Why Bat Has No Friends

Shago. “Why Bat Has No Friends.” 22 Jan. 2004 <http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/whybat.htm>

Many Native American tales use animals to explain natural phenomena. Why Bat Has No Friends is a Native American tale explaining the reason why bats are nocturnal creatures. This folktale uses the concept of loyalty and honor to paint the bat as an outcast from the animal and bird kingdom. The bat is shown to be a cowardice creature who’s spineless acts cause the two kingdoms to reject the bat. Because the bat has no place in either kingdom they are forever destined to forever fly at night.

 

Casey At The Bat: A Presentation by John Clements and Kirk Cookerly

 

Since Casey at The Bat first appeared in 1888, there have been many tales inspired by it. Below is a summary of some of the more prolific ones. Some tales continue the story, while others are spin-offs.

Casey’s Revenge by Grantland Rice (1906)

Once touted as the town hero, Casey had become nothing more than an afterthought. His past fame had left the minds of the fans and they could only imagine Casey striking out again. However, Casey got his revenge-he hit a homerun to win the game.

Mudville’s Fate by Grantland Rice (1906)

A man returns to Mudville, twenty years after mighty Casey strikes out, only to be greeted by a deserted town. The baseball diamond is a corn patch; the outfield is overgrown with weeds. The whole town went up in ruins soon after that fateful game when mighty Casey struck out.

He never heard of Casey! by Grantland Rice (1926)

A man meets a fellow who had never heard of mighty Casey and that fateful day when mighty Casey struck out. The man is in utter disbelief that there could be such a man who had never heard of the drama that was “Casey at The Bat.” The man thought the tale of Casey was immortal but found out it obviously had faded with the years gone by.

The Man Who Fanned Casey written by Sparkus (1913)

Tale tells of a man who cannot understand the hoopla surrounding mighty Casey. For according to him, it was only an ordinary pitcher who struck out mighty Casey. The secret to the pitcher’s madness was that Casey could not figure out which pitch he had thrown.

Casey-Twenty Years Later by Clarence P. McDonald (???)

The score stood six to four with pennant on the line when one of Bugville’s players got hurt. With no left to fill in, the captian pleaded with the crowd for a volunteer to come fill in. An old man stood up and volunteered, he was handed a cap and glove. When it was his turn to hit he hit a four-run homer to win the game. After the game, everyone wanted to know who this old fellow was, he replied, “I’m the mighty Casey who struck out just twenty years ago.”