The Natural Page #2

...losing to the Pirates?

My ma urged me

to get out of this game.

When I was a kid,

she pleaded with me.

And I meant to, you know what I mean?

But she died.

Tough.

Now look at me.

I'm wet nurse to a last place,

dead-to-the-neck-up ball club...

...and I'm choking to death!

Wouldn't you think

I could get a fresh drink...

...after all the years I spent

in this game?

Red, did you talk to my bastard

partner about the drinking fountain?

The Judge said he's working on it.

Working on it?

Son of a b*tch!

The day that snake walked

into this ballpark...

...one of the darkest

days of my life, Red.

What do we got here?

The Salvation Army Band?

- Pop Fisher?

- Who wants to know?

I'm Roy Hobbs,

your new right fielder.

My what?

It's right here.

- Scotty Carson sent you here?

- That's right.

He must be nuts.

Where do they find these guys?

Fella, you don't start playing ball

at your age, you retire.

Where'd he find you?

The Heeber Oilers.

I've never heard of them.

They're semi-pro.

Semi-pro.

Schultz, go warm up.

You ever play organized ball

in your life?

I just got back in the game.

What's that mean?

I used to play in high school.

Excuse me?

I used to play in high school.

Red, he used to play in high school.

That's nice.

Scotty Carson signs him up...

...the Judge okays it,

they ain't talked to me yet.

I got that in my deal

for as long as I live.

They gotta talk to me!

- I got a contract.

- I wanna see it.

Come on, Hinkle!

$500 they give this guy

to play with us.

This ain't legal.

Is Carson your chief scout? He said

he had the authority to sign me.

Yeah, well, he don't have.

Let me talk to you just a minute.

He has, Pop.

You said so yourself,

if he ever found anybody decent.

I know, but look at this guy.

We don't need no middle-aged rookies.

Well, we sure need somebody.

Hey, fella.

All right, you come at a bad time.

Like Red says...

...Scotty Carson seen

something in you.

Go find Doctor Dizzy and suit up.

Red, I should've been a farmer.

Number 11. That's a bad luck number.

I won't go into that.

What about 9?

9? Well, you got me.

9 it is. What's in the case?

My bat.

A bat?

Follow me. Second locker down.

Slip this on. See if you got

enough room under the arms.

If it was close,

why didn't you slide?

I had a cigar in my back pocket.

I didn't wanna break it.

Hear you and Memo

are getting hitched.

I don't know where you heard that.

She says that to everybody.

It's not true.

What's this, another victim?

Bump Bailey.

- What are you, a new coach?

- New player. Roy Hobbs.

No kidding?

I didn't catch your name.

Roy Hobbs.

Max Mercy.

Fowler, I wanna ask you something.

There'll be a room for you

at the Ellicott Hotel.

Why don't you meet me

in the lobby about 6:30.

We'll get something to eat,

have a talk.

Fine.

Another brilliant find

from our scouting system. Geniuses.

Try this on for size.

Welcome to the majors.

We're not moving.

- Hey, Pop.

- Hi, honey.

You together?

No, I'm meeting Bump.

My niece, Memo Paris. Roy Hobbs.

He's a new player.

How do you do?

Hello.

What position?

He just started today.

Right field.

Right? That's Bump's position,

isn't it, Pop?

Mr. Hobbs is brand new, and we're

not sure what we'll do with him.

Come on, I'll walk you to a cab.

Bye.

Anything wrong?

No, I'm just not used to hotels.

Let's go.

How long were you with the Oilers?

Two weeks.

Two weeks?

And before that?

Just knocked around from here to there.

You don't mind me asking

these questions, do you?

I read Scotty's report on you.

Said you're one hell of a hitter.

How come you didn't start playing

when you was younger?

I did play when I was younger.

We're already eating.

We got our food.

We've already ordered.

But you gave it up?

Sort of.

But my mind was always on the game.

So I figured...

...to give it another try.

Just like that?

Just like that.

Where you from?

Does it matter?

Do you always talk this way

about yourself?

Let me tell you something about Pop.

He gave his heart and soul

to the game...

...only to get it trampled on.

I'd give my right arm

to get him the pennant.

It took me 16 years to get here.

You play me...

...and you'll get the best I got.

I believe you.

Pretty good food, huh?

It's damn good.

You can't spell it,

but it eats pretty good, don't it?

All right. A little hustle,

a little hustle!

I don't know where

that water comes from, but...

Never mind the water.

Just stand up there and hit the ball.

You wanna sit this one out?

Can you imagine that Judge

sending me a middle-aged rookie?

I'm gonna pay his contract.

I ain't gonna play him.

Never.

That's kind of a bad play there.

- Which are so

inherently symptomatic...

...of a losing team.

Sorry, doc, I had a little...

You know.

The mind is a strange thing, men.

We must begin by asking it...

..."What is losing?"

Losing is a disease...

...as contagious as polio.

Losing is a disease...

...as contagious as syphilis.

Losing is a disease...

...as contagious as bubonic plague...

...attacking one...

...but infecting all.

But curable.

Now, I want you to imagine...

...you are on a ship at sea...

...on a vast...

You wanna sit down and pay attention?

- Gently rocking.

Get back in here!

Gently rocking.

Gently rocking.

Gently rocking.

I'm sending you down, Hobbs.

Class B ball.

Tomorrow morning, you go

to the Great Lakes Association.

- You make the rules.

- That's right.

And you ain't been playing by them.

All these other guys play by them.

- You remember signing a contract?

- I remember signing it...

...to play ball. Not to be put to sleep

by some hypnotist. I won't do that.

You're going down.

Took me a long time to get here.

I won't do it!

I can't.

I came here to play ball.

Come back here!

Batting practice tomorrow.

Be there!

I have been...

...every day.

You all squared away?

- Yeah.

- All right.

Get in the cage.

Let's see what you can do.

Get out of there, Bump.

Show us what you can do.

Try this one, grandpa.

Come here!

Let me see that bat.

Not bad, kid.

Where'd you get this?

I made it myself

from a tree near home.

"Wonderboy. "

You put that on there?

What does it mean?

I made it a long time ago,

when I was kid.

I wanted it to be a very special bat.

How about this lightning bolt?

The tree I made it from

was split open by lightning.

I don't figure this.

All those years, and you never played

organized baseball?

Well, I sort of got sidetracked.

Measure that and weigh it.

If it comes up to specifications,

we'll let you use it.

Now, go on out there

and shag some flies.

Better late than never, Pop.

Red, this is practice.

We'll see.

Knights lead Philadelphia, 3-2.

A golden opportunity to break...

...a long losing streak.

Fowler winds, throws.

Long fly ball.

Bivens moving under.

Here comes Bailey!

Bailey knocks the ball...

...and the ball rolls to the wall!

One run moving across the plate.

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