The Fighting Scrub by Ralph Henry Barbour
"The Fighting Scrub" by Ralph Henry Barbour follows the story of Clifton Cobb Bingham, a sixteen-year-old boy who is left at Wyndham School by his father, Mr. Bingham. Clif is initially apprehensive about being away from home, but he soon becomes involved in the school's football activities. The narrative explores Clif's experiences as he navigates the challenges of school life, including making new friends, dealing with rivals, and proving himself on the football field. Clif's journey is marked by his interactions with various characters, including his roommate Walter Treat, the cheeky Tom Kemble, and Loring Deane, a boy confined to a wheelchair who becomes an unexpected ally. The story delves into themes of friendship, competition, and personal growth as Clif and his friends strive to make their mark on the school's football team, known as the "Fighting Scrub." Throughout the novel, Clif learns valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and the importance of supporting one another. The narrative captures the spirit of youth and the excitement of school sports, culminating in the team's efforts to overcome obstacles and achieve success on the field.
By Ralph Henry Barbour · First published 1919 · Genre: Sports Fiction, Coming-of-age Fiction, Historical Fiction · 24 chapters · 84,712 words
First lines
"Well, son, I guess I'd better be getting along," said Mr. Bingham. He glanced frowningly at his watch and then across the driveway at the dusty car awaiting him. He carefully avoided looking at the boy beside him, and for that the boy was very grateful. Now that the moment for saying good-by had come Clif's spirits, which had been getting lower and lower during the past hour, had reached bottom, and he knew that his face revealed the fact. He was glad when his father went on, speaking with exaggerated cheerfulness which fooled neither of them, for there was a lump in Clif's throat and he was horribly afraid that it would make his voice sound queer. Being only sixteen years of age, he was far more fearful of displaying emotion than he would have been of facing a firing squad, and not for anything in the world would he have had his father suspect the presence of that lump!
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Genres
- Sports Fiction — The book centers on athletic struggles and baseball themes, forming its narrative core.
- Coming-of-age Fiction — The protagonist undergoes significant personal growth within the sports environment.
- Historical Fiction — The work reflects early 20th century American sports culture and societal norms.
- Adventure Fiction — The plot includes exciting challenges and contests typical of an adventurous narrative.
Tags
action · adventure · military · historical fiction · combat · courage · determination · resilience · heroism · valor · suspense · drama
What this Textopian page supports
The Fighting Scrub is listed on Textopian as a novel by Ralph Henry Barbour, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Ralph Henry Barbour
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Sports Fiction, Coming-of-age Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Action Fiction
- Length: 84,712 words
- Structure: 24 chapters, 1,123 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Fighting Scrub by Ralph Henry Barbour
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Contents
- The Rotter
- Getting Acquainted
- "Lovey" Mcknight
- A Boy in a Wheel Chair
- Out for the Team
- Wattles
- Mr. Babcock Takes Hold
- Mr. Bingham Pays a Visit
- An "Unexpected" Honor
- Clif Goes for a Paper
- Tom is Bored
- Defeat
- The Consulting Coach
- The Fighting Scrub
- Tom's Luck Turns
- Loring Takes Command
- Wattles Uses Coercion
- A New Play is Tried Out
- Bad News
- "Cocky" Makes a Call
- Scrub Versus Scrub
- The Scrub Disbands
- Wyndham Plays Wolcott
- Wattles Agrees