jw115+Rockwell+Painting+Story

Rookie's Luck
It's a bright and sunny day to be at the baseball stadium downtown, but it wasn't all nice and cheery with a happily ever after story like you'd think.

A game with the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox was not in an animal's favor. The Cubs were losing by three runs, and it was the top of the 9th inning, with two outs and every base supplied with a player. Currently, the game was in Boston, so the crowd cheered mostly the Red Sox. Jack Cunningmann was the next, and might be the final runner, even though everyone knew what his beef was. He was the youngest player in the game, he could barely hold a wooden bat, and mostly got outs or fouls, and he only had about three singles! You could even tell what they knew about Jack from their terrible reactions

So the time came for him to come up at bat. Jack gazed around the field, holding his mouth out in awe and pressure, seeing he had to hit a home run just to win this game. "//But what were the chances that a home run could win this game by me?"// Jack thought. He might as well get fired, doing the worst of the worst in the major league baseball. His coach threatened him to get in shape and play the games better, or he might as well go live in a ditch. Right now, he had no choice but to approach home base and hit the ball as best as he can.

Jack picked up a small wooden bat that he was used to, even though it was still a little heavy. Looking at the crowd, they knew what was going to happen next, since they've seen enough of it in previous games. They booed, shouted, insulted, made faces, laughed, and even cursed at the Chicago Cub's youngest player. Jack though, was used to it, and was smart enough to bring some earplugs to the game.

"You can do it, Jack!" yelled his friend teammate, Brandon Hugh. Jack really liked Brandon's personality and how he socialized with other players, and mostly himself. But there was no time for that. //"Let's get this over with."// he thought.

Jack got into his position as everyone learned, put his bat over his shoulder, and waited for the pitch. The pitcher, formally known as Chad Morrorwind, was pretty amazing if you asked anyone. He rarely let anyone get a base, and you might be god's favorite to get a double. Seeing that Jack wasn't that person for god, he lost interest in the subject immediately and kept waiting for the pitch. The ball went the speed of a cheetah, and was an instant strike.

"Strike one!" announced the announcer of the stadium.

The ball came up at Jack again, this time, it was a hit! But, unfortunately, it went into the foul zone.

"Strike two!"

Jack went into full nervous mode. He felt like he was hitting the tiniest crumb in the world that couldn't be broken. If he didn't hit this ball his entire life could go down the drain. He might even have to live with his PARENTS again! And then the ball was pitched and Jack swung the bat.

What happened next was unbelievable. The ball soared through the air at a high point until it went over the field and into the home run zone.

Everyone in the crowd cheered loudly, that even Jack wanted to unplug his earplugs. He had done it. The impossible for Jack was now possible for him, but he just couldn't figure out how to. Everyone ran around the bases, and the Chicago Cubs were now a point up. The Boston Red Sox were so amazed, they decided to let the Cubs keep their win. They would be back with them another time, and they would become harder, just for Jack Cunningmann.

Afterwards, a man older than Jack came up to him. He introduced himself

"Hello there, Mr. Cunningmann! I am Norman Rockwell, extraordinary artist and photographist of this time period. I'd like to create a picture of you before you were popular, just for another amazing picture of mine! Will you accept?"

Jack noticed that this man said this very fast, but he knew what he was talking about.

"Sure, I'll do it!" said Jack proudly.

"Great!" said Rockwell, "I'll get the photo camera!"

And that is how this painting came to be.