Winning his game

In Short

Ralph Henry Barbour’s Winning His Game follows Dud Baker, a quiet student at Grafton School who harbors ambitious dreams of making the first-team baseball squad as a pitcher. Egged on by his well-meaning but schemes-happy roommate, Jimmy Logan, Dud tries to navigate campus social circles, dodge the hostiles of upperclassmen like Starling Meyer, and master his delivery on the mound. Through hard work, athletic setbacks, and an improbable cross-country scramble to reach a crucial away game, Dud learns the value of self-reliance, genuine sportsmanship, and true friendship. It endures as a quintessential early-twentieth-century American boarding-school story.

The Story

Dud Baker arrives at Grafton School with modest confidence in his pitching arm but little idea of how to navigate the complex social landscape of Trow Hall. Encouraged by his outgoing roommate, Jimmy Logan—who insists that Dud needs to put himself in the "limelight"—Dud tries to adopt a more assertive persona. Jimmy’s well-intentioned meddling backfires when Dud runs afoul of Starling Meyer, an arrogant senior hockey star who takes an immediate dislike to the younger boy. Confronted by Meyer’s hostility, Dud backs down, leaving him feeling humbled and unsure of his standing among his peers.

Determined to prove himself through athletics, Dud joins the spring baseball candidates in the cage. Veteran pitcher Ben Myatt recognizes Dud’s potential and advises him to simplify his wind-up and focus on control rather than complicated delivery. Dud takes the advice to heart, enduring days of wild throws and frustration before the new technique clicks. When outdoor practice begins, Dud earns a spot pitching for the scrubs. During an early practice game, one of Dud’s wild pitches accidentally strikes Star Meyer, reigniting their personal feud and cementing Meyer's grudge against him.

Throughout the spring, Dud works patiently from the bench and the bullpen, watching Grafton’s main pitchers, Gus Weston and Nate Leddy, handle the bulk of the schedule. Along the way, Dud finds genuine acceptance not through schemes, but by forging natural friendships with classmates like Hugh Ordway and Nick Blake over quiet canoe trips and study sessions. When Weston and Leddy stumble in key games against rivals like St. James and Mount Morris, Dud gets brief chances to show his worth, demonstrating a calm head and a effective slow ball under pressure.

The season culminates in a decisive away contest against Mount Morris at Greenbank. Disaster strikes on game day when Dud and Jimmy are mistakenly left behind by the team train. Unwilling to miss the final contest, the two boys locate a railroad hand-car parked near a small station, lift it onto the rails, and manually pump it down the track for miles before finishing the journey on foot. Exhausted but determined, they arrive at the field midway through the game just as Grafton’s pitching staff begins to collapse. Dud is called into the box in relief, shuts down the opposition’s bats, and drives in the key hit himself. In securing victory for Grafton, Dud earns the respect of his teammates and realizes he has finally conquered his own doubts.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Jimmy Logan returns to Trow Hall and urges his hesitant roommate, Dud Baker, to assert himself and try out for the first-team baseball squad.

A rough encounter Dud backs down during a confrontation with the overbearing senior Starling Meyer, leaving Dud feeling humiliated and eager to prove his courage.

Learning the ropes Under the guidance of veteran pitcher Ben Myatt, Dud simplifies his pitching motion and endures days of wild throws until he achieves control.

Trouble on the diamond During early spring practice, Dud accidentally hits Star Meyer with a pitch, turning their personal dispute into an ongoing rivalry on the field.

Earning real friends Dud spends his leisure time canoeing on the river with classmates Hugh Ordway and Nick Blake, finding genuine camaraderie away from Jimmy's social schemes.

Tested in relief Called up from the scrub squad during mid-season games, Dud showcases a reliable slow ball and steadies the team when the starters stumble.

Left behind On the day of the decisive Mount Morris game, Dud and Jimmy miss the team train and must pump a borrowed railroad hand-car miles down the track.

Winning his game Arriving just in time, Dud enters the game in relief, stifles the rival batters, and leads Grafton to a triumphant end-of-season victory.

The People

• Dud Baker: A reserved, conscientious student who wants to make the first-team baseball squad as a pitcher. Initially easily intimidated by older boys, he matures into a resilient player who trusts his own skills over social maneuvering.
• Jimmy Logan: Dud’s energetic, loyal roommate who constantly devises schemes to elevate Dud’s social standing. Though his advice often leads to chaos, his enthusiasm keeps Dud going.
• Starling Meyer: An arrogant upperclassman and athletic star who treats younger boys with contempt. He becomes Dud’s primary antagonist after a public confrontation and a misdirected pitch.
• Ben Myatt: A respected senior pitcher who takes time to offer practical advice to Dud, teaching him to master a simpler delivery.
• Hugh Ordway: A polite, former cricket player from abroad who adjusts to American baseball and becomes one of Dud's genuine friends.
• Nick Blake: A dependable, easygoing teammate whose quick fielding and steady presence support Dud during crucial moments on the field.

In Its Own Voice

Before Dud finds his rhythm on the mound, Jimmy tries to coach him on the art of campus diplomacy:

“Don’t wait for fellows to speak to you,” Jimmy had ordered.

As the boys relax away from school rivalries, they take to the nearby river at the end of an April afternoon:

There was silence then for a few minutes while the two canoes passed leisurely down the winding stream, side by side.

After taking over in a high-pressure inning, Dud regains confidence in his signature pitch:

If he could still make that slow ball of his go right he could fool any of them!

What It's Really About

Winning His Game explores the difference between superficial ambition and true self-reliance. At first, Dud believes success means winning popular approval through posturing and influence, a mindset actively promoted by his roommate Jimmy. However, his experiences on the baseball diamond and his clashes with Star Meyer reveal that social shortcuts are empty. The book argues that character is built through quiet discipline, willingness to take constructive advice, and unglamorous persistence. Dud's journey is less about defeating an opponent on the field than it is about overcoming his own internal need for external validation and learning to stand on his own merits.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy vintage school stories, classic sports fiction, or coming-of-age tales will find much to appreciate in Winning His Game. Ralph Henry Barbour writes with an easy, unpretentious charm, capturing the rhythm of campus life, dormitory banter, and early-twentieth-century athletic culture. The sports action is detailed and authentic to the period, offering a clear look at how baseball was taught and played over a century ago.

Modern readers should keep in mind that the book reflects the era of its publication in 1917. The narrative moves at a deliberate pace, spending considerable time on secondary games, track meets, and daily school routine before reaching its climax. The dialogue relies on period slang and relaxed student vernacular ("twirler," "bounder," "swipe"), which gives the prose an old-fashioned flavor without obstructing the narrative flow. What remains compelling is its clean structural arc and its warm portrayal of youthful friendship, making it an engaging slice of historical juvenile literature.