[legendsport]

July 20, 1935: Evanston, IL:

Rufus Barrell was nervous. His leg bobbed up and down, bouncing the bleacher. Beside him, Alice gritted her teeth and kept her silence; she fully understood why her husband was antsy. She simply wished he could exhibit it in a way that was less... bouncy.

The Barrells were in Evanston, and in the stands of Whitney College's on-campus stadium for the National Amateur Union's Track & Field championship. Betsy was running. So were many other Olympic hopefuls. The NAU Championships was the primary measuring stick the U.S. Track & Field team would use in determining the athletes who would go to Berlin the following year for the Olympics. In fact, the 1936 edition of the NAU Championship Meet would serve as the Olympic Trials for the women. The men, with a much larger team competing in many more events, had their own separate trials.

To take her husband's mind off the upcoming events, Alice asked him about their two oldest grandsons - one on the cusp of a professional career and the other having just finished his first year of high school. The eldest, Deuce, was doing very well for the Farmers Union team, Rufus reported. He had Possum checking in on them periodically whenever he happened to be in the area while doing his "regular" scouting trips. The NAU teams didn't keep official statistics but scouts did follow the teams around. Deuce's level of performance had scouts salivating and he was, Rufus felt, certain to be one of the top two picks in the draft. His only real competition was a slugging first baseman out in Oregon. Rufus said his name was Robert Johnson, but everyone called him 'Red' and he looked to be a surefire star as well.

One of Rufus' other scouts had seen James, who had just completed his first year at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn and written a glowing report. James had hit .469 and struck out only three times in 113 at-bats in his freshman season. His stepfather Powell Slocum had done an amazing job of teaching James how to be selective at the plate. He'd also taught him to hit left-handed, though James threw right-handed. This was exactly what Powell's father had done for him, and James seemed to have really taken to it.

Rufus and Alice had visited Philadelphia a couple weeks earlier, for the 1935 FABL All-Star Game, which featured Bobby playing in his home park for the Federal team and his brothers Harry and Tom playing for the Continental. Fred didn't make the team, which was a disappointment for him. Dan was angry with his current lack of playing time. The acquisition of Frank Vance had moved Dan to a pinch-hitting role which chafed him. Rufus had, as usual, stressed patience. Rufus and Alice both believed that Dan was still embittered about his leg injury and were thankful Powell was back with the Kings so Dan had someone aside from his brothers with whom to talk - and in Powell's case - to help him as a hitter. "If you produce at the plate, the club will find a place for you in the lineup," Rufus had told his son.

"I hope Bobby can make it to dinner," Alice said, changing the subject.

Rufus looked at her and said, "I'm sure he will. The game with the Chiefs should end by four or five. That'll give him plenty of time to get showered and meet us at the restaurant."

Bobby's Keystones were in town for a big series with the Chicago Chiefs. Both clubs, along with Pittsburgh, were chasing the Gothams and St. Louis Pioneers for the Fed pennant. Bobby was enjoying a great season and so was Rankin Kellogg - the Keystones' problem was a lack of great pitching, something the front-running Gothams had in abundance with Rabbit Day, Jim Lonardo, and Hardin Bates. Rufus wouldn't say so to Bobby, but he felt the race was the Gothams' to lose. But then, as a former pitcher, he was always biased towards good pitching over good hitting.

There were only 9 events in this meet, and Betsy was competing in four of them: the 100 and 200 yard races, the discus throw and the shot put. "I hope she doesn't tire herself out," Alice told her husband.

She had a point - they would be running preliminaries, semi-finals and finals which meant potentially six races to run, on top of the throwing events.

In the end, they needn't have worried: Betsy won the running events and the discus and was second in the shot put. In the finals of both the 100 and 200 yard races, she edged out Annette O'Boyle, the local favorite (she was a Whitney College student).

Rufus, as he was wont to do, meandered down onto the field after the final event. He made his way to his daughter who was talking to an older, well-dressed man.

"Oh, Pop!" Betsy cried as she saw him, then gave him a hug. "This is the NAU President, Mr. Bertram Scanlon," waving at the smiling man beside her.

"Mr. Barrell, congratulations," Scanlon said he shook hands with Rufus. "Your daughter is a shoo-in for Germany, I would say."

Rufus raised his eyebrows. "Really? That's over a year away."

Scanlon was nodding before Rufus had even finished speaking. "Oh, with certainty. She's the the fastest woman in the country. She should be one of the favorites at Berlin. With her anchoring and Miss O'Boyle running one of the other legs, our 4-by-100 relay team should be the one to beat as well."

Betsy was nearly jumping up and down in excitement. Rufus knew the Olympics were a big dream of hers. "Mr. Scanlon is part of the selection team, Pop," she told him.

Rufus admitted to himself that he really didn't have any idea how good Betsy was. His field was baseball, after all, and even Dan's track and field career hadn't prepared him for this. Betsy an Olympic favorite?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rufus had made reservations for four at Augustus Hoch's Steakhouse. Hoch himself greeted them at the door. The German-born restauranteur was one of Chicago's wealthiest men with one of the nation's largest meat-packing empires as his core business. He also owned the Chicago Packers hockey club and Jack Barrell had played for him at one time.

"Welcome, Mr and Mrs Barrell and Elizabeth," he said warmly, with a thick German accent. Rufus grinned as he shook Hoch's hand. Jack had told him that Hoch's accent grew thicker when he was excited. The man had been in the U.S. for over forty years now and in normal conversation Jack said he sounded "more Chicago than Berlin."

Hoch asked after Jack, escorted them to what he said was his finest table and congratulated Betsy on her win, then left them, making his way to his private dining room.

"Wow, talk about first-class treatment," Betsy gushed to her parents.

Rufus had cocked an eyebrow and wryly said, "According to Jack that guy is a bear. But it appears he can play the gracious host as well."

Bobby bustled in a few minutes later, his hair still damp. He kissed his mother's cheek, gave Rufus a slap on the shoulder and hugged Betsy. His first question was to his sister, asking how she did.

'You look well," Alice told her son. And he did, he looked happy and dapper in his suit, tailored for his muscular frame. Where Harry and Tom were lean, Bobby was built more like Joe and Jack, with a thick chest, powerful arms and wide shoulders. Rollie, Fred and Dan fell somewhere in between.

Bobby was talking about the game. His Keystones had narrowly lost to the Chiefs, though he had gotten a pair of hits and was currently on a 10-game hitting streak. Rufus started to ask about Ron Coles, the Chiefs pitcher - he liked to talk to his sons about how pitchers worked them, then give his insight from a pitcher's perspective on how to counteract it. Alice, well aware of what was coming, was turning to Betsy when she noticed that a tall, pretty young woman was walking up to the table.

"Hello, Elizabeth," the young woman said with a friendly smile.

"Oh..." Betsy said, startled. "Annette. How are you?"

Annette O'Boyle ran her gaze across the four Barrells at the table; Betsy noted that her eyes paused for an extra beat on Bobby before looking at Rufus. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said and then added, "I wanted to congratulate you, and your parents."

"Thank you," Betsy said, just a hint of wariness in her tone. She and Annette had clearly been the two best sprinters at the meet and for that reason they were rivals. Betsy supposed that might change when they became Olympic team mates, but that day was over a year in the future, if it happened at all. Hence, she was wary.

Rufus gave Annette a friendly nod; Alice, sensing her daughter's reaction, was more subdued and gave Annette a tight-lipped smile.

"Is this another of your brothers?" Annette pointedly asked.

With a slight frown, Betsy said, "Yes, this my brother Bobby."

Annette smiled at Bobby and he smiled in return. "It is nice to meet you, Annette," he said.

"Likewise," she replied. "I met your brother Tom in Philadelphia last month. I must say, he was a... friendly young man."

Bobby chuckled and nodded. "Yes, he certainly can be that," he said. Alice shook her head with a scowl on her face. Rufus simply looked a bit uncomfortable and Betsy was getting angry.

"Are you a ballplayer too?" Annette asked Bobby.

"Yes, that I am. I play for the Philadelphia Keystones. My team is here in Chicago for a series with the Chiefs. The timing was, I guess you'd say, just right to spend some time with my parents and sister."

Annette's smile widened a bit. "Yes, the timing of your visit was perfect." She gazed into Bobby's eyes for a few moments and then said, "I won't take up any more of your time. Congratulations again. Good evening," she finished and walked off.

Betsy noted with not a little aggravation that Bobby watched her walk across the room with a slight grin on his face. Betsy fought down the urge to punch him in the arm.

.