Chapter 27
A conflicted Jake sat looking out the window of the Yankee's chartered Boeing 727. He was bursting with excitement at the prospect of pitching in the Major Leagues, but he was already missing his family. The prospect of spending the first night in almost six months not snuggled up with his wife was a bummer. He was also going to seriously miss his son, Leslie, and Nina. Baby Jacob had graduated to toddler Jacob just last week by taking a few shaky steps for his dada. Leslie and Nina's good natured playfulness and teasing always made him feel good. Jake decided he had better find something else to think about or he was going to make himself miserable.
Spring training had been a great experience this year. He felt more like a true member of the team now and less in awe of his teammates. They in turn treated him as one of them and not just some hopeful rookie. He still got more than his share of ribbing but it was mostly good natured grousing. His teammates grunted about the level of physical fitness Jake started camp with because the coaches worked them harder to get them into the same shape. They teased him about women a lot. It took only a few games in the small venues they played in Florida for the word to spread among the groupies that a hunky new guy was on the team. Women started filling the stands near the Yankee bullpen for every game.
Melissa was a major partner in the Yankee's ownership consortium now, having bought out two other members. She told George Steinbrenner she wanted nothing to do with the day to day activities of the team but wanted to have a say in the merchandising of Yankee paraphernalia. She convinced Steinbrenner to start the Yankees Marketing Group and had Sven put it together. Maui Jake's surf shops became the point retailer of officially licensed Yankee merchandise. Later, the link between Maui Jake's and Jake Turner's play for the Yankees would translate into booming sales.
Jake convinced Billy Martin to let him practice with the outfielders as often as possible. Jake had a good relationship with the volatile former Yankee second baseman turned manager. Jake never once gave Billy anything to go off about. Jake practiced and played hard, was respectful, and listened to what his manager had to say. Martin saw the potential in Jake, not just as a pitcher but also as a versatile player who could field different positions and wield the bat better than most. Martin also thought that Jake was as fine a young man as he had ever met. Jake's devotion to his family and commitment to his military duty set well with someone of Martin's generation.
Billy Martin was also crazy about Jake's family. Melissa had the manager over for dinner at least once a week and totally charmed the usually irascible Martin. Billy was on his best behavior around Melissa, not because she was an owner of the team, hell, he cussed out Steinbrenner regularly; she just somehow brought out the best in him. Baby Jake thought that Billy was a hoot and loved to pick at his mustache. At the Turner's condominium, Martin was relaxed and free of his inner demons. Billy promised Melissa that he would take care of Jake while the team was on the road. Melissa gave Billy a grateful smile and kissed his cheek. She knew Jake was capable of taking care of himself but she was touched by the offer. If you wanted the Yankee's firebrand manager up your ass like Preparation H, all you needed to do was say something negative about Melissa.
The charter jet landed in Baltimore for a three game season opening series, Jake did not pitch in the series. From Baltimore they flew to Detroit for two games. Jake pitched two and a third innings in the first game. He came in after Detroit shelled number four starter Ralph Avery for five runs in the third inning. He retired all seven batters he faced and stranded the two base runners he had inherited. From Detroit, the Yankees came home to their first game in the newly renovated 'House that Ruth Built'. On Sunday, April 25th 1976, a beautiful spring day, the Yankees took the field against the Boston Red Sox for a double header.
While Jake was busy loafing in the bullpen, a newly returned Trish was busy establishing them a home in New York. She found a nice large apartment on the upper west side and a smaller apartment on the same floor. She rented them both and had them furnished. The Turner's now had a New York base of operations with four bedrooms and an office that was a fifteen minute cab ride from Yankee Stadium. The apartments were in a secure building with a doorman. A keyed elevator was the only way to get to the floor they occupied.
Trish the Dish was even more mellow after her return from Hawaii. She evoked the calm acceptance of life that was the hallmark of the islanders. She brought home these really cool breast-baring sarongs for her and the girls. They were so sexy they drove Jake crazy. The women loved them because they were comfortable -- and because they drove their man crazy.
By the Yankees' third home stand, Jake was out of hotels and in the apartment. He and Trish spent some quality time in the rack as Trish tried to make up for three months of celibacy. Yes, she had offered the good stuff to Kane; no, he did not take it. Jake knew right then that Kane was more man than most. Trish and Jake both thought the big bed she had installed in the master suite was not the same without the rest of the family in it. That little problem would be solved in early June when Melissa, Leslie, Jake, and Nina moved up.
Faith Phillips was not coming up until mid July. Faith was going to stay in Palmdale to be with her sister Hope when she returned from Julliard. Everyone was worried about Faith's twin sister. Hope was turning into a wildly rebellious young woman for some reason. Jake promised Faith and Hope's mom Diane, that he would check out what was going on to cause her to change so radically. As soon as the twins came back to New York, Jake was going to hook Hope up with Trish for some counseling.
Jake did not much care for the bullpen, as it was even worse than the army when it came to hurry up and wait. Jake tried to keep up with the game, but being so far removed from the action made that nearly impossible. He settled for reading and studying while occasionally checking on how his team was doing. The saving grace in the pen was Harry Wilson, the bullpen coach. Although his name was Harry, everyone called him Sir Harold, because he was a Shakespearian actor in the off-season. Harry affected an aristocratic English accent and was always quoting or paraphrasing the bard.
"Arise young Jacob and be ye festinate, for your time is anon," Harry would say when Billy Martin called for a left handed reliever to get ready.
Harry's skill as an actor was defined by his position with the Yankees. Harry, when not under pressure, could deliver lines that would have made Olivier proud. Trouble was, once the heat was put to his feet, old Harry nervously fell back into the patois of his native Mississippi Delta. Club house legend held that Harry once auditioned for the part of Julius Caesar in an off Broadway production. He was in contention for the part until he delivered the now infamous lines:
"Ya'll too, Cletus?"
Jake's problem with being in the bullpen was that Billy Martin did not call for a left handed reliever that often. Jake met with the manager one afternoon with an idea. Jake asked if he could play off the bench as either an outfielder, pinch hitter, or maybe even occasionally as designated hitter. He said that he could still come in to relieve, even if he was playing. Martin thought about it for a minute and said he would give it a try. Martin reasoned that the Yankees were not getting any production out of the right fielders' spot in the lineup anyway, no matter who was platooned there; maybe the kid could put a fire under their ass. Jake thanked Billy for his time and hustled out of the mangers office before he whooped.
Billy's decision would make him look like a genius. More importantly to him it earned him another kiss from Melissa, something he valued right up there with his World Series rings. Billy penciled Jake in as right fielder for that night's game. When the lineup was posted in the club house Jake ran to the phone and called Muffy.
"Tell Trish to bring an extra pair of panties to the game tonight," he said, alluding to Trish's statement that she would pee herself if she saw him on the field at the stadium.
Jake had a good game going in the field that night. He had two hits and scored a run. He had even thrown out a runner who had tested Jake's arm by trying to stretch out a single. The Yanks were holding on to a one run lead into the bottom of the sixth when big lefty Bruce Lewis came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. The fans let out a groan because Bruce had Gary Wright, the Yankees starter's number. He had already hit two doubles and a dinger that night.
Billy suddenly had a brainstorm and called time. He strolled out to the mound and took the ball from Gary. Martin turned around, pointed to Jake, and then called the umpire out to the mound. After a brief conference with the home plate umpire, a bewildered Gary trotted out to right field and Jake took the mound. Jake threw his four warm up pitches then stepped off the mound for the throw down to second. Munson came out to the mound as the ball was being thrown around the infield.
"Ok, Rookie, this guy likes to crowd the plate and he eats up anything from the center of the plate out. You don't have any place to put him -- so keep the ball inside and try to make him pull it."
Joke nodded his understanding and roughed up the ball as Munson returned to behind the plate. The ump yelled "Play Ball" when Munson reassumed his crouch. Jake looked in for the sign and picked the correct one from among the decoys; fast ball inside, Munson wanted. Jake smiled to himself as the wily Munson set up on the outside to confuse Lewis. Jake went into the stretch and blazed a ninety-seven mile-an-hour white missile toward the plate. His aiming point was a spot two inches below Lewis' chin. Lewis snapped his head back and stumbled out of the batters box as Munson made an elaborate lunge to catch the ball.
"Damn, the Rookie is wild tonight, must be the adrenaline," Munson griped.
Lewis stuck out his chin belligerently and reassumed his stance. Jake took the sign and wound up again. This time his fast ball was right on the mark, low and on the inside corner. Strike one. Lewis thought it was a ball inside, he glared at the ump and dug back in. Jake delivered his next pitch in the same place. Wilson tried to turn on the pitch but was too slow; he launched a booming fly ball about a half-mile but well-foul down the third base side.
Munson then called the pitch he had been setting Lewis up for. Jake bobbed his head and went into his windup. The ball snapped off his fingertips and rocketed towards Wilson's head again. Wilson flinched back and realized too late that the ball was curving away from him. The ball passed the frozen batter and smacked resoundingly into Munson's mitt. The umpire pointed at Wilson and jerked his thumb into the air.
"Strike three," the ump yelled.
Lewis started arguing vehemently as Munson rolled the ball toward the mound. Jake trotted off the field and Billy Martin slapped him on the back as he shuffled down the dugout steps. Munson shook his hand and told him nice job, as did Gary Wright. Jake reassumed right field at the top of the seventh and Gary completed the remainder of the game.
Jake showered and snuck out of the club house after doing one newspaper interview. The press was mostly mobbing Billy Martin with questions about his bold managerial decision. Jake's family was waiting for him in a limo in the players' parking lot. Melissa had decided she wanted nothing to do with driving in city traffic so she had contracted with a limo company for ground transportation. Jake received a ton of sweet hugs and kisses from the excited women as he settled into the back of the car. Jake looked meaningfully at Trish.
"I didn't pee in them," she said, "but they are still wet. I swear when you struck out that guy I climaxed."
Nina giggled and said, "Me too. It was the most exciting thing I've ever seen."
Jake's stint as a utility player/relief pitcher was short lived. He was thrust into the pitching rotation when Gary Wright tore his rotator cuff covering first on a slow rolling grounder. The collision at first base ended Gary's season. Jake took his place in the pitching rotation and was listed as the number five starter on the depth chart. The number five starter did not start every fifth game because Billy Martin used a four man rotation. Instead, the number five guy filled in to insure each starter received three days rest between starts. Jake still came out of the bull pen when absolutely needed, but mostly he pitched when double headers or missed starts screwed-up the normal rotation.
On July first, right before the All-star Game break, Martin posted the probable starting assignments for pitchers through the end of July. Jake would make his first start in Yankee Stadium on July tenth. The manager and coaches had worked out the rotation in advance to factor in Jake's two week National Guard annual training that started on the twelfth of July.
Jake had flown down to Deland to check his unit and square away his equipment during the All-star break. During his brief stay in Florida, he visited friends and family, inviting them to the game as his guests. While he was inviting some members of his unit, he came up with the idea of making tickets to the game available free to military men and women. He visited Sven and asked what he thought of the idea. Sven thought it was great and they exchanged a few ideas. Sven called the supplier of his advertising supplies and found out the guy had a stock of small American flags a client had ordered and not accepted.
Jake next called Melissa in New York and asked her to talk to Steinbrenner and see if he would support the idea. George thought it was a good idea also; he was a veteran and a patriotic guy to boot. So it was set, Saturday, July 10, 1976 was declared military day at Yankee Stadium. Active duty military would be admitted free and every fan would receive a small flag. Steinbrenner's public relations team hustled into action getting a color guard from West Point and invited a few dignitaries. Sven, after checking with Melissa and Trish, asked Leslie if she wanted to make her public debut singing the National Anthem at the game. Leslie said she would, providing Jake was ok with the idea.
Jake had the Yankee public relations people put out the word to the public affairs offices at Fort Hamilton on Long Island, West Point, and Bayonne Navy Station that their troops were invited to the stadium on the tenth. All the troops had to do was let the public affairs people know they were coming so tickets could be set aside for them. Melissa and Jake guaranteed payment for every ticket given out.
On the day of the game, Yankee Stadium was sold out -- including standing room only. An estimated sixty-two thousand people jammed into the park. It was a beautiful summer day, clear, and eighty-two degrees at game time. At two in the afternoon, the public address announcer called for everyone's attention.
"Ladies and Gentleman, please rise as we honor America and our brave men and women in uniform. We are pleased today to have TnT Records recording artist Leslie Wellington sing our National Anthem in her first public appearance."
The crowd was hushed as on cue, Leslie walked out of the Yankee dugout and approached the microphone set up in front of home plate. A collective gasp went up when the small girl appeared. Small anyway, she looked positively elfin wearing Jake's royal blue warm-up jacket that hung almost to her knees. The crowd was shuffling impatiently when Leslie's voice rose sweet, strong and pure all around them. Leslie belted out what every newspaper in New York claimed was the finest rendering of the Star Spangled Banner anyone at the game had ever heard. When she hit the last note of the song, the stands were deathly silent.
"God bless the United States of America and the men and women of our Armed Forces. GO YANKEES! GO Jake! WOOHOO!" she yelled, pumping her fist.
The stadium broke into pandemonium, as the standing mass cheered and stamped their feet. Leslie waved and trotted back to the Yankee dugout. Jake met her at the top step and she jumped into his arms. Leslie had to come out and take two bows before the fans would quiet down enough to let the teams take the field. Jake walked with her to the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms.
"Oh, Jake, I hope I don't pass out, I was so scared and nervous until I started singing. Then I was so pumped up I am afraid I acted like an idiot," Leslie said.
Jake kissed her and said, "I've heard that song thousands of times and never has it sounded that good. You were amazing, now go cheer for me and enjoy the game."
She rose on her tiptoes and kissed him, then an usher led her away to her seat. Jake turned around and trotted out of the dugout and up to the mound. Munson threw Jake the ball and Jake kicked the dirt around the pitching rubber to get comfortable. The public address announcer introduced the Boston Red Sox, then started on the Yankees lineup as Jake threw his four warm up pitches. Munson had just thrown the ball down to second when the PA announcer introduced him.
"And making his Yankee Stadium debut as a starting pitcher, number fifty, Jake 'the Snake', Turner."
What the hell was that all about, Jake wondered, as Munson took the ball last in the throw around and walked it to Jake. Sven and the Yankee PR flacks had decided to give Jake a nickname.
"Mr. Munson, I'm pumped up and my arm feels really good. I want to throw some fast balls early and often tonight if you don't mind."
Munson almost smiled at the kid, it showed something that Jake was so respectful.
"Sure, kid, start with the heater; if you got anything tonight we'll stick with it," the catcher said.
Butch Hobson, the Red Sox lead-off hitter stepped up to the plate. The book on Hobson was that he was patient at the plate and would make you throw a strike before he took the bat off his shoulder. True to his word, Munson called for a fastball. Jake took the sign and nodded his acceptance, his mind was sharply focused, and his arm felt incredibly strong. Jake knew as he wound up that today he was in that zone where he was at his peak. He released the ball with a long fluid motion and a high leg kick. The ball was straight down the middle of the plate and hit Munson's target with a crack that you could hear in the outfield. The batter looked back at Munson who just shrugged.
"The kid wasn't lying when he said he had it today. I'm going to have to get a sponge for my mitt for next inning," Munson said.
In the radio announcers' booth Phil Rizzuto exclaimed, "Holy Cow!" when the ball cracked into Munson's mitt.
In the Yankee dugout Billy Martin turned to his pitching coach.
"Set up the radar gun; the kid is throwing some serious heat. I want to know how hard he's throwing and how quickly he fades."
The coach nodded and headed for the locker room. The radar gun available in 1976 was large and bulky so it was mounted on a tripod behind the backstop screen to the left of the catcher. A grounds keeper operated the gun and gave the results to the pitching coach by way of a radio. Jake threw eleven pitches the first inning; nine of them were strikes. He threw mostly fast balls and struck out two batters, while the third hit a weak pop-up to the third baseman. The grounds keeper clocked his seventh pitch at one hundred miles per hour.
Jake sat at the end of the bench in the dugout and started mentally reviewing the scouting reports on the batters he would face next inning. Billy Martin came over and sat next to him.
"Good inning, kid -- but don't over-throw it. Take your time and stay within yourself," he said slapping Jake on the back.
Jake nodded and Martin went back to stand on the steps of the dugout watching his hitters. Not that there was much to watch as the Yanks went three and out.
Carl Yazstremski, the Bosox clean-up hitter was the first batter Jake faced. Munson thought he could fool the veteran and had Jake start him with a curve ball. Big mistake. Yaz turned on the pitch and hit a screaming line drive down the first base line that had double written all over it. Luckily, Chris Chambliss, the Yankee first baseman, had seen Munson call for a curve and had shaded a step towards the bag. Chambliss showed why he was a perennial golden glove award winner by make a spectacular diving catch. Jake reckoned that was the last curve Yaz was going to see today. Jake struck out the next two batters on eight pitches.
Jake's opposing number on the mound was Luis Tiant. El Tiante was the ace of the Boston staff and was well on his way to another twenty-win season. Tiant, like Jake, had brought his A game that day. He matched Jake out for out. Yaz broke up Jake's no hitter with an opposite field single leading off the fourth. He was erased when Fred Lynn weakly grounded into a double play. Tiant had allowed a couple of singles and had walked a batter but the game was still scoreless through six innings. Yaz touched Jake for another single in the seventh; Jake just could not get the guy out no matter what he threw him. Lynn followed Yazstremski with a long fly ball to left on a fast ball Jake left out over the plate and Fisk struck out. Jake had a two hitter with twelve strike outs after seven innings.
As allowed by the rule, Billy Martin had not designated a hitter for the game so Jake was batting for himself. Not that it was doing him any good, because Tiant's bewildering delivery and pinpoint control had Jake flailing fruitlessly at the Cuban's offerings. Jake stepped to the plate to lead off the eighth determined to get something going. Tiant threw him a tantalizing off speed pitch just out of the strike zone that Jake managed to lay off of. Jake looked down to the third base coach and got the hit away sign. On the next pitch, Jake squared around to bunt and got the perfect pitch for it, a slow curve inside. Jake dragged the ball down the first base line and beat out Fisk's throw by a step.
Jake took a small lead off first as Tiant went into his unique version of the stretch. When El Tiante was looking skyward ready to deliver, Jake broke for second. The pitch was inside to a left-hander, the most difficult pitch for Fisk to make a throw on. Jake slid head first into second well ahead of the throw. Mission accomplished, he was the go ahead run in scoring position with no outs. The next batter laid down a good sacrifice bunt and moved Jake easily to third. They were playing what the press called 'Billy Ball', hard nosed fundamental baseball where you moved the runners over and manufactured runs.
Thurman Munson was up next and had a hell of an at-bat. He fought off all Tiant's junk and worked the count full. After fouling off a couple of pitches, Munson lifted a fly ball into medium right center field. Jake stood with one foot on the bag facing the plate; when the coach said 'Go!', he sprinted towards home. Fred Lynn fielded the ball cleanly in the outfield and rifled a throw towards the plate. Lynn's throw was slightly off line and Pudge Fisk set up to field it about three feet from the plate down the third base line.
Jake and the throw arrived at the spot the catcher occupied at the same time. Fisk was blocking the base path with his body and was braced for a collision as he turned to put the tag on Jake, only to see him flying over his head. Fisk was in a crouch to make sure he blocked the ball if he missed catching it and also to be braced if Jake rammed into him. So, Jake just dove over his head and swiped his hand across the plate as he hit the ground. Jake popped up and ran to the dugout brushing himself off. Munson exchanged high fives with him on the way.
"Good job, Jake," Munson said.
It was the first time the catcher had ever called him anything except kid or rookie.
"Thanks, Mr. Munson," Jake replied with a grin.
Jake made the one run hold up, striking out four more batters and holding the Sox hitless for the last two innings. He finished the game allowing two hits and striking out sixteen. He faced twenty-eight batters, one more than the minimum he could have faced. The press made a fuss over the game. The Sunday morning New York Times featured a photo of Jake diving over Fisk and one of Leslie at the microphone. The head line read: 'Angel Sings, Yankees Soar'.
A reporter for the Times had interviewed Leslie after the game and asked her how she knew Jake.
"Jake saved me from going to an orphanage when my parents were killed in a car wreck. He found me because he has a foundation that helps people recovering from comas. My adopted mom is Mrs. Turner's business partner. Jake and Melissa Turner are two of the finest people who have ever lived," Leslie said matter-of-factly.
The reporter was intrigued by what he found out about Turner. The rookie had not made much of an impression on the jaded New York media until his stellar performance. The reporter sensed a feature human interest story in the young man and went to his editor for permission to pursue it. Three days later Willie Robins was jetting toward Daytona to ferret out a story.
Jake flew down to Savannah, Georgia early in the morning on Sunday the Eleventh to report for his annual two weeks of active duty for training (ADT). His battalion was already at Fort Stewart, Georgia as part of the National Guard Mechanized Infantry Brigade that rounded out the 24th Infantry Division, nicknamed the Victory Division.
Jake and his troops trained hard at Fort Stewart and were recognized for their combat readiness by the Division Commander. Jake received the Army Commendation Medal for the outstanding results his platoon achieved.
Jake flew to Baltimore on Saturday morning, July seventeenth, and pitched a game he ended up losing in a two-one heart-breaker to the Orioles. The winning run was scored in the bottom half of the ninth because of an errant throw on an inning ending double play ball. He jetted back to Savannah the next morning and rejoined his unit. Jake convoyed back with his troops to Deland on Friday the twenty-third, and rejoined the Yankees in Kansas City on the twenty-fourth.
Jake continued to pitch well although he did not have another game like his debut. He made his share of rookie mistakes and got his ass severely chewed by Munson more than once. The season was winding down and the Pinstripers had a commanding twelve game lead over the Orioles with two weeks left in the regular season. Jake pitched four games over those last two weeks as Billy Martin, committed to a four man rotation, rested his primary starters for the post season. Jake ended the regular season with nine wins, three losses, and a 2.81 earned run average.
Jake was relegated to the bullpen for the playoffs and the World Series. Martin's plan worked to perfection during the playoff for the American League pennant as the Yankees swept the Royals three games to zip. Jake warmed up twice but never got into a game against Kansas City.
The World Series against the Big Red Machine from Cincinnati was a different story. Pete Rose and company teed off on the Yankees' starters, shelling Doyle Alexander for five runs in game one then beat Catfish Hunter in the second game. Back at Yankee Stadium the Yankees did not fare any better losing game three by a score of six-two. A thoroughly disgusted Billy Martin pigeon-holed Jake after the game.
"You are starting tomorrow, Jake," Martin said, then as an after-thought added, "and see if Leslie will sing the Anthem. We need some magic."
Leslie accepted the invitation once Melissa cleared it with Mr. Steinbrenner. The next night Leslie again stepped to the microphone in a Yankees satin warm-up jacket, this time one that fit, custom made for her as a gift from Billy Martin. Once again, she sang her beautiful version of the Star Spangled Banner and exhorted the Yankees and Jake to victory. This time, besides a packed stadium, she sang to a national audience.
After his warm up pitches, Jake stood behind the mound to gather his composure. After the infielders threw the ball around, they converged on the mound with Munson.
"I'm nervous, guys," Jake said, "but my arm feels incredible." He addressed Munson, "Mr. Munson, I need to throw fastballs early because I'm pumped up."
"Relax, Jake, and stay focused. These guys can hit but they have never faced you before so they don't know what you have. We'll start with fastballs and sliders then mix in off-speed stuff later."
Jake nodded and everyone went back to their positions. Jake looked over behind the Yankee dugout to where the players' wives sat. He spotted Muffy with little Jacob sitting in her lap. She saw him looking, smiled, and blew him a kiss. Jake was reasonably calm when he stepped on the pitching rubber and looked in for the sign. Pete Rose, with his Prince Valiant hair cut, was pawing at the dirt in the batters box. Rose was ready in his distinctive crouching stance and the umpire pointed to Jake. The game was on. Jake threw his first pitch and it was a repeat of his debut game.
Rose worked Jake hard and made him throw good pitches. Jake finally struck him out swinging on a wicked slider that looked as if it were coming straight down the middle but actually broke so sharply it almost hit Rose on the foot. The next two batters struck out as well -- both swinging futilely at high fast balls. Jake glanced up to where his family was sitting in the stands and chucked as Nina and Leslie waved and yelled at him. The two teens had made a bunch of small placards with the letter 'K' on them and hung one on the railing in front of them every time Jake struck out a batter. It was a tradition from the future and an immediately popular retrodiction from Leslie.
The Yankee's dormant offense came alive for the game as they touched up the Reds' starter for two runs in bottom of the first. Jake set Cincinnati down in order in the second, striking out two more. In the bottom of the second, Jake helped himself with a solo homerun into deep right, just inside the foul pole. The rout was on. When Jake came up to bat in the fifth inning the Red's relief pitcher beaned him with the first pitch. It was intentional, of course, a little pay-back for his homerun earlier. The ball hit him in his right shoulder and left an immediate bruise. Jake prevented a bench clearing brawl by waving to the dugout. Jake picked up the ball and flipped it to Johnny Bench, the Red's catcher.
"You bat second next inning, don't you?" Jake asked Bench conversationally before trotting to first.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jake dusted the first batter off with a tight fast ball then stuck him out. Bench stepped to the plate and Jake backed him up with a tight fast ball. On the next pitch Bench had to drop to the ground to avoid a hundred mile an hour fastball aimed at his noggin. Munson called time and walked the ball to the mound.
"Are you even yet so we can get on with the game?" Munson asked.
Jake grinned, "Just one more, Cap -- and then I'm over it."
Munson was the Team Captain; Cap was what the rest of the players called him. It was the first time Jake had addressed him that way. Munson actually cracked a smile.
"OK, Snake; but remember, he's a catcher, I don't want this to turn into a bean-ball contest with my coconut as the next target."
Munson returned to the plate and assumed his squat.
"One more, Johnny," he told his counterpart, "and then we'll be square, OK?"
"Alright, Squatty, but Jesus, if he hits me with one of those things I'd be out for a week."
Jake pitched a complete game four hit shut out striking out fifteen. His only walk was to Bench in the fifth inning. The final score was eleven-zip. The Yankees salvaged some pride that night and, although they lost the next game and the series, at least they avoided being swept at home.
Jake and his clan departed New York for Palmdale on September twenty-seventh. The following Sunday the first installment of Willie Robins' three part article about Jake appeared in the New York Times sports section. This is how Robins' article started:
I have been associated with athletes for 25 years. I know Mantle, DiMaggio, Yogi, and the rest of the Yankee greats. They are all fascinating men and most are shining examples of what we hold our heroes up to be. When I started researching this article, little did I know that I would find an even bigger hero in the unassuming Jake Turner. I am not speaking to just his stellar performance in the World Series; I mean in the game of life. In researching this article, I interviewed dozens of people, from bank presidents and corporate executives to ranch hands and soup kitchen workers. To a person, they were unanimous in citing Turner as the finest young man they had ever met...
Jake and Melissa were glad to be home, their hearts were anchored in Palmdale and at the ranch. They had two weeks and a couple of days to relax before they departed for Ireland. Melissa, seven months pregnant, was cleared by Doctor Pritchett to travel. This pregnancy was much easier on her than little Jacob's. That, Melissa said with a smile, was a clear indication she was having a girl.
The World Series was the first test of the sports knowledge Alfred had tortured out of his fellow traveler. He had bet on the event, albeit not a lot. Comparing the outcome with his notes he was mostly satisfied with the outcome, it had been a rout as Buchanan had said -- the only inconsistency was the extra game it took. His source had either made a mistake or something had disturbed the expected course of events. Alfred decided it was more likely the former. Besides, it was just a bunch of overgrown men playing a child's game, nothing to get in a snit about, one way, or the other.
Alfred locked his journal into the big Diebold safe concealed behind the paneling in his office. Then he moved to the adjacent wall and opened a door also concealed in the paneling. The door opened onto a narrow passageway that was sandwiched in between the walls of his mansion's guest rooms. He stopped at the room he wanted and was pleased that his timing was so good. Through the one-way mirror that allowed him an unobstructed view of the whole room, he saw the object of his latest obsession slowly brushing her hair at the room's little antique vanity.
She was older than most of his toys but clearly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was languidly brushing her hair with one hand as the other stroked the neatly trimmed white blond hair between her legs. Her actions showed that the drugs he had paid a small fortune for were working as advertised. Tonight she was going to be the guest of honor at a very special private party. Michelle had confirmed that she was a virgin as advertised. Twenty-one years old and still as pure as the driven snow. Hard to believe with what you hear about those Hollywood types. Well, that problem would be rectified in a few hours.
As Alfred was thinking defiling thoughts, Michelle opened the door
and brought their guest another glass of drug-laced fruit juice. She
and the young woman shared a scorching kiss then Michelle winked at the
mirror and left. Cindy Sorenson sighed and resumed brushing her hair.