There was no judge in all Arkansas more famous than Isaac S. Parker. He sat in Fort Smith and became famous for ridding that city and the entire state of desperate robbers who came out onto the highway in masks and with weapons in their hands and instilled fear in honest people.
In those distant times, Arkansas was home to horse thieves, cattle rustlers, robbers and even murderers. And Judge Parker brought them out, uprooted them, clearing this land, as if he had passed through a meadow with a scythe.
Twenty-eight thousand criminals and accused appeared before his court, and he judged them all fairly.
But Judge Parker loved more than just laws and court hearings. More than anything, he loved baseball. And among the many, many stories about the famous Judge Parker, one of the most famous is about baseball.
Judge Parker was ready to call a recess in the middle of the most serious session of the court, just so as not to miss a good game announced somewhere nearby. It must be said that in those distant times, and, in fact, in our days, each city had its own team, and there was a constant struggle between them to see who would prevail.
One day, a decisive meeting was scheduled between the teams of Fort Smith and neighboring Van Burn. These teams had been leading throughout the summer season, and now they had to decide which of them was the winner.
Judge Parker was sitting with friends discussing politics when three people approached them. These were members of the Fort Smith team.
“Judge,” one of them turned to Parker, “we have a decisive meeting with Van Burn’s team, and our first player, the Indian True Hand, went to prison.” He is our best serve player, and without him we will lose. And if he plays, victory is ours.
The judge listened carefully to the young people.
— Could you let him go to training and to the meeting? - they asked.
The judge paused. He never spoke until he had decided what to say. But after thinking, he replied:
- Let's see. In the meantime, go get your ball, glove and bat. Bring them to the prison yard. We'll be waiting for you there.
And the judge went to prison with his friends. The guests settled down in the courtyard, and the judge, calling a guard, ordered the Indian to be brought. By that time, three baseball players arrived with a ball, glove and bat. The Indian was taken out into the yard.
“You’ll make a few serves,” the judge told him. - I saw you play. You serve well, but I want to make sure once again.
The Indian True Hand threw ball after ball to the player in the glove, and the second one hit them, swinging his bat so that there was only a whistle.
“It’s good,” said the judge. “And now, Faithful Hand, listen to me carefully. I give you permission to take part in the game. But remember, I will be standing next to you with a gun at the ready. Just try to run, you won't get far. And if you dare to serve poorly and we lose, you'll be in jail until the end of time. So remember this and give your best. If you win...
However, we will talk about this when the hour strikes.
The Indian listened and did not say a word. Then he left with everyone for training. The guard follows him.
The next day - the day of the competition - Faithful Hand appeared with the Fort Smith team on the baseball field. There was a visible and invisible crowd of spectators. The judge sat in the front row.
The game was first class, and the fans were louder than the Indians on the warpath.
Faithful Hand gave serve after serve, one better than the other. He had never played like this in his life. The Van Burgers lost to a shutout, and the Fort Smith team won the match. She turned out to be invincible! And all because of the serves from the Faithful Hand. Everyone warmly congratulated him. The spectators screamed and roared with delight so much that it could be heard in the neighboring state of Oklahoma.
The next morning the judge sat in court. Standing before him was the Indian True Hand. His business was trivial: he was conducting a forbidden trade in medicinal herbs. The judge listened to him carefully. This morning he was merciful and justice was done.
Parker had a long conversation with Faithful Hand, he tried to explain to him that all cats are brave as long as the dog's barking is not heard. But the law has a loud voice, and no one who has broken it has ever managed to hide in the bushes for long. But if he, the Faithful Hand, keeps company with honest people, he will never have to hide.
At the end, the judge added that this time he was letting him go on all four sides and wished him more such well-aimed serves as in the last match.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru