#4: "Play Ball! (Episode 17)"
HPDrummerman: This one was exciting and poignant all at once. Exciting because Charlie Brown's team finally won a ball game on their own terms WITH Charlie Brown actually being there and winning the game for them, without Royanne Hobbs "letting" Charlie Brown hit those home runs, without someone's little brother betting a nickel that Charlie's team would win (I'm looking at you, Rerun!), and it was poignant because we said goodbye to Charlie Brown's hero, Joe Shlabotnik. Here are a couple of clips from this episode…
1st Clip from "Play Ball!"
"Okay, everybody!" said Charlie Brown. "Take your positions!" And everyone went to their spots. As Charlie Brown took his position on the pitcher's mound, Schroeder walked up to the mound to go over the signals.
"One finger will mean pitch the fast ball," he began, "two fingers will mean pitch the slow ball, three fingers will mean pitch the curve ball, and four fingers will mean it will be seven months until Beethoven's birthday." And he walked back to his position at home plate.
"I have a weird team," said Charlie Brown. And he prepared to throw the first pitch. We hear his inner monologue.
"Well here we go, the first game of the season. I start with a clean slate. And with the tips I've been getting from Franco, hopefully I can do better this time around. I'm not expecting us to win every game. Heck, I'm not expecting us to go to the championship. I just want to win at least a few games this season. What else have we got to lose?" And Charlie Brown threw his first pitch, only for it to return as a line drive and knock his clothes off, as usual, leaving his shorts on.
"Well, for starters, the shirt off my back," he sighed. He got up and got dressed and one of the outfielders threw the ball back to him. "I've got to bear down. It's Sidney or the Bush!" And Charlie Brown threw another pitch and the batter hit it high. Linus got underneath it as it was heading his way. He grabbed his blanket and caught the ball by tossing the blanket in the air.
"Wow! What a catch!" chimed Charlie Brown, with a smile. He figured there may actually be hope, after all. After another pitch, Snoopy ran and caught the ball in his mouth, scoring another out.
"Good job, Snoopy!" Charlie Brown said to his dog, who spat out the ball to his owner in his glove. After the next pitch, it went into the outfield towards Lucy.
"Come on, Lucy," Charlie Brown said, nervously. "Please catch it!" Charlie Brown had a right to be nervous. Out of all of his players, Lucy took the game the least seriously, yet was the first to blame Charlie Brown for losing. However this time around, as if she finally started being serious about playing, she caught the ball!
"I don't believe it!" Charlie Brown said to himself. "She actually caught the ball! SHE ACTUALLY CAUGHT THE BALL!" And sure enough, Charlie Brown's team was now up to bat. And he was happy. Not only was there a chance that they would win, but it was the season opener. And a good start was the key to more motivation for the team.
2nd Clip from "Play Ball!"
Back at the game, it was the seventh inning and Charlie Brown's team was keeping up with the other team. Nothing could slow them at this point. The score was really close and both teams were grinding out trying to keep ahead. The bases were loaded and Charlie Brown knew he needed an easy out to stay near the top. The game was far from done, but this was crucial to both teams.
Charlie Brown threw the pitch and it was a pop fly. Charlie Brown went for it. Again we hear his inner monologue.
"All right. I just need to catch this ball. I just hope it don't bounce out of my glove as it always does. I just need to remember what Franco said to do to prevent that…"
TWO MONTHS PRIOR
Charlie Brown and Franco were in Charlie's backyard going over some tips about catching a ball in flight. Charlie Brown had told Franco about how every time he thought he caught the ball, only for it to bounce out on the ground. Franco had a sure-fire way to prevent that from happening again.
"Okay, Charles," he began. "I'm going to throw ball up in air. You try to catch it when it lands." And Charlie Brown held his glove still and the ball landed in the glove, and then fell out, as it always did. Charlie Brown looked dejected.
"Don't get upset, Charles," Franco assured the round-headed boy. "I know of way to keep ball from bouncing out of glove. First, tilt glove up, like this, with finger up. Keep glove at angle so ball rolls toward you after landing in glove. Then when ball hit glove, take other hand and grasp ball so it won't fly out. Okay? We try again, mein friend!"
And Franco tossed the ball up in the air again. This time Charlie Brown kept his glove at an angle with the slope going down towards him. And when the ball hit the glove, Charlie Brown took his other hand and grasped the ball; keeping it in the glove.
"Very good, Charles!" said a happy Franco.
"I don't believe it!" said Charlie Brown, equally happy. "It actually worked!"
"Okay, we keep working at it," said Franco. And the two boys continued to practice the catch. And Charlie Brown got better and better at it.
BACK TO PRESENT DAY
As the ball was falling back to earth, Charlie Brown, remembering what Franco had taught him, tilted his glove upward and prepared his right hand to grasp the ball. And all of the kids looked in nervous anticipation as the ball landed in Charlie Brown's glove. And before it could bounce out, he clamped down on it to keep it in the glove. And then the empire shouted "You're out!" and the kids cheered.
"I don't believe it!" said a shocked Lucy. "Charlie Brown caught the ball and it didn't bounce out of his glove like it usually does! Is this the end times?!"
Charlie Brown's team was up to bat again, and they had a chance at winning, for once. As they were heading to the dugout, Frieda ran up to her boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek. "Great job, baby!" she said to Charlie Brown with a smile. "I knew you'd do good one of these days!"
"Thank you, Frieda," said Charlie Brown. "I just hope we can keep this momentum going."
"I'm sure we can, sweetie," assured Frieda. "Just keep doing your best, and anything is possible." Charlie Brown was glad to hear that from his girlfriend. With her on his side, he knew he couldn't fail.
Meanwhile, Sally, Michael, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Franco, and Hans showed up at the ballfield. When they saw each other, they stopped to talk to one another.
"Sally, Michael," Patty greeted. "Are you just getting here, yourself?"
"Yeah," said Sally. "We need to tell my brother something important."
"Would it have to do with Joe Shlabotnik being terminally ill and wanting to meet Chuck?" asked Patty.
"Yeah, how did you know?" asked Michael.
"We saw the same story," said Marcie. "We were going to tell Charles about it, but he's still playing."
"We might as well wait until they're done," said Patty. "From the looks of the scoreboard, it seems that Chuck's team is doing halfway decent, for once." And the kids took their seats in the bleachers.
Back on Charlie Brown's side, it was Ox's turn to bat. Charlie Brown decided to give him some pep talk.
"Okay Ox," he began, "don't worry about how they're going to pitch. If it looks like you can hit it, just go for it. Okay?" Ox nodded and went up to bat. When the ball came for him he swung and knocked it out of the park for a home run.
"DID YOU SEE THAT?!" exclaimed Peppermint Patty. "Someone on Chuck's team actually got a home run that wasn't Snoopy! How is that possible?!"
"He's got Ox on his side now," said Sally. "He nicknamed him his Ol' Slugger." And Ox ran to home plate for the score.
"Chuck's team is now tied with the other team," said Patty. "And now Snoopy is up to bat. I know he'll do a good job." And sure enough, Snoopy hit a home run and also ran for home, and, in classic Snoopy fashion, did some showboating on the way to home plate.
Now it was Linus who was up to bat. While he wasn't as good as Snoopy or Ox, he could hold his own on the field pretty well. He hit the ball and made it to first base. Next was Shermy, who did the same, and both Linus and him were able to steal third and second, respectively. Next was Lucy, who, predictably, struck out. Frieda did a bit better, but got tagged out on her way to first, though Linus was able to steal home, scoring them another point, and Shermy had made it to third. With two outs, Charlie Brown, himself, was up next. He managed to hit the ball toward center field and managed to take first base and Shermy ran toward home plate, giving them yet another run.
"Good grief!" said Peppermint Patty. "Chuck's team has a good lead, for once! I never thought I'd see the day!"
Later it was the bottom of the ninth. And Charlie Brown's team were up to bat again. All they needed was one point to win the game. The other team was ahead by one run, and Charlie Brown's team needed only two runs to win. They had two outs already and all they needed was only two runs. It was now or never for Charlie Brown.
First up at bat was Linus. He managed to get on second base. Next was Shermy, who made it to first. While the pitcher was watching both Linus and Shermy who were at third and second, respectively, Lucy was taking her place at bat. Charlie Brown was nervous. If they could tie but get an out, they go into extra innings, but if either one of them get out before hitting home, they lose the game. Lucy managed to get a hit, for once and made it to first base while Linus made it to home plate, tying up the score. They still had a chance. With Lucy on first and Shermy on second, all they needed was for one of them to score a winning run. Frieda was up next. She swung and got a hit and now the bases were loaded. It was now up to Charlie Brown.
"Uh oh!" said Peppermint Patty. "Chuck may actually get tagged out. At least they still have a chance with the score tied and may go into extra innings.
Charlie Brown gritted his teeth and watched the pitcher. He made sure he wouldn't miss. He swung and got his first strike. Then he got ball one. Then ball two. He swung at the next one and got a foul ball, and automatic strike two. Now he was sweating bullets. Frieda, who was watching from first base whispered, "You can do it, baby!" It was as if Charlie Brown heard her because when the ball came again, he swung and it connected, sending it out of the park. Charlie Brown somehow had hit a home run! The ball was never seen again. And the kids ran to home.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" shouted Peppermint Patty with disbelief. "CHUCK'S TEAM ACTUALLY WON!"
"GOOD JOB, CHARLES!" shouted Marcie from the bleachers.
"WAY TO GO, BIG BROTHER!" Sally yelled.
"Gut gemacht, Charles," said Franco, as he knew it was his teaching and tips that helped Charlie Brown.
"YOU HELPED SCORE THE WINNING RUN FOR US, CHARLIE BROWN!" shouted Linus with excitement. "YOU WERE THE HERO!"
Charlie Brown was beside himself with emotion. All he ever wanted, besides to be loved which was now covered by Frieda, was to win a baseball game. While his team had won games before, it was always when he wasn't playing, or someone filling in for him when he couldn't play. But now he actually won a game on his own merit. Not because someone "let him win" as was the case of when he face Royanne Hobbs, the great-granddaughter of Roy Hobbs. Everyone held up Charlie Brown. It was the Homecoming game all over again, only without the drama that followed. When they finally put Charlie Brown down, Frieda came up and kissed him.
"Charlie Brown, I love you so much!" she cried. "If this doesn't prove you're a winner, I don't know what will!"
"Thank you, Frieda," said Charlie Brown, with tears in his eyes. "I love you, too."
"Party at Joe's Café!" shouted Pig Pen. And everyone left for Joe's.
"Are we going to tell Chuck about Shlabotnik?" asked Peppermint Patty.
"I say let him celebrate tonight, sir," Marcie suggested. "We can let him know tomorrow."
And Peppermint Patty, Franco, Hans, Sally, and Michael nodded in agreement and decided to join them for the celebration, knowing that they can let him know about Joe Shlabotnik the next day after the fun had died down.
3rd Clip from "Play Ball!"
A few hours later, Charlie Brown and Frieda were walking back to Charlie Brown's house from the hospital. He was looking shocked from what they discussed with Joe.
"I don't believe it, Frieda," said a shell-shocked Charlie Brown. "Joe had set up a trust fund in my name for me to collect when I turn eighteen!"
"I know," said Frieda. "No one would believe it!"
"He said he had talked to my parents beforehand and he wanted to be the one to tell me. I guess this is parting gift to me before he passes. I wonder why he chose me, though."
"Because, Charlie Brown, you're his biggest fan. He figured since you always been supportive of him, and plus with no family of his own to leave anything to, he figured you were the best choice. And frankly, sweetheart, he couldn't have picked a better guy than you."
"Thanks, Frieda. I guess you're right. You are a wonderful girlfriend."
"And you are a great boyfriend. I love you." And Frieda kissed Charlie Brown.
"I love you, too." And the two of them continued walking.
The next day, the news came on and all of the kids were watching at their homes. The news report came on about Joe's passing. The news reporter began to speak.
"Earlier this morning, Joe Shlabotnik passed away after a lengthy illness. He was noted for being the worst baseball player in all of major league baseball. But many folks have noted his kindness and big heart and dedicated love for the game of baseball, even if he wasn't good at it. He mainly played on minor league teams where he fared better. Just the day before, he had finally got in contact with Charles Brown, who was considered his biggest fan. And he had set up a trust fund for young Charles. The amount was not disclosed to the press as it was between Mr. Shlabotnik and the Brown family. And Mr. Shlabotnik didn't have any other surviving family members. Outside of the trust for Charles Brown, the rest of his estate will be donated to a charity he always supported. Mr. Shlabotnik will be missed."
Bonus Clip from "SPECIAL: The Cutting Room Floor"
A few hours after the news report about Joe, Charlie Brown and Linus were at the wall discussing the trust Charlie had received from Joe.
"Who would have thought you'd earn a trust fund this early, Charlie Brown," said Linus.
"I know," agreed Charlie Brown. "Joe may have not been the greatest of players, I can even admit that, but he was always smart with his money. I guess since I was his biggest fan, and because he had no other family, I was the most logical choice for a trust fund set up in my name."
"What do you plan to do with the money once you get it?"
"Maybe use it to go to college when I graduate high school. It should earn a lot of interest from there. Plus your sister can't get her hands on it for her booth, either, because I can't even touch it until I turn 18."
"You'll get no argument from me on that one." And the two boys looked out and gather their thoughts as they watched the day go by, with Joe Shlabotnik not too far from their minds.
End of Clips
UP NEXT: NUMBER 3