<P> The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day; the score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play . And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, a sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game . A straggling few got up to go in deep despair . The rest clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast; they thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that--they'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat . But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake, and the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake, so upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat, for there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat . But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all, and Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball; and when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred, there was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third . Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell; it rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell; it knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat, for Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat . There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place; there was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face . And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat, no stranger in the crowd could doubt' twas Casey at the bat . Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt; five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt . Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip . And now the leather - covered sphere came hurtling through the air, and Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there . Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped--"That ain't my style," said Casey . "Strike one," the umpire said . From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar, like the beating of the storm - waves on a stern and distant shore . "Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand; and it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand . With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone; he stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on; he signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew; but Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said: "Strike two ." "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud; but one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed . They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain, and they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again . The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate; he pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate . And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go, and now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow . Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; the band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, and somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; but there is no joy in Mudville--mighty Casey has struck out . </P> <P> Thayer said he chose the name "Casey" after a non-player of Irish ancestry he once knew, and it is open to debate who, if anyone, he modeled the character after . It has been reported that Thayer's best friend Samuel Winslow, who played baseball at Harvard, was the inspiration for Casey . </P> <P> Another candidate is National League player Mike "King" Kelly, who became famous when Boston paid Chicago a record $10,000 for him . He had a personality that fans liked to cheer or jeer . After the 1887 season, Kelly went on a playing tour to San Francisco . Thayer, who wrote "Casey" in 1888, covered the San Francisco leg for the San Francisco Examiner . </P> <P> Thayer, in a letter he wrote in 1905, mentions Kelly as showing "impudence" in claiming to have written the poem . The author of the 2004 definitive bio of Kelly--which included a close tracking of his vaudeville career--did not find Kelly claiming to have been the author . </P>

Who was casey at the bat written about