Angels in the Outfield Page #7

reasonable man...

... to hang around second base at night

and talk to angels?

Much as I hesitate to say this...

...I think that Mr. McGovern

should take a long, long...

... perhaps permanent rest.

The Pirates chalked up a victory today,

squeaking through by one lone run.

Playing uninspired ball,

they came to life in the final frame...

... to sneak a run, taking advantage...

Nice going, boys. What's eating you?

So we won a ball game, so hooray.

I tell you, it's making me jumpy.

Angels. Angels.

Every time I go after a ball,

I'm afraid I'll trip over something.

- For two cents, I'd quit right now.

- Shut up.

You watch McGovern looking over

his shoulder every two seconds? It's scary.

For all we know,

this guy is off his rocker.

- He might even be dangerous.

- Lay off. Lay off McGovern.

I don't care, he's trying to be a right guy.

Your job is to got out and play ball.

Keep your mouth shut, understand?

- Okay, Saul. Okay.

- Watch it, here he comes.

And here's a flash

that was just handed to me.

Arnold P. Hapgood, commissioner

of baseball, will arrive in Pittsburgh tonight.

He is here to investigate Guffy McGovern.

Well, that sounds like bad news

for Pittsburgh.

With the pennant hanging

on tomorrow's game...

... I'm afraid the Pirates and Mr. McGovern

are in a pretty tough spot.

The Pirates played mighty shaky ball

out there this afternoon.

With this hanging over their heads,

there's no telling what they'll do.

It's about my boys.

They're getting nervous.

Not that I blame them,

but if it keeps on like this...

...they're apt to come apart tomorrow.

I thought maybe you might

have something to suggest.

Nervous, huh?

I wouldn't worry much about it.

It's only natural at a time like this.

- How are you doing?

- Me? Oh, great. I'm in the pink.

One game away from a pennant,

they're trying to throw me in the loony bin.

I don't sleep nights, I don't eat.

Just to make matters worse,

I'm fresh out of pitchers.

- Oh, that so?

- You know, I used four this afternoon.

- Who do I start tomorrow?

- Yeah. Well, I wouldn't worry about it.

Excuse me, you got nothing to worry about.

You're all set.

- With me, it's a little different.

- Yeah?

Yeah, Martin's got a bad arm,

Clarke's on the sick list.

Hellman's old,

he wouldn't last two innings.

Yeah, Saul's pretty tired.

Even I couldn't make him look good.

Sixteen years is a lot of pitching

in the major leagues.

It's his last.

They wanna send him to the minors.

That won't make any difference,

he won't be around next season.

- What?

- We're signing him up in the spring.

- Saul?

- Yeah.

Everybody gets to play up here

sooner or later.

But, Saul...

We were friends.

At least, we used to be.

Hellman was a great pitcher once.

He pitched a two-hitter in a World Series,

you know.

Yes, I know. I was there.

Excuse me.

- Good night.

- Good night, Guffy.

This way, commissioner.

Gentlemen, I have an appointment with

all parties concerned tomorrow at 9:00.

Until I hear all the evidence,

I have nothing to say.

The Pirates are playing their last game...

...tomorrow for the pennant.

- I'm aware of that.

Think this is the proper time

for the investigation?

My dear lady, any time's the proper time

when the situation warrants it.

Baseball is for the people who support it.

My desk is piled high with letters.

From New York, sir?

New York and other places. Yes.

You think that Guffy McGovern

has flipped his lid, right?

Gentlemen, the hearing takes place

tomorrow morning.

The hearing was like a courtroom trial.

The investigation hinged on two points:

One, are there such things as angels?

And two, is it possible to talk to them?

How long have you been practicing

psychiatry, Dr. Blane?

Eighteen years.

You've just heard

Mr. McGovern's account...

...of how a group of angels

helped his ball team.

As a psychiatrist,

how did his story impress you?

Belief in celestial beings is a carryover

from mankind's ignorance...

...and fear of his environment.

Originally, man worshipped the sun,

the moon, stones, trees.

But with the rise of religion

as we know it today...

...man felt the need of a closer alliance

with the Supreme Being...

...and so he invented the angel.

- Invented?

- Precisely.

Just as a hurt child

will run to its parent...

...so will a man turn for comfort

to a belief in angels.

And when this belief takes the form

of actual conversation with angels...

...what is your professional opinion?

Well, I prefer not to say...

...but I'd be happy to see you,

Mr. McGovern, in my office.

I think that'll be all, doctor,

and thank you.

- Mr. Commissioner.

- Yes?

I'd like to introduce three witness

for the defense.

Yes, yes, of course.

Gentlemen. Mr. Commissioner,

I do not know any of these gentlemen.

My name is Guffy McGovern.

- Dr. Eustace Danforth, Trinity Church.

- How do you do?

- Rabbi Allen Hahn, Temple Israel.

- How do you do?

Father O'Houlihan, Church of Our Lady,

queen of the angels.

Gentlemen,

just make yourselves comfortable.

Mr. Commissioner?

I suppose you gentlemen know

the general idea in the back of this inquiry.

Well, what do you think?

Do you suppose there might be angels?

Right to left. Lead the way, Dr. Danforth.

To deny the existence of angels

is to deny the word of the Holy Bible...

...which is specific on the subject.

From the ancient Hebrew text,

we have the words "benei elohim"...

...the sons of God.

"Kedoshim," the holy ones,

and mala... Mala...

- How do you pronounce that?

- Malachim.

Thank you, Rabbi.

"Malachim," the messengers.

All of these may be translated "angels."

You'll check me on that, Rabbi Hahn?

It was an angel who guided the children

of Israel to the promised land.

Behold, I send an angel before thee

to keep thee in the way.

In Psalms, again, we find an angel

the protector of man.

The angel of the Lord encampeth

round about them that fear him...

...and delivereth them.

Father O'Houlihan?

Seeing as how there are

coveys of angels...

...flitting through the pages of the Holy

Scriptures, Old and New Testaments...

...I don't see how I can

get out of saying I believe in them.

- I imagine the commissioner does too.

- Oh, please, just leave me out of this.

- Mr. Commissioner?

- Yes.

Father, would you also believe

that they play baseball?

What's that?

Mr. McGovern has testified

that angels helped his team.

Well, now, considering all the great

wonders that angels have performed...

...Id be much surprised

if they couldn't play baseball...

...providing they had a mind to.

But would they?

With all respect to your cloth...

...is it likely one of your angels

or a group of angels...

...would lend support to a man

like Guffy McGovern?

Is it possible that angels would aid

and comfort such a man?

If a man have 100 sheep

and one of them should go astray...

...doth he not leave the 99

in the mountains...

...and go and seek

that which has gone astray?

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