American Pastime Page #3

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- No.

I could not play a note.

But, you know, there was this piano guy.

He was this old cat.

He looked at me and he said:

- "Go ahead, son. Play a verse."

- Oh, my God.

But I did. I did. I started playing...

...and it was amazing.

Me, up there...

...with guys from Count Basie's band.

Okay, I never even knew

that Japs played jazz.

I'm not a Jap.

I was born here just like you.

I'm sorry, I didn't me--

Thanks for letting me play with the band.

Hey, big brother.

Worn out from all that dancing?

Yeah. It's hot in there.

Give me a cigarette.

- Didn't know you still had those moves.

- Yeah, that Nancy girl's running off my feet.

What are you doing out here?

- Oh, you know, just needed some air.

- Yeah.

So?

Why'd you ask her to come up

and play like that?

Thanks, Dad.

Our people fighting and dying

and these people here...

They start a baseball league.

They have dances, beauty pageants.

Watson and his Quakers made this place

into a summer camp.

I've become a goddamn babysitter.

Will you get that ball for us?

The ball there.

Oh, sorry.

No English.

Get the ball, pick it up,

throw it back here.

You, you understand English.

Throw it back here.

If you can't get it all the way...

...just try to get it as close to Mack,

right there.

You got a pretty good arm.

How about betting a buck and see

if you can strike out the sergeant there?

Five bucks.

Five?

I'll put up the 5.

One at bat. Maximum seven pitches.

Hit, walk or strike out.

You strike me out, you win 5 bucks.

You don't, I win.

Call the shot, Billy. Like Babe Ruth.

Show him where you're gonna hit it.

Attaboy, Lyle.

You guys didn't know he had a scholarship

to play baseball, did you, huh?

You picked up English quick,

didn't you, Tojo?

Just a little bit.

How about that?

Zero and two.

You wanna double that bet?

Make it 10?

Ten bucks.

Throw them in there, Lyle.

Easy money, Lyle.

We got a couple of suckers

on our hands here.

- Ball one.

- That was right down the middle.

Off the outside corner. One and two.

- Ball two.

- That was strike three and you know it.

Just a little bit high,

don't you think there, Macky?

That's right.

Just a little bit, just a little bit high.

- Bullshit.

- Hey, watch your mouth, boy.

Not much question about that one.

Full count. Three and two.

Let's see what you do

with money on the line.

Ball four.

Where's my money, hotshot?

You couldn't hit me

if your life depended on it.

You weren't even close those first two.

Ten bucks.

I handle the money.

Here's your 10 bucks.

And thank you.

Thank you for a great demonstration

of skill and sportsmanship.

Like we say in the old country:

Let it go, Lyle.

Let it go.

Who the hell does he think he is,

thinking he could play baseball?

This had nothing to do with baseball.

I start getting it

and then my fingers won't do it.

It's okay. Just take it again at half tempo,

but this time listen.

No, no. Don't go easy on me.

I wanna play it fast, jazz-style.

See? It's not about playing it fast.

Sometimes it's more about what you're

not playing than what you are playing.

- You just have to listen.

- I am listening.

No, you're not listening.

You don't even know how to listen.

I listen.

Hey, I know these guys.

Old guys. They told me

they spent their whole lives...

...trying to learn

how to play one phrase.

Listening to it,

getting it right.

You know, the sound. Getting a feel for it.

Trust me, okay?

- Let's try it again, slowly.

- Okay.

Tully rounding first

and headed for second.

Look out.

Feel like you can use a haircut?

Don't forget about Ed's Barbershop.

Cut it right, cut it at Ed's.

- Feels good to be in first place, don't it?

- Yeah, not bad, huh?

Good ball game.

Billy.

I thought you'd wanna see him

as soon as possible.

Oh, Jesus.

Billy's son.

- No.

- Sit down.

- No.

- Sit down.

Mom, Dad, Lyle.

I have something important I wanna say.

I enlisted.

I joined the Army.

I can't be in here anymore.

- You should have come to me--

- I feel like I'm not doing anything.

- I accepted what happened to us--

- You accepted it?

I accepted it

because we didn't have a choice.

But now we have a choice.

Now I can prove that I'm as American

as anybody else.

You just get smarter by the minute,

don't you, Lane?

Do you understand how much shame

you've brought our family?

- Lane, that's enough.

- I need to do this. I need to tell him this.

I'm the only one in here

who's not afraid to say what I think.

Lyle.

You lost a scholarship. Big deal.

Everyone in here

has lost something, Lyle.

And no one complains.

No one says anything,

no one cries, except you.

Only you.

You know what?

You go.

Go fight.

You go over there...

...you get yourself killed.

See what that proves.

One thousand stitches.

One thousand mothers here

have each sewn one red stitch.

This, for my son.

Lane.

As long as you wear this senninbari

around your waist...

...you'll be protected from harm.

Thanks, Mom.

Thinking what I'm thinking?

I doubt that very much, Mack.

I know they're gonna be killing Krauts

and not their own...

...but don't make no sense

letting them join our Army.

I will wear this with pride.

And the thought of you...

...all of you,

will remind me of why I'm there.

Of what I'm fighting for.

And thanks for coming to see me off.

I appreciate it.

So I guess this is it.

Bye, Mom.

- I'll be fine.

- Yes.

Yes.

Dad.

I am what I am because of you.

Bye, Lane.

- Bye.

- Bye.

Come back soon.

Kazuo?

Camp Shelby, Mississippi.

The Japanese-American 442nd

Regimental Combat Team in training...

...preparing to fight for their country...

...and the American ideals

that are a part of their upbringing.

Democracy and equality of opportunity...

...regardless of race, creed,

color or ancestry.

Their spirit is typified

by their slogan of "Go for Broke."

Meaning "shoot the works, risk everything,

go all out, never let up."

Go for broke indeed.

- Go for broke.

- Go for broke.

- Go for broke.

- Go for broke.

Go for broke.

- Go for broke.

- Go for broke.

Go for broke.

Katie.

- Katie, you in here?

- Yeah, I'm just here.

I got off a little early, so if you're

done now, I can drive us.

Okay. I just have to finish cleaning up

a couple things back here.

Where are your Jap girls?

They left a little while ago.

I'll just-- I'll meet you at the truck.

I'll be there in a minute.

All right.

Oh, Lyle. Lyle, come here. Come.

Did you see this in the camp paper?

The Quakers are gonna

offer a scholarship.

"One player from the camp league...

...all expenses paid,

to the University of Delaware."

Whoever wins this

can get out of here, go to college?

Yes.

He's here. Tell him.

Have you seen the paper this morning?

If the Quakers will offer

this scholarship...

...then I can win this

and I can get out of here.

Did you hear what I said? I can get this.

You know that.

Now...

...I asked you before, you said no to me.

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