all workable?

Hi,

I am trying to figure out how versatile the modal verb "could" can be. I hope you could help me. Please check if the same form can prevail for all three situations. Do you need any changes for the underlined verb in sentence 3?

1. (happened a few minutes ago) He took a firm grip of the bat and hit it as hard as he could. I couldn't believe what happened.

2. (happened a few days ago) A few days ago in the park, he took a firm grip of the bat and hit it as hard as he could. I couldn't believe what happened.

3. (happened a few minutes before John came to join the game) A few minutes before John came to join the game, he took (had taken will be good too, I think) a firm grip of the bat and hit (had hit will be good too, I think) it as hard as he could. I couldn't believe what had happened.