Phil Rossoff said: ``Why don't you leave him alone?''

``Mind your own goddamn business,'' Mike Deegan said.

Phil shrugged. He stepped into the dugout, wondering why Deegan was always looking for trouble. Maybe the answer was in his eyes. When Deegan smiled his eyes never fit in with his lips.

In the last of the sixth inning Mike Deegan got up to bat and hit a fast ball over the left fielder's head. By the time the fielder got his hands on the ball Deegan was rounding third base and heading for home. The left fielder threw and it was a good one. But Mike had no chance of being tagged. The Anniston catcher was straddling home plate. All Deegan had to do was slide, fall away, but instead, he rammed into the catcher.

Both fell heavily to the ground.

Only Mike got to his feet. He went back to touch home plate, turned and walked to the dugout without looking back.

The Anniston players and their manager ran out on the field. They poured water over their catcher's face. He did not move. Then the manager called for a doctor. The Riverside physician came down to look over the injured ballplayer. Then, quickly, and a little nervously, the doctor ordered a couple of ballplayers to carry the catcher into the dressing room.

Mike Deegan was sitting on the bench, watching. When the ballplayers started to carry the catcher off the field he said: ``That ought to teach the sonofabitch.''