Date: Fri, 4 May 2012 06:19:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Joe Hunter Subject: Baseball Diamond Tails - 6F All the usual disclaimers apply: +This story is a work of fiction. If you think it is real, you have a very active imagination. +Do not read this story if you live in an area where it is illegal to do so. +Scenes of sexual activity between an adult male and young boys are represented. Do not read further if this offends you. +Please do not imitate the actions portrayed herein - the author cannot accept responsibility for any actions promoted by this story. If you would like to get in touch, please e-mail me at: hunterjoe45@yahoo.com I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Support Nifty! Joe ____________________________ BASEBALL DIAMOND TAILS - 6F (copyright 2012, Joe Hunter) :::::::::::::::::::: Shortstop: Part F :::::::::::::::::::: The next day, Monday, we had one of our best practices that season. The weather was nice, the kids were still feeling good about winning against their friends on our rival team, plus everyone was still pumped up about the double play. Shane and Sean, dressed identically in baseball caps, brief shorts and Nikes with no socks, arrived in the back of the pickup truck driven by Shane's sister-in-law and were joined by the first baseman who was also shirtless. A minute later all three came running over to me. "Coach, tell these guys I caught four trout up on the mountain," Shane begged. "They don't believe me!" I smiled at Sean and the first baseman. "He did - and they were big ones too!" "Coach, take me fishing," Sean pleaded, tugging at my arm. I patted his slender shoulder. "I will. You'll see." "My mom would never let me," the first baseman said glumly. "She never lets me do nothin'!" "Coach, Sean has something he wants you to hear," Shane said eagerly. "Go ahead, Sean. Do it for him." Sean screwed his face up in concentration and then rattled off, "High card, pair, two pair, straight, three of a kind..." When he finished with, "...straight flush." He looked up, grinning proudly. "I taught him Saturday night," Shane whispered. I put an arm around his bare shoulders and smiled at all three boys. "You guys are the greatest. Now, go get warmed up and let's kick butt in this practice." "Come on," Shane told the other two, "Let's practice our double plays!" It was one of those practices were everything seemed to be just right. The infield drills were crisp and snappy, none of the outfielders missed any fly balls, my centerfielder made a shoestring catch and held it up grinning from ear to ear and the final batting and base running drill went like clockwork. The boys were happy and excited when they gathered around me at the finish, particularly when I held up a big roll of quarters. "Batting cage tomorrow!" I was engulfed by a chorus of cheers. The first baseman got whisked off by his mother, but Shane and Sean hung around afterwards to help pack up the equipment. As Sean dragged the sack of batting helmets to the Blazer I nudged Shane and said, "He's a great kid, isn't he." My shortstop smiled and nodded. "I really like him, Coach." I put my hand on Shane's sweaty shoulder and said, "Remember, he's just a little guy, Shane. Be very gentle and patient with him." Shane stared up solemnly. "I will, Coach." "He looks up to you. You have to take care of him. Don't make him do anything he doesn't want to do." "I won't, Coach," Shane promised. "He's my... my responsibility." "That's right." I patted his shoulder and we both watched Sean put the bulky equipment bag into the SUV. "Coach," Shane said, looking up, "You like take care of me the same way don't you. I'm your responsibility." I nodded. "I try to take care of all you boys. Every kid on the team, but you especially, Shane, because..." "Because you really like me a lot," Shane whispered, staring into my face. "Yeah..." I glanced over at Sean. "And Sean, too..." "Thanks, Coach..." Shane gave me a quick hug. That week we had a game on Thursday night against one of our weaker opponents so I pitched Shane for two innings, let him play shortstop for one more and then substituted for him and the first baseman so other boys could have a chance to play. Both had done well and Shane had gotten another home so the two of them were in good spirits sitting next to me on the bench helping to keep the scorebook. "I know you hate to come out of the game, guys," I told them. "But we're gonna' beat this team and I want all the other kids to get some innings. In the tournament playoffs you'll play full time." "We know, Coach. It's okay..." Shane exchanged a grin with the first baseman. "Okay, well... maybe we do mind a little, except we don't mind – if you see what I mean." I chuckled. "Yeah, I think so." We won that game and all our boys did well, but the play I liked best was Sean's. I had been working with him on infield pop flies. Ground balls had never been too much of a problem because he was a brave little kid and willing to get in front of them, but for some reason fly balls terrified him. He had a lot of trouble judging where they would land and at the beginning of the season often fell over backwards when he tried to catch them. Now the work we had been doing together paid off. In the fifth inning a batter popped one sky high to the right side. I crossed my fingers and next to me I heard Shane whisper, "You can do it, Sean." The boy backpedaled from his second base position, watching the ball in the lights. Keep your eye on it, Sean, I thought. Keep your eye on it! I heard him call for the ball in his high voice and thought, "Good boy. That's the way!" As the ball came down Sean took a few hesitant steps back... stumbled... I held my breath... And then the ball dropped into his glove with a satisfying `Thwack!' "All right!" I yelled. "Nice catch, Sean!" Shane called and the first baseman shouted, "Way to go!" Sean held up the ball, looking over toward us and I knew he wanted to be sure we had noticed his catch. Both Shane and I waved, the first baseman gave him the high sign and the boy ran over to give the ball to the pitcher with a happy smile on his face. At the end of the inning, when he came to the dugout, Shane was out front to meet him and bring him over for congratulations. "I did it, Coach! Just like you showed me!" "That was great, Sean," I told him. "See how practice pays?" I gave him a quick hug and Sean went off beaming, to help Shane and the first baseman with the scorebook. Then on his next at bat Sean got a good hit and the evening was a complete success for him. He was a very happy boy when I gathered the team around me at the end of the game. "Nice one, guys. You're all doin' great! We've got the morning game again on Saturday so take tomorrow off, have fun, and I'll see you on Saturday morning. Go get your hotdogs!" They broke up with a cheer and streamed out of the dugout toward the snack bar while I cleaned up and packed the equipment. When I lugged the two bags out to my SUV I saw Shane and Sean in the center of an admiring group of Shane's fan club. There were at least five girls. After chatting with some of the parents for a while and with the other coach, I got ready to lock up the snack stand and found Shane and Sean waiting for me. I smiled at them fondly. "You guys sure played well tonight. I'm so damn proud of both of you I might bust." Sean beamed at me and Shane gave me a happy grin. "Coach, can we ask a favor?" "Absolutely." "Coach, Sean's got a tent. Can we do a campout behind your apartment Saturday night? There's no good place in the trailer park an' it's too noisy anyway." "Sure. Get permission from your brother and Sean's mom, though." "We will," Shane assured me. "See?" he told Sean. "I told you he'd say yes." Sean was bouncing with excitement. "Coach, I'm gonna' bring my lantern! We're gonna' stay up late!" "Sounds like fun." I said, and then after a moment of consideration added, "Look, why don't we do this. After the game Saturday I'll take you swimming over at the pool. Then we can hit the bowling alley and the video arcade. We'll rent some movies, order a pizza. You can eat, watch your movies and go out to your tent whenever you want. How would that be?" "Wow, Coach! That'll be great!" Shane turned to Sean and the two boys grinned at each other. "Plan on it then," I told them. "And remember, we still have a game to play that morning. I keep hoping you guys will get that last double-play!" "We're gonna' get it, Coach," Shane said confidently. "Sean is really getting good at his pivot. I know he can do it." Sean looked up and nodded. "Come on over to the Blazer, Shane," I said, remembering that I had something for him. My shortstop followed me with Sean trotting right behind him. "What is it, Coach?" As I reached into the vehicle for the bag I had left on the front seat Shane leaned against me and I was very aware that under the uniform T-shirt and baseball pants he was naked except for his little jock. I took two books out of the bag and gave them to him. They were books written for young people about geology and dinosaurs with lots of illustrations and when Shane saw what they were his face lit up. "Coach!" He exclaimed, stroking his hand over the books. "Coach, thanks!" He opened the top book, looked at some of the pictures and began turning pages as if he was going to read the whole thing right there in the parking lot. Sean was holding his arm and leaning over trying to see, too. I reached into the bag again and pulled out a VHS tape. "This is a National Geographic special about the dinosaurs," I told them. "It has a lot of neat stuff about the big asteroid that wiped them out." "Oh Coach, cool!" Shane took the tape and studied the picture on the front with excited interest. "Dinosaurs!" Sean exclaimed, desperate not to be left out. "Neat! Shane, I love dinosaurs. I know all the names. Coach, I like dinosaurs, too!" I patted his head. "Then you'll enjoy watching the tape together. And maybe Shane will share his books with you. Shane, if you like those books I'll get more for you." The boy looked up gratefully. "Thanks, Coach." He turned to Sean. "Here Sean, you take this one and I'll read the other one. Then we can switch. We'll watch the tape Saturday while we're at Coach's house." "Yeah!" Sean was bouncing again, face glowing with happiness. "I really like dinosaurs, Shane. Coach, I like them a lot!" "Okay guys, I'll hold onto the tape until Saturday. Enjoy your books. I'll see you at the game." With excited grins at me, clutching their books, the boys ran off to find Shane's brother. Our morning game on Saturday was another relatively easy team and once more I juggled the line up to keep my weaker players in while the better ones substituted. Sean played the whole game at second base. He was getting good enough so I considered resting him with the other top players, but in the end I thought the extra experience would be good for his confidence. Shane played half the game at shortstop and then I substituted for both him and his friend the first baseman, but not before they had gotten another 4-6-3 double-play. It happened at the bottom of the second inning. The other team was having a very tough time against my 11-year-old pitchers, but they finally got a man on base. The next batter rolled a grounder to Sean. He flipped it to Shane covering the bag at second and Shane fired the ball to first for the double-play. They had practiced it so often they made it look easy and the people in the bleachers came to their feet, applauding. Shane, Sean and the first baseman all came together, slapped each other's palms and then Shane made Sean tip his hat, which he did very shyly, making the crowd applaud even more. Despite all this Sean was still disappointed when the three of them came back to the dugout. "Why couldn't that ball have been hit to you, Shane? I bet we coulda' gotten our 4-6-3!" "You still did it perfect," Shane told him. The first baseman was tugging at my arm. "We looked good, didn't we Coach?" "Real good," I assured him. "The New York Yankees don't do it any better." "Or the Rockies!" Shane reminded me, always ready to stick up for his favorites. "It's because you've practiced so hard," I told them. "And because you're friends and have such good teamwork." "A lot of it's Sean," the first baseman said. "He's worked harder than anybody to improve." "Yeah." Shane nodded in agreement and told Sean, "Coach knows how hard you've worked." The younger boy sitting between the two 12-year-olds turned red and looked down shyly. I stroked his fine blonde hair. "I do know how hard you've worked. I'm very proud of all three of you. And not just because you make double plays. I'm proud of your teamwork, and the friendship you've given each other." They were all pumped up after that. Shane certainly was. At his next at-bat he cranked another home run over the centerfield fence, and Sean jumped up and down yelling with excitement as his hero rounded the bases. A little later the first baseman tripled and Sean himself singled and drove in the run. At the end of the next inning, when I put in substitutes for the first baseman and Shane, I told them, "You two better get out of the game before you bury that other team," and the boys grinned at me mischievously. They sat with me in the dugout handling the scorebook, keeping the pitch counts and cheering for the team, although I noticed that their loudest cheers were always for Sean. While he waited in the dugout for his turn at bat they sat on either side of him on the bench talking and encouraging. There was a frustrating moment in the sixth inning when, with a runner on first, the other team's batter hit a brisk grounder to short. Sean raced to cover second, but my substitute shortstop bobbled the ball and by the time he got it to Sean the runner was safe. Sean made beautiful pivot anyway and threw to first, but it was too late. Everybody was safe. "That's okay guys!" I yelled. "You'll get the next one. Stay sharp!" When they trotted off the field at the end of the inning my substitute shortstop was shaking his head. "That was my bad, Coach. Sean was right there, I just couldn't make the play." I patted him on the back. "Even the major leaguers don't make all of them. There'll be other chances." As he went to his seat Sean looked up at me solemnly. "I made the pivot, Coach. I can do it. When Shane's playing we're going to get it. I won't let him down." "I know you won't, Seany." He went to sit with Shane and the first baseman. Batting in that inning he got another single and ended up four for four in that game, one of his best showings of the season. The final score was 10-3 and it would have been a lot worse if I had not left my youngest pitcher in the game so he could gain experience for two innings. This allowed the other team to get some runs and feel that they had not done too badly. Nevertheless, their coach was very unhappy with them and I heard him yelling in their dugout after the team handshake. My boys had already gone to the snack bar for their free hot dogs, but Sean, Shane, and the first baseman were helping me gather our equipment and they heard it. Little Sean came close to me and took my hand. "Boy, I'm glad I'm not on his team," the first baseman remarked. "He sure sounds mad," Shane said. He paused a moment and then added, "Coach would never do that." He turned to me. "You get mad sometimes, but you're always nice with us." "I try to be," I said with a smile. I'm not perfect." As the two older boys went back to work, Sean looked up at me, his eyes wide. "I'm glad you're our coach," he whispered. I had all three boys with me when I pulled out of the parking lot. Sean and Shane had tried to get the first baseman in on the sleep over, but his mother had shaken her head and only given permission for him to accompany us to the pool. "She never lets me do anything!" the poor kid complained when I dropped him off at his house so he could change while we went to the trailer park to get Sean's tent. "Back in twenty minutes," I told him. At the trailer park I parked by Shane's brother's pick up and Shane ran to change while I followed Sean over to his trailer. "I'll get the tent, Coach," Sean told me hurriedly. "You don't gotta' come in." It was clear to me that he wanted me to stay outside. I waited for a while. When he did not come out I went to the door and opened it slightly. Inside I could hear him moving around, struggling with something so I went in. The trailer was hot and stuffy, the air foul with an odor of spoiled food and the place was a mess. Dirty dishes filled the kitchen sink. Stepping over a pile of newspapers and dirty clothes I found Sean standing on a rickety chair in the tiny hallway trying to move a heavy box that was wedged in an upper storage cupboard. He looked at me in dismay. "It's stuck, Coach." I lifted him off the chair, put him safe on the floor and maneuvered the box down. It clanked as though it contained dishes. Behind it was a thick flat box with a colorful picture of a tent, the kind of thing you buy at Kmart for a little kid. It was not serious camping gear, but I judged it would be fine for the backyard. When I brought it down and gave it to Sean the boy hugged the big box to his chest. "It was a birthday present," he told me solemnly. "It's a nice one, Seany." I put the crate of dishes back up in the cupboard and then looked around. The flimsy door at the end of the tiny hall was closed. "My mom's in there asleep," Sean whispered. "She knows where you're going to be tonight, right?" "Uh-huh," Sean nodded. "She said it's okay." Sean's little bedroom was next to the miniature bathroom. Almost all the space was occupied by his bed. The room was fairly neat and his bed was more or less made. There were baseball cards on a narrow chest of drawers and a poster of a Navy jet fighter thumbtacked to the wall. He lifted the pillow to show me Shane's book. "I got it in a safe place," he told me. Patting him on the shoulder I took the tent box and put it under my arm. "I'll go put this in the car. You get changed." Under the thin cotton of his baseball shirt I could feel the smooth warmth of his skin. I leaned closer to say, "I was so proud of you in that game today." The boy's eyes glowed with pride. I pulled him close for a hug and he pressed his cheek against my stomach, wrapping his thin arms around my waist to hug back. "Get changed now, son," I told him. Shane was already waiting in the Blazer dressed in ball cap, a Colorado Rockies T-shirt and the lemon colored satin shorts. His smooth tanned legs were bare. We put the tent in the back. "Sean will be right out," I told him. "I'm just gonna' say hello to your brother for a sec." Shane's brother and his wife were at the door as I came up. "Hi Coach!" the young woman said cheerfully, "Come on in. Shane's all excited about the campout." "Hey, what a game today!" her husband told me. "My baby brother the home run star!" We went inside where I was sure Shane could not hear us and I said, "Have you done any more thinking about that business we talked about?" They looked at each other, and Shane's sister-in-law nodded. "We're for it, Coach. With your help we'll do it." "You'll have to take Shane part of the time," her husband said, "We're both working this winter. But we want to try, Coach. I want my little brother to do the things I missed." "I'll do whatever you need," I assured them. "And ..." I hesitated for a few moments, cleared my throat and looked at the young woman. "Look I... I'm not sure how to put this. If I'm outta' line just kick me, or throw a pot at me or something. But... I was just inside Sean's trailer." The girl nodded sadly. "Yeah." "Yeah." I nodded. "Look, I mean this is awkward, but... If I helped with that, too..." "She'd just spend it on booze, Coach," the young woman told me. "It's not money. She has money." "No, no," I said hastily. "I mean, if I gave – contributed! – the money for him, could you... Would you be willing to take Sean, too? I mean, do you think we could. I'd do anything to help. Whatever has to be done." They looked at each other and then Shane's sister-in-law said, "I think we have to try, Coach. I know her. I can try to talk to her. I'll see what I can do." "It's a big responsibility," I told them. "I mean, one is tough enough, but two... That's a real challenge. I know. You have to get them to school every day, make sure homework gets done when they want to play, get them to other activities... I mean, your own life has to take a backseat." The young woman smiled at me. "We know, Coach. We want to try, and if anyone can teach us it's you. You're the expert." I reached out wordlessly and took both her hands. "I'll talk to his mother," she said again as we got up. "I can get something arranged." "I'll get you something twice a month, starting Monday," I told them. "I don't think we need to worry much about Sean right away. I can keep him so busy with baseball that he won't have to be home much. The boys are almost certainly going to get their double-play combination and I've decided to take them on a little trip as a surprise. Please don't tell them that, by the way..." "We won't," Shane's brother promised, grinning. "And in August, I take my vacation so I planned on giving the boys a week's camping in the mountains. I know Shane wants to go in the worst way." "And if Shane goes, Sean will want to go," Shane's brother told me. "The kid wants to do everything he does." By the time you get them back from that trip I should have things worked out," his wife assured me. "Good..." I shook their hands. "Well, for better or worse we're in it now guys." They both laughed, but I shook my head. "You're laughing now. Wait till you get that first dentist bill for their teeth!" "Ouch!" Shane's brother said, "Get outta' here, Coach, before we lose our nerve!" At the Blazer Sean and Shane both had their heads together looking at the books I had given them, Sean rattling off dinosaur names to prove to Shane that he knew them. Sean had on his baseball cap and a big loose tie-dyed T-shirt so large the bottom hem came half way down his bare thighs. The neck of the T-shirt was wide enough to slip over one of the boy's slim shoulders. It looked as if it were the only garment he had on. "Have you got your shorts?" I asked him. He pulled up the shirt and showed me the ragged little pair of gym shorts he was wearing. "Okay," I told him, ruffling the boy's fine blonde hair. As I got in on the driver side and started the engine the boys scrambled into the front passenger seat with Sean sitting on Shane's lap. "This way we can both be up in front," Shane told me with a grin. We drove back to my first baseman's house and on the way over I noticed that Shane's hands were busy beneath the Sean's billowing shirt and that Sean kept his legs spread apart. The first baseman came running out as we pulled up dressed in his team cap, sweaty team uniform shirt and a tight Speedo brief that showed off his smooth slender legs. The same height as Shane, well-muscled but not as sturdy or defined, the boy's graceful slim lines were the result of hard training in competitive swimming, the sport he pursued when not playing baseball. "Hey guys!" He climbed into the back seat. "Sorry about the sweaty shirt, Coach. My mom wants me to wash it in the shower at the pool." I chuckled. "Your mom is very practical." On the way over to the municipal pool I made a stop at my favorite sporting goods store, found a parking place and told Shane, "Check the back of Sean's shorts and look for a tag. I need the size." Sean leaned forward so Shane could lift his shirt and turn down the waistband. The young boy was naked under the shorts and the upper part of his pale glossy butt gleamed in the sunlight. "No tag, Coach," Shane reported. "Pull his shirt up farther." I reached over the seat divider and put my hands around the young boy's delicate waist, estimating the size. When my palm brushed the crotch of his ragged shorts a hard little branch pressed up against it beneath the thin cloth. "I'll be right back," I told the boys. In the store I bought three pairs of satin shorts, bright yellow just like Shane's, choosing different sizes judging that at least one would fit. I had the checkout clerk remove all the tags and when I came back to the Blazer I handed the bag to Shane. "When we get to the pool, have Sean use the one that fits best. Throw that ratty thing he's wearing away." Sean and Shane both looked in the bag and Sean gave a delighted little gasp. "Shane, these are just like yours! Coach?" He gave me a timid look. "One of these is for me? I get to keep it?" "It's for you," I assured him. Sean pulled out one of the shorts and leaned back against Shane, admiring the shiny satin. "Thanks, Coach," he said. The municipal pool was a big Olympic sized monster in a park not too far from the river. There were a lot of families there on that hot Saturday. I dropped the boys off and parked on the far end of the parking lot. When I got into the changing area I was confronted by three very pleased looking boys all dressed identically in brief yellow satin shorts. "Coach, look!" Shane exclaimed delightedly. "It's perfect! The smallest size fit Sean, and the other two..." He indicated the first baseman and himself, "They were just right for us!" I needed no second invitation to look. The three boys were a glorious sight: sturdy Shane with his tanned beautifully formed body; my slender elegant first baseman; and young Sean, a head shorter than the other two delicate and graceful, the perfection of his childish proportions yet to be changed by the onset of rapid growth, although my practiced eye could see the first hint of development in his lower limbs. Overcome with affection for them I sat down on the bench to enjoy their beaming young faces. It was a moment before I could find my voice and then I told Shane, "I'm not usually the superstitious type, but this is an omen." Their eyes sharpened with interest and all three came close around me. Outside there were the sounds of splashing and the excited cries of children, but in the dressing room it was dim and quiet. We were the only ones there. "You practice together all the time," I continued in a hushed voice. "It's like you're a team within a team. In games you're dressed exactly alike. And now, the first time you get to do something together, by accident or luck or – something..." I paused and then went on, "Those shorts I bought more or less at random fit perfectly, and you're identical again." I swept my eyes across them, looking from face-to-face. Sean was staring at me wide-eyed. "It's all meant to be," I whispered. "It's in the very air around you. You can almost feel it! That double play? You're going to get it! Nothing can stop you. That's why it didn't happen today. You all have to be there. That's when it will happen - like lightning striking. And that's not all. There's going to be a lot more. So much more. I can almost see it. The future..." Voices outside came closer. People were coming. "Quick!" I hissed, "Your fists! Quick! Put them in the center!" Each boy made a fist, put it in front of him and I started to hold mine out as well but then hastily pulled it back. "No!" I whispered, "Mine doesn't belong there. Put them together, let them touch. Now!" The boys brought their fists together and their eyes met. For several heartbeats they remained locked in place, frozen in time. Then some kids and adults came through the door and the moment passed. Sounds from the outside washed over us. "I'm going to change," I told them in a normal voice. "I'll meet you out there. Shane, don't let Sean go in the deep end." It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon for swimming and the boys had a great time. Sean had never had swimming lessons so Shane, the first baseman and I all worked with him. He was fearful of the deep water at first, but he was an athletic little boy and he trusted us. Soon he could dog paddle and do a primitive version of the crawl stroke across the deep part. He was immensely proud of himself, but he stayed very close to Shane and me. Once Sean had some confidence in the water we played tag with the special rule that Sean could get out of the water and run along the side, but the rest of us had to stay in. This was fun, with the added advantage that it helped Sean overcome his fear of diving into the water. Then we played a game where I threw a plastic ball and the boys jumped from the side trying to catch it. After that I stood in the middle of the pool, tossing the boys up in the air so they could dive back into the water. They loved it and would have been content to keep going all day if my strength could have held out. I enjoyed it, too, reveling in the feel of their firm young bodies against mine. My hands slid over smooth skin, holding their sides and waists or cupping their rounded butts, lifting and throwing them shrieking with excitement high into the air. Sean and Shane were naked under their shorts and I explored beneath the water, feeling their hard erections through the thin satin cloth. Shane kept guiding my hand beneath the elastic of his waist band so my fingers could stroke his rigid member while he waited for the other boys to swim away from the spot where he wanted to land. My first baseman had on the speedo underneath and the satin of the shorts slipped over the tight Lycra of the racing brief as I slid my hand on his narrow hips. Each time I cupped his hard round butt, preparing to throw him the boy wiggled his slender swimmer's body against mine. He liked me to toss him almost straight up so he could turn a graceful half somersault and drop head first into the water. I watched him out of the corner of my eye when he came back to the surface and noticed that he was adjusting his tight briefs under the water. The next few times I threw him I rubbed my palm over the front of his shorts as he squirmed against me and I felt his hard boner trapped against his belly by the tight Speedo. I stroked my hand up and down over it, pretending to adjust my grip on him. After a few more tosses the boy fumbled below the water once more. When I held him again I found he had untied the waist of his briefs and rolled them down off his hips under his shorts. His hard erection jutted out, free of the constraining Lycra, and I rubbed my fingers over its full length under the satin shorts. I did this on a few throws, and then on the next one I put my hand on his slender lean tummy and pretended to let it slip accidentally into the shorts. My exploring fingers grasped his straining shaft. He was as long as Shane but not as thick. The boy twisted and arched a little, tightening his butt to swell his rigid hardness in my grasp and prolonging the contact with me before letting me throw him. From then on, each time he came eagerly to be held, he always positioned himself so I could put my hand on his stomach and slide it under the shorts. The boys were all light enough so I could throw them a good distance, but they were also heavy enough to make it a workout. Eventually, as much as I was enjoying myself, I had to tell them I was getting tired. "No, Coach," Shane begged, "Don't stop. One more!" "Please, Coach!" The first baseman and Sean both pleaded. My shoulders were burning with fatigue, but... "Okay. Just one more." They all jumped on me and the first baseman squirmed his way into the front. "Me! Me! Do me first, Coach!" As I put my arm around his slim body he reached down and pulled his shorts open to be sure I would reach in to rub him. I pretended to be resting and gathering my strength as I stroked his hard boy stick and he slid against me happily. At last, holding his pert butt, I tossed him high into the air and he did another somersault, slicing back into the water perfectly. Shane climbed onto me next. He pushed my hand into his shorts and clung tight as I rubbed and caressed his quivering shaft. He was so aroused and hard that I could feel it throb under my fingers. He spread his legs, moaned softly and tightened his grip on my chest. "Coach, throw me really, really high." Turning him, I crouched and then exploded up, tossing the boy as high and far I could. "Yeah!" Shane cried. He tucked into a ball, dropped into the water with a big splash and came back to the surface blowing bubbles, grinning from ear to ear. Sean came last, beside himself with excitement. "Now me, now me!" He begged. "Way up, Coach. Way, way up." The boy's smooth perfectly formed body, surprisingly hard and well-developed on his childish frame, pressed against me, warm skin like velvet under the water. I caressed the taut muscle of his narrow tummy and slid my palm down into his shorts. As I rubbed his hard three inches the boy rewarded me with a happy squirm and hug. I took him by his delicate waist, tossed him like a ball high into the air and he shrieked with delight, curling up tight and landing back in the water with a satisfying splash. He came to the surface, dog paddled toward me kicking hard and begged, "Again, Coach! Again. Please, please, please..." The two other boys jumped on me and held tight. "One more, Coach," they pleaded. "Just one more!" I laughed and hugged them both. "No way. You guys have worn me out." "Please, Coach. Just one." Shane was sure he could talk me into it. I might have given in, but I was saved by Shane's fan club. They had been hovering around us all afternoon and now, seeing that we had paused in our games, a few of the girls swam over and started talking to Shane and the first baseman. While they were distracted I escaped to the side of the pool with Sean following, doing his primitive crawl stroke. I put my hand under his slender chest and held him up so he could get a good breath. "Want a ride, Seany?" I asked and he nodded, smiling happily. "Get on my back and hold on." The boy scrambled behind me, put his arms around my neck and rested his lean body on me as if I were a surfboard. I went to the far end doing breaststroke with his warm smoothness sliding over my back and shoulders, the hard bulge of his little erection pressed against me. Sean kept squirming to rub his stiffy on me as we moved slowly through the water. "Submarine!" I announced when we reached the far end. "Hold on real tight. Take a deep breath." I heard him inhaling a lungful of air and after sucking in a big breath as well I took us beneath the surface, all the way to the bottom nearly 10 feet down. There I put my feet on the wall and pushed off with a powerful shove. The sudden increase in speed broke Sean's grip and he slipped off. I got to him, pulled him up to the surface and after blowing bubbles he took a gasping breath and then clung tight. "Whoops!" I told him. "You got to hold on tighter than that. Okay, swim to the wall now, just like we taught you. I'm right here with you." Sean let go, did his dog paddle for a second and then used his crawl stroke to go to the wall while I floated along next to him. He grabbed onto the wall and I let him rest for a moment while he got his breath and then said, "Okay, let's try this again. Remember, hold on real tight." He nodded and scrambled around to my back again, this time locking his hands in front of my neck. "Deep breath," I told him. We sank to the bottom once more and I pushed off the wall with Sean holding on perfectly, his slender arms straining. I powered back up to the surface and we started down the middle of the pool toward the other end. Sean giggled and loosened his grasp. "That was fun, Coach." Relaxing with his head resting on the back of my neck he let his legs sprawl to either side of my hips and the movement of my swimming rubbed our bodies together. I felt his groin stir and almost immediately his little boner was pushing on me. When I stopped in the shallow end he would not let go. "More, Coach." "Maybe later. Now try this." From the pocket of my swim shorts I took five shiny quarters and tossed them into the water. "See how many you can get!" The boy responded eagerly, swimming out using his crawl stroke and then diving down under the water, wiggling like a little otter as he scrambled to pick everything up. My first baseman saw what we were doing and got interested in the game, too, racing Sean to see who could pick up the most objects. "Remember, this is Sean's game," I whispered to the older boy. "It's to help him learn to swim underwater. Let him win." "Okay, Coach," first baseman assured me. Shane came over next, pursued closely by four girls from his fan club. "Help, Coach!" He slid behind me, "They're after me. They won't leave me alone." "And you're complaining?" I grinned and told the giggling girls, "Let me talk with him for a while. You can have him back later." Reluctantly the girls withdrew, waving over their shoulders while Shane peered around me until he was sure they were leaving. "I don't think I've ever coached a boy as popular as you, Shane," I told him. "Was it like this for you and you were a kid, Coach?" "Nope, I was more like your friend the first baseman." Shane pressed against my back, held onto my shoulders and laid his head on my neck. "Give me a ride, Coach." "Okay," I told him. "Just wait a sec." I hopped out of the water and went to the lifeguard stand. The high school boy in the chair gave me a friendly grin. "Givin' swim lessons, Coach?" "Yeah. Some kids on the baseball team. Keep an eye on the younger one for me will you? He's a good little second baseman and I don't want to lose him. He's just a beginning swimmer" "No prob, Coach. I'll see he's alright." "Thanks." When I got back in the water Shane took hold of me and stretched out on my back while I took him around the pool. Shane was a head taller than Sean and a little heavier, so my pace was slower than it had been with the younger boy, but Shane was not interested in speed. He held my shoulders loosely, resting his cheek on my neck and let the swirl of the water and movement of my body slide his smooth skin over mine. He spread his legs, straddling my hips and immediately I felt his rigid boner push into the hollow of my back. The boy twisted his body to keep rubbing it against me. "Coach, this is nice. I wish we were by ourselves." "Me, too." I took him to the deep end where there were only a few swimmers and we played submarine a few times, which Shane liked because he got to hold me very tight and wrap his legs around my middle. He pulled his body close against mine under the water and squirmed his hips to rub his straining shaft on my back. After that I took him to the side of the pool, told him to hang on to the edge and then moved behind him so my body shielded his. Under the water I slid my fingers up under his shorts, grasped his jutting boner and the boy was so aroused it began to pulse at the first rub. Shane spread his legs and reached behind to stroke my own hard member through the fabric of my swim shorts. Then his lean hard body shuddered. More pulsations throbbed in his rigid boy stick as a powerful contraction jerked him. "Ohhhhhh..." I pulled my hand back out of his shorts, stroked his thigh and then slid my hand under his waistband onto the smooth gloss of his firm rounded butt. Shane tightened it for me to make a hard jutting mound. I turned so the boy could stretch out on my back again and we continued around the pool, Shane twisting his body on mine, his head pressed tightly against my neck and shoulders and his hard erection rubbing above my butt. When we stopped to watch Sean playing with the first baseman he clung and pressed against me, refusing to let go. "More, Coach," he kept pleading. "Do it more." I took him to the deep end, played submarine and jerked him twice more and then reached behind, tickling. Shane giggled and tried to get hold of my hand, but I only tickled harder and the boy squealed with laughter. Under the water my hand went to his crotch, rubbing his stiffy and Shane pretended to struggle, opening his legs so I could pump faster. After he jerked again he hugged around my chest. "Throw me, Coach." "Okay." Taking his hard lithe body I tossed him high enough for a neat flip with a half twist and he came down curled in an upside down cannonball for a big splash. Before Shane could swim back to me I stroked to the side of the pool, hopped out and with a grin Shane followed scrambling in pursuit. "Diving contest," I announced quickly. "Winner gets his choice at Dairy Queen." "Yeah!" Shane said excitedly. Sean and the first baseman joined us full of curiosity and I led them to the side of the pool by the life guard stand to explain the rules. "Him and me," I pointed to the lifeguard, "we're the judges. You get five dives - anything you want so long as they're different. Ready?" The two older boys nodded eagerly. Sean looked doubtful but determined. I had expected Shane to win as he was the most athletic of the three, but his dives were simple ones; cannonballs, watermelons, somersaults and one he called `Ice-Tea', where he fell backwards into the water with his arms outstretched like a Lipton ice tea commercial. The guard and I awarded average points for these and it was the first baseman who provided the acrobatics. After several flips, twists and jackknives he did a show-stopping front handspring off the edge of the pool and we gave him top points. Poor little Sean had the hardest time. He had only just mustered the courage to dive headfirst for the first time that day, but I thought he showed a lot of imagination. The only dive he could do was the most basic one: stand on the edge of the pool and fall in head first. But after he had done that, and gotten points for it, he came up with four original variations. In one he curled up in a ball and rolled off the side that way, in another he curled up again and rolled off backwards. I could tell he was scared, but he did it. Then he stood on the edge of the pool with his back to the water and I thought he might be trying Shane's `Ice-Tea', but he twisted his body around as he jumped off and went in clumsily that way. On his fifth and last dive he stood with his back to the water again. I saw him close his eyes and bite his lip. Then he launched himself out backwards in an attempt at a back dive. It was one of the bravest things I had ever seen any boy do. He had only learned how to dive headfirst a few hours earlier. He must have been terrified. But he made himself do it and landed flat on his back with a resounding `WAP!' I was about to go in after him but Shane beat me to it. He stroked out to where Sean was struggling to the surface and helped him in. "Way to go, Sean!" He told his friend. "You did a back dive your first time. Awesome!" I reached down and pulled the little guy up out of the water. When I put him on his feet the boy grimaced and I examined his back that was turning bright red. "Are you okay? That must've stung." "I'm... I'm okay, Coach," he told me. The lifeguard and I awarded him a perfect score to honor his courage and that put him ahead of Shane so he came in second. My first baseman was beaming happily. "You look like you're eating that ice cream already," I told him with a chuckle. "What's your choice at Dairy Queen?" "Cookies and cream blizzard," he said, rubbing his lean belly. "Mmmmmm..." Sean and Shane both looked disappointed, but their faces brightened when I announced, "Second chance contest! Diving for distance. Running starts allowed." With his overall strength advantage Shane won that competition although once again Sean impressed me with his courage, actually finding the nerve to take several running steps and diving farther than he ever had before. "Nice going," I told my happy shortstop when he was declared the winner, "What's your choice going to be?" "Chocolate sundae, Coach! But... But Coach, what about Sean?" I smiled at both Shane and the first baseman standing beside him. "You're my veterans. Tell me, which is more important; winning or sportsmanship?" "Sportsmanship," Shane answered promptly, and his friend nodded, adding, "You taught us sportsmanship and teamwork are more important than anything!" I knelt down next to Sean and put my arm around his waist. "Damn right," I told the boys, "And don't forget courage. It's important, too." All three had their eyes fixed on me. "So now I'm awarding the prize for the best sportsmanship and the most courage. Sean," I said, looking at the young boy, "You only learned how to dive for the first time today. And both these other boys are a year older than you. But you never whined or complained. You went in and did your very best. You never gave up. And you showed great, great courage. I'm so proud of you. Congratulations. What's your choice going to be at Dairy Queen?" Sean's face was wreathed in a smile. He wiggled happily and peeped, "I wanna' Sunday with a cherry on it, like they show on TV!" "You've got it," I promised. I looked at my boys and smiled. "Guess it turns out all three of you have your choice today." Shane was regarding me suspiciously and then suddenly he grinned. "Coach, you made it come out that way. You planned it all along." "Maybe," I said, grinning back, "But, I'm superstitious now. It wouldn't work to have one or even two of you get something all three couldn't have. Remember the omen." I gestured at their three identical shorts. The boys looked at each other, and when Shane held out a fist the other two touched it with their own. "Let's go get your ice cream," I told them. They all grabbed their towels and raced for the dressing room, but I held back a moment when the lifeguard asked anxiously, "You're gonna' help with the swim team again this winter, aren't you, Coach?" "I'll be there. And this year let's win that State Championship and get you a scholarship!" He smiled shyly. "I hope so, Coach." "Hope has nothing to do with it. We're gonna' make it happen. Are you doin' those exercises I gave you?" "Every day," the boy assured me. "We'll get you that scholarship." I help my palm out so he could slap it and then went to change. The boys did not have to change since they had come wearing their shorts so they all had their shirts on and were waiting impatiently by the Blazer when I came out. "Come on, Coach!" Sean was almost bouncing with excitement. They scrambled in when I unlocked the vehicle. Shane got into the front with Sean on his lap and the first baseman climbed into the back and hung over my seat with his head on my shoulder. We went immediately to the Dairy Queen out on the highway where there was the usual long wait. The boys all pressed their faces to the windows trying to see if the ladies inside were making their orders. "I bet that one's mine," the first baseman said as he watched a blizzard cup go on the mixer. "Coach, it's taking forever!" Sean told me, bouncing on his toes. Finally our things came out and we all went to a table. I had a small root beer float while I watched my three boys devour their ice cream greedily in the hot afternoon sunshine. As I listened to their talk I discovered that, while the first baseman had been there many times, Shane and Sean had only been to Dairy Queen once before. For them, coming today had indeed been a rare and wonderful treat. When they finished scraping and slurping every last bit out of their cups, they looked very happy and content. I herded them back into the Blazer and looked at my watch. "Who's ready for some bowling?" "Me! ... Me! ... Me!" the boys chorused, and we headed off to the family entertainment center for some lane and arcade time. Much later, driving home, Shane leaned back in his seat with Sean on his lap and sighed, "That was fun, Coach." The first baseman was hanging over my seat back, an arm around my neck and his head nestled on my shoulder. "Yeah, this was great today, Coach." When we stopped at his house to drop him off he let go of me reluctantly and pleaded, "Coach, can't you please talk to my mom an' like tell her to let me do stuff? She'll listen to you." With a fond smile I gave his slender shoulder a pat. "I'll see what I can do." Shane put his head out the window to remind him, "Wear the shorts for practice Monday so we can all look alike." The first baseman waved as we drove off and after waving back Shane put his arm back around Sean's small waist. The younger boy nestled back against him and said happily, "This is so cool. We can stay up late tonight, can't we Coach?" "Sure." I reached over to stroke his silky thigh. "It's a sleepover campout. Stay up as late as you want." Driving across town I watched out of the corner of my eye and saw Shane's hands moving under Sean's big loose shirt. The younger boy's lips parted and he arched his head back against Shane's chest, spreading his legs wide. [ To Be Continued In Parts G thru K ] *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Hope you enjoyed it! This baseball series has a 'long' short story for every position. Look for a new chapter or two each month. Thanks for taking the time to read my story and if you'd like to comment, my e-mail address is: hunterjoe45@yahoo.com I will try to answer all serious mailings. My on-line access is very limited. Rants and ravings will not get consideration. To all you readers who enjoy these stories, please support Nifty with contributions and keep the Archive online. Check the Nifty home page for ways to make contributions. Without this Archive those of us who write for you will lose a wonderful resource to get our stories out. You can find links to all my other stories on Nifty under my name, Joe Hunter, listed under the J's (for Joe) in the prolific authors list. To get that list click the Authors tab at the top of the Nifty home page and then select 'Prolific Authors'. I hope you will read and enjoy! All the Best. Joe