⬛️[Alpha] V.2

It is the first day of the week, and not too long ago when the self-made little league teams around the Bronx gathered in Morris Park.

The tension was thick, as more than a few of the kids wanted to gang up on the Morris Cubs.

On a side note, Timmy almost shitt himself.

But Alfie took control of things, as he was the most popular and feared kid between everyone in that field, even when a few older kids were included.

He gathered the Captains of each team, a surprising number for him, twenty-three Captains and their teams filled the park to the brim. Alfie could understand why Timmy was shaking in his boots.

Alfie had been planning on this fun little event for a good while now, so he simply explained to the captains his ideas which were quite similar to the Pro League World Series.

But it would be different; instead of seven games for the final teams, it would be just one game, which also applies for each team going against each other.

He kept it simple for the simple-minded younglings around him.

He then explained the brackets for each team, drawing it out on the ground with a stick before they started asking for what the prize for the winner would be.

They didn't seem to be satisfied with just being acknowledged as the best, which Alfie expected.

And just as Alfie wished, the rest of the Morris Cubs arrived at the park, in tow with more bikes and a bag of baseball equipment.

"You bastard!! That's my bike!!"

"My bat!! Give me back my bat, my momma gave me that!!"

"Stop!" Alfie raised his hands and stepped in the way of those that wanted to get their stuff back. "Did you forget that we won them fair and square!!"

Alfie looked towards all of them, including the captains. "Do you have no HONOR?!" He raised his voice dramatically. "Have we, the Morris Cubs ever asked for anything in return when we lost?!"

The other teams looked at Alfie weirdly; the Morris Cubs raised a brow at that question.

"Ah, sorry I forgot we haven't lost to any of you at all." He cleared his throat despite the angered looks he got.

"Now look, as the bikes and equipment are rightfully ours, and we have a little too much that we can use, we have decided to use it as part of the prize."

Alfie beckoned his little minions to bring the prizes closer for observation.

Twelve bikes, a row of bats, and a pile of baseball gloves and balls lay around, all there for the dismayed kids who saw their stuff being used as a prize.

Seeing the captains satisfied with the prize, he finalized everything with sixteen teams willing to participate in the tournament.

As those who didn't wish to participate made their way home, Alfie informed the other captains that the game would start by the following week, right after he planned the teams that would be going against each other on the first face-offs.

As for the first face-offs, each captain will flip a coin for where they get to play, either a team's home field or the other.

As everything was set then, Alfie bid farewells to the captains and their team as they rode off with shiny new bikes thanks to the mommies and daddies.

For the next few days, Alfie trained the Cubs with an intensity that they were familiar with but could never get used to, a training where they are always on the move while on the field, targeting every aspect and position in the gang for improvement.

As they practiced, Alfie made sure to let the Cubs spread the word of the tournament to parents and neighbors just to liven things up a bit. It would be good to have some cheerleaders on the side to uplift the kids, at least during home games when other teams visit.

He also asked one of the Cubs' parents, a police officer, to umpire the game, which he gladly did.

Alfie also thought it would keep things less chaotic and more in order, as whenever they played other teams, they didn't always follow certain rules of the game.

By the time Monday arrived during the afternoon, the River Giants from Riverdale just up North arrived in Morris Park.

But when they arrived, they didn't expect the full crowd outside of the ball field.

Leading the group of seventeen kids behind him, Leonardo - the River Giants Captain - hesitantly made his way through the park before nearing the field, catching the Cub's attention who were warming up on the field.

"Leo."

He heard his name and turned to Alfie, just like the majority of the teams in the Bronx, Leonardo and his River Giants had history with Alfie and his Cubs.

But unlike most, their relationship wasn't so bad, at least from what Leonardo could see compared to other captains and teams.

"Alfie…what's going on?" Leonardo asked apprehensively.

"Ahh, the crowd? Don't worry, man. They're just here to watch the games. They're our parents, at least mostly." Alfie chuckled. "We also got Emmet's dad to umpire for us; he's a good and fair man so you don't have to worry about unfair plays."

Leonardo nodded, but he still couldn't help but feel uneasy with the crowd, the River Giants behind him weren't any better.

Whenever they have game days against other teams, it's usually without any spectators, and even if there was, it usually didn't fill up the whole park just for mere kids playing around.

Leonardo and his Giants didn't feel comfortable with all the attention.

"Ease up, Leo. It's not so bad once you get used to it, in fact, I think it will help a lot. When you have a team coming to your field, you should try inviting your team's parents, it helps with motivation and all."

"Yeah, maybe," Leonardo said, but Alfie could see he didn't think too much about it, he chuckled. "Come, Leo, you guys go ahead and warm up. We've already done so, now we're just waiting for ya."

Leonardo nodded, but when he saw the Cubs that were warming up, he suddenly turned to Alfie.

"Are those 3rd string players?" Leonardo asked, a frown etching on his face.

Alfie nodded, knowing what Leonardo was thinking. "They were just waiting for you."

"Alfie, we're not going against your 3rd rate players, we came to play against your best." One of the Giants behind Leonardo said displeased.

"Well then beat 'em first, if you do well enough in the first few innings, then we'll switch up to the real deal." Alfie laughed before turning and leaving behind the frowning River Giants.

Alfie cleared out the field, letting the Giants set up and warm up.

"Emmet, are you ready?" He turned to one of the kids, half Italian in his blood.

Emmet showed a beaming smile. "Yeah, thanks Alfie, I'm gonna show 'em how it's done."

"I know you will, or else I wouldn't have put y'all through hell for the past few days, but anyways, make your pops proud." Alfie said as he gestured towards the officer/off-day/umpire.

As the River Giants continued their warm-ups, Alfie looked around the crowd to which he knew the majority of them, it was mostly mothers who don't have much work to do at the moment.

He had spent some time at their homes himself, filling his stomach and sleeping over. It is a tight-knit community after all.

He waved to a few who responded similarly.

His own parents, Doris and Nina weren't present, as they had their own things to do, but Alfie wasn't worried in the slightest bit, maybe had he been an actual child he would've had more feelings shown about it. But he was grown enough, mentally, to know adults have things to do.

While he looked around, he noticed a few fashionably dressed men near the street, standing around a luxury Cadillac.

The most notable, being Martin Rafforza who leaned against the car surrounded by his men, a cigar lit up between his fingers.

Alfie squinted his eyes as his head suddenly tilted. "Am I being targeted?" He muttered thoughtfully.

This wasn't the first time he saw the man nor his fashionable friends, for the past few days since he saw the man at the drugstore, he spotted them a few more times around the Bronx, a little too much to be a coincidence.

The first time he met them was when his father dragged him to the garage some time early this year, where he was considered a genius for his quick learning of the "complicated" workings of the automobiles.

It wasn't as crazy as the workings of 21st-century vehicles.

When he saw Martin the first time at his father's shop, he knew what was going on and why they were there at his pops shop.

He wasn't stupid, he knew what gangsters do, he played enough of the Mafia games to know the truth. The movies were the highlights.

He just hopes he's not being targeted as a threat for his father, because as much as he was reincarnated and has an advantage with his knowledge, he doesn't have a chance against the mafia in this era.

But it's all in the plan.

The problem with his opportunities is that there were many yet difficult to decide.

An athlete? Make a name for himself in Baseball? Boxing? Like Babe Ruth or Jack Dempsey?

A businessman? "Founding" yet-to-be famous restaurants of grocery stores? Better yet, as someone who knows the basics of certain companies and the trends that will become popular he can just invest in them and let that flow of money come to him.

Of course thatvwould requite money as well.

But in the end it all depends on whether this world is the same as the one he was in his previous life.

But either way he can accomplish something.

All it took was time.

But he has a tight schedule to move around with, born in April of 1918, it was a time of ups and downs for America and he knew this.

The fact that the Great Depression and WW2 will be coming didn't ease his worries, but of course, he knew opportunities can also be found in these hard times to come.

Would he join the fight when the time comes?

The only thing is he didn't pay enough attention in histoy classes to know the exact time such things will happen, including everything that happens in America's history during the 1900's.

"Alfie."

He snapped out of his thoughts when Rose nudged him, pointing towards the umpire, Emmet's father.

He stood there with Leonardo, ready to play.

Alfie walked into the field towards them. "Alright, boys, let's have a clean game, I don't want no fighting happening here, am I clear?" Officer/Umpire Harold emphasized, mainly towards Alfie.

"Yes, sir." Leonardo nodded.

"Of course, Uncle Harold. I'll make sure everything goes smoothly." Alfie smiled, ignoring Harold's doubts.

"Good, no changes on the line-up, right?" He asked as both team captains nodded, Leonardo didn't like the fact that they had to go against Morris Cubs' 3rd string players. But this might be their only chance of victory if Alfie and his monsters weren't in the starting line-up.

They went back to their respective teams to prepare and strategize before heading into the field.

Alfie had decided to just manage the team for a good while now instead of actively playing with the Cubs, trying to get them to be more competent and independent without him.

He did the same some time ago, coaching his team against the Baldy Aces who lost to the Cubs with a combination of the 1st and 2nd string players.

"Alright, boys. Give it all you got for the first inning until the last, Emmet, just like always, pitch to Bitty like you always do during practice." Alfie then looked towards the 3rd string outfielders. "Hammy, Smalls, and Benny, keep it tight, you know the Giants usually send their balls to the left field so work with Hammy when needed."

""Yes Coach!!"" They responded dramatically, Alfie turned to his base defenders and relayed his plans as well before sending them out.

The crowd cheered as the game started, some mothers cheered enthusiastically, seeing as their kids were on the field playing.

Bitty went towards the back of the home base before crouching and facing Emmet, who stood on the pitcher's mound, everyone else went to their positions ready to defend against the visiting team invaders.

The first batter walked up, swinging his wooden bat around, when he made himself comfy on the home base, the Umpire announced the start of the game.