For Love of the Game

[ Crowd Cheering ]

[ No Audio ]

[ Woman On P.A.] The captain has

turned on the "fasten seat belt" sign...

and we will be

departing shortly.

[ Man ] Your shoulder flaring? Nope.

- You winced.

- I didn't wince.

You grimaced.

My shoulder

doesn't hurt, Gus.

[ Beeping ]

How long has it

been hurting?

Perry wants me

to start tomorrow.

You gotta be kidding.

You're not doin' it.

No way.

It's the end

of a shitty season.

[ Sighs ]

I'm gonna go talk to Perry.

Sit down.

Sit down. Relax.

Sir, your drink.

Hi.

Thank you. It's a throwaway,

Billy. It means nothing.

Not to the Red Sox.

If I see you wince

even one time-

Oh, God!

[ Chuckles ]

I've-

I've got the ugliest wife

in the league.

That hurts.

It hurt my feeling.

[ Sighs ]

Buckle your seat belt.

Summer wind

Came blowin'in

From across the sea

[ Man ] Are we expecting

Miss Aubrey this evening?

[ Continues ]

We are.

What name am I registered

under? Mike Nelson.

The Sea Hunt fella, you know. All right.

Tell the desk that I don't wanna

talk to anybody except her, all right?

Mm-hmm.

And, Fitch, tonight,

everything

has to be perfect.

Have I ever let you down,

Mr. Chapel?

Two sweethearts

And the summer wind

Like painted kites

Those days and nights

They went flying by

The world was new

Beneath a blue

Umbrella sky

This is Mr. Chapel.

Have there been any messages?

No?

Thanks.

[ Woman On Phone ]

Hi, this is Jane.

Leave me a message after the

beep and I'll get back to you.

Thanks a lot. Bye-bye. [ Beeps ]

jane, it's Billy. I'm worried

now, so... please call.

Are you there?

[ TV Continues,

Indistinct ]

[ Groans ]

[ knocking On Door ]

[ knocking Continues ]

jesus. I've been

bangin' out here forever.

What the hell

happened to you?

You weren't at the gym.

Is Jane here?

No.

[ Chuckles ]

Oh, Jesus.

Oh. Hmm.

[ knocking On Door ]

Chap, you know, a lot of little

bottles makes a big bottle.

Hey. Hey, that could be her.

You gotta throw today, chief.

Gus, do me a favor, huh?

Get the door!

All right.

Throw some water on your hair. It

might look like you took a shower.

[ Door Opens ]

No, not at all.

He's in the bathroom

back there.

Mr. Wheeler. Good mornin',

Billy. Got a minute?

Yeah, sure.

It's not easy

to get up here.

They treat me right. They

didn't have you on the register.

I can't remember all your

names. Price of fame, huh?

Can I

- Can I get you something? No, no, no, no.

Let's just sit.

Yeah.

It's been a rough season.

[ Chuckles ]

Yeah.

Always next year.

Not for me.

It's one of those secrets

everybody knows.

What you don't know

is it's offiicial.

Billy, I sold the Tigers.

Well, that's, uh, great.

Is it?

Yeah.

Billy, you've been the

heart and soul of this team.

Like family.

All the negotiations,

the bastards never said a word.

Said what?

They want to trade you

to the Giants.

Wow.

Is-Is that why

you're here?

No.

I don't know how

to say this.

You know, I've been

watching you for 18 years.

[ Sighs ]

Nothing-

Nothing has given me

more pleasure.

You're like the old boys.

They were golden.

They had that special pride.

When they were done,

they were done.

Nobody had to show them

the door.

Are you saying

I should retire?

Why not? It wouldn't

hurt the negotiations,

and it would serve

those sons of b*tches right.

I, uh-

I don't know.

I don't know what to say.

Well, you know, you can't tell

me you haven't thought about it.

And you've been smart with

money, right? Right? Yeah.

I've always been

a Tiger.

I know, son.

That's why

this is killing me.

You know, my dad bought

this team when I was seven.

I grew up

watching the Tigers.

I was gonna leave the team to my kids,

but they don't even like baseball.

Everything's changed,

Billy.

The players, the fans,

TV rights, arbitrations.

It isn't the same.

The game stinks.

And I-

I can't be

a part of it anymore.

[ Telephone Ringing ]

[ Ringing Continues ]

[ Sighs ]

Well-

Billy, you want me

to, um-

No.

Hello. Jane!

Where are you?

You're downstairs?

No! Just stay there,

all right?

just stay where you're at.

I'm on my way down.

[ Hangs Up Phone ] What do

you want me to tell 'em, Billy?

Look, I-

I need more time, all right?

The game doesn't stink,

Mr. Wheeler.

It's a great game.

Billy, what's up?

[ Elevator Bell Dings ]

I tried to get her

in a cab, Mr. Chapel,

but she said she wanted to

- just go up and walk up in Central Park.

Go easy on our boys

today, Billy.

Jane?

jane?

Why didn't you wait?

[ Sniffles ]

Are you crying?

[ Sighs ]

What's the matter?

They didn't have any Kleenex in

the hotel bathroom. [ Sniffles ]

What's going on, Jane?

I've been sitting in the lobby

for the last two hours.

Doing what?

I'm sorry I didn't call

last night, you know.

I could tell that your voice

was worried enough that-

If something's wrong, just

say it, Jane. I mean, we don't-

We never had to fake it.

I'm leaving.

I'm going to London.

London?

There's a job, a good job.

An editor's position.

And-

I've been trying to fiigure out

a way to tell you,

but everything sounds so-

What can I say?

I mean, tell me what to say.

I can't tell you, Billy.

It's all right.

I knew it.

From the day I fiirst met

you fiive years ago, What?

I've always known... you

don't need me. Knew what?

You and the ball and the

diamond, you're perfect.

A perfectly beautiful thing.

You can win or lose the game

all by yourself.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Have dinner tonight with

me, Jane, after the game.

We'll go to Mario's.

I have a 6:
00 plane.

They wanted me there

a week ago when you called,

and I wanted to see you.

I wanted to say good-bye.

Good-bye, Billy.

[ Rock ]

[ Male Announcer ] Welcome to

New York and to Yankee Stadium...

on a crisp and glorious

fall afternoon,

where the Yankees try to win the

divisional title against the Detroit Tigers.

Hi, everybody. I'm Vin

Scully along with Steve Lyons,

and welcome to our fiinal

telecast of the regular season.

You can smell the fall. The World Series

is just around the corner here in New York.

[ Lyons ] On paper, today's

game seems easy enough, Vin.

First place team takes an easy

game from the last place team.

But nothing's ever easy.

Mr. Chapel?

Hey. Ken Strout.

I was your batboy

a long time ago.

My dad was a Tiger.

joe Strout. I remember. [ Chuckles ]

How's he doin'?

Good. He and Ma are livin'

down in Florida now.

He doesn't move around too

easy, though. He's got bad knees.

You know,

a little arthritis.

What, are you playin' today?

No, I don't think so.

They just called me up.

Good. Well, good luck to you. Thanks.

And give your dad my best.

He was a... great player.

Oh, thanks.

I'll tell him.

[ Man On Radio ] Live from

Yankee Stadium in New York,

it's

New York Yankees baseball!

Today on the next

to last day of the year,

the Yankees have a chance

to clinch the pennant.

To do it, they'll have to beat

Billy Chapel and the Detroit Tigers.

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