Fear Strikes Out Page #2

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Aboard!

Good-bye, Jim.

Dad!

Next year!

Next year the Red Sox!

Next year...

Hey! Where's that arm?

Hey! Go!

Watch it!

Look out!

Are you OK?

What are you trying to

do, ruin the customers?

Your skirt is a mess.

What do I do now?

Tell her you're sorry.

They're friends of mine,

nurses at St. Vincent's.

Come on.

Girls.

This is Jimmy Piersall,

our latest misguided missile.

This is Joan Kelly, Doris Fleming,

Edna McGuire, and... Mary Teevan.

Mary just started at the hospital.

You almost put her back in there.

It's a nice way to treat a stranger.

I'm very sorry, miss... That's all right.

Let me.

It doesn't really make any difference.

Let me get you another mirror.

No, really. Please.

I got in the way.

You didn't get in the way.

I shouldn't go running...

Hey, Piersall, get it.

Piersall!

Well, I like the way you play baseball.

Well, now if one of us could only...

Cook. Yeah.

Cook.

Where are your friends?

They're busy.

Well, good-bye.

It was nice

talking to you. Bye.

That's all for today.

OK, men, let's hit the showers.

Jimmy, get out of that hotel room, man.

Get yourself a date.

Miss Teevan!

Miss Teevan!

Who is it?

It's Jim Piersall.

Who?

Jim Piersall. You remember?

From the ball park.

Hi.

How are you?

Fine.

How did you find out where I lived?

I called up the hospital

and told them I was your brother.

Say, can I come in?

Well, I guess it'll be all right.

I wanted to ask you out to dinner.

Then I figured maybe if I brought dinner,

you'd let me cook it.

Brought what?

Remember you said, "if one

of us could only cook"?

Yes.

Well, as it so happens, I can cook.

Well, I...

I was going out.

You have a date.

Well, no, not exactly.

You don't have to go out, then?

No.

I've got a perfectly

good steak and asparagus,

olives, muffins, ice cream,

and stuff life that.

What do you say?

I'm very tired

of eating in these restaurants

around here, aren't you?

You won't have to do anything.

I'll cook it all myself.

I'm a very good cook.

I'm practically a chef.

I need a couple of saucepans

and a double boiler

and worcestershire sauce

and muffin tins,

and... and...

I ought to light the oven to 450...

And the ice cream.

The ice cream should go

in the icebox right away.

It should go in there right now.

Yes, sir.

The trick is to do these

before you get comfortable.

All right.

Here. Come on.

You got to wear this.

How long do you expect to be in Scranton?

Just one year. Then Boston,

if I'm good enough.

You'll be good enough.

You think so?

Why, sure.

You can't just stand there and watch

while I do dishes.

OK.

Let's go.

Come on.

Come on.

OK, Piersall, that's all.

That's all?

Jimmy, what's the matter?

You saw me at the plate.

You hit almost every one.

With no power.

With nothing.

Jimmy, now, are you or are you not

the third leading batter in the league?

What league?

I've got to get out of

the minors this year.

I know it.

You have an off day.

You'll get over it.

Doubleheader tomorrow.

Pop's coming.

He's never seen me

play professional ball.

I'm in real trouble.

Your father knows baseball.

He knows how these things are.

He knows what it takes

to make the majors.

So do these guys.

Every week, reports go to Boston...

How I'm running bases,

how I'm fielding, how I'm hitting.

There's only 15 games left.

I've got to make a showing.

Jim!

Hi, Pop.

Everything under control?

Sure. How are you?

Fine. You look all right.

You look good.

Yeah, I feel good.

I'm having a great year.

Yes, you are.

There's 15 games to go,

and I'm batting third in the league.

Well, that isn't first.

Mary.

I'd like you to meet my Dad.

All right. Give me

that beautiful cup.

Baby, ain't it lovely?

Guys, let's get some pictures.

Here's to the guy that

made the difference.

Jim, Jim, look!

Here's a telegram!

Look at that.

It's a telegram.

What's the matter, Jimmy?

What's wrong, Jim?

I wish I didn't have to go home tomorrow.

I wish we had more time

to think things out.

There's time.

Listen, you...

you don't want to be

tied down to a ballplayer

all your life, living

in trains and hotels.

No, you don't.

It doesn't make any difference.

There's no security in it,

and one bad year, and I'd be out of it.

So you'd do something else for a while.

Well, there's a great

career waiting for me

loading freight cars for

the international silver.

I can't do anything.

I don't know how to do anything else.

You're going to make the Red Sox.

Mary, you don't understand.

The competition is terrific.

You're terrific.

I got my folks to support.

If I got married, I'd

have to live with them.

That would mean four people

living in that house

that wasn't even big enough for three.

It's not possible.

It's impossible.

I have to go in now.

Mary?

I don't care what happens.

I love you, Mary.

Jimmy, I love you.

Let's get married.

Let's go back to Waterbury

and get married, OK?

OK?

Yes.

Right now.

I can't just walk out on my job.

Why not? Talk to them. You can do it.

Talk to them.

All right. I'll ask

the head nurse tonight.

I'll wait.

It may take a while.

I'll call you.

I'll wait.

You go ahead.

I'll call you at the hotel.

Promise?

Yes.

Jimmy, come on.

The old ballgame.

You're just what we

need, a center fielder.

No. I've got

to get upstairs.

I've got a phone call

coming. Please?

Come on, Jimmy.

Play ball.

The weatherman says tomorrow will be fair

and slightly warmer

with probable evening showers.

We now bring you Hal Morrison's

sports review.

Good evening, fans.

With no ballgames in the majors today,

rival managers juggled lineups

for the crucial games ahead.

Locally, the whole town's

talking about Jim Piersall,

the flashy young outfielder

of our pennant-winning

Scranton club.

Bug-eyed Piersall fans

are boosting him

as a hot major league prospect.

Some are even comparing him

to the immortals of yesteryear.

Let's get a few things straight, folks,

in all this hullabaloo.

Young Piersall has had... Hey...

just one season of professional ball.

Scranton is a long way from Fenway Park.

Would you turn that down

in there, please?

More than one rookie

has flashed like a comet in the minors

and fizzled out like a wet firecracker...

Your radio's on awfully loud!

Will Jim Piersall make the Red Sox?

Turn it down!

Has he the wrist power, the stamina,

the vital extras...

Your radio's on a little bit

loud in there, you know!

Turn it off, will you, please?

Will he be wearing

a major league uniform?

Turn it...

Turn it off!

Hello.

Hello, darling.

It's all fixed.

I can go with you tomorrow.

That's great.

It's 25 minutes since we became engaged.

Do you love me?

I love you, Mary.

I love you, Jimmy.

I love you, Mary.

I love you.

Get up.

Jimmy.

You know.

Jimmy.

Well, you got to.

I can't.

No, no.

You have to.

Why does breakfast

have to be at 7:
00?

It just does.

So get up, OK?

Jimmy, I can't.

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