Chapter I: Front Matter

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BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE

Or

Making Good as a Professional Pitcher

by

LESTER CHADWICK

Author of "Baseball Joe of the Silver Stars," "Baseball Joe at Yale," "The Rival Pitchers," "The Eight-Oared Victors," etc.

Illustrated

New York Cupples & Leon Company

* * * * *

=BOOKS BY LESTER CHADWICK=

=THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES= =12mo. Cloth. Illustrated=

BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS
Or The Rivals of Riverside

BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE
Or Pitching for the Blue Banner

BASEBALL JOE AT YALE
Or Pitching for the College Championship

BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE
Or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher

(_Other Volumes in Preparation_)

=THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES= =12mo. Cloth. Illustrated=

THE RIVAL PITCHERS
A Story of College Baseball

A QUARTER-BACK'S PLUCK
A Story of College Football

BATTING TO WIN
A Story of College Baseball

THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN
A Story of College Football

THE EIGHT-OARED VICTORS
A Story of College Water Sports

(_Other Volumes in Preparation_)

=CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, New York=

* * * * *

Copyright, 1914, by Cupples & Leon Company

=Baseball Joe in the Central League=

Printed in U. S. A.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I DANGER 1
II OFF FOR THE SOUTH 13
III AN ACCUSATION 23
IV IN TRAINING 30
V THE CLASH 41
VI A STRAIGHT THROW 50
VII THE GIRL 58
VIII A PARTING 67
IX THE FIRST LEAGUE GAME 74
X BITTERNESS 84
XI OLD POP CONSOLES 92
XII THE QUEER VALISE 98
XIII MABEL 105
XIV BAD NEWS 113
XV JOE'S PLUCK 120
XVI A SLIM CHANCE 128
XVII OLD POP AGAIN 136
XVIII IN DESPAIR 144
XIX A NEW HOLD 153
XX JOE'S TRIUMPH 161
XXI A DANGER SIGNAL 168
XXII VICTORY 176
XXIII THE TRAMP AGAIN 185
XXIV ON THE TRACK 191
XXV REGGIE'S AUTO 198
XXVI THE TRAMP RENDEZVOUS 206
XXVII THE SLOW WATCH 212
XXVIII THE RACE 220
XXIX A DIAMOND BATTLE 228
XXX THE PENNANT 237

BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE