“I don’t see why the tournament should give anybody a black eye,” Cal said.

“Well, it’s easy. You get a couple of kids drinking, or fighting, and in comes the newspapers. I can see the headline: ‘Coaches’ Tournament Kids Fight!’ The newspapers will have a field day with something like that.”

“I think you’re overplaying the whole thing,” Cal said. “In the first place, it’s not called the Coaches’ Tournament; it’s being called the Tournament of Champions. They’ve set up minitournaments all over the city, and the champions from each minitournament will be in the tournament that is sponsored. The others aren’t even sponsored. And you either believe in these kids or you don’t.”

“I agree with you there, Cal,” O’Donnel said—he was using his cigar like a pointer. “That’s why I want to be very careful and ward off any possible problems. I mean a kid can do something and not understand the kind of trouble it might lead to. Hell, man, you of all people should know about that.”

“Yeah, well, is that the point?” Cal asked.

“The point is just to avoid trouble,” O’Donnel said.

“What’s it got to do with us?” I asked.

“From what I’ve heard, you’re one of the teams that will probably make the Finals,” O’Donnel said to me. “And, as I’m sure that Cal has told you, he’s had some trouble in the past. What I want to know is how we’re going to handle any adverse publicity if it does occur.”

“How did you hear about our team?” Cal asked. “And how did you know I was coaching the team?”

“Let’s just put it this way,” O’Donnel said, blowing a puff of smoke towards the ceiling, “let’s just say I have my sources.”

Cal didn’t say anything, and I didn’t say anything. O’Donnel just kept puffing on his cigar and looking at it like he had never seen one before. This went on for a while, and then Cal asked O’Donnel what he thought we should do.

“That’s up to you, of course,” O’Donnel said. “If you think you should withdraw as coach … well, I could understand it. My primary interest is in the kids. In Lonnie here, for example.”

“Who your sources that don’t dig Cal?” I asked.

“I’m not at liberty to reveal that information,” O’Donnel said.

“What we got to do,” I said to Cal, “is to tell the newspapers that this white cat doesn’t want us in the tournament.”

“I didn’t say that,” he said. “The only thing I said is that there has been some information …”

“How do you know your information is right?” Cal said. “How do you know the person supplying your information is straight? Because if he isn’t, then you might have a lot more problems than you think you have,” Cal said. He stood up and started towards the door.

O’Donnel jumped up and cut him off.

“Look, Cal,” he said. “I don’t want trouble for anybody. The only thing I want to do is see that the kids get what is coming to them, and that’s a chance to show off their skills. Is that too much to ask?”