The Scout

With my personal trainer,

from Tampa Bay, Florida,

Tony Little,

Hey, Tony, welcome,

Thank you for being here,

Let me ask you a question,

95% of people gain their weight back,

Is it ever going to end?

We're going to educate them,

Let me show you something,

what I call "fitness past,"

What's all this?

The original!

Ha! I can't believe it.

Ohh... Thanks.

This is a sign.

He's always been king of his world,

We'll teach him fear,

"We're millionaires, boys.

I'll share it with all of you."

He was a king and a god

in the world he knew,

But now he comes to civilization,

merely a captive,

a show to gratify your curiosity,

"Ladies and gentlemen..."

look at...

"Kong, the eighth wonder of the world."

There he is.

If only he could pitch.

Good one now.

Come on! Heads up!

Put it in there.

Strike!

Hello, fellas.

Well, well, the pride of the Yankees.

They fly you down in their private jet?

In fact, they offered. Yeah.

I heard you were in big trouble.

Where'd you hear that?

The kid you found, McGowan?

He's zero for 60?

0 for 61.

You didn't see last night's game.

Who cares about last night's game?

Let me tell you how it works.

The world's a jungle.

You walk into the jungle,

come out with Kong, you're a hero.

They forget about last night's game.

Who's Kong?

Catcher, Iowa State.

No, the animal! In the movies.

Forget it.

Strike!

Whew! The kid can pitch.

He's gonna finish college, too.

What's he now, junior?

Freshman.

Freshman?

3 1 /2 years, can't touch him.

Can't even talk to his parents.

They're devout Catholics.

Well, I learned one thing,

no use salivating over a player

you're never gonna get, right, Phil?

Right.

If my bosses call,

tell 'em I already showed up.

By the way, I'm leaving now.

You can make fun of me.

Yeah, don't worry. We will.

Tommy!

How are you?

Good.

I'm Al Percolo...

scout with the New York Yankees.

Wow. The Yankees?

I didn't know you guys were coming.

Here we are.

Listen, you're really good.

Thanks.

You're gonna finish school though, huh?

It's not my idea.

I'd kill to play for the Yankees,

but that's what my parents want.

I thought you wanted to finish.

No, but what am I gonna do?

Let me talk to your parents.

Want to come have dinner?

Tonight? I wasn't really invited.

I'm inviting you.

I accept.

Mmm. These carrots are so sweet,

you could eat them for dessert.

Thank you.

You know, the Yankees are very geared to religion.

I couldn't help noticing

that beautiful painting up there.

That's virtually the same exact picture

that hangs in the clubhouse.

Terrific likeness, isn't it?

You've heard of Mickey Mantle?

Did you know his sister was a nun?

I hadn't heard that.

Yes, indeed, a very famous one.

What was her name?

Gee, I believe it was also Micki,

but with an "I."

Sister Micki Elizabeth Mantle.

Some nun.

Tommy, you haven't touched your food.

I'm not hungry.

It's no excuse. Finish your food.

He reminds me of me.

Couldn't get me to finish my food if you paid me.

Now try to keep me away.

May I say something?

Yeah.

I believe education is most important

and that people should finish school.

I know Tommy does, too.

But Tommy has a dilemma,

and that is that... he's gifted.

And he's really concerned.

What does he do with that gift?

Does he sign on the dotted line right now, make $500,000,

go to the biggest city in the world,

and become a member of the most prestigious baseball team that ever was,

or does he continue his schooling,

possibly trip over a book on the way to math class

and be worth nothing?

But he knows that with the kind of money you make in baseball,

even if you didn't finish school,

your education doesn't have to stop.

Tommy knows that many of the ballplayers hire tutors.

Did you know that?

Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig...

they all had tutors with them in the dugout.

Lou Gehrig...

had a tutor?

Oh, yes, ma'am. Yeah.

Didn't he also have a terrible disease?

He did, but he didn't get it from the tutor.

I think he got that in college.

So you can see Tommy's dilemma.

Do I take God's gift

and go play for the greatest baseball team that ever lived,

or do I stay in a small school and hope I don't trip?

Is this what you were thinking, Tommy?

That's exactly...right.

I can have a tutor, Mom, right in the dugout.

Please, Mom, let me play.

Please?

Please?

Please?

And in his major league debut... Tommy Lacy.

What a great afternoon for Yankee baseball,

I'm Bobby Mercer, along with John Sturly,

the radio voice of the Yankees,

John has seen Tommy Lacy pitch,

I sure have, a year ago,

We gave up Reynolds for Lacy?

Sure hope it's the right thing to do.

Wait till you see him pitch.

You'd give up two Reynolds to get him.

By the way, how come he's not with the team?

I wouldn't worry about it.

You feeling better, Tommy?

No.

Come on, son. You got to take the mound.

It's game time.

No, I can't.

Tell them I can't.

What do you mean you can't?

There's 30,000 people sitting out there

just waiting to see you pitch.

Tell them I can't.

I can't do it.

I ain't telling them nothing.

You tell them.

Aagg.

What?

Get him out of there.

Well, crawl underneath.

I don't care what you do.

Just get him out of there.

Al.

Al!

Your kid's locked himself in the crapper.

What?

Lacy's locked in the crapper.

He won't come out.

Here we go, The Yankees take the field,

Kid, you're supposed to be on the field!

Listen, I made a mistake, O.K.?

O.K. I need the Lord.

What's going on?

I want the Lord.

He don't want to play, Al.