-
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: Okay, come on. We got a lot to do, let's settle down. You are the first...
[Sees Shirley Baker over at the lists]
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: Honey, are you supposed to be here or are you on the cut list?
[Shirley doesn't respond]
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: Look, I'm sorry, but if you're cut, you have to leave the field.
Shirley Baker: [Almost in tears] Mm-hmm
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: Well, are you cut? Oh, just look on the list. It's either Rockford, Racine, Kenosha, or South Bend.
[Shirtley turns to the lists, starting cry, as Helen Haley approaches her]
Helen Haley: Hi.
Shirley Baker: Hi.
Helen Haley: Um, can you read, honey?
Helen Haley: Alright. What's your name?
Shirley Baker: Shirley Baker.
Helen Haley: Shirley Baker. Let's have a look.
[She looks at the Rockford Peaches list first and spots Shirley's name]
Helen Haley: This is you.
[Shirley laughs happily]
Helen Haley: You're with us. You're a Rockford Peach.
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: [Smiling] Go join your team.
[Shirley joins the Rockford Peaches, sitting down next to Marla]
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: Now, you are the first girls in the All American Girls Profession Baseball League. My name is Charlie Collins. I'll be managing the Racine team when the season begins.
[Racine team cheers]
Charlie Collins, Racine Coach: Now, at the end of practice today, you're all gonna be fitted for your uniforms and this is what they're gonna look like. Pretty darned nifty if you ask me.
[Model walks up on the platform in a wool uniform complete with a miniskirt]
Unnamed Ball Player #1: You can't slide in that!
Doris Murphy: Hey, that's a dress!
Mae Mordabito: It's half a dress! Excuse me, but that's not a baseball uniform!
Doris Murphy: Yeah, what do you think we are? Baseball players or ballerinas?
Kit Keller: [to Dottie] It's awfully short.
Dottie Hinson: Short? I'm gonna have to squat in that thing.
Unnamed Ball Player #2: I can't wear that. My husband'll kill me.
[Ira Lowenstein approaches]
Helen Haley: Excuse me, sir.
Ira Lowenstein: Ladies...
Shirley Baker: Excuse me.
Ira Lowenstein: If you can't play ball in this, you can't play ball with us. Now, there are 38 girls on a train ride home, who'll play in a bathing suit, if I ask them.
Mae Mordabito: Yeah, well, there are no pockets for my cigarettes.
[Doris laughs]
Ira Lowenstein: Ah, there is no smoking. There is also no drinking and no men.
[Mae gets up, angry, ready to leave, but Doris pulls Mae back down against her will, with Mae sitting back down, frustrated]
Ira Lowenstein: . All of your activities will be approved through your chaperones. And you will also be taking regular classes at Charm and Beauty school.
Doris Murphy: For what?
Ira Lowenstein: Every girl in this league is going to be a lady.
[Marla looks scared]
-
Margaret: [Tosses catchers mitt into Dottie's suitcase] Thought you might need that.
Older Dottie: Where'd you find this?
Margaret: In one of the boxes after...
[Dottie tries it on for size]
Margaret: Needs oil.
Older Dottie: Ha! Who doesn't?
Margaret: You ready?
Older Dottie: I'm not going.
Margaret: Oh! Mom! I already got 2 children, I don't need a 3rd.
Older Dottie: Why is it so important that I go?
Margaret: Well, for one thing, it'd be nice if you left the room. Besides, these are your old friends.
Older Dottie: They probably won't even remember me.
Margaret: The Queen of Diamonds? Dottie Hinson?
Older Dottie: Margaret, I just don't think this is a good idea.
Margaret: I don't know what you're so worried about. Plus, you're gonna get to see Aunt Kit. You two ever get to see each other.
Older Dottie: We still won't. Kit won't be there, she'll be travelling around with that husband of hers.
Margaret: Frank. He has a name: Frank. And he's always been very nice to you.
Older Dottie: Makes me nervous.
Margaret: Mom.
Older Dottie: Honey, I'm not comfortable about this. I was never really part of it. It was just something I did.
Margaret: Mom, when are you gonna realize how special it was? How important it was?
Older Dottie: I...
Margaret: Yeah, I know. I know how you feel, I really do.
[Dottie smiles]
Margaret: But you're going.
[She forces her up from the kitchen table and out the door]
Older Dottie: [Heading to the car] Car, plane, a bus. I'm tired already.
Margaret: You'll sleep on the plane.
Jeffrey: Grandma's out of the room. Is there a fire?
Older Dottie: Weisenheimer.
Margaret: Julie, next door, is watching you and I don't wanna get any bad reports.
[She gets into the driver's side of the car, as Dottie is fixing her coat]
Margaret: .
Older Dottie: Jeffrey? Come here.
[He heads on over]
Older Dottie: Listen, no matter what your brother does, he's littler than you are. So, give him a chance to shoot.
[Jeffrey nods, and heads back to the basketball net]
Older Dottie: . Bobby?
[Bobby walks over]
Older Dottie: Kill him.
Margaret: Come on, you'll miss your plane.
[She gets into the car, and she and her daughter drive off, as Bobby and Jeffrey continue their game, with Bobby shooting and making a basket]
Bobby: Yeah!
Eunice Anderson
Extended Reading