42 Page #7

GOLDENROD REV 5-9-12 3434.

The white men look over at the two black men.

over, motions:
roll down the window.

One steps

*

JACK:

I wonder what he wants?

*

*

SMITH:

To run us out of town.

*

*

JACK:

What are you talking about?

*

*

The man close now. As Jack cranks down the window, Smith

floors it. The Buick SCREECHES away, SWERVING around a CARcoming the other way.

*

*

JACK:

What the hell, Wendell?! *

SMITH:

Man came by while you were asleep.

(checks mirror)

Told us more men were coming. Maybethose boys. Mr. Rickey said to getyou to Daytona Beach a-s-a-p.

*

*

*

*

*

JACK:

Why didn’t you say so? *

SMITH:

Mr. Rickey was afraid you wouldn’t

leave, that you would fight.

As it becomes clear, Jack starts to LAUGH.

SMITH:

What the hell are you laughing at?

JACK:

I thought you woke me because I wascut from the team.

Jack LAUGHS harder. Wendell LAUGHS as well.

Jack looks back over his shoulder. Jesus...

As it fades,

CUT TO:

44 EXT. CITY ISLAND BALLPARK - DAYTONA BEACH - DAY 44

A stadium SIGN boasts Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Montreal Royals.

PINK REV 4-19-12 35.

Daytona Beach’s black community is turning out to see JackieRobinson. Hundreds of people line up, mass at the: Colored

Entrance. In their Sunday best. Families. Couples. The

old. The frail. Young boys chase after each other. One

MOTHER stands on her toes to spot her son.

Ed!

MOTHER:

You stay where I can see you!

13-year old ED CHARLES turns, waves his baseball glove overhis head so she can see him. Then to no one in particular:

ED:

I’m thirteen years old.

WHITE PEOPLE enter at several gates around them.

CUT TO:

45 CLOSE ON BRANCH RICKEY - THE DODGER DUGOUT 45

He sits watching as the segregated bleachers in right fillwith BLACK FANS. All else is white. Rickey pops a PEANUT inhis mouth, confides to someone alongside him we don’t see.

RICKEY:

I’ve spoken to the mayor. I’ve

explained how much money we’ll

spend in Daytona. But still, when

this fine young Negro man steps onthat field today, he and theDodgers will technically bebreaking the law. A law which sayswhite and black players cannotenjoy the same field at the sametime. Does that make sense to you?

Does Jim Crow make any sense whenplaced against the words of theUnited States Constitution? When

placed against the word of God?

POP OUT to reveal he sits beside the DODGER BATBOY, so short

his feet don’t touch the ground. Rickey offers his peanutbag. As the batboy takes one...

RICKEY:

I’ll tell you, it does not make

sense to me.

CUT TO:

46 OMITTED 46 *

PINK REV 4-19-12 3636.

47 OMITTED 47 *

48 OMITTED 48 *

49 EXT. ON DECK CIRCLE - CITY ISLAND BALLPARK - DAY 49

Jack swinging two bats to get loose. Watches as the Montreal

BATTER hits a LINE DRIVE which -- Pee Wee Reese nearly leapsout of his socks to bring down. Wow...

As the CROWD claps in appreciation, Jack takes a deep breath.

PA ANNOUNCER:

Now batting the second baseman --

Jackie Robinson!

Jack wincing as he steps forward to both cheers and boos fromthe white sections. As a ‘go home, coon’ drifts over -- A

BIG OVATION from the black section in right drowns it out.

COLORED SECTION - RIGHT FIELD *

Rachel sits with Smith. They react to some of the INVECTIVEcoming from the white section.

*

*

RACHEL:

Jack’s got a thick skin.

okay.

He’ll be

*

*

*

SMITH:

How about you?

*

*

RACHEL:

(shrugs)

I better get one in a hurry.

*

*

*

INFIELD *

Higbe watching from the mound as Jack steps into the batter’sbox. Two well wishing voices from the infield stands.

SPECTATOR ONE:

Come on, black boy, you can makethe grade!

SPECTATOR TWO:

They’re giving you a chance!

something about it!

Do

Jack heartened at the words. Concentrates as Higbe’s first

pitch is fired. High and tight, Jack jerks out of the way.

YELLOW REV 4-24-12 3737.

Bragan, behind the plate, chucks the ball back, grins up at

Jack who does not look down at him as he settles back in.

ED CHARLES:

The 13-year-old holding his hands together in prayer.

ED:

Please, God, let Jackie show them

what we can do.

HOME PLATE:

Here comes the next pitch. Even tighter. Jack nearly hit.

UMPIRE:

Ball two!

Jack glaring, crowds the plate more. Bragan shows 1, taps

his right thigh signalling outside. Jack watches it sail,

doesn’t bite. The umpire: “Ball Three!” Higbe’s fun

slipping away as he can’t find the strike zone.

HIGBE:

Come on, Rook! Ain’t you gonna

swing at something?!

Jack takes a practice swing, waits as Bragan sets up right

over the plate. Here comes the pitch. Low. “Ball four!”

RACHEL & SMITH

A big, over-reacting CHEER from the Colored section.

SMITH:

It’s just a walk.

RACHEL:

Who can blame them?

HIGBE:

Looks ill-tempered over to first where Jack gives the same

look back as he sidesteps an enormous, defiant lead off the

bag. Higbe incredulous. Did he just do that?

DUROCHER:

(from dugout)

Well throw over there for crying

out loud!

Higbe fires to LAVAGETTO at first. Jack dives back in time.

*

YELLOW REV 4-24-12 3838.

Higbe gets the ball back, settles. Jack takes a lead, but a *

modest one this time. Here come the pitch -- And Jack goes.

You knew he was fast; but not this fast. Bragan’s throw to *

Pee Wee is late and high. Pee Wee throws back to Higbe. *

Higbe sets. Bragan gives him a sign. Jack takes a lead. On *

the wind-up, Jack goes. Bragan stands -- it’s a PITCH OUT. *

Bragan fires to third and Jack is caught in a RUN DOWN. It *

seems like half the team gets involved with Higbe finally *

getting the ball by third and Jack ducking under the tag. *

Safe! A BUZZ goes through the stadium now as people start to *

realize they are not watching something or someone ordinary.

RICKEY:

Watching from a seat behind third.

RICKEY:

Thataway, Jackie! Thataway!

HIGBE & JACK

Higbe looks home for the sign, Jack dancing off third, *

pounding his right foot toward home. He feints hard home. *

Higbe steps off the rubber. Jack stays where he is. *

HIGBE:

Hell! You’re supposed to go back

to third when I step off! Don’t

you know nothing?!

He throws over. Jack back to the bag. Higbe gets the ball

back, looks in. Jack bouncing, pounding off third. His *

movements carry violence within them. Like a piston *

exploding in an engine. *

Higbe into his motion, stops his delivery, accidentally drops *

the ball to the ground. The umpire signals BALK, points Jack

home. Higbe is furious.

ED CHARLES - IN THE COLORED SECTION

CHEERING, joyous. His mother joins in, happy despite...

MOTHER:

I don’t understand. What happened?

ED:

It’s a balk, Mama. The pitcher

can’t start toward home and then

stop. Jackie scores.

GREEN REV 4-27-12 3939.

MOTHER:

But he didn’t do anything.

ED:

Oh, mama, yes he did, he

discombobulated the man.

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