What was so unusual about the baseball game

Jeffrey encounters a high school boy from the West End named John McNabb. Jeffrey encounters McNabb after the end of a Little League game while McNabb, a town bully, forces team members to bat against his fast ball, mocking and laughing as he continues to strike everyone out. When Jeffrey approaches the mound, McNabb is sure this will be an easy out, but to his chagrin, Jeffrey is able to hit each ball pitched his way. In an attempt to throw Jeffrey off, McNabb pitches a live frog at Jeffrey, but Jeffrey realizes the trick just in time to lightly bunt the frog and make a home run jaunt around the bases as the frog hops away. By the end of the first day, Jeffrey has been christened "Maniac" by the town’s youth who are wild with stories about their encounter with the unknown stranger.