He was a baseball enthusiast of the first water, and never could get quite enough of his favorite sport.

Of course he preferred taking part in a game, but the next best thing was to watch others play, and comment on their mistakes; just as most people can play the critic while watching a game of billiards and always feel they could have improved on the shot that missed connections.
"Well, what do you think now, O.K. ?" asked Hugh later on, when the Belleville boy made preparations as though about to start homeward.
"Do you notice any improvement in our work?
Have we gone up or down, in your judgment ?" "Yes, be honest, now, O.K., and say," asked Thad.

"We can take criticism without flinching.

You know what your team can do; have we any show against Belleville, or that strong aggregation at Allandale ?" "Honestly, between man and man, fellows," said the other, earnestly, "I can see the greatest sort of improvement in your play.

When you get your team work down a bit better and closer to scientific principles, you're going to make both the other clubs in the Three-Town League hustle some to hold their own.