The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 4, Episode 3 - The Fighter - full transcript

JOHN-BOY: When I was growing
up during the Great Depression,

I often marveled at the road which
connected us with the rest of the world

and which brought us
friends and strangers.

The road afforded
us our isolation

and at the same
time provided a link

with the rapidly
changing cities.

Here on Walton's Mountain
there was a "Y" in the road

where a fateful decision was
to be made by a new friend,

a decision that was to
involve the entire family.

Wish we had more
time for a chat, Verdie.

Me, too.



How long is Harley
gonna be away?

Well, he's not due
back for a week or so.

Okay, watch out, Jim-Bob.

This is gonna be
a real good one.

Come on, Erin. Throw the ball.

Thanks again for the jam.
We're really gonna enjoy it.

You're welcome.

Time to go, Jody.

Oh, Mom, we just got here!

You heard me.

Mrs. Foster, when can Jody
come back for a real game?

When Jody does
his chores. Come on.

Goodbye. Bye-bye. Bye, Jody.

Jim-Bob, you better
go to your Daddy.



He's not in a good mood.
He needs some help. Now.

No time to play anymore.

I'll take that,
Mr. Schubert. Hmm?

Oh, they working? Yes.

Okay.

(SIGHS)

It's about time. More
work out of Reckless here.

Come on, I'll set you up in
the mill, you can help Ben.

Look at that old dog.

She's dreaming she's
out hunting again.

GRANDPA: Probably running
a cottontail or treeing a raccoon.

If your daddy wasn't
keeping such an eye on me

I'd lay right down alongside
her and go off dreaming myself.

Look at her. She's
dreaming she's in heaven

and every cloud is
a fleecy white rabbit.

♪ Old shep he is gone

♪ Where good doggies go

♪ And no more with
old shep will I roam

♪ But if there's a heaven,
I know where she'll go

♪ Old shep has a
wonderful home ♪

Can I get any work
out of anybody today?

One little song lightens
the heart and the workday.

JOHN-BOY: You will get those in.

What do you want done?

(BARKING)

Easy, girl, easy, easy.

Ah, that's a good girl, yeah.

Reckless is as harmless
as an old hen without teeth.

You just surprised her.

JOHN: You sure know
how to gentle a dog.

Yeah, we got dogs in Richmond.
Mean and lean and hungry ones.

Yeah.

Ain't no places like
this where I've been.

Walton's Mountain?

JOHN-BOY: Sure putting
on quite a show today.

GRANDPA: Yeah.

Mr. John Walton? That's me.

James Trevis Clark. I saw
your notice in the general store.

"Help wanted. Hard work."
Mr. Godsey gave me directions.

I'm looking for hard work,

to blow the soot and factory
fumes out of my system.

Your pipes don't appear
to be too clogged-up.

Most anybody run from

Ike Godsey to here would be puffing
and heaving like a broken-winded mule.

My father, Zeb Walton,
my son, John-Boy Walton.

GRANDPA: James.

You run all the way
from Richmond?

Right smart of it.

You know, I was
thinking of hiring a local.

Drifters always coming from
somewhere and going somewhere else.

Yeah, this is
where I want to be.

GRANDPA: John, we
could do with some help.

It's hard work hauling
logs, chopping them to size.

Give it to me.

Let's try it for
a day. I pay $2.

Clean these logs off here.

Ever swing an axe before?

Give me one and I'll show you.

No, thank you.

You sure are strong.
What you do, lift weights?

I have.

Well, that's it for today.

$2, well earned.

The job's yours
tomorrow if you want it.

I appreciate that, Mr. Walton,

but, uh, instead of cash money,

I would be obliged
for room and keep.

I looked over the
barn. Do just fine.

It's yours if you want it.

I prefer being alone and taking
my meals alone, if nobody minds.

A man has a
right to his privacy.

You enjoy your work, for someone
who seems to have his mind elsewhere.

Yeah, this is a place of
many horizons, John-Boy.

What're you thinking?

Just wonder what he's after.

Said he was after privacy.

That's what he said.

(RECKLESS BARKING)

Morning! Morning.

Good morning, ladies! Morning.

I wonder what he's doing running
through the woods at the crack of dawn.

I don't know.

Do you think he'll have the
strength to put in a full day's work?

Hey, that's quite a beat.

Keeps you on your toes.

(LAUGHING)

What's he doing?

MARY ELLEN:
What does it look like?

Can I try? Sure.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Come on, Elizabeth.

Here, let me try.

No, come on! Come
on, let me try it!

Let me... Give it!

Break, break! That's enough!
Back to work. You got chores to do.

Come on, that's
enough. I wanted to try.

Skipping rope is
for little children.

I'll see you there.

See you later. Okay.

Suppose after we're finished with our
chores you could show me those steps?

Sure thing. Me, too.
And I'll bring my own rope.

All right.

Well, I best be moving my
logs before I loose my job.

Nice fancy pair of
shoes you got there.

Nice footwork, too.

But tell me if I was wrong. Uh, is
"break" the correct word to use?

I mean, isn't that what
they say when the bell rings?

John-Boy, just what is going on?

James is in training.

He's a fighter. What?

A fist fighter? Are you sure?

Well, of course, look at
it. It all figures, doesn't it?

The cross-country running, the
fresh air, the fancy footwork, the shoes.

He's in training.

Well, what do you know, a
pugilist on Walton's Mountain.

No wonder he
didn't like my food.

He's... He's had his
brains shook loose.

It's got nothing to do
with your food, Grandma.

He's a prizefighter. He's
got to watch his weight.

Just look at it this way, you two
are running a training camp kitchen.

John-Boy, that is not amusing.

He's setting a bad
example for our children.

GRANDMA: It's bad enough being a fighter,
but it's sinful to take money for it.

Many is a bare-knuckle fight
I've had out behind the barry dance

and mostly over you, Esther.

Oh, I didn't like it then
and I sure don't like it now.

I think I'll go out to the barn

and give James a few pointers
on the manly art of self-defense.

Come on, Pa.

John, you hired him. Now, how do
you feel about harboring a fistfighter?

John, it is upsetting. He
didn't tell us his real mission.

I feel like we're being used.

John! Say something.

Well, Liv, James is a good
worker, doesn't cost us much,

lightens the load
for the rest of us.

Hey, Mama, you know something?

I'll bet there's a story here.
A story for the newspaper.

All I got to do is find out a little
bit about James' background,

his drives, his ambitions. I'll bet
they'd buy it for the sports page.

I thought you'd set your sights
higher than the sports page.

What about Grantland Rice? He became
famous writing about sport champions.

Bill Tilden, Helen Wills, Bobby
Jones and Jack Dempsey.

Come in.

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

Hey.

Oh.

Hard on the fists.

(CHUCKLING)

You sure make friends fast.

Well, this is a friendly place.

If I wanted to do a story on you as a
fighter, what would you say to that?

For instance, what
makes you a fighter?

In this almighty world,

if you've got burdens, you
work them away, don't you?

You let all that energy out.

Like working in
the cotton fields

or the docks at Newport News.

Knocking people's brains out.

Look, I'm a stringer for
the Jefferson County News,

so that's why I'm... You
know. But I'm interested.

I... I'd like to know
what makes a likeable

and apparently
peaceful fellow like you

who's managed to endear
himself to everybody

from Grandpa all the way
down to Reckless, here,

except for Grandma, her
nose is out of joint. Oh.

Yeah.

The fried potatoes. Uh-huh.

I should have taken them
and given them to the chicken.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Anyway, I'm interested
in you and, uh... Uh-huh.

Well, could you at least tell me a
little bit about where you come from?

Richmond. City of 55,000 of my
people in miserable tenements.

You ever been there?

I have only driven
through the slums. Hmm.

Most drive around, they
don't want to know it's there.

The street was our
playground and social center.

For the young, life was
dangerous, meaningless.

Then out of street brawls I
discovered the dynamite in my fists.

I saw what Jesse Owens was
doing in track. The "Buckeye Bullet."

And I decided to lift
myself out of the slums.

Escape the quickest
way possible, sports.

Like Joe Louis, huh?

Joe Louis.

Joe Louis made us feel like something
when he knocked out Max Baer.

A religious feeling.

My people poured
out into the streets,

laughing and shouting and
shaking hands with strangers.

I've got dynamite in me.
And it started with my fists.

You got a fight coming up?

My return to Richmond, my
hometown, a week from Friday.

Got to line up a manager,
and a stool-and-bucket man.

I thought you
escaped out of there.

No, it's not back to
the slums, John-Boy.

This is my big fight.

A purse fight, winner take all!

I've club-fought from
Baltimore to Washington, D.C.

In Baltimore you couldn't beat
a hometowner with a hammer.

And I hope to get a fair
fight in my own hometown.

Might not be too easy.

What do you mean?

Speaking of fair, when
you first came here

you said all you wanted
was fresh air and hard work.

Mama thinks you're using this
place as a training camp. Is that fair?

It's fair, John-Boy. You
get an honest day's work,

and I get to train in
some clean air. It's fair.

You're honest about it.

Any final word for
the waiting world?

Yeah, John-Boy. I'm gonna win.

Write that.

JOHN-BOY: Here, James.

Ben, come on, throw it
to me. Come on, Ben...

Jim-Bob, burn it
right. JIM-BOB: Here.

Erin, stretch out and catch
the ball with your hand.

Here we go now.

Like that? Perfect. Perfect.

It's unladylike.

Now, Esther, woman wasn't made
to ride sidesaddle all of her life.

Now you're an
authority on women?

From afar and near.

I almost got you.

Yeah, you catch on quick.
You're a pretty good ball player.

We're all pretty
good ball players.

Great, because
girls' softball teams

are becoming a big
thing in the cities.

Oh, yeah? Yeah. They're
wearing snazzy uniforms,

drawing big crowds
and making big money.

John, I just don't
like what's happening.

Times change, Liv.

Remember that picture of the
NRA girls parading up New York City

in shorts with eagles
painted on their backs?

I burnt that picture in 1933.

I can close my eyes now
and see those NRA girls

prancing around
with their long legs.

Oh, you're a wicked old man.

Why, thank you, Esther.

James, what field do you want
me to play? Left, center or right?

Play all three, Jody. You're an
all-around athlete, aren't you?

Whatever you say, coach.

Well, let's get that
game going, huh? Yeah.

Jason, you catch and
Elizabeth, you'll be up first.

Okay, come on.
All right, let's go.

I'll be third. Here we go.

Hats on. All right, here
we go. Here we go.

ERIN: Here we go, right here.

Come on, James,
burn it in here, boy.

ERIN: Come on.
Wait. Wait, wait, wait.

Now, you, uh, just

cock the bat back here,
right? Stay right here.

Raise your arm and swing
flat so you can hit the ball.

All right? Okay.

Come on, look alive. Look
alive. All right, here we go.

All right. Come on, Elizabeth.

Go! Run!

JAMES: Safe! Attagirl!

(PIANO PLAYING)

Excuse me.

John-Boy, is James'
fight gonna be broadcast?

I reckon. It's the main event.

The Richmond
station will broadcast it.

We have our regular
programs to listen to.

Liv, we got to listen to
how James makes out.

John, we're not
tuning in that fight.

Now, you and Ma and the girls can
go upstairs and occupy yourselves

like you did the time the boys came
over to listen to the Louis-Baer fight.

Something happens to
men when two other men

try to knock each other senseless
for money. Even you, John.

GRANDMA: All we could hear
upstairs was stomping and hollering

like bloodthirsty Comanches.

I'm convinced somebody
brought a bottle.

Not one of our friends, Esther.

You were stomping
and hollering worst of all.

I... I swear you had a skinful.

Oh, no. No, Esther, not
a skinful. Just a snoot full.

And the rest will be bottled
when we make enough.

Jason, that tune is
getting on my nerves.

My Tattoo Blues? Listen.

Can't you just see James'
footwork and shadow boxing.

(SIGHS)

What happened to the
composition you were working on

for the Kleinberg Conservatory?

Mama, before I was just imitating
the old masters, but this is mine.

Instead of some dull exercises,
my... my fingers are springy.

For heaven's sake.

Daddy, suppose I could save
up and buy some boxing gloves?

Instead of an aviator, I'm
going to become a fighter.

You, a fighter?
Jim-Bob, you're too puny.

Size isn't everything. They
have all kinds of weights.

Flyweight on up. It
says so right here.

Charles Atlas! Gimme that!

"The 97-pound weakling who became
the world's most perfectly-developed man."

(ALL CLAMORING) JIM-BOB:
Mary Ellen, you give me that!

Easy, stop. Hey, Jim-Bob,
you forgot your biceps.

Now stop it.

John!

JOHN: Okay, come on. Let's go.

I will not have this house turned
upside down because of a prizefighter.

"If a man gouges out another man's
eye, he must pay with his own eye."

Wonder what he thinks about
the Law of Moses. "If a tooth..."

If you don't tell him to move
on, to move out of our lives, I will!

JOHN: Liv, he's a good worker.

I have nothing against
him, it's what he does!

All right, all right, all right.

It means that much
to you, I'll talk to him.

It does.

Especially if you're going
to quote the Bible on me.

JAMES: "And David girded
his sword upon his armor,

"And David said unto
Saul, I cannot go with these

"for I have not proved them.

"And David put them off him.

"And he took his
staff in his hand,

"and chose him five smooth
stones out of the brook,

"and put them in
his shepherd's bag..."

(JAMES HUMMING)

And he walked down the brooks
of the Himalayan mountains.

And he moved on down the Nile.

"And his sling was in his hand,

(MOOING) "and he drew
near to the giant Philistine.

"But Goliath saw David,
and he disdained him,

"for he was but a
youth. (HUMMING)

"The Philistine cursed David by
his gods and said, come to me,

"and I will give thy flesh
to the fowls of the airs,

"and to the
beasts of the fields.

"Then said David, thou comest to me
with a sword and a spear and a shield.

"But I come to thee in the
name of the Lord God of Hosts,

"the God of the Armies of
Israel, Whom thou hast defied,

"for the battle is
the Lord God's.

"And this day will the Lord
deliver thee into mine hand,

"and I will smite thee.

"And all this
assembly shall know

"that the Lord saveth
not with sword and spear.

"And it came to pass..."

I'd like to talk to him.

"David put his hand in his bag

"and then took out
a stone, and slang it,

"and smote the Philistine."

Yeah.

ERIN: What happened, Mama?

James and I talked.

Seems he wants to use the prize money
to build his own country church here.

He has the call to preach. What?

There goes the best
worker I ever hired.

The call to preach?

That defies belief. A
fistfighter with a call?

He has it, Grandma. He
wants to help his own people.

I don't believe it.

You ought to be the one
with the journalism scholarship.

You got more out
of him than I did.

Then he can stay?

I wish James would
stay just the way he is.

And what is that, Elizabeth?

Mmm, fun. Teaching you things
when you don't even know it.

Besides, I don't like
church much anyways.

Elizabeth Walton,
well, that's blasphemy!

To think that I would live to see a
grandchild of mine say such things.

Don't look at me, Ma.
It's not my department.

Well, it is mine and you'd better
change your attitude, young lady.

Well, the kids always
have to sit up front.

Well, that's to keep you
out of trouble and awake.

Yeah, but when you sit up front,

the preacher just looks right over
your head and looks at the grown-ups.

And talks over your head, too.

Careful, young 'uns. The walls of
Jericho'll come tumbling down on you.

John, it seems that James
needs an honest manager

to help him have a fair fight.

John-Boy, will you drive
James into Richmond tomorrow?

I got my work
here cut out for me.

Sure, I'd like that.

Good morning,
John-Boy. Morning, Verdie.

Have you seen Jody around?

Well, you find James
and you'll find Jody.

(LAUGHING) I know!

Jody hasn't been able
to talk about anybody else

since James came
to the Mountain.

He has made his presence felt.

Teaching Jody how to
field and run the bases.

I'd like to meet James.

Well, come on.

All right, Jody, now.
Don't pull the punches!

Come on, come on. That's it.

Come on, hit me, hit me.

Jody! Yes, Mama?

Jody, you go home!

Uh, James, this is Mrs.
Foster, Jody's mama.

It's a pleasure.
Teaching my boy to fight!

Verdie, James'
fighting has a purpose.

Jody, you heard me! Home!

You don't have to be
so hard on him, ma'am.

He... He just needs one
big fight to help his people.

My people have come further
than a bear and bull in a pit!

Why would they wanna pay to
see you or anybody else fight?

To see you beaten to a pulp!

Verdie, this is crazy! Crazy!
You're just blowing off steam.

He thinks he's helping Jody.

John-Boy, you
taught me how to read.

And you helped bring my
husband and Jody and me together,

but that kind of
help we don't need.

Verdie, I feel the same way
about prizefighting you do.

But after this one fight James
is gonna be working for the Lord.

He's gonna make a church

for the people who've been
meeting in your house all this time.

I will not accept blood
money in the name of the Lord!

I'm surprised at you,
Olivia, taking the devil's side.

What's your interest
in this, Walton?

I'm a friend.

I'd like to see that he gets a
good manager and a fair fight.

He's got the fight. I booked it.

With the Comet Kid.

Hmm.

Uh, local favorite?

Hometowner?

What are you, a wise guy?

I told you, I'm a friend.

He needs a manager,
he needs a corner man.

Leave all that to me.
I'll sign him, Benny.

Hi. Sam Mumford.

John Walton. Nice to know you.

Bring him into my office.

Hi, kid, I'm your new manager.

Now, you let me do the
talking and the thinking.

You do the fighting,
and we come up winners.

Come on, let's go.

Now, I don't want no
misunderstandings.

Winner take all.

That always gets a
big play in the press.

Well, winner take all, but
the loser gets expenses.

Manager, corner man, meals.

When you lose, you get expenses.

What is this?

Hey, look, Walton,
you're from the woods.

There's going to be a lot of
heavy betting on this fight,

and I wouldn't want nobody to
make any mistakes in judgment.

Mr. Rafferty, I ain't
never been set up.

Hey, look. You better have a
private talk with your manager.

Sam, this fight is booked.

I gave my word. No mistakes.

Please?

You're good, kid.
Sweet-looking good.

But the last time I heard that
speech from Benny Rafferty,

the fighter who wasn't
supposed to win and did...

Well, him and his manager
got jumped, beaten up

and dumped in an
outbound boxcar.

You know, kid. You been there.

No! I ain't never been
there. And I ain't going there.

You said you'd sign him.

You can't sign a fighter
with a broken arm!

We went to find a manager
for James and, uh...

Mama, it's gonna
take a little explaining.

In fact, I don't really
know if I can explain it right.

But we went to find
a manager and I, uh...

Your son, me, the
writer, is the manager.

GRANDMA: Good Lord.

John-Boy, I don't think
I like the sound of that.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

John-Boy.

Um, John-Boy, I've been
fighting on my own before.

Sort of a loner, as you
can see. Mmm-hmm.

And I'm better off
without a manager.

And you really don't need
to go to the fight. Really.

Well, I know I don't
know much about fighting.

But, I was thinking about
going to the library tomorrow

and taking out a book
on it. Maybe I can...

A book has not been written

that can tell you how to be a
manager or a fighter. So, forget it.

Hey... Hmm?

Your manager
says it's time for bed.

All right, John-Boy,
you're on your own.

What's going on, John?

Uh... Look, Daddy.

I, uh... I didn't want to make
Mama nervous or anything,

but the truth is that the manager
ran out because there was a threat

to hurt James if
he wins the fight.

Is there a threat to
hurt the manager, too?

Well, I didn't want
to worry you, either.

Pa, it looks like you and
me ought to go to this fight.

Pick up Ike, too.

Zack, too. He'd be terribly upset
if he knew something's going on

and we didn't include him in.

(EXHALING)

What I don't know about
being a fight manager...

All right, son, we'll
be in your corner.

Haven't picked up a bucket or
a stool since I was in the Army.

I surely wish those city
softies would take us on!

(GRUNTING)

You all right, Pa?

Uh, my galloping gout's
caught up in the rheumatism.

But I'll be all right
the day of the fight.

All right.

Hi.

Thought you might
need an extra blanket.

Well, thanks, Jim-Bob.

It does feel like
a two-dog night.

How do you think they'll announce
you in the ring tomorrow night?

Why?

Joe Louis is "The Brown Bomber."

So I came up with one for you.

You like to get your fights
over with your one-two punch.

How about "Boom Boom"?

James Trevis Clark.

Your fight name? My name.

Oh, I see what you mean. You
like to be called James Trevis.

I like to be called James
Robert every now and then.

Night.

Thanks for the
blanket, James Robert.

(WIND BLOWING)

You about ready to turn in?

Shortly.

What have you got there?
Where did you get that?

Oh, well, Elizabeth
gave it to me.

She said it was some
stories you wrote.

It's, uh, sort of a thing I... I was
trying to write something up for, uh,

Elizabeth's Sunday
school class. Um...

You know, sort of
simplified Bible stories.

I... I'd take the verses and re-write
them to make them easy to understand.

"Christ and the Children.

"Whoever receives one little
child in My name, receiveth Me.

"But, whoever offends one of
these little ones who believe in Me

"far better for him that a millstone
be hanged around his neck,

"and that he be drowned
in the depth of the sea."

See, I... I asked
her to draw a picture

of what she thought a millstone
would look like around a fellow's neck.

Look at that sinner
going down into the sea.

Oh, that's been a long
time ago. I forgot all about it.

Good night. Good night.

So now you're a manager. Yeah.

What is it like? No complaints.

Working with a winner.

Get some sleep.

Morning.

Morning. Breakfast.

I'm rereading them.

How much sleep
did you get last night?

Huh? Some.

I can't believe it.

You train like a crazy man

and then you stay up the
whole night before the fight

just reading Bible
stories for children.

I thought I had
power in my fists.

This is power.
Words. Your words.

Words to give young people
great lessons from the Bible.

Yeah?

Well, words ain't your
weapons tonight, James.

Good evening, sports fans.

Direct from the Richmond Arena,

this is Billy Walker
bringing you the main event.

Ten rounds of boxing.

Tonight, The Comet Kid, a
popular favorite here in Richmond,

is being challenged by the up
and coming James Trevis Clark,

The Ebony Flash.

Clark is coming
into the ring now.

(PEOPLE BOOING)

Give him a chance.

What do I do now?
Take off my robe.

How you feeling?
I'm just fine. Just fine.

(PEOPLE APPLAUDING)

Put the robe on. Okay.

What do I do now? Nothing.

ANNOUNCER ON RADIO: Here
comes The Comet Kid down the aisle.

No. This isn't The Kid. There
must be a last minute change.

Stand by for your ring announcer,
Howling Harvey Slocum.

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

That's not The Comet Kid we saw!

Hey, Daddy, that's not the same
fighter we saw. This guy is much bigger!

Must run to 170! They
brought in a ringer.

(BELL RINGING) What
you wanna do about it?

All right, fight
fans, here we go.

The main event...

Now, you don't have
to fight, we can protest.

It's all right, I'll fight him.

The Comet Kid has taken ill.

So introducing his
substitute at 165 pounds.

But truly a boxing bonus
brought to you by your promoter,

Mr. Benny Rafferty.

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

And now... And now the highly-regarded
Pennsylvania State Champion

from Pittsburgh,
Iron Mike McCoy!

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

His opponent this evening,
weighing in at 161 pounds,

a crowd pleaser,

who's electrified the circuit from
Baltimore to Washington D.C.

The ever-dangerous
James Trevis Clark,

The Ebony Flash!

(PEOPLE BOOING)

MAN ON RADIO: All right, and your
judges at ringside, ladies and gentlemen,

Commander Howard Bradbury,

Mr. Clifford Spencer.

And your referee
tonight, Honest John Kelly!

ANNOUNCER: The War Of The Week
is about to begin as Mighty Mike McCoy

and The Ebony Flash
meet in the center of the ring.

Why are they calling
him The Ebony Flash?

Oh, I'll bet he's mad.

(WHISTLE BLOWING) I'd have
called him the "Tattoo Tornado."

Hey, quiet!

MAN: Clark! Clark!

Clark!

Clark comes out to
the center of the ring.

McCoy waits for
him, confidently.

(PEOPLE CLAMORING)

How's he doing, Daddy?
He's doing all right.

He's doing all right?
He's doing good.

Come on, James, hit him!

Clark shoots a
left jab to the head

but McCoy comes right back
with a smashing body blow.

Two left, right, combos.
Clark slips that punch.

Slips away, bobs,
weaves. It's surprising.

Clark is taking
the fight to McCoy.

Yeah.

Come on, James!

Clark continues to jab at McCoy's
head straight, stinging blows.

Elizabeth. Iron Mike moves in...

I'm saving a place for you.

Clark breaks out of
McCoy's vicious infighting.

Iron Mike moves steadily forward,
he's working on Clark's body.

Clark, The Ebony
Flash, is setting the pace,

carrying the fight to
Iron Mike from Pittsburgh.

A good right hand from the Mighty
Mick! Clark responds with a flurry!

McCoy is hurt! A left and
a right to the chin by Clark.

(PEOPLE CLAMORING)

Come on, hit, hit, hit!

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

Clark decks McCoy with a left
hook to the chin right on the button!

McCoy is down!

JOHN-BOY: Get him again!
Come on, get him again!

Get him again, James!

Come on, James, get him.

A savage attack! Clark never
should have knocked him down

in the first round! He
really stirred up the animal!

(BELL RINGS)

Beautiful, James!

Just relax now,
James. Don't talk.

Okay, you're doing
just fine. Just fine.

So are you.

After three rounds, The Ebony
Flash could be ahead on points

because of the knockdown.

His headhunting
has been effective.

It remains to be seen if Iron Mike's
body blows will wear him down.

He'd better put him away early!

Yeah. That's his style.

That's it! That's it!

Take him! Take him!

(CROWD CLAMORING)

Clark comes out quickly, keeping
that left jab in McCoy's face.

He circles McCoy, a slick,
smooth dancing master!

Close in here.

McCoy has the savage power...

JIM-BOB: Come on
and listen, Grandma.

To a prizefighter?

I'll dance for the devil first.

McCoy is trying to turn
it into a slugging match.

Clark counter-punches. Straight,
sharp punches from The Ebony Flash!

Clark is fighting courageously, but
McCoy is starting to cut him down.

Ebony Flash is scoring. Jab!
Jab! And a good right by Clark.

A whirlwind attack by McCoy.

He's punishing Clark's body.

The Ebony Flash is losing
some lightning from his punches.

He's pawing, he's not punching.

He's tiring him, Daddy.
Dropping his guard.

Come on, James.

Clark is cut above the left
eye. Two to the head by McCoy.

Clark drops his guard.

A hard combination
to the head by McCoy.

He's a bruised and
a battered fighter.

Clark returns two
quick shots to the head

but The Ebony Flash has
no sting in his punches.

Clark brushes blood
away from the eye.

Come on, Elizabeth, up to
bed. That's enough of that.

Come on, come on.

But he's being out-slugged!

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

CROWD: One, two, three...

Take nine! Take nine!

Clark gets up too soon.
He should have taken nine.

McCoy is all over him.

That poor boy.

What's keeping Clark up?

McCoy to the body.

To the head, to the
body. To the head again.

He's hit.

His ankle goes
out from under him.

Clark's ankle buckled under him.

This man is fighting on
courage and heart alone.

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

CROWD: two, three...

five, six, seven...

Come on, James, get up!
Come on, James, get up!

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

It's McCoy who helps Clark
to his feet and to his corner!

No animosity. Sportsmanship
here tonight, fight fans.

It's all right. He's all right.

Can you hear me talking to you?

Can you hear me talking to you?

Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Tell me something. Talk
to me, what's your name?

The Ebony Flash.

About it. Nothing like
my wild herb poultice.

Just what James Trevis
needs for his bruises.

It's his hurt pride I'm
worried about, Esther.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Come in!

Verdie?

Mr. Walton, we
heard it on the radio.

Jody had to listen. Mmm-hmm.

Where is he?

He's in the shed with Olivia.

He's kind of in a coma.
Comes in and out of it.

Oh.

I'm going out there now.

Come on, give me a
hand with the doors.

All right.

You still with us, son?

Verdie was right. They
wanted to see his blood.

Yeah, but after they
got it, they were for him.

Kind of makes me
wonder what it feels like,

being on the other
side of the fence.

Excuse me.

Poor boy.

My heart hurts for him.

Ours, too, Verdie.

You go rest now.
I'll tend to him.

This will draw the pain out.

I'll get another one.

He showed a lot
of courage tonight.

I've been trying all night to
think of that verse from Genesis...

About the dreamer?

Marketh the...

"Here cometh the
dreamer. Let us slay him.

"Then shall we see what
will become of his dream."

We got some callers.

OLIVIA: Verdie.

We got a start, Verdie.

We want that church
for him and for us.

Mr. Walton.

Whatever lumber this will buy,

it will be the foundation
for our church.

JOHN: Now, this'll
buy a lot of lumber.

Some labor, too.

You got all the help you need.

Let's go to work.

That's just... Yes.

That's just fine.

Hey, Mr. Walton!

(CHUCKLING) There seems to
be a lot of activity around the mill.

Isn't this a beautiful Sunday?

(CLANGING) You sure
do a lot of giggling, honey.

CONGREGATION: ♪
Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful,
the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the
saints at the river

Maybe I didn't lose.

Maybe not.

♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful,
the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the
saints at the river

♪ That flows by
the throne of God

♪ That flows by
the throne of God.

♪ That flows by the
throne ♪ Of God ♪

Amen. ALL: Amen.

So good to have you in church.

Hope the ceiling
doesn't fall in.

(CHUCKLES)

I've long been torn as to
the subject of my first sermon.

Somewhere I read a story
about Christ and the children.

Picture Jesus Christ
surrounded by children.

One on his knee

and a little girl with her
baby brother in her arms.

Christ is talking to them.

"Whoever receives one little
child in My name receives Me."

He's telling one of
your Bible stories.

"But whoever offends one of
these little ones who believes in Me.

"It were far better that a millstone
be hanged around his neck,

"and he be drowned
in the depth of the sea."

Who knows what a millstone is?

I don't. I think I do.

You do?

Elizabeth, do you wanna
tell us what a millstone is?

Or you wanna think about it?

I'll tell you what
a millstone is.

JOHN-BOY: That Sunday
and for several months to follow,

this was the only church
that James was to have.

When a suitable
replacement was found,

James Trevis Clark
insisted on moving on.

For as much as he
longed to be in the country,

he returned to the streets
from which he had fled.

Working with youngsters,

he was to live his religion on
the playgrounds he established.

Hundreds of boys and
girls, both black and white,

would turn to James
Trevis Clark for leadership.

ELIZABETH: Mama?
OLIVIA: Yes, Elizabeth?

When people get the call, and
they're baptized in the Rockfish River,

are their sins really
washed away?

Yes, honey. They're
really washed away.

Where does all the water go?

GRANDPA: Rockfish River empties
into the James River at Howardsville,

flows through Fort Union,
Short Pump, Richmond,

and empties into Hampton
Roads Harbor at Jamestown.

And all those sins
end up in the sea?

That's right.

Is that fair to the fish?

(CHUCKLES)

Good night, Elizabeth.

Good night, Mama.