Jack Keefe Stories · Chapter
Along Came Ruth explained
Jack writes to Al about his marital troubles with Florrie, who runs a beauty parlor with a male partner.
What happens
Jack writes to Al about his marital troubles with Florrie, who runs a beauty parlor with a male partner. After a night away from home, Kid Gleason intervenes, threatening to reveal Jack's past indiscretions to force him back to his family. Jack reluctantly returns home for the sake of the children. Later, in St. Louis, Jack complains about the team's performance and his salary, and Gleason offers him a chance to earn a bonus by beating the Philadelphia club, which Jack does, driving in the only runs himself.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage and Domesticity
Jack's conflict with Florrie over her business partnership and his eventual return home for the sake of the children.
Class and Ambition
Jack's dissatisfaction with his $2,400 salary and his drive to prove himself as a 'money pitcher' by earning a bonus.
Humor and Irony
Jack's ironic complaint about left-handed pitchers while he pitches right-handed, and his obliviousness to his own faults in the family dispute.
Characters to notice
- Jack Keefe
Narrator and protagonist; struggles with home life and baseball, returns to family after Gleason's intervention, then pitches a winning game against Philadelphia.
- Al Blanchard
Jack's friend and confidant to whom the letters are addressed.
- Kid Gleason
Jack's manager; mediates Jack's family dispute, threatens to reveal Jack's past, and offers a bonus for beating Philadelphia.
- Mrs. Keefe
Jack's wife (Florrie); runs a beauty parlor with a male partner, which causes Jack's jealousy.
Key passages
“next thing I seen of the ball it was sailing into the right field bleachers where the black birds sets. And that's all I seen of the ball game.”
The next thing I saw, the ball was flying into the right-field bleachers where the blackbirds sit, and that was the end of the game for me.
Jack describes giving up a home run and leaving the game in frustration.
“Well Al I thought as long as Florrie was all rapped up in this new business it wasn't right to make her drop it and pull out and besides there was the kiddies to be considered so I decided to not make no trouble.”
Well Al, I figured since Florrie was so invested in her new business, it wouldn't be fair to force her to quit, and I also had to think about the children, so I decided not to cause any trouble.
Jack rationalizes his decision to accept Florrie's business after Gleason's intervention.
“So yesterday was the day I picked Al and Roth got a base hit and Burns got a base hit and that's all the base hits they got and the only 2 runs we got I drove in myself. But they was worth $600.00 to me Al and I guess Gleason knows now what kind of a money pitcher I am.”
So yesterday was the day I chose, Al. Roth got a hit, Burns got a hit, and that was all the hits we had. The only two runs we scored, I drove in myself. But those runs were worth $600 to me, Al, and I think Gleason now knows what kind of clutch pitcher I am.
Jack boasts about winning a bonus by pitching and driving in the only runs in a game against Philadelphia.