Mel Fromberg, coach of the winless Newtown Bluebirds, gathered his Little Leaguers together. He wanted them to be winners. It was time for psychology. It was to be ‘positive thinking’ from now on.

They were on the practice field, with Mel in the middle of the Bluebirds that Saturday morning.
“I want each one of you to close his eyes and think of hitting the ball.”
This was ‘practiced imagery’ put into practice. The idea came to Mel after the Bluebirds lost their last game 19-0. And that was two identical losses in a row. They would turn around their 0-5 season so far.

“Are we supposed to hit the ball with our eyes closed, Coach?” Eddie Franklin missed the point.
“I want you to imagine it, Eddie. I don’t want you to close your eyes when you’re actually at the plate.”

Almost all the Bluebirds closed their eyes simultaneously. How often had they been able to do something together? Were they now a team? A winning team?
“Here comes the pitch,” said Mel.
“Is it an inside pitch?” Eddie could hit nothing on the inside.
“It doesn’t matter.” Mel imagined himself driving an inside pitch to left field.

But then he thought of Eddie Franklin. And a ball on the inside part of the plate. He tried, but he couldn’t see Eddie connecting at all.