COMPLETE GAME A Play in Nine Innings

by Mark Liebert

Mark Liebert 69 Fairway Avenue Verona, NJ 07044

201-207-4785 [email protected]

Copyright by the author 2019 WARM UP PITCH: CASEY AT THE BAT, Sunday 9/26/20

FIRST INNING: NO JOY IN MUDVILLE, Friday 9/25/70

SECOND INNING: CRUNCH TIME, Saturday afternoon 9/26/70

THIRD INNING: TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME, Saturday evening 9/26/70

FOURTH INNING: PITCHING IN THE MIRROR, Saturday 10/3/70

FIFTH INNING: FATHER AND SON GAME, Sunday 10/4/70

SIXTH INNING: TURNING TWO, Saturday 10/17/70

SEVENTH INNING: IT'S A STRETCH, Saturday 10/24/70

EIGHTH INNING: TIE GAME, Sunday 11/8/18

NINTH INNING: THE CLOSER, Sunday 11/8/18

SETTING

TIME: The fall of 1970

PLACE: 5 different locations in metropolitan NYC

PRODUCTION NOTES

All scenes use a couch, chair, coffee table, end table and tv rearranged to depict the five different locations. the tv may be real or imagined. additional pieces may be used, but not to the detriment of keeping the scene changes quick and interrupting the flow.

It can be performed with or without an intermission. If you choose to use an intermission it should come between the fifth and sixth innings. CAST OF CHARACTERS (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

CASEY O'NEILL: MALE, 78, OF "CASEY AT THE BAT" FAME

STASH JENGLESKI: MALE, 84, THE PITCHER WHO STRUCK HIM OUT

MAX: MALE, 57, AN OBSESSIVE BASEBALL FAN

SARAH: FEMALE, 51, MAX'S WIFE

ALI: FEMALE, 28

JESS: FEMALE, 28, ALI'S BEST FRIEND

JAKE: MALE, 50

TILLIE: FEMALE, 78, JAKE'S MOTHER

SAUL: MALE, 90, A RESIDENT OF A NURSING HOME WITH DEMENTIA

CHUCK: MALE, 58, SAUL'S SON

SANDY: MALE, 30

COMPLETE GAME: WARM UP PITCH

“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is heard, the silhouette lights come up as the song ends. The stage is bare or it can be done behind a scrim. It is September 26, 1920. JENGLESKI is a silhouetted figure on stage left. He is wearing a 1920 style baseball cap and has a ball and glove of similar era. The CROWD is in silhouette center stage and create the sounds indicated in the poem. The UMPIRE is in silhouette stage right. They all act out the poem as it comes through the speakers. CASEY enters stage right in silhouette with a baseball bat

VOICE OVER

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;

There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit 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 flashed 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 — 2.

CASEY That ain’t my style

VOICE OVER Said Casey

UMPIRE Strike one!

VOICE OVER 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;

CROWD Kill him! Kill the umpire!

VOICE OVER Shouted some one 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 dun sphere flew;

But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said

UMPIRE Strike two!

CROWD Fraud!

VOICE OVER Cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered 3.

CROWD Fraud!

VOICE OVER 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 has fled from Casey's lip, the 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 little children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.

FADE TO BLACK.

4.

COMPLETE GAME: FIRST INNING, NO JOY IN MUDVILLE

"The Tonight Show" theme music is heard. It is Friday, September 25 1970. The greenroom of a late night talk show in NYC (The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson). There is a couch and a chair with a table in front of the couch with a bowl of fruit. The lights come up just enough to discover two silhouetted figures one sitting on a couch one standing at the opposite end of the stage, they are frozen in time. As the lights come up full JENGLESKI is sitting at the far end of the couch. CASEY is wandering uncomfortably around the opposite end of the room. They are dressed in their best but it is worn and out of style, JENGLESKI wears a tie, CASEY does not. There is a tension in the air. JENGLESKI picks an apple out of the bowl and starts rubbing it up like a baseball and then starts to grip it as if to throw different pitches. CASEY is growing more annoyed.

VOICE THROUGH THE SPEAKER

Mr. Casey, Mr. Jengleski ten minutes.

They look at each other briefly and then CASEY continues to move restlessly.

JENGLESKI

Why don't you just sit down and relax some.

CASEY

(glaring)

Why don't you just shut the fuck up. 5.

JENGLESKI

It ain't like we ain't done this before. I know it's been 10 years, but.... Are you scared?

CASEY

I'm not scared.

JENGLESKI

I think you is. Is that why you canceled all those other appearances with me? Cost me a bunch a money I really could a used. The mighty Casey is a nervous Nelly.

CASEY

I'm not nervous now and wasn't nervous then. In fact, I've never been nervous.

JENGLESKI

Well, shoot, I'm nervous. And I ‘spect I'll be scared outa my wits every time they stick a microphone in my face over the next four weeks. So, I figure you're scared as me.

CASEY

I've never been scared and I'm not going start now. And if you don't cut the shit I'm going to give something to really be scared of!

JENGLESKI

You don't gotta go nuts on me..... I 'preciate you doin' this.

CASEY

I've got nothing else to do.

JENGLESKI

Still, twenty cities in thirty days... I can't thank you enough.

CASEY

I'm not doing it for you, so you don't have to thank me at all. 6.

ANNOUNCER

(from monitor in the green room)

Coming up we have the Mighty Casey and Stash Jengleski on the fiftieth anniversary of the "The strike out heard round the world".

JENGLESKI

Can you believe it's been fifty years?

CASEY

Fifty long fucking years. I never expected to live this long.

JENGLESKI

There's somethin' we got in common. Never figured I'd make it much past fifty, 'specially after Ellie died.

CASEY

Who the fuck was Ellie? Your cat?

JENGLESKI

My wife. Breast cancer. She was 48.

CASEY

Sorry.

JENGLESKI

Me too. Couldn't do nothin' to help her. Just kinda held her 'til the end. Then she was gone. Her life was over and pretty much mine too.

CASEY

Boo hoo.

(there is a long pause) Sorry. 7.

JENGLESKI

You're married ain't ya? Kids?

CASEY

Do we have to talk about this?

JENGLESKI

We don't gotta talk at all. Never have before. Don't gotta start now... Just thought 'cause we gonna be spendin' some time together...

CASEY

(To himself)

Fuck me.

JENGLESKI

Not what I had in mind... Just a little gab to pass the time. Got kids? ... Course if you don't wanna talk, you don't gotta. 'Til we go out there o' course. We'd look pretty dumb if we went out there an didn't talk. It's a talk show after all. Gotta talk. Course I'm kinda dumb anyway...

CASEY

Are you going to just keep running your mouth?

JENGLESKI

Don't gotta... Got any kids? ... Hm? Do ya?

CASEY

Yes, I have two kids. A daughter who hates me and doesn't talk to me and a son who hates me, but talks to me just to remind me of what a failure I was as a father. There happy?

JENGLESKI

Nope. None o' my business anywho. 8.

CASEY

Damn straight.

JENGLESKI

After Ellie died, I just couldn't see myself with no one else, so I never got hitched again. How 'bout you, still married?

CASEY

No, I'm not still married. She gave me so many fucking chances, but I kept falling off the wagon. She finally got smart and said enough was enough and got a lawyer.

JENGLESKI

That's rough.

CASEY

I made my bed... I been sober ten years now. I moved to a little town in the middle of nowhere where nobody ever heard of me. I try to help out with the little league and once in a while I find kid a who needs a little fathering... I try. I screwed up with my kids, but... but thankfully these kids have no idea who I am.

JENGLESKI

Well, they're gonna know now. ...I can't believe that people are still interested in that one at bat. Course if it weren't for that at bat, no one would remember who the heck I was.

CASEY

Know what really sucks? That's the only thing they remember about me, too.

JENGLESKI

No. You were the biggest slugger in the game. The fans loved you.

CASEY

They never loved me. They might've loved that I could hit the ball a mile, but they never loved me. 9.

JENGLESKI

You don't know what the heck you're talkin' 'bout. Bet it took you an hour to walk away from the ballpark with people wantin’ autographs and such.

CASEY

They turned on me pretty quick, didn't they ? They killed my fucking dog and left him on my front porch. That's how much they loved me.

JENGLESKI

Huh?

CASEY Started that night after I wiffed and never stopped. Scared the shit out of my wife and kids. We had to move.

JENGLESKI Why’d they do that to ya?

CASEY

Come on, use your head. It was the last day of the season, we were tied for first and you were in last place, 28 games behind. You hadn't had a game that meant shit since June.

JENGLESKI

So?

CASEY

What were the odds were on that game?

JENGLESKI

Why would I know that?

CASEY

Well, I have no idea what they were either, but you have to assume they were pretty steep. We had everything to play for and you were in last place and going home after the game.. 10.

JENGLESKI

So what?

CASEY

Well, after you struck me out, which knocked us out the pennant, people thought I tanked it.

JENGLESKI

You? They thought you threw the game? I never heard that. You're kiddin'?

CASEY

Do I sound like I'm fucking kidding? There was a big investigation. They never talked to you? You never read about it in the papers?

JENGLESKI

Nope. Never liked readin' the papers anyhow. Besides, the season was over. My wife and I spent a week in a cabin out in the woods, did a little fishin' and a little... you know, and then I went back to work paintin' houses like I did every winter. What happened?

CASEY

They accused me of being in with gamblers, because they figured that was the only way in hell you could have struck me out. Of course they didn't find anything because there was nothing to find. But that didn't help me one little bit. My reputation was shot even if I didn't do shit. Just being associated with the hint of gambling the year after the Black Sox scandal was a death sentence... guilty or not. I even had a hearing with Mountain Landis himself. I spent a ton of fucking money on a fancy New York lawyer. And you know what I got? The shaft, that's what I got, right up my fucking ass. ...You never noticed that I never played again?

JENGLESKI

I told you, I never read the papers. An' heck, I could barely keep track o' myself. I was done, but when you're a lefty people keep givin' you another shot even if you got nothin' left. I played for five teams over the next three seasons. Shoot, I'd wake up in some hotel somewhere and it would take me hours to figure out where I was and who I was playin' for. Heck, I got to the ballpark one afternoon in Cincinnati, took me a while to reckon I 11.

JENGLESKI CONT’D

was in Cinci, but I couldn't for the life o' me figure out whether to go into the home or visitors' clubhouse. Finally one o' my teammates, I wasn’t real sure but I figured he was, well he come along an' asked me what I was doin' wanderin' around the hall, I just followed him into the clubhouse just hopin’ it was the right one. He thought I'd gone batty and o' course he wasn't all wrong.

CASEY

Are you shittin' me? You really didn't know what happened to me?

JENGLESKI

Nope. Told you, I was paintin' houses all winter. Next season I'd been sold to Pittsburgh for a bag o balls, different league, never gave you or that strike out much thought until ten years later when people started to make a big thing of it.

CASEY

You son of a bitch, you cost me my reputation, the rest of my career and god knows how much money... mother fucker! And you didn't even know it?! Son of a bitch! I been replayin' that at bat in my head night and day my whole life since. Couldn't stop. I drank a whole lot of bourbon trying to forget that one stinking at bat, and you never gave it much thought? Fuck me!

(long pause before Casey begins to laugh)

I've got to ask you, 'cause I have a question that's been eating me up alive. It's the one thing I could never figure out. It just makes no fucking sense at all.

JENGLESKI

Shoot.

CASEY

Why the fuck didn't you put me on? Flynn was on third, Blake on second, you had first base open... why didn't you walk me?

JENGLESKI

(starts laughing, building to the point where he can barely breath) I... I... 12.

CASEY

Come on. It's the least you can do for me, This has been putting a hole in my gut for most of my life. Why didn't you? It was the percentage move. Why didn't you give me an intentional pass?

JENGLESKI

(getting control of himself)

I was tryin' to! When I got Cooney and Barrows on three pitches Skip figured I'd wrap it up and we'd all be headin' for home. Guess he wasn't payin' much attention. He was probably checkin' the train schedule when Flynn got that seein' eye hump back over the infield. He didn't signal the bullpen 'til Blake was up 2-0 in the count. I was scufflin' and then of course Blakey took my meatball into the alley for a double. When Skip came out to the mound I spected to hand 'im the ball and head for the showers, but no one was ready. So Skip told me to take my sweet time and unintentionally intentionally walk you.

CASEY

Believe me I wanted to get my hacks in, but like everyone else in the park, I was expecting a free pass. So why didn't you?

JENGLESKI

(laughing again)

The real answer... my control wasn't that good. I was surprised as anyone when my first curve ball leaked back over the plate. I figured I couldn't do it again, so I threw it again and damn it if that sucker didn't slip in for another strike. Hell, if I coulda mastered that pitch I coulda won the Cy freakin' Young, if it existed back then. So, I had you 0 and 2 and Skip is yellin' at Butchy to get his ass out from behind the dish and go to the mound. When does that ever happen? Up 0-2 and the catcher comes out reamin' my butt, tellin' me if I couldn't walk you then I should stick the next one in your ribs. And that's exactly what I tried to do, but I told you, my control wasn't no good. Sweat to God, the most famous strike out in baseball history was totally by accident. 13.

CASEY

It was a mistake? Fucking shit!

JENGLESKI

Sorry.

CASEY

A lot of good that does me now... You never told anybody ?

JENGLESKI

Nah. I got to be a hero. I hadn't been a hero since high school. I'd been a journeyman ballplayer, just another guy fillin' out the roster. Felt good to be a hero.

CASEY

Not a soul?

JENGLESKI

Not even my wife. I let everyone believe what they wanted. Course I figured that Butchy or Skip would spill the beans, but I guess they liked a little sunshine, too, 'specially after such a lousy season. We never even talked about it 'tween ourselves.

CASEY

Cock sucker!

JENGLESKI

What difference would it have made?

CASEY

Maybe they wouldn't have accused me of being paid off. I was in the prime of my career, I could have played another five or even ten years. I’d be in the Hall of Fame. 14.

JENGLESKI

Sorry. ...No, really I am. Listen, I got an idea and that don’t happen too often, so tell me what you think. We got four weeks on this tour, how about we set the record straight? Let's tell the world what really happened.

CASEY

You'd do that for me?

JENGLESKI

Why not? No skin off my behind. Face it, without you no one would remember that I ever played the game.

CASEY

What about your kids? You got kids?

JENGLESKI

Nope, couldn't have no kids, so it's just me and an ol' hound dog in the back woods of bumbleduck Pennsylvania. I been sittin' on the porch a long time, since I couldn't climb ladders to paint houses no more. Barely see my neighbors and the dog don't care nothin’ ‘bout baseball. Let's tell the real story. Maybe the Hall 'ill be listenin'.

CASEY

You're okay, you know that?... Why do you want to do this for me?

JENGLESKI

Why not? Been a secret long enough. Time to let the world see the real hero.

CASEY

I don't know...

VOICE THROUGH THE SPEAKER

Mr. Casey , Mr. Jengleski, places please. 15.

JENGLESKI

Fifty years is a long time to be in the dark. Let’s shed some light.

(He reaches behind the couch and struggles to pick up his walker.)

CASEY

Oh, no you don't. I'm not going to let you walk out there like a cripple. We're both heroes remember.

Casey comes over, puts the walker aside and helps him up and supports him as together they exit. "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" starts to play.

FADE TO BLACK 16.

COMPLETE GAME: SECOND INNING, CRUNCH TIME

Saturday afternoon, 9/26/1970. MAX and SARAH’s living room, in suburban, NJ. It is furnished with a couch, chair, coffee table and end table. There is a bowl of fruit on the coffee table. There is a TV downstage facing upstage.

As the light’s come up MAX, wearing boxers and an undershirt, enters with a beer, eyes glued to the TV and slides into his spot on the couch as he has done a thousand times before. MAX is watching his baseball team and favorite pitcher with a perfect game going into the final two innings of the game. MAX occasionally picks up an apple is it were a baseball. MAX has his eyes glued to the TV which he talks back to until the very end of the scene. The TV is not audible to the audience, the audio of the TV is provided in order for MAX to know what he is reacting to.

TV Well, here we go to the top of the eighth inning with a slim one run lead.

MAX This is why I love baseball: crunch time baby! Six stinkin’ outs to go. Let’s go get ‘em.

TV Fastball, strike one.

MAX That’s it, give ‘em the heater. Climb the ladder on the stiff.

TV ...Another fastball at the top of the strike zone, strike two.

MAX Yeah, baby! What did I tell you. Now put him away.

SARAH enters having just returned home. SARAH is frazzled, but is working hard trying to remain calm. SARAH has just had a fender bender in their brand new car and is terrified of telling MAX about it. 17.

SARAH does not like nor understand baseball and at no time pays any attention to the game on the TV. She reacts to MAX as if he is talking to her. MAX is completely unaware of her presence and is strictly talking back to the TV.

SARAH TV Hi honey. Enjoying your game? He’s got him set up now. He can go up high with the fastball or throw a breaking ball in the dirt.

MAX Sweet.

SARAH TV I’m so glad. Mind if I join you? ...He struck him out with a slider.

MAX Sit your ass down baby.

SARAH TV ...is a dead pull hitter and likes the ball on Oh... okay. Mind if I sit next to you on the inner half of the plate. the couch?

MAX Stay away.

SARAH TV The chair. I think I’ll sit in the chair. Is the He’s still looking dominant on the mound chair okay? Is the game almost over? here in the eighth.

MAX Five outs to go.

SARAH TV Oh, that shouldn’t take too long. I do need ...asks for time and steps out of the box for to talk to you, but I can wait. I’m in no the third time in this at bat. The pitcher rush. seems to be getting upset on the mound with all the time outs. 18.

MAX Just hang in there, baby.

SARAH TV Okay. ...he looks in and gets the sign...

MAX Okay and...

SARAH TV Nothing, just “okay.” I’ll wait. ...and he steps off the mound...

MAX Just do it!

SARAH TV Do what? Wait or tell you? I’m so And now the batter asks for time out. confused.

MAX What else is new? C’mon, step up and let it go!

SARAH TV Okay then I had a very successful day ...He struck him out. shopping today, and I did it without spending too much money.

MAX I knew you could do it.

SARAH TV Don’t sound so surprised. I’m pretty I know that there are two outs, but he may thrifty you know. I know how to cut back try to lay one down here... to... accommodate for unexpected expenses.

MAX Who are you trying to kid? No way.

SARAH TV I can. I can do my own nails. I can even go They haven’t been successful doing to the discount stores. anything today, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to bunt with two strikes 19.

MAX Now you’re delirious. Stop talking like an idiot.

SARAH TV Don’t have be rude. I’m just saying... Got him to pop it up and now on to the bottom of the eighth.

MAX That’ll shut you up.

SARAH TV Well, I’m not going to sit here and take ...will have the top of the order coming up your crap. When you’re ready to talk let here in the bottom of the eighth. me know.

MAX Let’s do it now.

SARAH TV All right then. After I finished shopping, I ...It’s a lonely time at the far end of the looked at the time and figured your game bench for the pitcher while his team mates would still be going. all adhere to tradition and ignore him.

MAX Right again.

SARAH TV Of course I am. Well anyway, I decided Of course a couple of runs here would that I should go over to the nursing home make it a little easier. and see my father.

MAX The later it gets the tougher it gets.

SARAH TV I’m glad you know how hard that is for It’s got to be tough sitting there waiting to me. But I drove over and there I was in the go out there and get the toughest three outs parking lot. I just sat there a long time. of his life. He doesn’t even seem to be moving.

MAX Glued to the seat. 20.

SARAH TV Kind of. I tried to get out of the car, I did. I hope this moment isn’t too big for him. But the thought of going in and seeing Dad Look, he’s covering his head with a towel. sitting in a wheelchair, staring and drooling was just overwhelming.

MAX Times like these you gotta keep it together.

SARAH TV I couldn’t. I couldn’t get out of the car. I Well here we go bottom of the eighth. just started crying.

MAX You gotta do it..

SARAH TV I couldn’t. I just gave up and as I was ...They’re tasting victory now. backing out of my parking space this car came out of nowhere... well, I hit the brakes but I guess it was too late.

MAX Not so fast.

SARAH TV I wasn’t going fast at all. I was barely And he jumps on the first pitch and singles moving. up the middle.

MAX That’s it. We could use some insurance.

SARAH TV We don’t have insurance? How can we not ...he was thinking fastball there and he have insurance? I thought we had fooled with changeup. insurance.

MAX You thought wrong, baby. Get your head screwed on straight.

SARAH TV But we have an insurance card. I gave it to ...he takes strike three without taking the the policeman. bat off his shoulder. 21.

MAX What did you do that for?

SARAH TV Because he asked for it. Isn’t that what He’s looking down for the signs. Could you’re supposed to do? they be sending the number three batter up there to bunt?

MAX Not in that situation.

SARAH TV What was I supposed to do? They have the full shift on for him now with two strikes.

MAX Drive it the other way.

SARAH TV I couldn’t do that. Besides the police car With two outs now, they have to figure out was in the way. What was I supposed to how to get that runner down to second do? base.

MAX Steal it.

SARAH TV I was not about to steal a police car and ...And he’s picked off first. certainly not over a little fender bender. I think you’ve finally gone completely bonkers. Can I make you an appointment with a shrink?

MAX NOOOOOOOO!

SARAH TV I really think you’re over reacting to this Here we go. Top of the ninth. 1-0 in this whole situation. very important game and to top it all off we have a no hitter going.

MAX You can’t say that! 22.

SARAH TV Why not? If he gives up a hit now they’re going to blame it on us for bringing him...

MAX Bad luck.

SARAH TV That’s just silly. So what do you want to With the count 3-0 the pitching coach is do about the car? Do you want go out and coming out to the mound. Could the be see it? thinking of walking him with the 8 and 9 hitters coming up?

MAX We can’t do that now.

SARAH TV Then when would you like to do it? That would be an unusual strategy.

MAX Not now, not never!

SARAH TV That’s a little extreme don’t you think? It looks like they’re going to pitch to him.

MAX That’s the only way to handle it.

SARAH TV Well, if that’s your attitude, what do you Called strike three, and he’s not happy want me to do about it? about and he stands at home plate screaming at the ump.

MAX Sit down and shut up.

SARAH TV How much more of this crap am I Two more outs to go... supposed to take from you?

MAX A couple more. 23.

SARAH TV I don’t think so, mister. I guess my father He’s probably going up there looking for a was right about you. fast ball.

MAX He’s a fool.

SARAH TV And I’m starting to agree with him. Struck him out with a breaking ball. I have to admit I was thinking fast ball too.

MAX Then you’re a freaking moron, too.

SARAH TV One more and I’m out of here. Two outs. This is their last hope.

MAX Just one more... I guess this really is crunch time now!

SARAH TV That’s right, one more. What’s more, I I think he should stay with the high heat to think you should apologize to me. get the final out.

MAX And I think you’re dumber than a lamp post.

SARAH TV That’s it! I want a divorce! A long fly ball, it may go, he’s back, he jumps at the wall and heee... has it! PERFECTO!

MAX YES!!!!

MAX is jumping up and down, doing his happy dance completely giddy beyond reason, when MAX suddenly sees SARAH.

MAX Oh, hi honey. When did you get home?

SARAH looks at MAX in total disbelief and exits. 24.

MAX Did I do something wrong?

BLACKOUT

COMPLETE GAME: THIRD INNING, TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

The living room in ALI’s NYC apartment. There is a entrance door and a hallway to the rest of the apartment. There is a couch, a chair, a coffee table, end table and TV. There is a fruit bowl on the coffee table. As the light’s come up there is no one on stage. There is knocking at the front door. It is 7:30 PM, Saturday, 9/26/1970.

(ALI enters from the hallway finishing zipping up her dress as she walks. She is dressed for a night out.)

ALI Coming.

(The knocking continues more insistently) I’m coming, I’m coming. 25.

ALI opens the door and JESS enters wearing Jeans and a METs jersey and carrying a large bag. I thought you were coming at seven.

JESS Sorry, I’m late, but I couldn’t decide what to wear.

ALI And that’s what you came up with? What the hell is that?

JESS It’s my Met’s jersey.

ALI Obviously. But why? I thought we were going to go out to try to meet some guys?

JESS We are.

ALI You can’t pick up guys dressed like that, not even in the village.

JESS I agree, not in the village, that would be tie-dye. And you do look spectacular.

ALI Thank you. I try.

JESS You do. You always look terrific. You looked wonderful last Saturday night and marvelous on Friday night and stupendous the weekend before that and magnificent the weekend before that.

ALI If you’re proposing...

JESS What I am proposing is that we are going about this all wrong. We are two attractive, smart, highly educated, successful women who keep going home alone at night. Why is that?

ALI If I knew the answer to that question I wouldn’t be talking to you right now, I’d be getting romanced by some man of the opposite sex. 26.

JESS Well then, let’s dissect the problem. When we go out, which we do pretty much every weekend, and we go to these bars which are known to be pick up palaces, do we actually meet guys?

ALI Sure.

JESS We do. And then what happens?

ALI We might dance.

JESS And after that?

ALI If we’re lucky, he might buy you a drink.

JESS And then?

ALI And then... we start to talk.

JESS Exactly. And then he tries to impress you with his “important job” and how he’s climbing the ladder. And if you don’t start drooling and oooing and ahhing over him like he’s some Adonis he starts staring down some other girls dress and he’s gone.

ALI Or he’s whining about living at home with his mother until he gets his big break or some such bullshit.

JESS Exactly. And what do we do?

ALI We bail each other out with some lame excuse and extricate ourselves from the situation...

JESS And go home alone. 27.

ALI So, are we going to the Village?

JESS Emphatically “No”. I’m not interested in dating a Hippie. A prefer martinis to marijuana.

ALI I’m with you so far.

JESS We need to go to a place where the odds are in our favor to begin with and where there is a different agenda.

ALI What are you talking about?

JESS I’m talking about going to a bar where there are lot’s of men, straight men, who are there for something other than picking up women.

ALI But if there not there to meet women...

JESS Then you can see who they are for real without all the other crap getting in the way.

ALI I get it. Did anyone ever tell you that you are brilliant?

JESS Besides my mother and my fifth grade science teacher?

ALI So where is this place?

JESS I have located a nice neighborhood pub where guys go to watch baseball.

ALI I hate baseball. 28.

JESS You don’t have to like it, just have to pretend to like it. Just listen to my idea. We go to this bar. You find someone interesting, slide in next to him at the bar and start watching the game. As the game goes on you casually start talking to him about the game. Before you know it, you’ve been talking for half an hour and you have a real sense of who the guy is and what makes him tick.

ALI What makes him tick? From watching a stupid baseball game?

JESS The way men react to their team is a pretty good key to their personality. Is he arrogant and angry? Does he have a sense of humor? Does he keep everything in perspective?

ALI You are brilliant. An absolute genius... Only one problem, I don’t have a Met’s shirt. Two problems actually. Make that three. I know nothing about baseball. And as I already said: I hate it. Whenever my Dad watched baseball, which was all the time, he became oblivious to the world. So my mother would grab me and we would go out shopping just for spite. Not that I minded shopping, but my mother would become a mad woman. It wasn’t so bad in April, but by September she was Pandora in the flesh. Hell hath no fury... On the other hand, I was the best dressed kid on the block.

JESS Problem number one solved.

JESS takes a Met’s jersey and hat out of her bag and gives them to ALI.

ALI Thanks. Problem number two is not an easy fix.

JESS Relax. I can explain baseball to you. How difficult can it be? Men understand it.

ALI Good point.

JESS Here goes: The game is played on a big field that is called a diamond.

ALI I like diamonds, 29.

JESS It’s called a diamond, but really it’s shaped more like an ice cream cone.

ALI That’s all right, I like ice cream, too.

JESS So the field is kind of divided into two parts: the infield and the outfield...

ALI I’m still on diamonds and ice cream.

JESS Just stick with me. In the infield are the bases: first base, second base, third base...

ALI I know about the bases.

JESS Of course you do.

JESS So the team in the field has the ball and they’re playing defense. The team that’s down in the dugout is up, which means that they are on offense and they send up one man at a time.

ALI One against nine, that’s not fair.

JESS It’s okay he’s got a big stick. And he tries to hit the ball when the pitcher (that’s the guy standing on the little hill in the middle of the field) throws it over the plate.

ALI The plate? So can I talk china patterns?

JESS It’s a simple white plate, but it looks good on the green field, just leave it at that.

ALI Damn, I thought this could be a conversation starter. 30.

JESS Sorry, this home plate is one of the bases.

ALI So why don’t they just call it fourth base?

JESS Because men invented this and they think if they make it sound complicated it makes them look smart.

ALI Of course.

JESS So, the batter stands next to home plate when he is hitting and this is where he has to get back to and step on it in order to score.

ALI Why doesn’t he just step on it to begin with?

JESS Come on you know how this works, Doesn’t a guy have to get to first base, second base and third base first before he can score?

ALI Damn straight he does.

JESS And at any point along the way he can get stopped and out he goes?

ALI That’s right.

JESS See, you understand the basic concept already, the rest is just details. May I continue?

ALI Go ahead.

JESS Okay then, so the team that is in sends a batter up to try to hit the ball. If he swings and misses and it goes over the plate that’s called a strike...

ALI But you just said he didn’t strike it. 31.

JESS Exactly.

ALI So if you don’t strike the ball, it’s a strike.

JESS And if that happens three times then he strikes out and has to go back in without getting to first base.

ALI Poor baby.

JESS Yes, but if he doesn’t swing and the ball doesn’t go over the plate that’s called a ball and if he has four balls...

ALI That must be very cumbersome.

JESS He gets a walk.

ALI He’d have to, I can’t imagine that he could run very well.

JESS So with four balls the batter becomes a runner and gets to walk to first base.

ALI If he becomes a runner, why does he walk?

JESS Because he has four balls. So then the next guy comes up to bat, and again he either strikes out, walks or hits the ball. If he hits the ball and it is between the white lines where all the players are out in the field, then it is in the field of play otherwise it is a foul ball and just counts as a strike unless the batter already has two strikes and then it is just.. a do over. Okay?

ALI Sure. 32.

JESS Good. So when the batter hits the ball into the field of play and one of the fielders catches it before it hits the ground it’s an out and the batter who is now a runner is out and has to go back in. If the batter hits the ball and it touches the ground before a fielder catches it, then the fielder has to throw it to another fielder who has his foot on first base and if he catches the ball before the batter who is now a runner steps on first base then the runner is out and has to go back in. But, if the batter who is now a runner gets to first base before the fielder with his foot on the base catches the ball from the fielder who caught the ball after it bounced then the batter who is now a runner is safe on first. Of course if the batter hits the ball further and it goes into the outfield then he becomes a runner and he and any other runners on base can keep running until either the ball gets thrown back into the infield and the fielder who catches it then can tag the runner with the ball when the runner is not standing on a base, which makes him out so he has to go back in. But if the batter who is now a runner or any other runner makes it to a base without getting tagged he is safe and he can start running again when the next batter hits the ball into the field of play. Of course, if they make it all the way around to home without getting tagged out they score.

ALI Hooray!

JESS So they’re not out, but they go in anyway and all his teammates get to smack him on the ass.

ALI Why do they do that? Aren’t they happy that he scored?

JESS Yes, they’re happy and no, I don’t know why men do the strange things they do. So, now they’ve scored a run.

ALI What’s a run?

JESS It’s a point.

ALI Then why don’t they just call it a point? 33.

JESS Because they call it a run.

ALI But if....

JESS Can you just call it a run?

ALI But...

JESS Call it a run.

ALI Fine, it’s a run.

JESS Thank you. And whoever has the most runs in the end, wins.

ALI And when does it end?

JESS After nine innings?

ALI What’s an inning?

JESS An inning is when both teams have come in to bat and made three outs.

ALI And they do that nine times? Doesn’t that take a long time?

JESS Yup. But if after nine innings it’s a tie score, then they play extra innings until someone has scored more runs at the completion of an inning.

ALI Which inning?

JESS Any inning in which one team has more runs then the other team. 34.

ALI So they don’t know when it’s going to end?

JESS That’s right it’s endless. But, you can always pray for rain.

ALI What happens if it rains?

JESS You see there are these other four men who are out in the field all the time, they don’t go in. They’re called umpires and they’re kind of like policemen, they even where blue. They’re the ones who decide if runners are safe and can stay out or are out and have to go in. They also get to decide if the weather is too bad then they send everybody in, no matter whether they are in or out. And that’s pretty much it. Got it?

ALI What about problem number three?

JESS Which is?

ALI I hate baseball.

JESS You’ll have to work that out with your analyst.

ALI You’re my analyst.

JESS Okay then. Let me ask you a question. Which do you hate more, baseball or sitting home alone on a Saturday night?

ALI Let’s go to the bar, I need a drink.

BLACK OUT 35.

COMPLETE GAME: FOURTH INNING, PITCHING IN THE MIRROR.

It is Saturday 10/3/1970. The stage is divided into two sections. JAKE is in the living room in their Westchester, NY home. This room is furnished with a couch, chair, coffee table, end table and TV. There is a bowl of fruit on the coffee table. Down center on the fourth wall there is an imagined full length mirror. JAKE is dressed up to go out in a jacket and tie. On one side is TILLIE, dressed in a slip, she is getting ready (make up, hair and finishing getting dressed) at her dressing table. When the lights come up she is methodically getting ready while JAKE impatiently checks his tie for the umpteenth time in the mirror.

TILLIE Jake are you ready? 36.

JAKE I’ve been ready for half an hour.

TILLIE Is your hair combed?

JAKE Yes, Mom.

TILLIE Is your shirt clean?

JAKE Yes.

TILLIE Is your tie tied?

JAKE Yes.

TILLIE Do you need help with your tie?

JAKE Mom, I just told you it’s tied.

TILLIE But is it straight?

JAKE

(looking carefully in the mirror) It’s fine.

TILLIE Come in here and let me fix it.

JAKE I said it was fine. I’m not nine years old. Just fix yourself.

TILLIE Don’t be fresh. 37.

JAKE I’m not being... this happens every time.

TILLIE What happens every time?

JAKE You tell me to be ready at a certain time and I am, but you aren’t. You’re not even close to being ready. And then I have to sit around and wait.

TILLIE It does not.

JAKE It does so. Every single time for the last forty-five years.

TILLIE You’re exaggerating.

JAKE I’m not. It’s the god’s honest truth, every single time...

TILLIE Patience, Jake. It takes us women a little longer to get ready than you men.

JAKE But you told me to be ready by 6:00. By 6:00! I was ready at 5:45 and now it’s 6:15.

TILLIE I’ll be ready soon.

JAKE What’s soon?

TILLIE Soon is soon.

JAKE I could be dead by the time soon comes.

TILLIE I think you’re being a little dramatic, Jake. 38.

JAKE I’m not being dramatic, I’m being factual.

TILLIE Relax. Do something instead of just complaining. Watch a ballgame or something.

JAKE

(under his breath) There’s no ballgame on.

TILLIE What?

JAKE Nothing.

JAKE paces briefly and then disgustedly plops himself into the couch. While fidgeting on the couch he grabs an apple out of the fruit bowl on the coffee table and starts rubbing it up like a baseball and trying different pitching grips. He glances up and catches his image in the mirror and he is transformed. He steadfastly gathers himself up as he takes on the steely persona of a pitcher coming off the bench to pitch the ninth inning of a critical game. He takes his jacket off and takes his place on the “mound” which is center stage and methodically starts taking his warm up pitches toward the mirror which is down center in the mirror. He is transfixed. In addition to being the pitcher, JAKE is also the announcer. During this sequence JAKE works up a sweat and his shirt, tie and hair end up in total disarray.

JAKE Well, here we go. It’s the ninth inning, with a slim one run lead. If the big “J” can nail down these last three outs the game is ours.

JAKE winds up and pitches. Strike one!

JAKE winds up and pitches again and acts out the play as he announces it. He drops down a bunt, this could be trouble. 39.

Jay grabs it with his bare hand, makes an off balance throw to first and.. He got him! What a play! Jay is a regular cat out there. A huge play, keeping the lead off batter off base. One out. Jay toes the rubber, he stares in for the sign. Here’s the wind up, and the pitch. It’s a little bloop foul heading out of play... but no! Jay comes out of nowhere to snag it. Jay is on his “A” game today. Two outs with three pitches. One more out and they can call this the biggest win of the season. But here comes the top of the order and Jay’s got his work cut out for him. Jay gets the sign, goes into his windup and the pitch... look out! That one was high and tight, ball one. I guess Jay was just showing him who’s boss. You don’t dig in and crowd the plate against Jay. Jay gets ready on the hill. Here’s the pitch... Strike one. That was a breaking pitch on the outside corner making the batter look silly. One and one. I bet Jay’s going to put some mustard on this one. The wind up and the pitch. Oh what a fastball. The swing was so late it looked like it was in another time zone. Jay’s wasting no time now, and the pitch... strike three! No, the ump called it a ball. I can’t believe he called that a ball, he must have blinked. Jay is glaring in, boy is he steamed. Bet he’ll go back to the hook to finish him off. The wind up and the pitch... it’s a little flair to the right side. The second baseman is going back... he dives, and.... It drops in for a little seeing eye hump back single. Boy oh boy, Jay had him fooled with that pitch, but somehow he just stuck his bat out there and got enough of it to get it over the second baseman’s head. Jay deserved better than that, but now he has to face the number two hitter with the tying run on first. Jay has to pitch from the stretch now. He gets the sign, checks the runner on first, and the delivery... strike one!

JAKE CONT’D Jay gets the ball back and gets right to work. The stretch and the pitch... ball one, boy that just missed. Jay goes into his stretch and throws to first. The runner is back in time, but Jay has to keep him close, can’t let the tying run get into scoring position. Jake is ready again... And he fires to the plate... ball two. Boy oh boy, Jay is really getting squeezed by the umpire. Jay must be boiling now. He’s pawing at the mound. Now he’s ready, and the pitch... ball three! I don’t how he called that a ball it was right on the edge. Jay has to come after him now. The number one, the big heater. Jay has to challenge him with a fastball and try to blow it by him. Here’s the pitch... and it’s a long drive... this is going to split the outfielders... they’re chasing it down... can they get it back in to prevent the runner from scoring from first? He’s heading for third... are they going to send him? Here comes the throw to the plate... but the runner puts on the brakes. Boy oh boy, this looked like it was going to be an easy ninth inning for Jay, but it’s turned into a real pressure cooker. Runners on second and third with the biggest home run hitter in baseball coming to the plate. There’s no warm up action in the bullpen, so it’s all up to Jay. Mano o mano. You’d have to think that Jay is going to walk him with first base open, but... it looks like he’s going to pitch to him. Well, here we go. Here comes the pitch... a sweet little breaking pitch which catches just enough of the plate, strike one. 40.

I’m sure he was looking for a fastball there. Jay stares in again, gets the sign and the pitch. Strike two! The same nasty curve ball. Jay is cooking tonight. One more strike and he will have dodged the bullet and won the big game. But this won’t be easy. Does Jay try and fool him with a curve ball for a third time in a row? Does he dare challenge the best fastball hitter in baseball with his heater? Well, here we go. Jay’s ready, here comes the pitch... and he swings and... misses! STRIKE THREE! JAY HAS WON THE GAME!!!

JAKE jumps up and down all around the living room finally collapsing on the couch. His hair is a mess, shirt untucked, tie untied. TILLIE enters.

TILLIE Jake! Look at you, you’re a mess. I thought you said you were ready!

JAKE I was ready. An hour ago!

TILLIE That may be. But you’re not ready now. What have you been doing.?

JAKE You know... Stuff.

TILLIE You were pitching in the mirror again, weren’t you?

Silence.

TILLIE Weren’t you?

JAKE I guess so.

TILLIE That’s okay. Just tuck in your shirt, straighten your tie, comb your hair and put your jacket back on.

JAKE Sorry.

TILLIE Ever since your father left. 41.

JAKE Yeah, I guess so. When he was still around we would go out in the yard and play catch while we were waiting for you and Sis. Then we’d both get into trouble. You’d get so mad.

TILLIE Only at your father. You were a boy, but he knew better.

JAKE We were just having fun.

TILLIE Your father was always good at having fun... and getting into trouble.

JAKE Then he left.

TILLIE And nearly forty years later you are still pitching in the mirror.... Doesn’t that ever get old?

JAKE I don’t know... I’m not hurting anyone.

TILLIE I’m not concerned about you hurting anyone. I’m concerned about you hurting.

JAKE I’m fine.

TILLIE You’re single.

JAKE So are you.

TILLIE I’m an old lady.

JAKE You’re not so old. 42.

TILLIE Old enough to know better... I just worry about you sometime.

JAKE You don’t have to worry about me, Mom, I’m a grown man.

TILLIE Okay grown man, fix your hair and let’s get going we’re going to be late, I don’t want to keep my granddaughter waiting.

BLACKOUT

COMPLETE GAME: FIFTH INNING, FATHER-SON GAME.

Sunday 10/4/1970. The day room of a nursing home in New Jersey. There is a couch, chair, coffee table, end table and TV. There is a bowl of fruit on the coffee table. As the lights come up SAUL is discovered sitting in his wheelchair, head down. CHUCK enters, looks around briefly, sees SAUL and crosses to him. 43.

CHUCK Ah, there you are. Hi, Dad. I’ve been looking for you.

CHUCK picks SAUL’s head up, wipes the dribble from his chin and moves the wheelchair so he can sit in the chair and be face to face. SAUL stares into space and does not react to anything that CHUCK says until just before he speaks. CHUCK continues to occasionally wipe SAUL’s chin quite matter-of-factly as he has hundreds of times before. As much as he is used to not getting responses from SAUL, he has moments of frustration and sadness as he attempts to engage him.

CHUCK It’s good to see you, Dad. I talked to the girls today, they send their love. Carol is still out in the middle of nowhere on some reservation in eastern Washington state doing charity doctoring to pay back some federal loans she got. Some would call it indentured servitude. But I call it “Thank God she didn’t ask me to pay for med. school.” We talk pretty regularly on Sundays. You know how it is with kids, she’ll call me collect from some pay phone down the street and I call her back. God, she doesn’t even have her own phone. It sounds miserable to me, but she seems to be loving it. Dr Carol. What do you think of that? My daughter the doctor! Clearly she takes after her mother... She’s three thousand miles from a decent slice of pizza or probably any slice of pizza at all. Sounds like hell to me... Don’t She’s been all caught up in the anti-war stuff. She’s no hippie, I’m pretty sure of that. Well, I came down pretty hard on her in the beginning, but I’ve got to admit it, the longer this thing goes on the more I’m starting to agree with her. She’s a pretty smart kid. This isn’t like when I was fighting the Nazi’s or your war either. Betty’s a good kid, too, like her sister. I just wish their mother were around to see how great they turned out. She did a great job with them... And with me. I’m a lucky man. God I miss her... I’m sure you can relate to that... Sorry, Dad, I’m getting a little morose...

CHUCK CONT’D Has Babe been by to see you?.. I hope so. It’s okay, I’ll ask the nurses. Remember when you took us to Jersey for the first time? Course when we lived in Brooklyn we thought anything west of the Hudson was the sticks. And I guess it pretty much was. You had that old Ford. It felt like it took forever to get there and then there we were out in the middle of a bunch of horse farms. Mom and Babe were afraid we’d catch some crazy disease from all the bugs out there. They were begging you to turn around and go back to the city. 44.

But you drove on and we came to this little general store by a stream and we sat outside on the porch and ate pie. You remember? ... Pretty funny that I married a Jersey girl and ended up moving out here and then Babe followed suit. Huh, Dad? ... Hey, Dad, I just remembered, do you know what today is the anniversary of?... It’s October 4.

SAUL

(picking up his head) 1955.

CHUCK

(he is surprised, it has been a while since SAUL has spoken to him) That’s right. The day we thought would never come.

SAUL Blue skies.

CHUCK Dodger blue. Perfect baseball weather.

SAUL 71 degrees.

CHUCK It would have been nicer if the game was at Ebbets Field.

SAUL Probably couldn’t have gotten tickets.

CHUCK I never did ask you, how did you get tickets for game seven of the world series at Yankee Stadium?

SAUL Salesmen have friends.

CHUCK You had some really good friends, Dad. ‘Cause you’re a great guy. What a game! 45.

SAUL Johnny Podres, complete game shutout. Gave up eight hits and two walks. Pitched tough in the clutch.

CHUCK The Dodgers only got six hits themselves.

SAUL Five.

CHUCK Five? You sure.

SAUL Five. Junior, Pee Wee, Campy, Hodges and Hoak. Got five walks, none of them scored.

CHUCK I remember there being men on base constantly, both sides and no one could get it done.

SAUL Except Hodges. Fourth inning Campy doubles, moves to third on a ground out...

CHUCK Hodges drives him in with a single.

SAUL Sixth inning shoulda been a big one, left ‘em loaded.

CHUCK Thank goodness for Hodges driving in Pee Wee with a sac fly.

SAUL After that it was pretty much all Podres.

CHUCK I kept waiting for the bubble to burst.

SAUL Big test came in the bottom of the eighth facing the top of the order. Rizzuto led off with a single.

CHUCK Billy Martin flew out to right, but then McDougald singled to left and the Yanks had runners on the corners with only one out. 46.

SAUL Podres got the better of Yogi and got him to hit a weak pop fly to right, too short for Rizzuto to score and then finished ‘em off striking out Hank Bauer.

CHUCK How do you remember all this?

SAUL I was there.

CHUCK Yeah, so was I.

SAUL We had a chance for some insurance in the top of the ninth, with runners on first and second and one out, but couldn’t scratch anything across with Podres and Gilliam both flying out.

CHUCK I was afraid that they were going to pinch hit for Podres with only one out, but they left him in and boy did he come up big in the ninth. He hadn’t had a one-two-three inning since the fifth.

SAUL First he got big Moose Skowron on a come backer. Bob Cerv flew out to left. Then it ended the way it should: ground ball to Pee Wee, Pee Wee to Hodges.

CHUCK That was the game and the World Series and the best train ride back to Brooklyn ever.

SAUL I don’t think anybody in Brooklyn slept that night.

CHUCK It was like New Year’s eve. People banging on trash cans.

SAUL Church bells ringing.

CHUCK Cars honking. 47.

SAUL Only thing that came close was V-J day.

CHUCK Yeah, Dad. We had some really great times. Thanks Dad.

SAUL drifts off again. CHUCK attempts to re-engage him, in vein.

CHUCK Dad... Dad? Remember how upset you were when the Dodgers up and left and went to LA? I thought you were going to have a stroke or something... It was never the same after that. If they were still there though, I bet I never could have gotten you to move out to Jersey... You know you’ve got a big birthday coming up. I think we’re going to have to do something special for it. A man doesn’t turn ninety every day... We can talk about some more next time I come, okay Dad? I have to go... I love you Dad. Do you hear me? I love you!

CHUCK bends over and gives SAUL a big hug.

FADE TO BLACK.

COMPLETE GAME: SIXTH INNING, TURNING TWO

The living room in ALI’s NYC apartment. It the same as it was in the Third Inning. It’s Saturday night, 10/17/1970. As the light’s come up there is no one on stage. There is knocking at the front door. It is 6:30 PM.

ALI enters from the hallway. She is wearing her Mets’ jersey. She is very nervous and takes a deep breath to compose herself. 48.

ALI Coming.

(The knocking continues more insistently) I’m coming, I’m coming.

ALI opens the door and SANDY enters he is wearing Jeans and a button down shirt. He wears nothing baseball related. He is carrying a pizza and a six pack. Hi!

SANDY Hi.

ALI I’m glad to see you.

SANDY

(with levity) I hope so. You invited me, remember. I’m not the pizza delivery boy.

ALI I know th... you’re joking. I get it. I’m sorry.

SANDY No need to be sorry, unless you’re not going to invite me in.

ALI Of course, of course. Come in, Sandy. I’m sorry.

ALI let’s him in and closes the door behind him. SANDY stands politely just inside the door still holding the pizza and beer.

SANDY Thank you.

ALI Did you have any trouble finding the apartment?

SANDY No. 49.

ALI Good.

SANDY The upper west side isn’t too complicated.

ALI I know but sometimes...

SANDY And I even found the pizzeria around the corner that you said makes the best pies.

ALI Oh, yes. Oh, the pizza. Here let me take that.

ALI takes the pizza.

SANDY Thank you.

ALI Are you hungry? Do you want to eat now? Or I could put it in the oven to keep it warm and we could eat it later during the game?

SANDY Why don’t you do that, Ali. It’ll give us a chance to talk a little bit.

ALI Sure, that’s a great idea.

ALI starts to exit into the hallway and comes back in. I’m not a very good hostess. Please have a seat.

SANDY Thank you.

SANDY crosses to the couch.. ALI starts to leave again and returns to SANDY before he can sit down.

ALI Why don’t I take the beer and put it in the fridge to keep cold while I’m keeping the pizza hot. 50.

SANDY Good idea.

ALI clumsily takes the beer, struggling to hold them both and starts to exit again. SANDY sits. Would you like some help?

ALI No that’s okay, I’ve got it.

Once again ALI exits and returns instantly. Would you like a beer now?

SANDY I think I’ll wait for the pizza, if that’s okay with you?

ALI Perfect.

ALI exits down the hallway. We here a crash as she drops the six pack. SANDY jumps up.

SANDY Are you all right?

ALI

(from off stage) Fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.

SANDY Can I help you?

ALI

(from off stage) No, no... I’ve got everything under control. Everything is AOK.

SANDY If you say so. But I’m happy to help. 51.

ALI

(entering) No need. Everything is just fine, but I suggest we wait a while before opening those beers.

SANDY It’s not a problem. Are you okay?

ALI I’m fine.

ALI sits on the couch.

SANDY You seem a little nervous.

ALI Do I? Nervous? No, I’m... I’m, I’m just really excited for the game. The World Series!

SANDY Oh.

ALI I just adore baseball.

SANDY I gathered that.

ALI And tonight, well, the Baltimore...

SANDY Orioles.

ALI Right, I knew that. And the Cincinnati Red...

SANDY Legs.

ALI I’m sorry, but that’s a stupid name for a baseball team.

SANDY I can’t say that I disagree. 52.

ALI Good. I was afraid that you were going to tell me that your great-grandfather or somebody named them.

SANDY No, but I do have a great uncle who played for them. Briefly, I think.... back in the twenties. They’re just a very old team. In fact they’re the oldest team. And I guess a lot of those old teams had some pretty stupid names. Like the Boston Bean Eaters.

ALI

(laughing) You sure do know a lot about baseball.

SANDY I know a little bit. I do know I was very happy that you invited me over to watch the game.

ALI Well, after three weeks of watching games at the bar, I thought this might be a nice change. A little different atmosphere... to watch a baseball game.

SANDY I was afraid that you would cancel out on me.

ALI Why would I do that? This is the big game, the World Series...

SANDY But...

ALI I like baseball and you like baseball...

SANDY But...

ALI And what could be nicer than watching baseball together.

SANDY But you see... I guess I do know a little more about baseball than you. 53.

ALI Is that a problem? Teach me? You can teach me! Teach me everything you know.

SANDY Really, I don’t know that much.

ALI Sure you do.

SANDY Although, I do know one thing that you don’t.

ALI What? What is it?

SANDY The World Series ended two days ago.

ALI Oh, shit!

SANDY It’s okay. It’s not a big deal. I was really happy when you didn’t cancel our date tonight. I thought that you were such a rabid fan, I was afraid that I wouldn’t see you again until April. But, you’re not, are you?

ALI How could you tell?

SANDY

(laughing) I had a hunch, because no matter what was happening in the game or even what teams were playing all you ever said was, “How ‘bout them Mets”. But not knowing that the World Series was over really gave it away.

ALI Shit!

SANDY But that’s okay, neither am I.

ALI You’re not? 54.

SANDY I mean I like it and I know a little about it, but I don’t live and die by it.

ALI But, all those games at the bar? Almost every night for the last three weeks...

SANDY Because I thought you were a baseball nut and I really liked you anyway. So I kept asking you if you were coming back the next night and you kept saying “yes”, so I kept coming back, too... the next night and the next night...

ALI And I kept coming back because I thought you...

(They both start laughing uncontrollably) But if you’re not all crazy about baseball what were you doing there in the first place?

SANDY A little research.

ALI For what?

SANDY For my job. I told you that I work at a radio station.

ALI Uh huh.

SANDY Well, eventually I want to get on the air, but for now they have me writing commercial copy and doing all sorts of scut work. But I have this opportunity to work my way up by emceeing some live events with a couple of old ballplayers. Actually, one of the players is my great uncle. He was married to my Grandmother’s sister and she died before I was born. I only met him once or twice when I was little, so I don’t really know him. Well, I didn’t want to embarrass myself because I hadn’t watched a game in a long time, so I thought I should take one in. That’s why I went to that bar, for research. And what were you doing there?

ALI You see my friend Jess thought it might be the ideal place to meet a guy. 55.

SANDY But you were so engrossed in the game. You didn’t say a word for three innings, you were riveted.

ALI The only thing I was riveted on was you. I had no idea what was going on in the game. I was afraid I’d blow my cover. It was the first game I’d ever really watched.

SANDY You’re kidding. You know, I almost gave up on you. I tried talking to you a few times, but you kept mumbling, “How ‘bout them Mets.” If you hadn’t spilled that bowl of pretzels in my lap...

ALI I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t really talk about the game. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

SANDY It worked. Good thing I like pretzels.

ALI So now that you know that I’m really a baseball fraud, maybe you can teach me about it?

SANDY You know, if you’re interested, I got this emceeing gig out in Jersey next Sunday. You Could meet these old ballplayers.

ALI Next Sunday? Shoot, I can’t. I’ve got this family thing. Can I get a rain check?

SANDY Good use of baseball terminology. Of course you can come another time.

ALI So, I’ve got to ask, what’s the big deal? I don’t get it. My father and my grandfather both would watch game after game, day after day, for hours. What is it about baseball that makes it the national pastime? Forget it, that’s a dumb question. The better question is, what’s your favorite thing about it?

SANDY My favorite thing?... Turning two. 56.

ALI Turning two?

SANDY A double play. And when the second baseman gets the throw from the shortstop and makes a pivot in the air as he turns to throw it to first all in one motion. It’s like ballet.

ALI I like ballet.

SANDY Me, too, a lot. Wait a minute, do you really like ballet? Or do you like ballet like you like baseball, because I said I liked ballet?

ALI No, no, I really like ballet. Like, really, really like it. I took ballet for years when I was a kid. I wanted be a prima ballerina.

SANDY What happened?

ALI It’s like baseball. Not everyone is good enough to make the major leagues.

SANDY I’m sorry.

ALI Don’t be. I still enjoy watching.

SANDY Me, too. Oh my god, do you know what’s on tonight?! Nureyev and

ALI Fonteyn on PBS at 8.

SANDY Can you eat pizza and drink beer while watching ballet?

ALI You bet. You know what I like about baseball?

SANDY What? 57.

ALI Touching all the bases.

ALI embraces SANDY with a big kiss as they sink into the couch.

FADE TO BLACK.

COMPLETE GAME: SEVENTH INNING, STRETCH

Saturday 10/24/1970. MAX and SARAH’s living room, as it was in the Second Inning. It is furnished with a couch, chair, coffee table and end table. 58.

There is a television downstage, real or imagined, facing upstage. There are entrances from both the right and the left. One is toward the front door and the other to the rest of the house.

As the light’s come up MAX wearing boxers and an undershirt is sitting on the couch with a beer, eyes glued to the TV. The TV is not audible to the audience.

SARAH

(from offstage) Max... Max.

MAX does not react or respond. SARAH enters from another part of the house. Max.

Max does not react or respond. SARAH crosses behind MAX on the couch. Max!

MAX still does not react or respond. SARAH crosses between MAX and the TV. Max!

MAX What are you shouting for?

SARAH I’ve been talking to you for five minutes.

MAX So? You’re blocking the TV.

SARAH I know.

MAX So move.

SARAH turns off the TV. What did you do that for? I can talk to you and watch TV at the same time. 59.

SARAH No you can’t.

MAX C’mon, I was watching something.

SARAH Too bad. Baseball season’s over, you have to pretend that you’re married for the next five months.

MAX But...

SARAH I saw what you were watching. It was reruns of I Love Lucy... figures, you look like Fred Mertz in his skivvies. Go put some cloths on.

MAX Well, if I’m Fred that makes you...

SARAH Don’t you dare. Will you please get dressed?

MAX What do I have to get dressed for?

SARAH My brother is on the way over.

MAX What does he want?

SARAH I don’t know. He just said he wanted to come over and discuss something.

MAX He couldn’t discuss something on the phone?

SARAH He said he’d rather talk about it in person.

MAX He wants money! 60.

SARAH You don’t know that.

MAX Yes, I do. When a person wants to discuss something and they want to do it in person, it’s because they want money. Because if they ask for money on the phone you can just hang up on them and they don’t get the chance to give you those big sad puppy dog eyes.

SARAH When has my brother ever done that?

MAX Plenty of times.

SARAH He has never in his life given me a look with sad puppy dog eyes.

MAX You didn’t see them ‘cause you were already looking in your purse for your checkbook.

SARAH You don’t know what you’re talking about.

MAX I don’t, huh? Just three weeks ago he was here and you wrote him a check.

SARAH That was for Dad.

MAX For what?

SARAH For the nursing home. He’s my father, too. And that’s the deal we have. You know that.

The door bell rings.

SARAH Now go put some clothes on. I’d like to spare myself the embarrassment of him seeing you in your underwear.

MAX Fine I’ll take them off. 61.

SARAH You certainly will not. Now, get the hell out of here.

The door bell rings again. MAX exits. Coming.

SARAH opens the door and CHUCK enters. They greet each other with a short hug and kiss.

SARAH How are you Chuck?

CHUCK Fine, Babe.

SARAH My name is Sarah.

CHUCK I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know you’ve told me a million times. But, you’re my baby sister, so to me you’ve always been Babe and you’ll always be Babe.

SARAH My name is Sarah.

CHUCK Okay, Sarah. What’s new?

SARAH Same old stuff. Come in, sit down.

They sit, SARAH on the couch, CHUCK on the chair. How are the girls?

CHUCK From what they tell me, everything is good, busy as hell, but good. And...

SARAH Single. How come between us we have three beautiful, intelligent, successful daughters and not one prospective son-in-law in sight.

CHUCK They’re in no rush. They’re too busy starting their careers. It’s a new world. 62.

SARAH This new world is going to be short lived if nobody gets married and has babies. But, you didn’t come all the way over here to listen to me complain. What’s up?

CHUCK What makes you think something is up?

SARAH Because you called me and said, “Sarah I’m coming over, there’s something we have to discuss.”

CHUCK Oh, yeah.

SARAH So, discuss.

MAX enters. He is dressed now. He hangs back, so that SARAH and CHUCK are not aware that he is in the room.

CHUCK It’s about Dad.

SARAH Is he okay? What happened? Did he fall? Is he in the hospital?

CHUCK He’s fine. This is why I had to come over. You always get yourself so worked up and then you hang up the phone.

SARAH I do? I’m sorry. It’s just that I get so upset, thinking of him in that place, being... that way.

CHUCK If you went to visit him more often...

SARAH I went to the nursing home just last week.

CHUCK The nurses didn’t tell me that. 63.

SARAH Do you have spies there?

CHUCK No, of course not. Great. How was Dad?

SARAH Well... I didn’t actually see him. I had an accident in the parking lot...

CHUCK You should wear a diaper.

SARAH A car accident, you jerk. A little fender bender. I had to handle that, so I couldn’t go in.

CHUCK You were there and you didn’t go in?

SARAH I was upset... Please, Chuck, don’t do this to me. Don’t try to lay this guilt trip on me. It won’t work. I couldn’t possibly feel more guilty than I already do.

CHUCK Fine, no guilt trip. You do know that it’s his birthday next week and that he’s going to be ninety.

SARAH That’s “no guilt trip”?

CHUCK Sorry. But that’s what I came over to talk to you about.

SARAH Of course I know when his birthday is... Ninety? Really?

CHUCK Yup, ninety. And turning ninety is a big deal. So I think we need to throw him a party.

MAX

(coming forward) I knew he wanted money. I bet you think we should pay for this party, too. 64.

CHUCK Hello, Max. Nice to see you, too.

MAX If you think we’re paying for a party for a man who doesn’t know what day it is or where he is or who he is....

CHUCK Calm down Max, I’m not asking you to pay for anything.

MAX Oh, okay.

He sits on the couch next to SARAH. Then what do you want?

CHUCK I want you both to come to the party.

SARAH He won’t even remember that we were there.

CHUCK Maybe not, but he’ll know that you are there when you’re there.

SARAH I don’t think so... You really think so?

CHUCK I do. There’s a lot more going on there then you’d think. Than even I thought. The other day when I was visiting him, I was just making conversation like I always do... because I can’t just sit there in silence, well I said to him, “Hey, Dad, do you know what today is? It’s October 4th.” And he said, “1955.”

MAX So he thinks it’s 1955?

CHUCK No, Max. October 4, 1955 is the day the Brooklyn Dodgers won their only World Series.

SARAH And he said “1955”? 65.

CHUCK And then he said a hell of a lot more than that. He recounted minute details of the game. Hell he even remembered that it was 71 degrees out.

MAX He did not.

CHUCK He did, too.

SARAH Really?

CHUCK He really did. So for his ninetieth birthday party next Sunday I arranged for a couple of old ballplayers to come to the home.

MAX So this is where the money comes in. What’s it going to cost me?

CHUCK Nothing, Max. Only your time. I contacted this radio station that’s handling their personal appearances and this really nice young guy said they’d do it for nothing. I was stunned. I was willing to have you pay, Max. But they’re doing it gratis. I don’t get it, but I’m not asking any questions.

SARAH That’s wonderful, Chuck.

CHUCK But you have to be there.

SARAH I don’t know.

CHUCK I’m telling you, he’ll know that you’re there. It’ll mean something to him at the moment even if he doesn’t show it. And who knows, maybe seeing these ball players will... I don’t know. C’mon Babe, say you’ll come.

MAX She doesn’t like when you call her “Babe”. 66.

CHUCK Sorry. Sarah. Sarah, will you please come to our father’s one and only ninetieth birthday party? Sarah, please?

SARAH Well...

CHUCK I was going to surprise you, but Alexandra is going to be there.

SARAH You called her?

CHUCK Actually she called me.

SARAH What was she doing calling you?

CHUCK What, she’s not allowed to speak to her uncle?

SARAH What? Was she asking you something about me?

CHUCK Relax, she called to ask me for Betty’s phone number. She’s planning on going down to DC and I think she wants to stay with her or something. I think it’s nice.

SARAH Fine, it’s nice. So how did you convince her to come out to Jersey for your party, when I have to jump through hoops to get her to come out and visit her own mother?

CHUCK I didn’t have to convince her at all. I just invited her and she said she’d love to come. Then I told her about getting these ballplayers and she thought it was a great idea. I had no idea she was so into baseball.

SARAH She’s not into baseball. She doesn’t even like baseball. Does she like baseball, Max? 67.

MAX I don’t know. God knows every time I tried to get a little father/daughter quality time with her and watch a game together, you’d grab her and go out shopping. We had to move three times so that you had enough closet space.

SARAH Baseball is a long season, Max. So she likes baseball? Really? Must be a genetic defect.

CHUCK Say you’ll come Sarah, or it’s Babe from now til the day I die. And what’s more, I’m going to tell everyone, including your daughter, to call you Babe.

SARAH You wouldn’t.

CHUCK I most certainly would.

SARAH This is blackmail.

CHUCK Call it what ever you want. Are you coming, Babe? Next Sunday at one. Well, Babe?

MAX Leave Sarah alone with the “Babe” crap already or I’ll go Sultan of Swat on your ass...

CHUCK Take it easy, Max. You win, no more “Babe” if... And Max, there are going to be some old time ball players there.

MAX And it won’t cost me anything?

CHUCK That’s right.

MAX I don’t have to get dressed up do I?

CHUCK You have to wear pants, Max. 68.

MAX I can do that. Sarah we’re going to a party. And she says I never take her anywhere.

SARAH Traitor.

BLACK OUT 69.

COMPLETE GAME: EIGHTH INNING, TIE GAME.

JAKE and TILLIE’s living room in their Westchester, NY home. This room is furnished with a couch, chair, coffee table, end table and TV, the same as the Fourth Inning. Down center on the fourth wall there is an imagined full length mirror. JAKE is dressed up to go out in a jacket, he is nervously tying and re-tying his tie. TILLIE, dressed casually, enters and crosses to JAKE.

TILLIE Need some help with that?

JAKE You’re ready all ready?

TILLIE Don’t look so shocked.

JAKE Why not? I think this is the first time in... ever.

TILLIE You look nervous. Let me do that.

TILLIE fumbles with JAKE’s tie.

JAKE You’re choking me.

TILLIE Oh, relax.

JAKE No, I mean you’re really choking me. I can’t breath! Stop!

TILLIE Okay, okay.

JAKE Do you even know how to tie a tie?

TILLIE Of course I... No, I don’t think I do. 70.

JAKE Then why do you always ask me if you want me to do it?

TILLIE Because mothers are supposed to do that for their sons, but come to think of it, you always have it done before I’m ready.

JAKE Mom, when I say I’ve been waiting for you my whole life, I really mean I’ve been waiting for you my whole life.

JAKE resumes nervously attempting to tie his tie and continues to be unsuccessful.

TILLIE Wait a minute. Who tied your tie when you were a boy?

JAKE Dad, always tied it for me. And he never choked me. He was good at that.

TILLIE Why are you even wearing a tie? This is not a dressy affair, is it? Oh, my god, I better go change.

JAKE Don’t you dare leave this room. You’re perfect just the way you are. You’re right this is not a formal affair.

TILLIE So why are you going to wear a tie?

JAKE Because I know that he won’t be.

TILLIE Are you nervous or are you angry?

JAKE Yes.

TILLIE What does that mean? 71.

JAKE I’m nervous and angry. Listen it’s been over thirty five years since I’ve seen Dad.

TILLIE But you still talk to him every once in a while, don’t you?

JAKE Every couple of years, I guess, but it’s never any good. This is stupid. Forget it, let’s not go.

TILLIE Fine by me.

JAKE No, we have to go.

TILLIE All right, but tell me again why we’re driving way out to New Jersey?

JAKE Because I think that maybe he’s really changed this time.

TILLIE I think you’re dreaming. I hope you’re not too disappointed.

JAKE I really think he might have changed. I do. I’ve been watching him on all these talk shows for the last month and he really seems different. Have you seen any of his appearances?

TILLIE I don’t need to watch his act.

JAKE He’s different. The arrogance is gone. He seems genuinely humble. I’ve never seen him like that.

TILLIE Then why don’t you just call him?

JAKE Because I need to be there in the flesh to see him in action first. This public appearance is the perfect situation. We can just stay unobtrusively in the back and observe him. He won’t even see us. Then we can decide if we want to approach him. 72.

TILLIE Well, I think you’re crazy. And I think that you’re even crazier for dragging me out there with you, to say nothing of Jessica. Have you told your sister about this?

JAKE Not yet. What’s the point? She wasn’t going to come up from Florida anyway. I asked Jess to let her know about it, after the fact... Are you okay going out to Jersey? If you’re not we can bag it.

TILLIE I have nothing else to do today and besides I’m already dressed for the occasion.

JAKE This is hard for me.

TILLIE You don’t have to do this.

JAKE You’re right, let’s forget it... No I have to do this, once and for all.

TILLIE Maybe we should. I’ve been watching you drag this baggage around ever since he left.

JAKE I need to do it and I really need you there because you know him better than I. You’ll know if he’s just bull-shitting.

TILLIE Trust me, I’ve seen it all before. I just don’t want my boy to get hurt again.

JAKE I guess that’s the point. I’m not a boy anymore. I want to see him man to man.

TILLIE You’re more of a man than he ever was.

JAKE You’re my rock.

TILLIE Fine. You can drag this old rock out to Jersey. But why bring Jess into this? 73.

JAKE I like the idea of having my niece there as a proxy for my sister. Besides when Jess reports back she’ll be more objective because she doesn’t have any history with him. And if it turns out that he’s okay, it would be nice for her to meet her grandfather. What’s more, if she’s there I’m less likely to make an ass of myself.

TILLIE If you insist, let’s do it.

JAKE

(The door bell ringsl) There she is. Coming.

JAKE opens the door and JESS enters. They all hug

TILLIE Look at you.

JAKE You look great.

JESS Thank you. And as always, Grandma, you look terrific.

TILLIE You’re a terrible liar, but I appreciate it.

JAKE Wait a minute, how’d you get here?

JESS I took a cab.

TILLIE All the way from Manhattan?

JESS No, from the train station.

JAKE Why didn’t you call? I would have picked you up. 74.

JESS The pay phone was broken. It’s okay, there was a cab there. No sweat.

JAKE At least let me pay you for the cab.

TILLIE And the train fare, Jake.

JAKE And the train fare.

JESS It’s not necessary.

TILLIE Yes it is. Pay her, Jake.

JAKE There’s no arguing with your Grandmother.

JAKE exits to go get money.

JESS So now that I’ve come all the way up to Westchester in order to schlep out to New Jersey, the least you can do is tell me what this is all about.

TILLIE Your uncle is deluded into thinking that his father might be a changed man, so he wants to go see him.

JESS Okay, but why us, why me?

TILLIE He’s convinced that he won’t make a fool of himself in front of you and he needs our support. He reverts to a little boy around him. It’s very emotional for him. He’s never come to terms with his relationship or lack there of.

JESS But what about you?

TILLIE I made my peace a long time ago and moved on. 75.

JESS That sounds sad.

JAKE enters and gives JESS the money and then resumes fumbling with his tie.

TILLIE There were good times, too. When I first met him back in high school he was larger than life. He was tall and strong and the best athlete in the county. And he was handsome. Oh my god was he handsome. He just strutted through life. And I was the one that he chose to have strut along with him. I was young and in love and blinded by the lime light that he lived in. I never noticed how stilted his world was. Everything revolved around him. He never had any real friends. Everybody competed to be part of his crowd. They all sucked up to him and would do anything just to be around him. In retrospect I think that kind of attention corrupts a man. I was too young and naive and stupid to help him steer clear of that pit fall.

JESS You can’t blame yourself.

TILLIE I only blame myself a little bit.

JESS So what happened?

TILLIE When he made it to the big leagues, he was still the king and that’s when he really started to believe his press clippings. He spent more and more time letting these hangers on buy him drinks and tell him how great he was all night long. It began when he was on road trips and I was back at home with your mom and Jake. But after a while he started going out after home games and not come home til the wee hours. And you have to remember that they only played day games back then, so that was a lot of drinking.

JESS That must have been difficult.

TILLIE I was home taking care of my kids, which I loved, but I was lonely.

JESS What about the off-season? 76.

TILLIE When we first made the big leagues, I couldn’t wait for October to have Casey around all the time. I loved watching him play with the kids. Do you remember any of that, Jake?

JAKE I do remember some good times, way back then... He had really big hands. He’d throw me up in the air and catch me. He threw me so high it was like I was flying... But, Martha was his little princess.

TILLIE But as time went on he needed more and more attention, even in the off season. And he started going out seeking it.

JAKE We weren’t enough for him.

TILLIE No we weren’t.

JESS That’s sad.

TILLIE It was. The amazing thing is that it never affected his ability to hit the daylights out of the ball. He was always the Mighty Casey... until they black balled him and kicked him out of the game. And then everything was gone. The fame, the adulation, the money. All those people who hung around to kiss his hem disappeared in a heart beat. It was a huge change. The only thing that didn’t change was the drinking.

JAKE There was a lot of screaming and a lot of crying. It got to the point where I couldn’t wait to hear the door slam, because I knew he was gone.

TILLIE For hours which could turn into days.

JAKE And I started dreading his return.

JESS Did he ever hit you? 77.

TILLIE No. Thank god. He was so strong, he would have killed us. That went on for a long time. Too long. I gave him many, many chances to get sober and get his life together. Finally when I told him to get out and not come back I think he was relieved.

JAKE Damn!

JAKE has failed again to tie his tie successfully. Jess crosses to him and does it for him on the first attempt.

JESS May I? So why are we going to see this monster?

JAKE Do you think we shouldn’t? Maybe we shouldn’t... but...

JESS Sounds like you need to go slay a demon.

JAKE I do. I need closure. It’s time I faced him man to man. And I’d like you with me, I need your support.

TILLIE You’ve got it, Honey.

JESS And if he gives you any crap, I’ll punch his lights out.

JAKE I bet you will. Mom?

TILLIE I closed the book on him a long time ago, but for you I’ll drive out to Jersey.

JAKE Thank you. Come on, family, let’s go. You know how I hate to be late.

FADE TO BLACK. 78.

COMPLETE GAME: NINTH INNING, THE CLOSER

Sunday afternoon, November 8, 1970. The day room of a nursing home in New Jersey. There is a couch, chair, coffee table, end table and TV. As the lights come up SAUL is discovered sitting in his wheelchair, head down. CHUCK enters followed by ALI, SARAH and MAX. CHUCK and ALI are carrying presents. They cross to him.

CHUCK Hi Dad. Happy birthday.

CHUCK kisses SAUL on the top of his head. It’s November 8th, Dad... It’s your birthday.

SAUL does not respond. ALI approaches SAUL, tentatively at first.

ALI Happy Birthday Grandpa!

She overcomes being uncomfortable and gives SAUL a hug.

SARAH MAX Happy birthday, Dad. Happy birthday.

CHUCK We have some presents for you.

ALI puts her present on his lap. I think he might need some help.

ALI unwraps the present in his lap. It is a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cap.

ALI Do you want to wear it?

A long pause. SAUL does not respond. ALI looks to CHUCK who motions to her to go ahead. I’ll help you put it on. 79.

ALI puts the hat on SAUL’s head.

CHUCK Looks good on you, Dad.

MAX Just like Pee Wee Reese.

CHUCK We got you an authentic replica Brooklyn Dodgers shirt, too.

CHUCK opens the present and shows it to SAUL.

SARAH It’s from all of us.

CHUCK Yes, from Babe, Max and me.

SAUL doesn’t react. CHUCK puts the shirt in his lap.

MAX What did I tell you about that “Babe” crap?!

CHUCK He’s not going to know who Sarah is. He never called you that in his life.

SARAH Can we talk?

CHUCK Sure.

SARAH He doesn’t even know we’re here.

CHUCK guides SARAH out of hearing distance from SAUL, MAX follows. What are you doing?

CHUCK I don’t want him to hear you talk like that. 80.

SARAH He’s not there.

MAX Lights are on, but nobody’s home.

CHUCK You are both so wrong.

SARAH Look at him for Christ’s sake.

MAX He’s just sitting there drooling.

CHUCK He maybe drooling, but he takes everything in.

SARAH You’re dreaming.

CHUCK I’m telling you, he is aware of everything going on around him.

SARAH How do you know?

CHUCK I can tell. I’m here two or three times a week. I know him.

MAX And I know what I see. An old man, sitting in a wheelchair, drooling.

SARAH I know him, too. Don’t forget he was my father, also, and that’s not him.

CHUCK You’re wrong. If you spent more time with Dad you’d know.

SARAH Okay, how would I know? What does he actually do? 81.

CHUCK It’s subtle most of the time. You have to just hang out with him and talk and just be with him and every once in a while he’ll pick his head up and make eye contact. And then, on rare occasions, he’ll start talking.

MAX Have you been smoking that marijuana stuff?

CHUCK I’m going to ignore you now, Max.

MAX Just like your father is ignoring us.

CHUCK Sarah, I’m telling you, if you stumble onto the right trigger he breaks through. You just have to keep engaging him.

SARAH It’s too hard, I don’t think I can do it.

MAX Don’t badger her.

CHUCK Look at Ali. She’s just being with him. It means a lot to him even when he can’t show it.

SARAH I don’t know...

CHUCK As you just said, he’s your father, too...

MAX We pay our share.

CHUCK I’m still ignoring you Max. I’m not going to stand here and argue with you. It’s his ninetieth birthday and I came here to celebrate it with him, so that’s what I’m going to do. You do whatever you want.

CHUCK crosses back to ALI and SAUL. SARAH and MAX cross back in that direction, but maintain their distance. JAKE, TILLIE and JESS enter. JAKE is laughing. 82.

TILLIE It’s not funny Jake.

JAKE Oh, come on, Mom, you’ve got to laugh.

TILLIE If one more person comes up to me and tells me that I’m going to love living here I’m going to scream.

JESS They’re just trying to be nice. They think you’re touring the place with your family.

TILLIE I don’t care what they think. I am not ever going to live in a place like this. Promise me that you’ll never put me in a home?

JAKE I promise.

(he starts to laugh)

TILLIE What’s so funny now?

JAKE You won’t know.

JESS

(teasing) This would be a great place for you to meet a man. There’s one over there, I wonder if he’s single.

JESS points to SAUL and notices ALI. Ali?

ALI Jess?

(to SAUL) Excuse me for a minute, Grandpa. 83.

ALI and JESS cross to each other, meeting in the middle. What are you doing here?

JESS I was going to ask you the same question, but I can see you came here to pick up guys. He’s cute.

ALI That’s my grandpa and it’s his ninetieth birthday.

JESS Ninety? That’s old. I can’t even imagine living that long. My grandmother’s only seventy- eight.

ALI I came with my family to celebrate.

JESS That’s nice.

ALI He’s another big baseball fan. Loves the Dodgers, so we got him all this Dodger stuff.

JESS Speaking of baseball, how’s it going with Sandy?

ALI Really well. I even asked him to come along today, but he had to work today.

JESS On a Sunday?

ALI That’s what he said.

JESS And you believe him?

ALI I do. He’s not who I thought he was, but that’s okay. Because I’m not who he thought I was either. But we do turn a great double play.

JESS Explain? 84.

ALI Too many ears around here. I’ll call you tonight. What are you doing out in Jersey?

JESS We came out to see somebody, too. You know, family obligations. That’s my uncle and grandma over there. I should be getting back.

ALI Okay, I’ll talk to you later.

JESS Call me.

They cross back to there respective families. ALI takes SAUL’s hand.

ALI Hi, Grandpa, I’m back.

MAX Who was that?

ALI That’s my best friend Jess, from the city. She came out here to visit someone, too.

CHUCK That’s nice.

JESS

(to TILLIE) Sorry about that. That’s my friend Ali and that’s her grandfather I was trying to fix you up with. It’s his ninetieth birthday.

TILLIE He’s too old for me.

JESS We’ll see if we can find you someone a little younger.

TILLIE That’s okay. I don’t want to get back in the game. 85.

JAKE I bet that’s the guy.

TILLIE What guy?

JAKE The man from the radio station said that this personal appearance was all about some guy’s ninetieth birthday. An old time baseball fan, his son set it up. I read that Casey and the pitcher who struck him out, Jengleski, are continuing their tour of personal appearances on their own.

TILLIE Squeezing every nickel out of it I bet.

JAKE That’s not what I heard. Supposedly, they are doing this without taking a nickel and without a lot of fan fare, either. Visiting places like this.

TILLIE That’s nice.

SANDY enters.

SANDY Good afternoon, ladies... Excuse me... If I could have your attention, please. Thank you. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen and baseball fans of all ages. My name is Sandy Colfax. That’s Colfax not Koufax, sorry to disappoint. But you won’t be disappointed long because I have two special guests for you today. On behalf of radio station WXYZ, that’s 930 on your AM dial I am proud to present two legends of baseball. The two men who’s lives became indelibly entwined fifty years ago in an instant, one single at bat on the last day of the season. Which is now known as the “The strike out heard round the world”. An at bat so famous that it inspired Ernest Thayer to write the poem “Casey at the Bat” even though he was three thousand miles away in San Francisco. It is now one of the best known poems in American literature. It has inspired vaudeville, radio and TV performances for years. But don’t worry, you’re not going to have to listen to me recite it. I am just here to introduce you to these great ball players, these men of myth and legend, ladies and gentlemen I am proud to present Stash Jengleski and the Mighty Casey himself, Casey O’Neill. Give them a big hand.

Everyone claps except SAUL. CASEY enters helping JENGLESKI. On Sunday September 26th 86.

SAUL

(picks up his head) 1920.

SANDY That’s right.

SAUL It was a little chilly.

JENGLESKI It was.

CHUCK Were you there?

SAUL I had to be in Holliston, Massachusettes early Monday morning for a sales call. Took the train up on Sunday.

CASEY, JENGLESKI and SANDY cross over to SAUL. Everybody slowly gravitates to SAUL as the conversation becomes more intimate.

CASEY Were you in the ballpark?

SAUL Section 26, left field grandstand.

JENGLESKI I never talked to nobody who was there, that is, you know, who wasn’t a player.

CASEY Me neither. Got plenty of death threats, but never talked to anybody.

SAUL Baseball’s a game of failure. You fail seven out of ten times and you’re an all time great player.

JENGLESKI Casey’s an all time great. Should be in the hall of fame. 87.

SAUL Yup, but not that day. You fooled him bad.

JENGLESKI I fooled me, too. No control at all.

CASEY He had me guessing. And I was guessing all wrong.

SAUL Baseball’s a crazy game.

CASEY That it is. So I see that your a big Dodgers fan.

SAUL Loved Dem Bums. Ebbets Field was a great place to watch a ballgame. Not like that bandbox in Mudville.

CASEY I liked playing in Brooklyn. Tough crowd. Made me sneer. I always played better with a chip on my shoulder.

ALI ushers SANDY away from the crowd.

ALI Nice introduction.

SANDY What are you doing here?

ALI That’s my grandfather in the Brooklyn Dodgers hat.

SANDY And the rest of your family?

ALI

(pointing them out) My mother, my father and my uncle Chuck. You’d like him, he’s the cool one in the family. 88.

SANDY Are you going to introduce me?

ALI I could, unless you think it’s too soon.

SANDY I’ll never have more cache then I do now. Anything I need to know?

ALI Talk to my father about baseball and you’ll be fine. Talk to my mother about anything else and you’ll be fine. Best to divide and conquer. My uncle is hip you can talk to him about anything. He likes Elvis and the Beatles.

SANDY And I can introduce you to the ballplayers. Stash is the great uncle I told you about who played for the Cincinnati Red Legs.

JESS crosses to ALI and SANDY

JESS Hello, Ali. Who’s your friend?

ALI Jess this is Sandy. Sandy, Jess.

SANDY Hi Jess.

JESS Hi. “The” Sandy?

ALI Yes, “the” Sandy. Sandy, Jess is my best friend. She was with me the night we met. As a matter of fact, going to a bar to watch the game was her brilliant idea.

JESS I’m a genius.

ALI Yes, you are.

SANDY I’ll second that. Do you have family here, too? 89.

JESS Yes. Casey is my grandfather.

ALI What?

SANDY Super nice guy. You’d never know that he was a superstar. Humble, unassuming...

JESS Is he?

ALI Isn’t he?

JESS I don’t know. I’ve never met him.

ALI You’ve never met your grandfather?

SANDY Would you like to?

JESS

(after giving it a thought) Yes. Yes I would.

SANDY Right after we sing “Happy Birthday”. Come on.

SANDY, JESS and ALI cross back to SAUL and CASEY who have just finished talking. SAUL’s head is down again.

SANDY If I could have everyone’s attention again for a moment. We have gathered here today to celebrate the ninetieth birthday of Saul Hertz. A wonderful husband, father, grandfather and a life long baseball fan. I would like everybody to join me in singing “Happy Birthday”. One, two, three and...

ALL EXCEPT SAUL Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Saul, happy birthday to you! 90.

SAUL remain with his head down, not responding.

CHUCK

(singing) Take me out to the ball game...

CHUCK AND SAUL Take me out with the crowd...

ALL Buy me some peanuts and crackerjack, I don’t care if I never get back. For it’s root, root, root for the home team. If they don’t win it’s a shame, for it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game.

SARAH Happy Birthday.

SAUL March 14, 1919.

SARAH That’s my birthday, Dad.

SAUL I know. Babe, you were the most beautiful... Six pounds, ten ounces and all cheeks.

SARAH Daddy!

SARAH embraces SAUL.

SANDY Excuse me, Mr. O’Neill?

CASEY Casey.

SANDY Right, Casey, I would like you to meet a friend of mine. Casey, Jess. Jess, Casey.

CASEY Nice to meet you, Jess. What brings you here today? 91.

JESS You.

CASEY I’m flattered. Do you have family here?

JESS Yes. You.

CASEY Me?

JESS Hello, Grandpa.

CASEY stands in stunned silence, tears welling up in his eyes. He hugs her, then abruptly breaks it off.

CASEY I’m sorry. Was that rude. May I give you a hug?

JESS hugs him. You must be Martha’s daughter, ‘cause you look just like your beautiful mother.

JESS Right you are.

CASEY Is she here?

JESS I’m afraid not.

TILLIE crosses to them. JAKE remains back. When CASEY and JESS finally break their embrace TILLIE steps in.

TILLIE Hello Casey.

CASEY Oh my god! Tillie! 92.

TILLIE Been a long time Casey.

CASEY A life time. You look great. I never thought I’d... What are you doing here?

TILLIE Come to see if the rumor’s true. That you’re a changed man.

CASEY I’m trying. One day at a time. You can’t change the past but you can alter the path.

TILLIE Can you?

CASEY God knows this old dog has been a miserable son of gun for most of his life. Of my own doing I grant you. But I’ve been trying to learn some new tricks. So with a little help from my friend... I finally have a real friend. Wait, I want you to meet him.

CASEY goes and helps JENGLESKI out of the chair and brings him back to TILLIE and JESS. Stash I want you to meet my wife, my ex-wife, Tille and my granddaughter Jess.

CASEY is overwhelmed. JENGLESKI is holding him up as much as CASEY is holding him up. JAKE remains back. SANDY brings a chair over for JENGLESKI to sit in.

JENGLESKI Nice to meet you folks. You got a good lookin’ family, Case. You’re a lucky man.

CASEY That I am.

TILLIE There’s someone else who wants to say hello, Casey. Jake?

JAKE steps forward tentatively

JAKE Hello Dad. 93.

CASEY Jake? Oh my god. My dear boy. You look wonderful. It’s wonderful to see you. How are you? I can’t believe that you’re here. Thank you! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry...

CASEY breaks into tears and hugs JAKE.

JAKE It’s okay, Dad.

JENGLESKI Who says there’s no joy in Mudvillle.

FADE TO BLACK.