The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976) - full transcript
Tired of the slave-like treatment of his team's owner, charismatic star Negro League pitcher Bingo Long takes to the road with his band of barnstormers through the small towns of the Midwest in the 1930's.
Adolf Hitler, in a move of stunning swiftness,
seizes and occupies czechoslovakia.
Czech president, Emil hacha,
is summoned to Munich...
And is forced to sign a communique
calling for peace and order...
And placing the fate of the Czech people into
the hands of the fuhrer of the German reich.
And deep shadows of another world
war spread over the universe.
What do you do with
your old razor blades?
Harold b. Funston finds
these double-edged snacks...
Really cut those hunger pangs.
My, my! Mother never
fixed them like this.
Now it's time for a little nap
after lunch.
Incidentally, you innerspring lovers shouldn't
watch if you can't stand the pressure.
Here's Charlie joining Harold.
Let's hope Harold
knows not to disagree with him.
After this, he may only be able to
get work as a mold for Swiss cheese.
My aching back!
Now harold's asked to show us his
new method for quitting smoking.
This surefire method is not
advised for everyone, though,
unless you really happen to like
smoked tongue... Your own, that is.
Yankee stadium plays host to a
stunning preseason exhibition game...
Between the Kansas City monarchs
of the negro American league...
And the Philadelphia stars
of the negro national league.
Leagues formed because of the unwritten law
that bars negroes from playing on white teams.
With this Jim crowism
on the diamond,
the white leagues deprive
themselves of much amazing talent.
Hurling for the monarchs
is satchel Paige,
one of the most famous
of the negro pitchers,
along with bingo long
of the St. Louis ebony aces.
Here, paige's amazing hesitation
pitch continues to baffle hitters.
The stars go down with a score
of five to nothing,
giving Paige another
in a long string of no-hitters.
The monarchs' win puts them up next week against
the negro world champion homestead grays,
whose slugger, Josh Gibson,
averages 55 home runs a season,
a record matched only by Leon Carter
of the Baltimore elite giants.
Gibson is the only player,
black or white,
who has hit a home run over the
third tier of yankee stadium,
beating even
the great babe Ruth.
Though white fans don't often see these teams
play, they should spend an afternoon...
Watching these amazing athletes,
who often showboat and clown...
But never fail to play
great baseball!
Hurry, hurry, hurry, folks.
Y'all gonna get
your money's worth today.
Y'all watch bingo long throw
his world-famous invite pitch.
Not a man on the field
to back him up.
You'll never see a game
like this as long as you live.
How am I doin', folks?
How're you doin', folks?
Get your peanuts, popcorn,
cracker Jacks right here.
Only 25 cents.
Get your peanuts,
popcorn and cracker Jacks.
I'll betcha I'll get it.
Wanna bet a dollar?
This is mine.
Put your money where your mouth is.
Play ball!
Invite pitch. Invite pitch.
Invite pitch. Invite pitch.
- Who...
- Who...
- Gonna hit...
- Gonna hit...
- My...
- My...
Invite pitch?
Invite pitch?
You put it over the plate,
I put it over the fence.
Okay, come on, baby, now.
He couldn't hit the floor if he fell
out the bed. Come on. Hunk it to me.
Come on. Give it up.
I told ya I'd get it.
Hey, bingo.
I do believe you slowin' down.
Ain't nice to be
throwin' hard to old men.
Yeah. Don't be makin' any
excuses for your arthritis now.
Okay, monkey face.
Just for that, you gonna
get a taste of my vanish ball!
Show it to him.
He can't see it; I can't see it.
Strike two!
Come on, sucker.
Empty them pockets.
Bingo, I heard you done taken up
with a hot number name of Violet.
You heard right.
Where'd you lay eyes on her?
If that's Violet grandy
you're talkin' about,
I laid more than eyes
on her already.
Leon, you tryin'
to get my dander up,
but I is...
Un-ruffable!
That sucker rolled one out.
I's gettin' tired
of Violet anyhow.
How 'bout a little somethin'
for the kitty for ol' furry?
How am I doin'?
Look at ol' furry.
Thank you very much.
Thank y'all.
...the sallison Potter
funeral association.
Premiums as low
as ten cents a week.
Don't let your family
be embarrassed.
On that final day,
let us put you away.
I thought I told you
to stay away from here.
Has-beens is bad
for my business.
I done made your business,
sallie Potter.
How many games I win for you back
when you first took over this team?
I don't care what you did, furry.
You ain't worth doodly-squat to me now.
I see your face around here
one more time,
I ain't gonna be the only one
ridin' in a hearse. Now git!
Batter up!
- Give me a touch for luck.
- Okay, rainbow.
Now I'm gonna show you boys how
to get yourselves a free ticket.
Hey, Leon!
My god, how old
are you, boy? Twelve?
Come on, boy.
Strike!
That ain't nothin'.
You got lucky.
You should open your eyes
and shut your mouth.
Come on, rookie.
Pass it right down here.
My lord!
Goddamn it, rookie!
A brushback ain't no beanball!
Give him some air,
goddamn it! Move it!
Damn.
How is rainbow doin'?
Let's play ball.
All right, gather 'round here.
I just been talkin' to Henry
dunbar of the elite giants.
Said he's sorry for what
happened out on that field.
Doctors say rainbow
gonna pull through okay.
As for baseball,
he's all washed up.
He done inflicted a head concussion.
Lucky it was rainbow.
Losing him don't affect our
chances for the pennant much.
Seein' as how his family live all the
way down in Raleigh, north Carolina,
I'm docking each of you a day's pay
to cover his fare. Five dollars?
Sallie... We ain't the
owner of the team; You are.
It ain't right to be comin' to the players for
something you supposed to be takin' care of.
- Docking you double, long.
- What?
Five dollars to cover his fare,
five dollars for fomentin'
dissension on my team.
I ain't fomentin' nothing.
I'm just voicing my opinion.
Around me,
you ain't got no opinion.
I built this team
from nothin'...
When everybody else
couldn't get nigger work.
I'll still be runnin' it when you're
a feeble old bum like furry Taylor.
You know what I mean, boy?
Now, anybody else here
worried about what's right,
there's plenty of nigger work just
across the river with wages to match.
Hey, rainbow, what's happenin'?
Rainbow, how you doin', man?
You caught yourself
a mean one, didn't you?
And lost the power of speakin'.
Can't even say his own name.
- He don't look too good.
- He look the same to me.
Hey, boss, how 'bout givin' rainbow a job
as an Usher down at the funeral parlor?
Price, here, is my Usher.
How 'bout he push a broom
or dig a grave or two, man?
All I got's an opening
in the choir.
Rainbow's voice
ain't what it used to be.
Give him something, anything.
You want some social security,
jawbone,
you go have yourself a nice,
long talk with Mr. Roosevelt.
This here is for everybody.
We have to protect
our brothers and sisters.
Why? Because we love 'em!
We don't need no government!
Hey, bingo! Bingo!
Let me get your autograph.
Great game!
Let me wash your car for you.
We do what's right.
There won't be no more
stealin' and killin'.
Hi, bingo. How you doin', darlin'?
You lookin' pretty.
Hey, Bobby.
Bingo! Hey, bingo! Hey, Willie!
That was a hell of a game
you pitched today. Every day.
How do you like this here?
I love it, love it.
Lookin' for me, bingo?
No, Violet.
You done disappointed me.
I'm gonna give pearline the
chance she's been beggin' for.
Well, pearline ain't
beggin' no more, honey.
Don't I, though?
Hey!
King farouk, come on over here.
You know pearline, bingo?
- I believe we've met.
- I was just askin' Leon...
For his autograph.
I know just where
he gonna sign it too.
Why don't you and Violet
drag up a chair here?
Hey... garcon, bring Mr. Long
and his betrothed...
What you done brung me.
Don't shuffle around
this table, hear?
How rainbow doin'?
Bad news, Leon.
Bad news. Sallie
done put him on the bus.
Damn!
That ain't all.
He done hit the team for the ticket.
Just don't seem fair.
What owner you ever heard of
bein' fair?
You see, they wringing the best years
of our lives out of our manly selves.
See what happen? Good man get
hurt, become another spare part.
Ship him on back to the cotton field
and let the other slaves pay the fare.
Yeah. Maybe you wind up shinin'
shoes or peddlin' pencils.
Hey, honey, watch your mouth there.
You're spottin' my satin.
I guess we need pensions just like
president Roosevelt was saying.
When you ever hear of a
master givin' a slave pension?
Ain't nothin' gonna change
'til the workers,
what you call,
"seize the means of production."
No. The ballplayers gotta...
Overthrow their owners and run
the teams their own selves.
Well, that a revolution.
That the Democratic ideal. Yeah.
"Be your own man."
W.e.b. Du bois said that.
One of our great colored thinkers.
Try readin' the book sometime.
Hey, hey. How 'bout that bourbon?
Comin' up.
You think we can do that?
- Do what?
- Overthrow the owners.
Sure! Same day we turn white.
Mr. Carter, you sure got sex
appeal when you get mad. Uuhmm!
Don't I though?
Little bit later on,
I'm gonna fly off the handle
altogether.
Greyhound bus now departing
for flora, vincennes,
louisville, asheville,
Charlotte and Raleigh.
Hey, rainbow. C'mon, man.
You ain't goin' nowhere. Big things is up.
I got a great idea.
Hey, Leon, c'mon. Open the door.
- Hey, Leon, there's a fire!
- If there ain't a bigger fire goin' on out there...
Than the one we got kindlin' in
here, you in a lot of trouble.
Put your pants on.
We got things to talk over.
Look who I just done grabbed
off the bus. Rainbow!
Don't bother to say hello to
him, 'cause he can't talk.
No, you didn't say
nothin' about no threesies.
Stay where you are.
These gentlemen just hit the wrong door.
I got a generous soul,
but I ain't no Santa claus.
Let her go, man. You keep givin' autographs
to pearline, you gonna run out of ink.
Besides, big things is up! Yeah, big
things was up when you come barge in here.
Pearline, come on out, honey.
You was right, Leon.
And so was that Cadillac of
negro knowledge, Mr. Rolls Royce.
Du bois! W.E.B. Du bois!
Be your own man, he said. That's the Democratic
ideal. Seize the means of production.
And that's just what we gonna do!
Sure, we are!
Pearline! Pearline my ass!
My sweetness. My love.
Hey, bitch, you better get out here.
Stand back and get ready, Leon,
'cause I'm hereby announcing...
The formation and foundation
of the one and only...
Bingo long traveling all-stars
and motor kings!
Bingo, you're talkin'
in your sleep.
Don't you touch me, Leon Carter,
with your "preverted" self!
And that goes the same thing for you
too, Turkey. Good night, bingo.
Didn't you hear my announcement, Leon?
Yeah, I heard you.
Now get on outta here
and let me sleep!
Whatever you're talkin'
about, I don't wanna hear.
You wanna play on your own
team, be your own owner?
Listen, ever since I was ten
years old and pickin' turnips,
I wanted to be my own man.
Every job from totin' milk pails to swattin'
baseballs, I wanted the same thing.
But you come in here
with some half-baked scheme...
It's full-baked, man!
We goin' barnstormin'
with our own all-star team.
Yeah! Who we gonna play?
We gonna play the, the, the...
The firehouse clubs
and the local talent.
There's good money
out there, Leon!
Iowa, Illinois, California.
No, there ain't nobody gonna
want to play us in California.
If that don't work, then we play the
emperor trujillo down in them islands.
Them spics is crazy
for baseball.
You ever see a peso, bingo?
It got a hole in it.
So does your big head if
you passes up this chance...
And keeps on slavin'
for Henry dunbar.
Say... no, no, no.
Just sayin' now that I do
choose to throw in with you.
We ain't much of a team,
just you, me and rainbow.
Teammate. You just leave
that problem to me.
Hello. Am I speakin' to Emory "champ"
chambers of the Atlanta black crackers?
Yeah, this is me.
This is bingo long with Leon Carter.
Hey, champ! Hey, you hear him?
Champ, how would you like to shake the
slave master you work for once and for all,
and come be
on the all-star team?
Count me in, bingo. All right!
This is Willie Lee shively.
This is bingo long with Leon Carter.
Leon and me want you boys to make the
double play for the bingo long all-stars.
What do you say?
We're on our way.
Hey, what's this "all"
mean on you?
I do it all.
You know I do it all.
What's this song note
doin' on me?
A song note!
I don't know what that is.
- Hello, fat Sam popper?
- Yeah, this is fat Sam.
Sam, I know you got
a lot of mouths to feed.
Hold on, bingo.
Get that mangy dog out of this house!
What you child doin'?
Go ahead, bingo.
Hey, I'll be right there!
Fat Sam popper,
better known as "traveling."
Amen. I'm sayin'
that most of us here...
Have given up
the desires of our heart.
Walter murchman?
That man is bad news.
- Maybe, but he hit a ball in Chicago, they duck in Detroit.
- Walter murchman speaking.
Hello, brother Walter. You're the
greatest hitter on god's green earth.
- Shit.
- Right up there with Leon Carter!
But, baby, I got to go
to battin' practice.
I know. Battin' practice is
right here and right now.
But, baby... Bertha, I gotta...
Play ball.
I get it, baby.
- Hello.
- Hello, Isaac.
Bingo! Hey, listen.
We hear your owner's been workin' you
overtime, but not on the baseball field.
Listen... well,
your fellow all-stars want you to
play center field for 'em, okay?
I'll be right there.
Isaac? Isaac!
Who ya gonna get for right field?
I'm callin' Charlie snow.
That jukebox?
What you want him for?
The best-lookin' Franklin
you ever saw.
Damn thing air-cooled.
I can't fit 'em all in my car.
I thought you'd like
to see this.
Look at the sports page. Check out the
standings. What you want me to see?
I wanna see what the white sox is doin'.
The what sox?
The white sox: Chicago franchise in
the American league, white baseball.
Guess you all ain't heard, but I'm goin'
to be playin' in the white leagues.
Hey, Charlie snow gonna
be playin' in the white leagues.
You're crazy, Charlie.
No, I ain't.
It's all right here in this little
book if you take the time to learn.
A Spanish phrase book?
I'seguro! Quiero El
desayuno en mi habitacion.
¿Donde puedo cambiar
cheques de viajero?
What's all this spic talk,
Charlie snow?
That's another thing, man.
No more of this Charlie snow stuff.
From now on, I'm gonna
be known as Carlos Nevada.
I'el Rey atletico del mundo!
I'm gonna break
into the majors as a Cuban.
You been burnin' in the sun
too long for that thing!
What you mean? They got Cubans
in Cuba blacker than you.
Make you look like a goddamn albino.
Who, me?
Yeah, you, man.
And they still ain't no negroes.
That's right.
Yo soy El "baseballito" supremo.
That's me! Carlos Nevada!
I wonder where he came up
with an idea like that.
Lookin' for... Mr. Holland.
That's me.
What can I do for you?
Spoke to you on the phone.
You booked us a game here this afternoon.
- You're the bingo long all-stars?
- In person.
I thought you boys
was a barnstormin' outfit.
You just show us the ballpark
and we be down there in a minute.
You plannin' on
sneakin' in on tiptoe?
You scared somebody might see what you is
doin' there? What's eatin' you, buster?
You look here. You wanna make a
little money on the game, right?
So do I!
Now, you take them cars and you turn them
around, and you come back on main street!
And when you do, I want
you to come through struttin'!
You mean parade 'n' show?
We can do that!
We're a ball club.
We ain't no circus.
That's what you think!
You're barnstormin'... You in show biz!
Lemme see you kick that mule!
You mean like this?
No! No!
You gotta cakewalk.
It goes like this:
One, two, three, back.
One, two, three, back.
You know, I was in show biz.
Now, that's what you got to do!
Man must be crazy. What he want us to do?
Kick a mule or somethin'.
Mr. Holland told us to do it
this way. Yeah, you got it.
Yeah, march. One, two, one...
I got bad feet, bingo.
You ain't got bad knees! Kick your knees.
Bingo, I'm hungry, man. Sam, you always
hungry. Need to lose a little weight.
What we doin' this for?
You wanna make some money, don't you?
- Is that a parade or what?
- No kind of parade I ever seen. Little early for Halloween.
Bingo, I feel like a fool
out here doin' this, man.
You gonna feel like a bigger
fool if you don't make no money.
They ain't got ten dollars
in this whole town.
Pitiful!
You boys are pitiful. You lettin' these
people down. Gimme that bat, Louis.
Let's see some color! Step out!
These here is our folks now.
Let's look good for them.
Okeydoke. It ain't like robbin' a
bank, but it's a start.
Exactly eight and a quarter for each
and every man including rainbow!
Yeah! Don't we got citizens'
rights to that handful of fins?
I knew that question
was comin' up.
Mr. Holland.
Excuse me.
Can I have that box, please?
Sure. Thank you, sir.
This box is gonna be
the company box.
I am hereby droppin' in $40.
You are my witnesses.
That's for broken bats, flat tires
and any other emergency purposes.
Rainbow, you gonna be treasurer.
You guard this with your life.
Understand? Good man.
Why not share it all out? I might meet a beautiful
woman. I got my own emergency purposes.
Sam, you already got six emergency
purposes back in Cleveland.
You boys...
Don't have to worry about
no spending money.
We can get you
all the games you want.
I personally can guarantee you $200 at
the gate for each and every appearance.
Now, what you say?
It's all right with me!
I'll take that.
- Yeah, we'll take it.
- No, we won't.
No, no. I done heard
this one before. No deal.
Leon.
What, have I done it wrong?
I mean, the man is guaranteeing us $200.
You slice that 11 ways,
that comes out to about...
A lot of money each!
No, see, my friend here,
he done pitched a whale
of a game, and he tired.
He done misspoke hisself.
No, no. We don't want
no guarantee.
We wants 50% of the gate.
You see, I don't know about that.
You see, I got to consult
with the other parties.
No, you don't, either.
You can say yes or no right here.
Now, do we do business or do we get
somebody else to book these games?
Well, I guess ol' j.C. Holland don't
have to show you boys everything.
You got yourself a deal!
Gentlemen, I hereby call to
order this emergency meeting...
Of the affiliated owners and directors
of the negro national league.
Now, what are we gonna do
about this mess?
That's what I'd like to know. What you
gonna do about this mess, sallie Potter?
It's your pitcher what's leadin'
this band of "detergents."
I was hopin'
you'd miss the train.
Sit down, woman. We usin'
parliamentary procedure.
That means,
'less you's recognized,
shut your double-breasted lips!
I recognize Horace quigley,
esteemed owner of
the Atlanta black crackers.
Fellow owners, every one of those
boys done broke a binding contract.
I say we get 'em in the court!
Worse than that,
the cash customers...
Ain't gonna pay to see no team
what done lost their best stars.
Reverend. Sallie Potter!
The ladies' room is outside
to the left. Reverend.
I demands to be recognized!
I recognize you as a female what ain't
got no business bein' here nohow!
Listen here, grave digger.
I own a team in this league too.
And if my late husband schyler was
alive, you know what he'd say?
Keep the fans happy and book some
"extradition" games with the all-stars.
As an owner, schyler DeWitt was
weak, and he was dumb.
As a man, he was even dumber. He proved
that when he married a plate of pork!
Which is a better meal than
you ever ate, sallie Potter.
Sallie, there's something to what
bertha's sayin' about them games.
She's got a point.
We got to go along.
Come on. You men gonna be
double-talked by this ol' mama bear?
We play them renegades and every dumb monkey
in the league is gonna join the revolution.
We got to ruin that team
before they gonna ruin us!
Just 'cause you can't talk
don't mean you can't count.
I mean, you been doin'
a good job as treasurer.
Ain't no reason you can't
be the team statistician.
If you do good, I'll tell bingo.
We'll start
with somethin' easy...
Like battin' averages.
You take the number of
times a man been at bat...
And divide that by the number
of times a man got a hit.
Like me, I been at bat 100 times.
I got 25 hits. That's simple, right?
Twenty-five go in a
hundred four times.
Gives me a batting average of four.
That's wrong.
That ain't no way to do that.
What you gotta do is the number of
times a man's been at bat and got a hit.
Divide that by the number
of times he swung.
I been at bat a lot,
and I swung a lot.
Let me see.
Seventy-five into a hundred.
No. That would give me
a battin' average of two.
I couldn't have a
battin' average of two!
Nobody could have a battin'
average that bad. Could they?
Excuse me. Which one of
y'all is Mr. Bingo long?
Autographs after the game, son.
Don't want no autographs.
I's a baseball player too.
You don't say!
What position? Quarterback?
No, sir. Center field.
I want to be an all-star,
so I figured I'd come talk to you.
We ain't runnin' no orphanage, now.
What do ya want to talk about?
I'm a pretty good
center fielder.
I mean, I can hit and I can
run, and I got a good glove.
I just wanna join up and play
for ya more than anything.
I bet you're real good, son,
but I already got myself a center fielder.
If you want to see action, why don't you
join up with pollard's sternville huskers?
Well, see, Mr. Long,
that there's just the point.
- I done already did last year.
- Play ball!
Hey, bingo, looky here! Quarterback.
Good to see you, son.
Hey, bingo!
Right over here, young man.
Take your time, sir.
He said take your time.
Bingo,
how do you like this here?
How do you like this here?
Like this over here? All right.
Joe, Joe. Get a hit, Joe.
Let it go, bingo.
Safe!
Home plate, home plate
home plate!
Safe!
Say, kid,
does you do this constantly?
No, sir. I does it all the time.
It's a shame. Ninth inning,
two runs behind. Murch, hit one.
Don't worry. It's goin'
all the way to baseball heaven.
Batter up!
Where's the bat? That bat
ain't got no hole in it.
C'mon! C'mon!
Go! Go! Go! Go!
Go back!
Joe!
You're out! Whatcha mean, out?
What're you talkin' about?
Say, kid, this is your lucky day.
Mr. Long!
Turns out my center fielder's
gonna do backup pitching.
That bein' the case,
we find ourselves ready to take on...
A promisin' rookie
such as yourself.
You shuckin' me or what?
We want you to understand straight off
that the big time is a hard row to hoe.
We on the road day and night.
We hustles games where we can find 'em.
We barnstormers.
That's okay by me.
And you gotta bring your
own glove and your own shoes.
And you can't go runnin' to your
mama when you've been up all night.
Don't you worry about me. I ain't no baby.
The money ain't all that great.
- That's right. Rookies get half share.
- Say what?
Of course you bein' a husker and
all, you ain't exactly a rookie.
So share and share alike.
- That's the all-star motto. Ain't that right, Leon?
- Yeah, that's right.
That sounds real good.
I want to warn you.
This ain't no measly
paper contract.
One touch, and you made
yourself a handshake deal...
With the bingo long traveling
all-stars and motor kings.
And there ain't nothin' more
solemn and bindin' under the law...
Than an agreement of this kind.
You count me in! Look out now.
Restrain yourself.
That's my pitching hand! Sorry.
What's your name, son?
Joseph Vanderbilt Calloway, esquire.
Esquire! Did you
hear that, Leon?
You shakin' hands
with esquire Joe!
My pleasure.
- Whose heap is that?
- Looks mighty deserted.
Hey, bingo, find out
what's happenin'.
What kind of town is this?
This ain't no ballpark.
- Mr. Long, is it locked?
- Let's break in.
Hey! Hey!
What the hell's goin' on around here?
No game today.
What you talkin' about no game? This is
Sunday the 24th. This is jeffersonville.
We the all-stars.
Where're the Roman gladiolus?
They ain't here. The game been canceled...
On account of rain.
Rain? What rain?
It ain't even moist.
I can tell you fellas,
you ain't from around these parts...
Because we got some
fickle weather around here.
Just any minute
could be a rip snorter.
Yeah, I heard this was
Tor-tornado country.
Yeah, yeah.
The hell with the gladiolus.
There's a game in every town. Come on.
I don't know, bingo.
You smell a rat?
Yeah, right.
We better send a couple of telegrams.
Okay.
Well, well...
I guess that's that.
Just, just like I said.
It wasn't no problem.
I'm always glad to help
when I can.
Yeah, we seen you gone to a little
trouble, so here's a little somethin'...
To help cover your expenses.
Will that be satisfactory?
Yeah, yeah. Yes, sir. My. Yeah.
Thank you. H-h-h-hurry back.
Be seein' ya.
Bring me a whole watermelon
without the seeds.
The only bookers that bothered
to answer said, "no, thank you."
We too good, Leon.
They just scared to take us on.
Only one thing gonna scare a booker
away from makin' money, and it ain't us.
The masters is fightin' back.
If the lord done decided to end this
team, his will be done.
Sallie Potter ain't the lord!
I'm a thousand miles from St. Louis and
that man still tellin' me what to do.
Okay, amigos.
It's quitting time.
Can't argue with that.
I keep tellin' you boys,
the white leagues is the only answer.
Charlie, you're right!
I'm right?
What, are you gonna pass for white?
King Kong got a better chance.
Looky here. Us colored folks is a
minority in this country, right?
Then it seem to me that we
barnstormers in a volume business.
Ain't that clear?
Ain't what clear?
Look, Tarzan.
Over what don't sallie
Potter have no control?
What do we never run out of
in this country?
White folks!
Play ball!
C'mon. Let's go, guys.
Let's go. Let's play ball.
Safe!
Get in there. Sit down. We're here to
play ball. We don't have to take this.
That's all right. Take it easy.
They's supposed to treat us nice.
Them niggers think they're hot stuff.
Yeah, right.
Let's go.
Here comes fat boy now.
Watch it there, batter.
Look at them knees knockin'.
Let's go. Come on.
Make your turn. Make your turn.
Wait now.
No! No!
Get back. It's just a ball game.
What's you talkin' about?
That ain't right.
Batter up. Play ball.
What the hell
you lookin' at, nigger?
Gonna be a long game.
Better than limpin' back to sallie
Potter though. I don't know.
Sallie might be mean and cheap, but as far as
I know, he ain't never got nobody lynched.
You're a bunch of bums!
Kill 'em! Kill 'em!
Get a batter up.
Let's get this batter now.
Don't let him hit one out there.
Watch me now.
I might steal somethin'.
- We got this guy.
- Ball one.
Slide, slide!
Safe!
Out!
Time!
The guy on second's got a razor!
Hit a home run,
I'll buy ya some popcorn.
No, bingo.
Not me. It ain't manly.
What difference does it make?
We gonna win anyway.
You pokes another homer, them oakies
are liable to get the tar 'n' feathers.
I ain't gonna shine
for no white folks.
You only gotta pretend. They won't know
we pretendin', so we's one up on 'em.
C'mon. Get a batter up here.
Strike one! Boys, how 'bout
selling me one of those torpedoes?
Hold it, everybody.
Relief pitcher comin' in.
Get the hell out, bingo.
I told you I ain't playin' along.
You just afraid I'm gonna whiff
you in front of all these folks.
What the hell you think you're doin'?
I wanna play a gag on my friend.
Just give me the ball, and I'll be
your boy for the rest of your life.
What do you niggers think this is?
You know how niggers is.
Boy, I'm gonna whack
that ball so far...
They gotta hop on a train
to catch it.
I warn you, Leon.
This one gonna be a smoker!
Happy fourth of July...
From the bingo long traveling
all-stars and motor kings!
It's the number of times you been
at bat and been pitched at...
Divided by the number of times
you swing.
See, I swung at the ball
more than I hit.
That wouldn't give me
a good battin' average either.
There's gotta be a way
to do this.
I got it! I got it!
You know, someday I'll be
so old, my arm will be gone.
That's the day I'm gonna look back on
the old days of barnstormin' and smile.
This is the best thing that could
happen to a ballplayer. That's right.
Better than being
on sallie's plantation.
Yeah, and the slaves done
run off all right. Yeah.
In St. Louis,
you can't even see the stars at night.
So much for the lockout, sallie.
The all-stars
still rollin' along.
The lockout worked perfect. And the
proof is, they playin' white teams.
I call that desperation.
Sallie, you don't know
the meanin' of the word.
No one wants to see my team play without
champ chambers. We starvin' in Atlanta.
And we starvin' in Chicago too!
But, lady... dumbbell!
You could use a little
starvation, you behemoth!
Fool. That embalmin' fluid
done gone to your brain.
Now, gentlemen,
sallie potter's plan's failed.
And we better book us some "extradition"
games, 'fore we all go broke.
That's a good idea.
With these night games they got started...
Looky here! The all-stars ain't got
no owner, and they pay no salaries.
Share the money out equal,
one and all.
We don't wanna book no games
with an operation like that.
I already got a couple
of agents in the field.
I give 'em the word,
they're prepared to take stronger
action against them rebels.
That's a good idea.
Atta boy, bingo.
Give 'im that gorilla ball.
He can't hit it.
Go get it, Joe!
All right, all right,
all right, all right.
I'm tryin' it, you know. I gotta
run that ball down once in a while.
Hey, fat Sam,
wait just a minute.
How'd y'all like that game today?
You like that game?
What'd you think
of that gorilla ball?
Hey, kid, you were terrific. Never seen
a young player do the things you can.
Thank you, sir.
What's your name?
Esquire Joe Calloway.
Let me have your autograph.
I'd be proud to.
You take this here.
All right, give me your head.
I wanna write on top of your head.
Hello there, rainbow.
Whaddya say?
He don't say nothin', remember?
How 'bout a cigar, rainbow?
Ain't you gonna offer me a
nice, green cigar, rainbow?
Hell, they be better off
with a watchdog.
Rainbow, who was it?
This dummy lost every penny
back to the owners.
- All right. That cinches it.
- Where're you goin'?
Lafferty. I figure that
sallie's men are on their way...
To mess up the game with
the star of David team too.
So I'm gonna beat 'em to the punch
and make sure that game is still on.
See ya in Lafferty.
We be right behind you, Leon.
Hold it, bingo. You ain't paid
out the money for today's game.
We in a hurry, Walter.
I'll give it to you in Lafferty.
Considerin' what's happened,
I think we'd like our money now.
All right, all right, all right, all right.
It boils down to $7 apiece.
What about rainbow here?
He cost us heavy today.
It wasn't rainbow's fault.
Sallie could've gotten to any one of us.
Rainbow's been workin' hard for the team.
He deserves full share.
I don't know, bingo.
It just seems to me
that ol' tar baby over here,
all he do is hand me my bats,
and... Bob his head.
- You tell it.
- Yeah, fat Sam.
My golly, I done forgot!
I made a deal for half the concession
money. We got another $14 to split.
- Them folks was sure hungry today!
- Knew he was holdin' back.
Here's some for rainbow too.
All right. Now let's get movin'.
Come on!
Did you see the way
that boy shook?
Let's see. $163.43!
Them boys keep that up,
we be in good shape on this trip.
Charlie, when are you gonna get that
hunk of junk out of this square?
You're blocking traffic.
Hold it. The Holly arms hotel?
Right over there.
C'mon. Keep it moving.
Hey, bingo!
We got our reservations here,
and the game is on.
- Do it again! Yeow!
- Yeah!
You've got to know
how to live, my friend.
You drink this down,
it put lead in your pencil.
This here the eraser.
This is the eraser.
Yes, sir. You gotta get a good stance now.
Come on. Hold on.
Put it to your lips very easy.
To your lips.
And you drink.
Not very smooth, but once it
down, you don't feel a thing, eh?
I don't feel nothin' now.
See, I know you like it.
Hey, girlie! Two bourbon.
No, cancel that.
We in training, Leon.
No bourbon. How do you expect to play your
best game if you get drunk the night before?
Shit! I hits better when I
can see more than one ball.
Why ain't you drinkin'?
I ain't got no money.
No money? There was a lot of folks
watchin' you pitch that gorilla ball.
I know, I know, but you
see, it's like this, Leon.
I had to pass out my cut to the boys
and tell 'em it was popcorn money.
I mean, they was
turnin' on rainbow.
Murchman again?
That son of a bitch.
Bingo, I'm really
proud of you, man.
I'm proud to be your
teammate and friend...
'Cause you settin' an example of brotherhood
among athletes that'll go down in history.
History, bingo.
I loves you, and I'm truly proud of you.
I's proud of you too, Leon.
Why is that?
'Cause I gave 'em
your share too.
I guess we better make this one
shot of bourbon go all night?
Well, at least it don't
cost nothin' to scuffle.
Hey, girlie! Somebody close the
window and let it get hotter!
Boogie-woogie.
Leon!
If you think I done you wrong,
you can have my share tomorrow.
Hey, man, you got to get rid
of that solemn look.
Yi, yi, yi, yi, yi.
Yi, yi, yi! Do you see that?
Ain't no women like that
down in sternville.
If there ain't,
you must've had a very sad childhood.
I played ball a lot.
Yes, sir. You did?
I'm gonna show you how a pro does it.
You gonna go over there?
Sure. You think I'm afraid 'cause she's
white? That don't scare Carlos Nevada.
I have an approach.
You got an approach?
A technique. She looked this way.
Did you see her?
Bartender, two more.
Andale, andale. I'pronto!
Tall, dark and handsome.
You sure is that!
Yeah.
She can tell. Experience.
Say "hey" for me.
What's on your mind, smoke?
Buenosknockers, senora.
Can I buy you a drink?
Don't you know the rules
around here, Sonny?
You think I'm colored!
I'm not colored. I'm Cuban!
Carlos Nevada, a very famous
Cuban baseball player.
I'm on my way to be inelbig time.
Cuban?
You colored, you know,
you slay me.
It's the way you all talk.
I don't know.
It's the way we talk?
How 'bout $5?
$5?
How'd you get so funny?
How 'bout $7.50?
Listen, black beauty,
I'll tell you what.
We'll go up to my room.
We'll negotiate.
We go up to your room, we negotiate.
Think you're kiddin' somebody?
Come on. Come on? That's it?
Up to her room by myself alone?
I'm not even Carlos Nevada.
You're fabulous.
Carlos goin' to give you $10.
You don't tell nobody, okay?
Okay. Okay.
It's American money. Very good.
Perfume. Fantastic!
If you're a ballplayer, honey,
why don't you slide on home to mama?
I'm getting my bat ready.
My god! It's nothing.
Everybody in my country has one.
I love a woman who can laugh.
How nice to be in this country.
You don't know how I feel.
It reminds me of when
I was a kid in Montevideo.
Beat it, lady!
He made me do it!
It wasn't my idea, I swear!
She made me do it!
It wasn't my idea, I swear!
Make them get out of here!
Bingo!
Leon!
Shit!
Please. Just drop me off
at the baseball park.
Okay?
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry I don't have money for a tip.
Lox, cream cheese, bagels.
Cracker Jacks, popcorn,
everything!
Play!
Strike three and you're out.
What happened to
your battin' eye, Mr. Nevada?
I left it last night with a
hundred pounds of white meat.
And now I must go make
poo-poo caca.
Hey, fella, back of the line.
Safe!
Hi.
Not this time, Charlie. Oooh!
Got a little somethin'
for ya, Charlie.
Can I ask a question? Yeah.
If ya cut me,
who gonna play right field?
Shit.
Why're you shakin', Charlie?
Your team's gonna win
if Leon catch hold of one.
Wait for the crowd to roar.
Ball one!
Now!
Bin... go.
Get a blanket.
Excuse me, ma'am.
How's he doin'?
The doctor says more surgery will be
necessary. A few more cuts won't matter.
Did he say anything
before he passed out?
He babbled a lot.
He kept calling for his girlfriend.
Which one? He's got more
than anybody in the league.
I think the name was sallie.
That's right, sallie potts.
He kept asking for her.
Sallie potts.
Sallie Potter.
This is for your whole blood
and drugs: Sulfur.
It's very expensive. Then his doctor
fees, anesthesia and surgery.
And Dr. McCarthy
has found a dose of...
You know what,
and of course we have
to clean that out.
Excuse me, ma'am, but I
should tell you right off...
That we only got $225.
That's from last night's game.
We don't got no other.
You know that he has been hurt
far worse than $225.
But we'll take what we can get.
He likes ice cream...
Vanilla, if you've got some.
All right... vanilla.
Sallie pull that stuff, we're gonna have
a hard time keepin' the team together.
No, it wasn't sallie who done it. Charlie said
it was boys from the red feather lounge...
On account of his foolin'
around with the white meat.
Yeah? I always knew that boy's Aryan
proclivities would get his nuts in the cooker.
How we gonna pay for that hotel?
How is he? He's okay.
He's all right.
You gentlemen checking out?
Inasmuch as I was present
at last night's contest...
And knew you were staying
at my hotel,
I took the Liberty of securing
the cost of your stay.
We was countin' on your kindness
and understandin', Mr. Bostrum,
to see us through our misfortune
'cause we done fell on hard times,
and we knew that a freethinkin'
gentleman such as yourself...
Would help us get back
on our feet.
What makes you think you niggers
can lay your losses off on me?
It's blackbird trash like you that's
holding the colored people back.
Wheel it out. Come on.
Where are they takin' my car?
It will be sold at public auction under
the supervision of sheriff gleason.
And there's nothing
you can do about it.
The man got the car.
What are we gonna do now?
Yeah, bingo, what are we gonna do?
I'm with you, bingo.
I'm hungry.
I know. We can go four to a seat, and
take turns standin' on the runnin' board.
Might have to leave
some of the luggage, though.
Man, these potatoes is heavy!
How else we s'pose
to make money, fool?
They say they gonna pay us
$5 each.
It oughta go fast
if we get to it.
There you go. That's one.
I hate these goddamn potatoes!
I hate this goddamn field!
I hate this goddamn team.
Forgive me, father divine.
Damn it, murchman.
Pick them potatoes up.
You pick 'em up. I quit.
Any man batting .426 got no
business swingin' a rake.
- Where you goin'?
- I'm gonna get me a cold lemonade in St. Louis.
Hey, murch, wait for me.
Hey, Sam.
Look out.
I got four kids to worry about.
You got five, Sam,
but that ain't the point. We're a team.
You can't leave.
I'm sorry, bingo,
but if I want potatoes,
I'll buy 'em at the damn store.
Go ahead, then! Take off!
We don't need no quitters. There's plenty
of players dyin' to play on this club.
Ain't that right?
You goin' to St. Louis?
Don't none of the rest of y'all get no funny
ideas about doin' somethin' you'll regret later.
We's a team on the baseball field,
and we's a team on the potato field.
Right! Right!
This is good work!
I love this work!
I'm the prince of potato pickers.
Yeah!
- Everybody say yeah.
- Yeah!
- Yeah!
- One potato.
Two potato, three potato, four.
Five potato, six potato,
seven potato mo'.
All right, all right!
Name? Barnett long.
Good work, long. $2.65.
Where's my $5? What $5?
You picked 24 bushels.
Everybody told me it was $5.
It is $5 the long ton. Next man.
I've been out here all day long,
and all I got is $2.65 to show for it?
You want to give it back?
Next man.
Willie shively. Shively.
$2.70.
Louis keystone. Keystone. Key...
We're late.
Sold. $120. Take it off, sir.
Moving over to lot number six.
1934 Ford touring model,
complete with a collection of
professional baseball equipment.
Take a good look at this paint
job, and good tires too.
How much we got? $48.25.
$48.25. I'll start out with $35.
I'll scam off early.
I'll start the bidding off
at $84.
$84, going, going, gone.
Sold to me, corliss motors.
$84. Thank you, sir.
Lot number seven over here
is a stock chopper.
Who'll start the biddin' off on this
beauty? A brand-new, fresh paint job...
I was stupid to bring you
out here in the first place.
You gobbled up a full share
every payday.
What did you do to earn it?
Nothin'!
Couldn't've been more useless if that
fast ball had've tore off your whole head.
Hungry? Had enough to eat?
Let me have
one of those sandwiches.
Here. It's a long trip.
If you need anything, write it
down and show it to the bus driver.
He'll know what to do. And don't go
pokin' your nose into no pinochle games!
Where'd that Leon go to?
Damn, I wish you could talk!
Maybe you could tell me how we fouled up.
I sure as hell don't know.
If fair and square don't work, what do?
Okay, here you go.
There's a change in Chicago
for Raleigh.
You leave them girls
alone now, hear?
So long, rainbow.
I'm sorry.
Bingo, we got our backs
up against the wall,
no place to go.
What do you say we get back in the
car and go on back where we come from?
It's all over, man.
I guess you're right, Leon.
How 'bout I meet y'all back here 'bout a
half hour? I got somethin' I gotta do first.
Here, have somethin' to eat
on me.
Where're you goin'?
What was that you once told me about
seizin' the means of production?
It'll cost ya four.
Come on, Lars.
Let's have some change
out of there.
Here you go. You callin'?
All right, we're all in.
Okay. Big king, big
ten, pair of sevens.
I'll bet a half.
It'll cost you 75 cents to stay, Lars.
Let's see what you got there.
Sure enough.
You've just got coons
in your garbage.
Down in the torture chambers,
flash and his friends...
Have been put to work stoking the
great furnaces of the hawk men.
Seize the means of production?
Sweet Jesus!
That poor child's gonna get hisself
lynched. What's the matter, Leon?
Nothin', unless they done
already got bingo treed.
C'mon. C'mon, c'mon.
Step on it. Wait, Leon.
We comin'!
It's adventure time
with little orphan Annie.
Hey, boss, don't you do it!
Stick 'em up, jazzbo.
There!
Damn it, gleason. Hit him!
A fiery horse with
the speed of light.
A cloud of dust, and a hearty heigh-silver!
The lone ranger.
No wonder this team is... breakin' up?
Go get 'em!
...with his faithful
Indian companion Tonto,
the daring and resourceful masked rider of
the plains led the fight for law and order.
From out of a pass come the thundering
hoofbeats of the great horse silver!
Carl, ain't that your car?
It's a goddamn conspiracy!
Come on, silver.
Heigh-silver! Away!
A mile a minute!
Hell, you'll never catch that v-12.
Don't shoot! I surrender!
Get in quick.
It's only me, you dope.
Gimme the damn thing. C'mon!
Goddamn! What is this?
There's something wrong.
There's a lot of smoke in the car.
No shit!
Don't you love to squirm
in this upholstery?
Feel that pickup. There's more than
a squirrel in the barrel up front.
Here comes our ride, boys.
Gleason, I don't think
they saw you.
We scared the hell out of 'em!
Shit!
You had no business stealin' this car.
Seize the means of production, my ass!
Leon, I'm just gettin'
my own back.
This ain't no '34 Ford with the
bearings shot. Don't I know it.
It's got a radio too.
Bingo, you stole a car.
You know what that make you?
A grand larcenist.
I done what I had to do to keep
this team from goin' under.
Sallie locked us out;
We play the white teams.
He steal our company box,
and we put up our own shares.
Now, he cut up one
of our boys and...
So, it was sallie
took care of Charlie.
I was gonna tell you, Leon.
Honest I was.
But being the leader,
I gotta keep this team together.
And you get real ornery
sometimes.
Rochester? Gee,
that's a peculiar name.
- How did you get that?
- I was born in Syracuse.
Hey, Leon. Look here.
Hey, buddy, how 'bout a ride?
Hey! Hey!
I tell you, you really get all riled
up, don't you, Leon?
Hey!
Listen.
If that other car bothers you so
much, why don't you get in this one?
You oughtn't be walkin'
around on that foot.
- I ain't goin' your way, bingo.
- What you talkin' 'bout?
This team started out
with high ideals.
Now we lyin' to each other and
stealin' cars. I done had it.
You mean you leavin' the all-stars
to go back and play with the masters?
No, I ain't doin' that neither.
I'm retiring.
I don't want to see another baseball the
rest of my life... Nor a bat, nor a glove.
The great Leon Carter
windin' up a quitter!
You ain't no better
than Walter murchman.
- You're rilin' me, loudmouth.
- That ain't all I'm gonna do.
Man, get off! Bingo!
I ain't startin', you fool!
Get outta the way, man!
Man! You is the fool...
To end all fools.
We'll see who the fool is,
you baboon!
Go ahead.
Hey, can I get a ride?
Thank you, sir.
Go ahead! All right, go ahead!
I's overcome with joy. I don't
have to see your ugly face no more.
Get out!
You're over the hill anyway.
We'll find somebody
twice as good as you.
How do you like this here?
Put it right here.
Ol' boy can't hit nohow.
Let's do it! Let's do it!
How do you like this here?
How do you like this over here?
Come on. Play ball!
What about right here?
Right down the center, baby.
What'd you say?
All right, come on.
- Let's go, baby!
- Come on now.
He's out!
All-stars.
Wait a minute!
Hold it, goddamn it. Everybody!
I didn't come here
for no goddamn brawl.
All right, boy, let's talk.
Do me like you did rainbow.
Your team's
fallin' to pieces, bingo.
And the owners is willin'
to bail you out.
We even took care of that
stolen car business for ya.
We gonna let y'all back in the leagues
on your old teams for the same salary.
Tell you what. You come back this week,
there'll be a little extra dough in it for you.
And a bonus for the rest of the boys.
Free funerals.
You barkin' up
the wrong tree, fat man.
This team ain't about to fold up.
All right, bingo.
Make you another offer.
Your all-stars against mine.
One big game down in St. Louis.
People'd pay a pretty penny
to see that one.
Are you offering us a guarantee
or a percentage? Better than that.
You beat my all-stars, you can come
back in the league as your own team.
Official? Official.
Chance for your boys
to be respectable.
But if you lose,
you all return to your old teams.
You play out the rest of this season
and all the next at half salary.
We got a game?
Sallie, sallie, sallie.
You still the same old snake
you always was.
Have we got a game?
Yeah, we got a game.
And we gonna win too. Easy.
We got a game.
Leon, you there?
Leon! Come on! Hit the ball!
Strike two!
You stand there like a dummy.
Hit the ball! C'mon! Hit it!
Hit it!
Out! Man, that was no out.
What do you mean, that wasn't no out?
You was out by a mile.
So you don't wanna see another baseball the
rest of your life, nor a bat nor a glove?
What you want, bingo?
You seen this?
I ain't seen nothin' but.
That poster must be
on every wall in St. Louis.
This is it, Leon. A chance to
say good-bye to barnstormin'...
And get back in the league as our
own men; Equal pay for equal play.
You still slicin' that same baloney,
but it's still too hard to swallow.
I shouldn't have lied to you; I
should've never stole that car.
That's grand larceny.
I don't want it no more. Strike!
I don't want it no more.
Good-bye, packard.
You must think I'm dumb.
Them the keys to your old Ford.
Strike two! The all-stars
can't do it without you, Leon.
I'm begging you to come back and help
us whup the owners once and for all.
What if we lose?
If we lose, I'm quitting the game.
Strike three! There's nothin' that
can make me work for sallie again.
Nothin'!
Even potatoes is better.
Leon, you and me...
We can't lose.
All right, all right! Hey!
Bingo, I'm enjoyin' my retirement too
much to worry about that old can of beans,
but if I change my mind between now
and game time, I might see ya there.
Yeah! Now you feelin'
the spirit!
We got some future all-stars out there.
You take care of them boys.
I'll see you at the ballpark.
All right, Leon?
All right.
Foul ball!
Hey, bingo!
Where the hell's Leon?
Don't worry. He'll be here.
We shook hands on it.
Hey, fat Sam!
Hey, bingo! Hey, bingo!
Get your peanuts, popcorn,
cracker Jacks, hot dogs, cold beer!
Rainbow! Rainbow, is that really you?
Yeah, it's me.
Looky there! It's rainbow!
Popcorn, y'all!
You're talking!
Tell us what happened.
I was on that bus to Raleigh.
You told me don't get in no pinochle game.
So I played gin rummy instead.
I got into a lot more than I could pay.
When we got to chattanooga, they took
me off the bus, knocked me in my head.
I woke up, felt my pocket and I knew.
"I ain't got no money. Where my money at?"
And I said, "help, help!
I been robbed."
And I been talkin' ever since.
I liked you better the old way.
The negro national league has
never seen anything like this.
The bingo long all-stars take
the field to give us fans...
A little pregame show in the barnstorming
tradition that made them famous.
If they win here today,
they'll gain a regular spot in the league:
A contest unprecedented
in the history of negro ball.
Sallie Potter, this is
the dumbest deal ever made.
The league ain't got no room
for no nine teams.
That's a problem we ain't gonna
have to face, blubberpuss.
Now, with the new additions
to our team...
And the deletions to bingo's,
the game is in the bag.
- What if Leon Carter shows up?
- You take it from me.
Much chance of that
as you wakin' up skinny!
What you think happened to Leon?
Don't worry. He'll make it.
He probably had a late night
rollin' with pearline.-
Isaac!
Please, lord!
Invite pitch! Invite pitch!
Invite pitch! Invite pitch!
Invite pitch! Invite pitch!
- Who...
- Who...
- Gonna hit...
- Gonna hit...
- My...
- My...
Invite pitch?
Invite pitch?
Look at this!
Heading up the batting order...
Walter murchman, who used
to play for the all-stars.
Story goes he quit in some fight
over working conditions.
And here he is to face
his former teammates...
And the world-famous
invite pitch.
Bingo,
where's your gorilla suit?
Easy.
The boss knowed you was gonna
get that last-minute itch.
Sweet Jesus.
Smart ass!
I got him.
C'mon, big fella.
It's all right.
Sit down.
Try to relax, Mr. Carter.
You gonna be here all afternoon.
Give you somethin'
to listen to, Mr. Carter.
Don't get no ideas.
We be right outside.
And so, ladies and gentlemen,
no hits, no runs, no errors.
And the bingo long all-stars go down
one, two, three in the first.
All right, c'mon, bingo.
Nice and easy.
All right, c'mon, bingo!
Come to me now.
Here we go now. Let's go get 'im.
Let's go get 'im.
Go get it, Joe!
That a baby, Joe!
So that's Calloway. Yes, sir.
And he's only 19.
Hey, honey. Mack, how's it goin'?
All right.
What you boys doin' here?
We come down for the deceased.
Okay, but be quick. Okay.
...the shortstop
who's batting 0 for 14.
This year his average
is holding at .204.
Bingo looks for the...
Honey, get in here!
The ball is hit.
It's a hard grounder. Goddamn!
No way he could've gotten out.
Bet he's in here.
The score remains one to nothing. That
brings the bingo long all-stars up to bat.
They surely miss the services of Leon Carter,
perhaps the league's heaviest hitter.
I called everybody.
No one's seen him.
All right, Sam.
Don't worry about it.
He's comin'. He's on his way to
the stadium right this minute.
He'll have some story to
tell, won't he?
It's the last of the seventh.
He ain't showin' up.
I bet sallie done
paid him money to stay away.
He said he was comin'. He promised me.
He ain't corruptible.
Leon never let nobody down, and I
don't want that thought in your mind.
Let go! Turn me loose, Louis!
C'mon, Sam! C'mon!
Strike three, and you're out!
After 7 and one half innings,
it's the negro league two,
the bingo long all-stars
nothing.
Come on out, Mr. Carter.
Hide-and-seek is over.
We mourn this wonderful lady.
Her spirit moves
through this room...
Yeah. At this very minute.
Come on.
I ain't no Charlie snow.
The negro league all-stars have
reached bingo long for ten hits now.
The fire seems to have
gone out of his fastball.
What happened? Lose your arm
pitchin' potatoes?
Who's that? Walt murchman again?
Bingo long is in real trouble.
Top of the ninth, two outs.
And the bases are loaded with the
negro league power hitter up to bat.
If he connects, it could be all
over for the bingo long all-stars.
They say you
a pretty fair hitter.
So they says!
Well, hit this.
Strike!
I love it!
There goes the wallop!
It's a long ball!
It's going, going... foul!
Foul ball.
Out by a few, short feet.
Bingo long seems
to have lost his stuff.
Get him outta there! This is it.
The catcher's running out to the mound.
This may be the last we see...
Of this exhausted pitcher today.
Don't worry, Isaac.
He just caught a lucky one.
Your arm's goin' out.
I'm comin' in to relieve you.
You tryin' to tell me my vanish
ball won't go right by him?
Your vanish ball disappeared the middle of
the fifth innin'. No, it didn't, goddamn it!
It's so fast, it burned
the atoms off the leather.
It attained the speed of light. It tend
to disappear when approachin' the plate!
Okay. But if you don't get him
out this time, I'm comin' in.
Lord, I can feel
that woman's flab already.
Here we go, bingo.
Magic time, baby. Magic time.
Me and you now.
Me and you, bingo.
Bingo's calling in the outfield.
I don't believe it!
A full count, bases loaded
and he's calling in his team.
Bingo long is wagering the future of his
team on this one, single, solitary pitch.
Come on, bingo. Let's sink this.
I'm with ya, baby.
Let's go, now.
Come on, bingo. Let's go!
Old fat sam'll bail you out
if it come down this way.
You can get him! Be tough!
Be tough, bingo! Come on!
Here we go!
Out!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Way to go, bingo!
We needed them insurance runs,
sallie.
The game is over. The rebels
'bout to breathe their last gasp.
We gonna win this game anyway!
Yeah! Come on, Sam!
Premiums as low
as ten cents a week.
Don't let your family
be embarrassed.
On that final day,
let us put you away.
What's the score?
What's the score?
Sallie done it, bingo.
I was on my way.
I knew you was comin'. Everybody
else was carryin' on, but I was cool.
Am I up?
You pinch-hittin' for Isaac.
You get us a home run now!
Who's next? Batter up!
Get somebody up here!
Come on, Mr. Carter.
Here's your hickory, Mr. Carter.
What's the matter with you?
Cat got your tongue?
Gimme a touch for luck! Yea!
Come on, Leon!
Hit one! You can do it!
Can't trust nobody nowadays.
Ball one!
Ball two!
Ball three!
Well, you big hippo!
You was always saying,
"let's book a game with the all-stars."
It was you who wagered to give 'em
a spot in the negro national league.
- Woman!
- Well, you just did. You give 'em your spot.
My spot?
Woman, you can't do that.
Hah! Tell her, boys.
It's already done.
It were unanimous.
Come on, boys!
Who won?
Buenos dias, Carlos Nevada!
- ¿Como esta, amigo?
- No more of that Spanish stuff.
I was stupid tryin' to break into
the white leagues as a spaniard.
- You gonna play for us again?
- Sure I am! Soon as I get my big break.
How, kemo sabe!
Make'big wampum.
From now on, I'm known
as chief takahoma.
That means "tomahawk"
in mohican.
You the original smoke signal.
Boy, you niggers played
your ass off today!
Hey, esquire Joe!
Esquire Joe! Esquire Joe!
Nice game! Esquire Joe!
Esquire Joe!
You okay? I'm okay.
All right then.
You in the league now!
I love you, esquire.
Mr. Long, there's a man outside.
Hold it. What?
There's a man outside...
Who runs the Brooklyn Dodgers!
He heard a lot about me,
so he come down and have a looky see.
He wants me to go off and
play on some white farm club.
He say if I'm good,
he's gonna put me onto a team.
A white team?
He said we gonna break
that color line.
The white team is takin' on the kid!
That's what he told us.
All right! Yeah! All right!
That's a whole lot of crap, man.
Ain't no big league gonna
sign no colored for no money!
They're lyin' to you, boy.
No, they ain't! No, they ain't!
Shoot, bingo, be glad for him!
Anybody goin' up,
Joe a good one!
Shit! Goddamn!
Goddamn.
But a rookie like you?
I thought I'd better come down
and see you first, Mr. Long.
You know, sorta ask your permission.
Permission?
Yes, sir.
Well...
You got it. You got it.
Give 'em hell, Joe. Yeah, Joe.
Mr. Long, you always was
real good to me.
I done learned a lot,
and I ain't gonna never forget it.
Go get 'em,
esquire Joe Calloway, sir!
Ain't that a bitch?
They takin' negroes now, and I'm an Indian.
Go ahead. Git!
Go get 'em, Joe! Esquire Joe!
Sic 'em! Sic 'em!
Esquire Joe! Esquire Joe!
Sic 'em! Sic 'em!
Esquire Joe! Esquire Joe!
After all them years
and all that double-talk,
the white man finally movin' in.
Shit, I don't care.
We gonna rule the league now.
Yeah, just as long as the league's
still here. What that supposed to mean?
Ain't no black folks gonna
pay to see us play no more,
not when they can see kids like
esquire playin' with the white boys.
No, no, no. That's
the end of negro ball.
When they see Joe do his stuff,
they gonna be comin' back for some mo'.
They like him,
they gonna love us!
I'm afraid not, good buddy. They like
a new kind of colored player now,
and we ain't 19 no more.
Hell, that's okay!
We in the league now.
We the pinnacle
of baseball creation.
Come on, bingo. Calm down.
Can't you see it, Leon?
This is all ours.
We gonna set it right.
New paint!
And a new scoreboard with a giant
picture of you on the left...
And one of me on the right.
And free hair curlers and
ten-cent cigars every Tuesday!
Nigger, you're crazy.
I don't know. Maybe you got somethin'
in your fuzzy head after all.
Big business now?
Twi-night doubleheaders.
That's it, Leon! And a new sign.
A new sign
that blinks all night.
The bingo long
traveling all-stars...
And motor kings!
Starring Leon Carter. Yeah!
Leon.
You know somethin'?
It's you and me, Leon.
We can't never lose.
Never.