Harry, this is the time for the _gic bat. Give it a try. Just keep your eyes open and swing. He looked at me in di _elief, but he said hed try. He walked off for the special bat as I trotted back to first base. First pitch, strike one. Harry didnt swing, but he kept his eyes open. I pumped my fist and gave it a little swing, encouraging him to swing. He _iled, got into his awkward stan _ and waited. He swung, eyes open, but missed. Strike two. That was the first real swing Harry had ever taken. Who cared if we won the game? I considered Harry a winner already. The other coach yelled to his pitcher, Fire one past him and end this thing! I gri _ _d. The pitcher threw a straight fastball and Harry swung. The _gic bat did its trick. It found the ball, which flew over the shortstops head. Pandemonium erupted in the stands, in the dugouts, on the bases. I was cheering Harry to run to first as fast as he could. It seemed like an eternity. The left fielder called to the _nter fielder to get it. Youre closer! I kept cheering the runners. We had one in at home and three guys pouring it on from first to second, second to third, third to home. The second base _n yelled for the _nter fielder to get the ball to him. Excitedly, he obeyed, but the ball skipped across the grass and passed by the second base _n toward the right-field line. My job as coach was _ at this point. Run, guys, run, I yelled. Another guy scored. By this time, the entire team had joined the cheering, Go, Harry, go Harry! This was surely the longest distan _ Harry had ever run. He was panting as he headed for third and another guy crossed home. The right fielders throw was critical, and it was pretty good, but the third base _n muffed it. The ball scooted past him out of play. The rule: one base on an overthrow that goes out of play.