04x21 - The Big Basketball Game

[bunniefuu]

-I'll sure be glad to sleep

in my own bed tonight.

I'm tired.

-I am, too.

But it's been a wonderful

trip, hasn't it?

-It sure has, mom.

I'm the only kid I know who's

been all the way to Washington

and had lunch with a

real, live Senator.

-You did a good job

with them, too, son.

Thanks to you, we have

a National Forest right

in our own corner of the state.

-Thanks to Mr. Wilson, too.

I'm sorry he didn't

fly home with us.

-Well, he had to go to New

York to see his publishers.

He'll be home in a few days.

-In a few days?

That means he'll miss

our basketball game.

-I'm afraid so.

-I'm getting worried

about that game.

Sure hope I can help us win.

-Oh, I know you will.

I'll bet you're the

best player on the team.

-Well, I'm one of the best

players on the bench, anyhow.

-On the bench?

-They haven't used him much yet.

-Yeah, but Coach says if we

ever get a -point lead,

he'll send me in just like that.

-They've saving him

for the pincher.

-That's why I got to

get back into practice.

I'm going to get up early

tomorrow and practice

in the yard a little

while before school.

-Early?

How early?

-I think I'll get

up about daybreak

and bounce a few

off the backboard

to kind of sharpen up.

-You wake me up

at daybreak, I'll

bounce a few off

of your backboard.

You practice after

breakfast, OK?

-OK.

I think I'd better.

My backboard's not

made out of wood.

[theme music]

If I do get in the game,

here's what I'm gonna do.

--[laughing] You can

do better than that.

Here, let me show you.

-If I was as tall as

Stretch Nichols, our center,

I wouldn't have to sh**t.

He just stands up there and

stuffs them in the basket.

-You'll never make

the team, Henry.

-Hi, Mr. Quigley.

-Hello, Dennis.

-I guess I am a little rusty.

-Rusty?

I could hear you creaking

three stoplights away.

-Is that so?

What are you doing out of

the grocery store, Quigley?

-Well, I imagine Mrs. Mitchell

would like some groceries.

My delivery boy ran off of

with the circus last week,

and I haven't been

able to get a new one.

Uh, you think you'll

win tomorrow, Dennis?

-Yeah.

Stretch Nichols can

win all by himself

if they just keep

feeding the ball to him.

He's about six feet tall.

-A six footer playing with boys?

-Oh, he's not much older

than the other boys.

He just grew fast.

I was like that myself.

-You ought to see Johnny

Brady try to get the ball away

from Stretch when

we're practicing.

He just holds it up there,

and Johnny can't even get it.

Boy, does he get mad.

-Johnny Brady, huh?

Is he a good player?

-Nah.

But he sure thinks he is.

-Sounds like his father.

-Uh, exactly.

-You know Stretch's dad,

too, don't you Mr. Quigley?

Mr. Nichols, the man who

collects our neighborhood trash

every week.

-At o'clock in the morning.

-Oh, him.

Yes, well, I've never

met the man, Dennis,

but I've heard his work.

-Hey, boy, do you

know what time it is?

We've only got minutes

to get you to school.

Come on, I'll ride you over.

-So long, Mr. Quigley.

-Bye, Dennis.

-All right, now, boys.

We're going to try that

opening play again.

Stretch tips off to Cooms,

Cooms dribbles straight

down court as passes to Stretch

in the corner for a set sh*t.

Brady, you screen for him.

Now let's try it.

-Don't let me out

jump you, Stretch.

-I'll try real hard, Dennis.

[whistle]

-Now what's the idea, Brady?

You were supposed to

screen for Stretch,

not take the sh*t yourself.

-It's the only way I

ever get to take one.

Give it to Stretch,

pass it to Stretch.

I'm on the team, too, Coach.

-It is a team, and you have to

do what's best for the team.

-It's OK with me if you take

a few more sh*ts, Johnny.

-Ah, don't give me

that modest hero stuff.

I don't need any favors

from a big freak like you.

-Another cr*ck like

that out of you, Brady,

and I'll toss you

right out of here.

Now come on, let's

try that play again.

And this time, let

Stretch do the sh**ting.

-Yeah, Johnny.

You almost missed the backboard.

-Come on!

-And the Coach says if the

game goes OK tomorrow night,

he might use me for a few plays.

-I sure hope so, Dennis.

I wish you could play regular.

-Maybe I will next year.

I'm getting better all the time.

-Hey, did somebody

lose a ferry boat?

It looks like a ferry

boat drifted in here.

-Give me my shoe, Johnny.

-Shoe?

Lucky it's not a boat.

It's got a leak in it.

-Give him his shoe, you!

-OK, OK.

But no kidding, Stretch.

Looks like your old man could

find you a better pair of shoes

than that with all

the trash he handles.

-Yeah, trash.

-Stretch doesn't get his shoes

out of the trash collection,

and you know it.

-Well, maybe he ought to start.

-Boy, they make me

so mad I could--

-It's OK, Dennis.

They were just kidding.

-Oh, no, they weren't.

Johnny's just jealous

of you, that's all.

You're a lot better

player than he is.

He's just sore because he

can't be the star of the team.

-Never mine.

Let's go.

-You'll show him

tomorrow night, boy.

With you on the

team, we can't lose.

-And with my kid on the

team, we can't lose.

See you around.

-Hi, Quigley.

-Oh, hello, Brady.

-Just talking about the

basketball game tomorrow night.

You going to be there?

-Yes, I intend to.

-Because if you want to

make some fast money,

get a bet down on the home team.

We're a cinch.

-Oh, really?

-My kid Johnny's

playing forward,

and is he terrific, Quigley.

He's going to be just

like his old man.

I was a natural athlete.

-Oh, naturally.

-Yes sir, with my kid setting

the pace tomorrow night,

you're going to see some

terrific basketball.

We'll win by a mile.

-Oh, come now, Brady.

This is just a

grammar school team.

Don't go too far out on a limb.

-Wait a minute, Quigley.

You may be just the

pigeon I'm looking for.

You like to make a little

bet against our team?

-Bet?

No, I--

-Because $ will

get to $ , Quigley.

-No.

No, thank you.

-Yeah, I always figured

you were chicken.

All right, I'll bet

you $ to $ that

Johnny's team slaughters 'em.

-Frankly, I never heard it

referred to as "Johnny's team"

before.

Around school, they consider the

Nichols boy their star player.

-Sure.

He's the Coach's

pet, that's why.

My kid's got it all over him.

Listen, Johnny's not

only great on defense.

He's a great

offensive player, too.

-If you're a boy lived

to be , Brady,

he'd never be as

offensive as you are.

[music playing]

-What you should

have done, you should

have punched Johnny

Brady right in the nose.

Pow!

-Hitting Johnny wouldn't

fix these old shoes.

It wouldn't make any of my

clothes look any better.

-Your clothes look

all right, Stretch.

-I've been thinking about

it all season, Dennis,

and, well, I've got

my mind made up.

I'm going to quit the team.

-Quit the team!

Aw, Stretch, you can't.

Oh, no!

-I've just got to, Dennis.

I don't belong with

Brady and those guys.

I just don't belong.

-But Stretch, jeepers, I mean--

-I don't even like playing ball

with guys that make fun of me.

-But Stretch, if you

don't play tomorrow

night, our team's

going to get fractured.

-Maybe not.

Anyhow, it doesn't even

feel like our team anymore,

you know what I mean?

-Well, I guess so, but I--

-I decided the

thing for me to do

is to get a job

after school helping

my dad in the trash truck.

I might as well start

learning the business.

Well, I'll see you.

[music playing]

-This is about the

worst thing that's

ever happened to our team.

-That's a shame, dear.

-Yes, it's too bad he quit

the team before the big game

tomorrow.

-Hello, folks.

I got that prime rib I told

you about, Mrs. Mitchell.

I thought I'd drop it by.

-Thank you, Mr. Quigley.

-Still no delivery boy, Otis?

-No.

-I'll work for you,

Mr. Quigley, if you

wait till I finish school.

--[laughing] I might be in a

wheelchair by then, Dennis.

Bye, now.

-Goodbye, Mr. Quigley.

-Son, are you sure

he's not going to play?

-Sure, I'm sure.

Well, there-- there

may be an advantage

to Stretch quitting the team.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): What's that?

HENRY (OFFSCREEN): Well,

with him out of the game,

you may get to play

more tomorrow night.

-Well, that's right.

The Coach will

really need you now.

-We'll need a lot more

than me with Stretch gone.

I wouldn't even get

$ . on our team now.

[music playing]

[phone ringing]

-Brady.

-Hello, Brady.

Otis Quigley.

Yeah, yeah.

I've been thinking about that

conversation we had today.

-You mean you're going

to be me after all,

against my kid's team?

Sure, the offer's

still open, pigeon.

Five to one odds.

-Yeah, I'll bet $ , Brady.

-Oh!

This is like finding

money in the street.

Uh, too bad some

of my friends can't

get a piece of the action.

-I doubt if you have

many friends, Brady,

but feel free to tell

anyone you like that I'll

cover any bets

they care to make.

-Oh, am I glad I was around

when you flipped your wig.

So long, sucker.

[laughing]

[music playing]

-You're not eating, dear.

-Worried about the game, son?

-Well, sort of.

-Well, don't worry about it.

There'll be lots more games.

-There won't be for Stretch.

Playing basketball made

him feel important.

But Johnny Brady

rode him so hard

he-- he just couldn't

take it any more.

That's wrong, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

-Because Stretch needed

something to make

him feel important.

He's not lucky like me.

I've got you, and dad,

and-- well, everything.

-We're all lucky, Dennis.

-Stretch doesn't even

have a good pair of shoes.

Jeepers, you bought me enough

shoes for a caterpillar.

-Well, fortunately,

we're able to, son,

and we enjoy giving you things.

-I enjoy getting them, too,

but I'd sure enjoy 'em more

if guys like Stretch

had 'em, too.

I told him I'd meet him

in the park this morning.

Is it OK if I go now?

-Certainly, honey.

Run along.

-Well, looks like

our son's beginning

to figure things

out for himself.

-I like that.

A boy should be able

to find his own way.

-Well, at lest he's headed

in the right direction.

-I sure with you'd change

your mine, Stretch.

-Can't do it, Dennis.

I told my old man

about it, and he

said if I wasn't good

enough for those guys,

I was a dope to win

the games for 'em.

-But you are good

enough for 'em, Stretch.

You're better than they are.

-Are you kidding?

They live in swell houses.

I live in a dump.

-It doesn't matter

where you live, Stretch.

How about lions?

They live in smelly old caves,

but nobody pushes them around.

-I just don't fit, Dennis.

And when you don't

fit, you butt out.

Well, I'll see you.

[music playing]

-So if you were the best

basketball player in school,

you'd know how

important it is to have

Stretch back on the team.

-Yes, I can see that, Dennis.

-Thanks for the ice

cream, Mr. Quigley.

When I'm in trouble,

I always think

a lot better eating ice cream.

-Well then, you must be

quite a lot, I guess, huh?

-So I thought maybe if

you talked to Stretch,

you might get him

to play tonight.

-Oh, I couldn't do that.

I've already made a bet--

it's really none of my affair.

-But it's such a

problem, Mr. Quigley.

-Oh, come now, Dennis.

What difference if your

team does get beaten?

Remember, it matters not

whether you win or lose

but how you play the game.

-Oh, I'm not worried

about losing.

I just want Stretch to belong.

-Belong to what?

The team?

-Well, not exactly.

It's kind of hard to explain.

You see, Johnny Brady

made fun of Stretch

because his father

is the trash man,

and Stretch has to wear

b*at up old clothes.

And it hurt his feelings

so bad, he just quit.

-Well, he'll get over that.

-Not unless somebody helps him.

Can't you think of

something, Mr. Quigley?

It's not right for a fellow as

tall as Stretch to feel so low.

-Well, it-- it really

doesn't concern me.

-Well, it ought to.

-Why?

-Because you're one

of the good guys.

-I am?

-Yeah.

If you were a cowboy,

you'd wear a white suit.

-That's very flattering,

Dennis, but I, uh--

-And good guys help each other.

Suppose you were poor and

lived in a crummy house,

and felt awful because the

bad guys made fun of you.

Wouldn't your friends try

to make you feel better?

-Y-yes, yes, I suppose so.

-Of course they would.

They'd know you weren't

poor on purpose,

and neither is Stretch.

-That's true.

-So we ought to concern you.

-Thank you, Dennis.

-Huh?

What are you thanking me for?

-For giving me a good, swift

kick in the conscience.

-Did I do that?

-Don't worry, I deserved it.

Say, I've got an idea that

might help get Stretch back

on the team.

-I know you liked

basketball, Mr. Quigley.

-You go get Stretch and meet me

on the corner in half an hour.

-Oh, boy, I sure will!

Thanks, Mr. Quigley!

[music playing]

-Over here, boys.

-Boy, Stretch, you

sure do look sharp.

-Here you are, fellas.

-Thanks, Mr. Quigley.

-It was well of you to buy me

these new clothes, Mr. Quigley,

but, well, isn't it

kind of like charity?

-Oh, no, not at all, my boy.

-Well, I don't know--

-Now, look, if it'll

make you feel any better,

you come in after

school and on Saturdays

and be my delivery boy,

and work it off that way,

because I think you deserve

to know what it feels

like to have a new

suit on your back.

-Yes, I'd like to do that, sir.

-Good.

-Old Johnny Brady can't

laugh at those shoes.

They're shinier than

his and twice as big.

-First real new ones I ever had.

Who do I feel so

different, Mr. Quigley?

I'm the same guy

under these clothes.

-Of course you are, my boy.

The same boy that Johnny

Brady tried to hurt because he

was jealous of you.

-What he says won't

bother me anymore.

-Are you going to play tonight?

-You bet I am.

I'm going to walk over

to Coach Gilmore's house

right now and tell him.

-That's the spirit.

-Then I'm going to walk by

Johnny Brady's house and Froggy

Bates's house and show them

they've got nothing on me.

-And don't forget, you're

having dinner at our house,

and we'll all go to

the game together.

You're invited too, Mr. Quigley.

-Well, thank you, Dennis.

-I'll be there, Dennis.

Thanks again, Mr. Quigley.

-Look at him, Mr. Quigley.

He's walking tall

like he ought to.

-You know, Dennis, I

feel taller myself.

[music playing]

-I'm glad you're going

to meet Stretch, mom.

He's a swell guy.

-Yes, I was greatly

impressed by the lad.

-Well, I hope he

likes fried chicken.

[doorbell]

-Hey, there he is now.

Hi Stretch.

Come on in.

-Hi, Dennis.

--Hey, mom, dad, I want you to

meet my pal, Stretch Nichols.

-Hello, Stretch.

-Hi.

-Hey, Stretch, you're limping.

-What's the matter, son?

Did you hurt yourself?

-It's my new shoes.

They're k*lling me.

-Well, good Christopher, boy,

why didn't you take them off?

-I wanted everybody to see them.

I walked all over town.

-Do you think you'll

be able to play?

-I'll sure try, but

my feet do hurt.

-We better get him

right over to the gym.

Coach Gilmore will

know that to do.

-I'm sorry, dear, we won't

be able to have the dinner.

This is an emergency.

-Of course, go ahead.

-Wait a minute.

-Maybe if we rubbed your

feet with ice it'll help.

-Or soak them in hot water.

-Gee, I'm sorry to

cause all this trouble.

-Here, Stretch.

Here's some of

mom's fried chicken.

It may not make your

sore feet feel well,

but it'll sure take your

mind off of them for a while.

-Come on, let's get going.

[music playing]

-How do they feel?

Any better?

-Did the rubbing

alcohol do any good?

-Not much, Coach.

They're still swollen.

-See if you can get

your shoe on now.

-Nope, I can't make it.

-Haven't you got a bigger pair

of shoes he can wear, Coach?

-His are the biggest.

Even mine are too small for him.

-Jeepers, Stretch, your feet

should stop growing a while.

-You're wasting your

time playing basketball.

With feet like

that, you could get

a job stamping out forest fires.

-Oh, now, that's just

enough of you, Brady.

Now go on, you get out of her.

Go, go.

-OK, OK.

Come on, Froggy.

-What are we going to do, Coach?

-Well, we better start soaking

his feet in hot Epsom salts,

try and reduce

the-- the swelling.

-We'll have to hurry.

-Yeah, I know.

Oh, I've got to get the boys

out on the floor right now.

Come on, boys.

-Yeah, well, you

go ahead, Coach.

We'll take care of Stretch.

-Oh, very good.

And you'll find a tub in that

closet and the Epsom salts

in the cabinet.

Just start soaking.

Maybe he can play

some of the game.

-I'll soak real hard, Coach!

COACH (OFFSCREEN): OK.

Good luck, Stretch.

[groans]

-They're eight

points ahead already.

-And the game is hardly started.

-We sure do need

Stretch in there.

[groans]

-Well, there goes another one.

-I'll call time, Dennis.

You go see how Stretch is doing.

-OK.

-Keep your feet in

here, now, Stretch.

This'll help.

-Are they shrinking

any, Stretch?

-Not yet.

How's the game going?

-They're ahead to .

-Well, we're counting

on the Epsom salts.

-Come on, lift

your feet, Stretch.

Let's make 'em real salty.

[music playing]

[groans]

-Doesn't that make you sick?

Isn't just like Johnny Brady?

Thinks he can win

it all by himself.

[groans]

-They're murdering us.

-Dennis, go check Stretch again.

-OK, Coach.

-Come on.

Hurry up, Stretch.

-We're coming up to

the fourth quarter.

Can you get his shoes on yet?

-We're just about

to another try.

-Are we doing any better?

When I left, it was

to in their favor.

-Oh, no.

Still can't get it on.

-Oh, this is nerve-racking.

-Jeepers, take you

sock off, Stretch.

You don't want to shrink that.

-Oh, brother.

-Jeepers, we'll never catch up.

Stretch sure didn't help us any.

-Push, Stretch!

Push!

-It's no use, Dennis.

I just can't make it.

-Well, the heck with your shoes.

Come on and play

with your socks.

-My socks?

I couldn't do that.

I'd slip and slide

all over the place.

-Then play barefooted.

I just figured it out.

All you have to do is

stand under the basket

and let the other guys

feed the ball to you.

We only got four

minutes left, Stretch,

and we've got to try everything.

-You know, it might work.

-Let's go!

-Hey, another one!

Oh, it worked, Dennis!

-If they'll just keep

feeding the ball to Stretch.

-Johnny!

[groans]

-What does that Brady

think he's doing?

Brady.

Wait until I get a hold of him.

-Send me in, Coach.

If Brady won't pass the

ball to Stretch, I will.

-Get in there, Dennis.

Time!

[buzzer]

[whistle]

-You're out, Brady.

The Coach sent me in.

-Oh, brother.

Now we've got to lose.

[whistle]

-Stretch!

COACH (OFFSCREEN): Come on!

Let's make it, Stretch!

And we've still got

a few seconds left!

-Take it away!

Take it away from him!

-Stretch!

-Come on, Stretch!

-Make it, Stretch!

[cheering]

[buzzer]

-Nice going, boys!

Great game!

Great!

-Congratulations, Coach.

-Thanks, fellas, but you

better congratulate them.

They're the ones that did it.

Congratulations, boys.

-Thanks, Coach.

[music playing]

-And I want to thank you and

Dennis for all you've done.

-Oh, don't thank us, Stretch.

We thank you.

-Boy, I'll say.

-No, if you hadn't talked

me into it, Dennis,

I would have never even played.

-Oh, that's just team work.

-Well, I'll be wearing these

as soon as I can get into 'em.

[laughter]

-See you all later.

-So long.

-Goodbye, Stretch.

-Get your shirt on, son.

Your mother's waiting for you.

-OK, dad.

BRADY (OFFSCREEN): Hey, Quigley!

-Oh, excuse me.

My public calls.

-You were trying to hide.

It didn't work.

Pay me.

-OK, Brady.

-Of course, we'd have

really wiped them it

they'd left my boy

Johnny in there.

-Huh, your boy Johnny.

Here you are, Brady,

$ , which I pay gladly.

-Gladly?

Well, that's not

like you, Quigley.

-Yeah, I know.

That's a feeling you

wouldn't know much about.

-Huh!

MOONEY (OFFSCREEN):

Hey, Quigley!

-Well, Mooney.

Say, great game, wasn't it?

-That's what I like,

a cheerful loser.

I'll take $ .

-What are you talking about?

I had no bet with you.

-You told Jack Brady you'd cover

any bet anybody wanted to make.

I took you for $

on the home team.

-But that's not ethical.

I didn't dream he'd go

around making bets for me.

-Well, Jack said you would.

Of course, if you

want to be a welcher.

-Oh, all right.

-Thanks, Quigley.

And while I'm here, I'll

collect for the other guys.

-Other guys!

-You had $ with Finch

and $ with Crinky.

I'll see that they get it.

-Mooney, this is rank piracy!

-It's not as bad as betting

against the home team.

And brother, if

you don't pay off,

your name is going to

be mud in this town.

-All right.

-So long, Quigley.

Sweet dreams.

-Boys decided to have a

little celebration, Quigley.

-Yeah.

We're going to the

drug store and have

a big mug of root beer.

-Say, that's a good idea.

-It's been a swell

day, hasn't it?

-Yes, my heart is full.

But my wallet is empty.

[laughter]

[music playing]