42 Page #3

TAN REV 6-25-12 77.

7 OMITTED 7 *

8 INT. BRANCH RICKEY’S OFFICE - MONTAGUE ST, BROOKLYN - DAY 8 *

Blinds closed. Jack sits across the desk from Rickey.

Sukeforth sits a little further back. Rickey is staring atJack. Bushy eyebrows flared, light gleams off his glasses.

INSERT:
August 28, 1945. Brooklyn. *

Jack doesn’t know what to do, looks to Sukeforth. Finally...

RICKEY:

Do you have a girl?

*

Excuse me?

JACK:

RICKEY:

A man needs a family relying onhim. It insures he'll behave

responsibly. Do you have a girl?

I think so.

JACK:

RICKEY:

You think so?

Jack looks to Sukeforth who smiles placidly. Back to Rickey.

WHITE 3-14-12 8.

JACK:

I don't make much money. Between

the army and now baseball I've been

away a lot. And Rae, Rachel, she

wants to finish school. Considering

all that, I say I think so.

RICKEY:

Do you love her? Rachel?

(Jack confused)

Don’t you know?

JACK:

Yes, sir, very much.

RICKEY:

Marry her.

What? Rickey stands, walks to a window. Jack looks at

Sukeforth who raises a hand as if to say: Give it a chance.

RICKEY (CONT’D)

Baseball's a hard life; a man needs

a good woman by his side. You

don’t want the only person waiting

for you at home to be a catcher.

Sukeforth chuckles at that. Rickey fingers open a slat on

the blind and peers out. Jack looks hard at him.

JACK:

Coach Sukeforth here said you were

starting a new Negro League. That

doesn’t make sense to me.

MR. RICKEY

It doesn’t, huh? Are you calling

us liars, Jack?

JACK:

What's this about, Mr. Rickey?

RICKEY:

This is about baseball.

Rickey opens the shade. Sunlight floods in. Rickey follows

it to the chalkboard, to the list of players under Montreal.

RICKEY (CONT’D)

I see you starting in the spring

with our affiliate in Montreal. If

you make it there, we'll try you

down here with the Dodgers. The

white Brooklyn Dodgers.

Jack looks to Sukeforth who nods: Yes, you heard right.

BLUE REV 4-07-12 9.

RICKEY (CONT’D)

I’ll pay you $600 a month and a

$3,500 bonus when you sign the

contract. Is that agreeable?

Believe it or not that’s a lot of money to Jack on this day

in time. This is all becoming a bit overwhelming.

JACK:

Yes, sir. That’s fine.

RICKEY:

There is one condition. I have a

pile of scouting reports. I know

you can hit behind the runner, that

you can read a pitch. The question

is can you control your temper?

JACK:

My temper?

RICKEY:

Yes your temper! Are you deaf?! *

Rickey furious, the avuncular old man gone. Jack sits there, *

fists now balled. Rickey to Sukeforth like he’s not there: *

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