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"You are rapidly approaching the close of your senior year, and in the light of the

records which I have before me I am constrained to believe that it will be utterly

impossible for you to graduate, unless from now to the end of the semester you

devote yourself exclusively to your academic work. If you cannot assure me that

you will do this, I believe it would be to the best interests of the university for you

to resign now, rather than to fail of graduation. And in this decision I am fully

seconded by the faculty members of the athletic committee, who realize the

harmful effect upon university athletics in the future were so prominent an

athlete as you to fail at graduation."

If they had sentenced Jimmy to be shot at sunrise the blow could scarcely have

been more stunning than that which followed the realization that he was not to

be permitted to round out his fourth successful season at first base. But if Jimmy

was momentarily stunned he gave no outward indication of the fact, and in the

brief interval of silence following the president's ultimatum his alert mind

functioned with the rapidity which it had often shown upon the gridiron, the

diamond, and the squared circle.

Just for a moment the thought of being deprived of the pleasure and excitement

of the coming baseball season filled his mind to the exclusion of every other

consideration, but presently a less selfish impulse projected upon the screen of

recollection the figure of the father he idolized. The boy realized the

disappointment that this man would feel should his four years of college end thus

disastrously and without the coveted diploma.

And then it was that he raised his eyes to those of the president.

"I hope, sir," he said, "that you will give me one more chance--that you will let me

go on as I have in the past as far as baseball is concerned, with the

understanding that if at the end of each month between now and commencement

I do not show satisfactory improvement I shall not be permitted to play on the

team. But please don't make that restriction binding yet. If I lay off the track work

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