Bull Durham Page #10

---

CUT TO:

INT. GREENSBORO LOCKER ROOM -- DAY

NUKE IN THE SHOWERS ALONE -- Letting the water run over him.

The voice of Teddy an the air, editorializing shamelessly.

TEDDY (ON THE AIR)

It's time to tell it like it is,

sports fans--and this is the most

wretched road trip I've seen in

20 years, and possibly the worst

Durham team in half a century.

(beat)

Where are the great Bull players

of yesteryear? Where are the

Footsie Blakes, the Digger O'Dells,

the Gus Palowitzes?

TEDDY'S VOICE PLAYS OVER road trip images:

NUKE STARTS TO PUT ON THE RED PANTIES -- Changes his mind,

and hides them again.

THE TEAM BUS rolling across North Carolina.

THE TEAM BUS at a drive through hamburger stand somewhere in

the Smoky Mountains. Sack after sack of fast food is passed

through the window to Skip.

THE TEAM BUS PULLS INTO YET ANOTHER HOTEL and this time, a

Bus with a sign--"Holiday on Ice" pulls in next to them.

TEDDY ON THE AIR

Is the modern athlete a pale

imitation of the great old

warriors? Only Crash Davis stands

out this year, begging the

question, "What are these boys

thinking about, 'cause it sure

ain't baseball".

CUT TO:

EXT/INT. THE BUS IN FRONT OF THE KINGSTON HOTEL -- NIGHT

As the players rise in the bus, Deke is trying to work up

excitement about the "Holiday on Ice" bus from which twenty

great looking women ice skaters are getting off.

P.O.V. HOLIDAY ON ICE GIRLS getting off the bus.

TONY:

Ice skaters. God. Look't em.

that's what we need, y'know--one

night with some skaters and we

can get back on track...

DEKE:

We need a night off just to stop

our losing streak. We need a

rainout.

CRASH:

I can get us a rainout.

MICKEY:

It's 90 degrees, there ain't been

a cloud in the sky in weeks.

CRASH:

Hundred bucks says I can get us a

rainout tomorrow.

TONY:

You're on.

CUT TO:

EXT. KINGSTON BASEBALL STADIUM -- NIGHT

A CAB PULLS UP in the dark. Late at night. The cab leaves,

and the four men climb over the fence.

CUT TO:

EXT. INSIDE THE KINGSTON BALLPARK -- NIGHT

CRASH PULLS THE LID OFF A BOX -- Several valve handles.

Crash turns several handles with an iron bar, and...

THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM COMES TO LIFE -- And suddenly the field

is covered with the clicking of rain-bird sprinklers, throwing

long slow arcs of water across the entire field.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE SCOREBOARD OF THE BALLPARK -- MINUTES LATER --

NIGHT:

THE FOUR PLAYERS sit on the scoreboard, watching the

sprinklers flood the field. A six-pack is passed around.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE BALLPARK -- EARLY THE NEXT MORNING

A QUAGMIRE ON THE INFIELD -- The Kingston GENERAL MANAGER

stands in the muck with his ground crew. Wheelbarrows,

shovels, sand is piled around. It's hopeless.

KINSTON G.M.

God damn it! Vandals. Damn kids!

GROUND CREW MEMBER

We can't get it ready by game

time, boss.

The General Manager studies the field. Hopeless.

He looks up at the sky. Cloudless, sunny.

KINSTON G.M.

(to his assistant)

Call the radio and the paper.

(with disgust)

The game's been rained out.

Organ music -- "The Blue Danube Waltz".

CUT TO:

INT. THE KINGSTON CIVIC ARENA -- DAY

"HOLIDAY ON ICE" in its matinee performance. The beautiful,

leggy women skating to the "Blue Danube Waltz".

TEN OF THE DURHAM BULLS sit in the front row. Nuke, Deke,

Tommy, others, but not Crash. 'Tony waves to a skater.

THE SKATER WAVES BACK as she swirls past the Bulls.

CUT TO:

INT. THE KINGSTON HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

DEKE ICES THE CHAMPAGNE -- In the b.g. Tommy is blow drying

his hair. Mickey puts the finishing touches on his outfit.

Several other players get ready to party.

DEKE:

Par--ty! I blew a whole day's

meal money for this champagne seven

dollars, man, it better be good.

MICKEY:

For seven bucks it better be some

serious sh*t.

TOMMY:

What time is it, eh? When are

they coming?

The guys lounge around nervously, trying to be casual.

CUT TO:

INT. KINGSTON HOTEL COFFEE SHOP -- NIGHT

CLOSE ON A STEAK DINNER set down in front of Crash.

Nuke hands Crash a hundred dollar bill.

NUKE:

This is from Tony for the rainout.

C'mon, man, let's go to the party.

CRASH:

Naw...

NUKE:

"Naw"? There's ice skaters coming!

You ever made love to an ice

skater?

CRASH:

By the dozen. Holiday on Ice,

Ice Capades, Ice Follies--

(beat)

I'm through with one night stands.

NUKE:

You're through with one night

stands?! What do you want?

CRASH:

I just wanta play everyday despite

small nagging injuries--and go

home to a woman who appreciates

how full of crap I truly am.

Nuke just stares at him.

NUKE:

You're weird, man--I want a ice

skater real bad.

CRASH:

Go for it.

NUKE:

If I get laid, you won't tell

Annie?

CRASH:

I won't have to.

NUKE LOOKS AT HIM STRANGELY -- And hurries to the party.

CUT TO:

INT. THE PARTY ROOM -- NIGHT

THE GUYS ARE GROOMING TO EXCESS -- Still blow drying and

preening for each other.

A knock at the door.

THEY QUICKLY GET "CASUAL" and lounge seductively.

DEKE:

It's them, it's them! Be casual.

(calling out)

Come in!

THE DOOR OPENS -- It's Nuke.

NUKE:

Hey, guys, pa--rty!

TOMMY:

Shut up and be cool, man. Like

Mickey there...

MICKEY "LOUNGES" WITH A DRINK and a cigaret.

MICKEY:

You wanta make it to the Show,

Rock, you gotta learn how to

"lounge".

NUKE LEANS ON THE BAR with an elbow, striking his version of

a "lounging" pose.

NUKE:

How's this?

MICKEY:

You got it.

A knock at the door.

TOMMY:

Entre.

EIGHT ICE SKATERS STAND IN THE DOORWAY -- Ready to...

ICE SKATER #1

Pa--rty!

POP THE CORK ON THE SEVEN DOLLAR CHAMPAGNE -- And party...

CUT TO:

INT. ANNIE'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

THE WIVES AND SOME GIRLFRIENDS WATCH "DYNASTY" on Annie's

television. Annie hosts, filling their drink glasses, serving

popcorn, and largely staying in the background.

MICKEY'S WIFE

Do you think your husband plays

around on the road trips?

DEKE'S WIFE

No way. Well...God...do we have

to talk about that?

MICKEY'S WIFE

I guess not...it's just that once

I asked Mickey if he was faithful

to me on the road trips and he

said "in his heart he was

faithful".

(beat)

What the hell does that mean?

DEKE'S WIFE

It means he's unfaithful--but

only a man would put it in those

words.

A BABY CRIES -- Tommy's Wife lifts a baby from the couch,

begins rocking It.

CUT TO:

INT. THE PLAYERS' HOTEL -- NIGHT

Players are dancing, drinking, hustling the ice skaters, the

music is up, the party swinging, when:

SKIP ENTERS -- He's steaming and slightly drunk. Larry is

with him.

SKIP:

I just got one word to say to

everybody--shut up!

THE PLAYERS AND ICE SKATERS freeze in mid-party.

SKIP (CONT'D)

Nuke-- get everybody in here.

Hundred dollar fine anybody's not

here in five.

NUKE HURRIES OUT THE DOOR

CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS

NUKE POUNDS ON DOORS in a hurry.

--P.O.V. IN FIRST DOOR -- Jimmy is on his knees at the bed,

bare chested, praying with an open Bible.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote