The Stratton Story Page #2

And Monty won't have to give up the farm

while he's trying out.

I talked to Cousin Earnie.

He said he'd be glad

to take care of it for me.

That $300 a month,

that'll buy a lot of stuff we need.

What makes you so sure

they'll give you a tryout?

They try just anybody?

Well, they sure don't.

Why, Barney and Jimmy Dykes

are old friends.

- Who?

- Jimmy Dykes.

He's the manager of the ball team.

That way, I'll get a chance for sure.

The land's the only place

where you're sure.

Well, lots of people

don't live on farms, ma'am.

Lots of people don't eat regular, too.

You...

You made up your mind, ain't you, son?

I've just gotta give it a try, Mother.

How you fellas figuring on getting along?

Oh, don't worry. We'll make out all right,

won't we, Barney?

Well, of course, they don't pay you

while you're trying out.

But that won't be any problem

or anything.

I don't think you ought

to discourage contributions, son.

- Contributions? We're lucky to be going.

- Well...

Here's the...

Here's $5 I saved from selling that calf.

- It's all you get.

- Thank you, Mother.

And don't you worry, Mrs. Stratton,

I'll take good care of him.

Let him take care of himself.

Good night, Son.

You've got one big leaguer

in the family already.

Get in there with the pitchers

and warm up your arm.

Shouldn't we be meeting Mr. Dykes?

Oh, you let me worry about that, will you?

Go ahead. Go ahead.

- Is it okay?

- Sure. Go ahead.

Where did the little man

get all that speed?

- Just get here?

- Yes, sir. My name's Stratton.

- Lyons is mine.

- Well, I'm glad to know you, Mr. Lyons.

How are you?

Don't mind Eddie. He's caught

too many foul tips with his head.

Is that right?

That's the way to play it.

Come on now, Luke. Wrist out in front.

Make that bat go around in there.

Come on now.

Attaboy.

Come on, now. Come on, boy.

Red, who's that kid down there

in the leather jacket?

I don't know.

The best right-hand prospect

since Christy Mathewson.

Oh, no! Not Barney Wile again.

Jimmy, my boy,

haven't seen you in some time.

- Not since last spring.

- That's right.

- Did you bring that kid out here?

- You bet I did.

- I want you to have first crack at him.

- Thanks.

He's got everything.

I've been working with him all winter long.

Who supplied the hooch?

Oh, no, no, Jimmy, I haven't had a drop

since I first saw the boy.

Listen, son, Barney's probably filled

your head with a lot of cockeyed ideas.

But I can't waste time

with every kid he digs up.

- What, are you... You Mr. Dykes?

- That's right.

Oh, Jimmy, you can't do this.

Barney, how many times have I told you

not to bother me this way?

I'm sorry I busted in on you, mister.

Oh, that boy's hitched

and walked miles to get here, Jimmy.

- Pretty good control for a young pitcher.

- Watch him throw a couple.

Monty.

Monty, don't go running away like this.

- Country! Country!

- Monty, he means you.

Heads up!

Eddie, let me have that glove, will you?

Come on, Country. Throw me a couple.

Yeah, come on, Monty, get your coat off.

Burn them in, boy.

My, my.

Some stuff, eh, Jimmy?

Come on, you.

He really breaks them off, doesn't he?

Now let's have your fastball.

- Nice play, Walt.

- Down the line.

Maybe you better work out awhile.

Keep him around. He may have something.

- But for Pete's sake, get him a haircut.

- Sure, Jimmy, sure.

- In five minutes.

- Okay.

- You get four for one?

- That's all there is to it, buddy.

Hey, Luke.

How would you like a date for tonight?

Fine. I'll go ask my wife if it's okay.

But I'm in a spot. My date for tonight

has some hick gal from Omaha with her

and I can't even afford one gal,

let alone two.

How about loaning me $10?

Shove off, rookie,

you're in me for $20 already.

Yeah.

It's no dice, baby.

But can't you get rid of her?

No, it's too late.

This is a better machine than yours.

Baby, everything's gonna be all right.

Say, Country, is that the only suit you got?

I know, I know. And I told you

I didn't think this was such a good idea.

Oh, forget it. Here they come now.

- Is that mine?

- No, mine. Not bad, huh?

Oh, that's mine.

You always hit the jackpot?

Oh, there's Eddie.

Hi, Dot.

Oh, no.

Eddie's a pretty fast stepper, isn't he?

He's a fast worker, too.

I'm glad I insisted

that Dot bring you along tonight.

Thank you.

Dancing with you

is like dancing on a cloud.

- Well, share it around.

- That's right, Eddie.

On your feet, Dottie.

I'm sorry I can't ask you to dance,

but I don't know how.

Oh, that's all right.

Oh, I guess baseball's about all I know.

Well, that's something.

Seen us work out yet?

- Us? Who's us?

- The Chicago White Sox.

No. No, I guess

that's the one thing I've missed.

Well, the team looks good.

It looks awful good.

We have a nice, tight infield.

Oh, that's nice.

I'll bet you're pretty good yourself.

Well, I don't know. I'm still trying out.

You're a big fella.

I'll bet you can hit a baseball pretty far.

Well, I'm not expected to hit very much.

You see, I'm a pitcher.

Well, I bet you can pitch far.

No, you don't get the idea.

You see, I just have to pitch about 60 feet.

All right, then I'll bet you can pitch fast.

Oh, well, sometimes you have to rear back

and sort of let her go fast,

and at other times

you just sort of whip it.

Like that, curve her in,

or in some spots

you just sort of float her in.

That's what you call change of pace.

You know, you sort of...

Speaking of change of pace,

it probably isn't any of my business,

but would you mind telling me

what that noise is?

- What? The what?

- Jingling noise.

Look at that.

I was gonna get a haircut over at the hotel

and I noticed those machines in the lobby.

I never did see them before.

I sort of wondered about them,

and before I knew it I popped a quarter in

and a whole lot of fruit

started spinning around like...

And then it sort of slid to a stop

and nothing happened.

Well, before I knew it,

I popped in another quarter

and that was the last of the haircut.

I was down to my last quarter.

Well, I figured I might as well be broke

as the way I was,

so in went the last quarter.

Fruit took off again

and slowed up and stopped.

All of a sudden, the quarters

started popping out of that thing

like hens through a busted fence.

Went and got a haircut.

Well, if you don't make it in baseball,

you've a pretty good future in gambling.

- No, I'm through gambling.

- Why?

Well, I found out what it's like to lose

and what it's like to win.

Why keep at it?

Yes, sir.

We're gonna make a big night of it.

There's a lot of spots in California

for having a good time,

and, Ethel,

I'm gonna show them all to you.

Oh, I wouldn't think

of putting you to all that trouble.

Trouble? No trouble at all.

Showing you a good time

will be a pleasure.

Now, there's a little place up at Malibu.

Oh, soft music, dancing under the stars.

But of course,

if you go for hot music, now,

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