One Throw by W.C. Heinz, 1950
The magic trick:
Turning a baseball story into a morality tale
There is not a lot I can say here without ruining the ending. I can say that the plot harkens back damn near to Biblical times. Like Old Testament old. But that’s all right. It feels fresh when applied to a modern (1950 baseball modern) context. And that’s quite a trick on Heinz’s part.
The selection:
“Maybe he’s all right,” the kid said, “but I don’t get along with him. He’s on my neck all the time.”
“Well,” I said, “that’s the way they are in the minors sometimes. You have to remember the guy is looking out for himself and his ball club first. He’s not worried about you.”
Short Story Magic Tricks 