42 Page #6

SMITH:

If he was playing now he’d be the

best second baseman in the majors.

RICKEY:

High praise. He’ll have to be the

best in the minor leagues first.

SMITH:

What are you saying, Mr. Rickey?

RICKEY:

I’m saying it’s going to be a very

interesting spring training. A lot

of players are coming back from the

war and with gas rationing over, we

can train down in Florida again.

SMITH:

Daytona Beach?

(Rickey nods)

You’re aware in the past six months

a black boy was lynched in Madison,

Florida and a black man down in

Live Oaks?

RICKEY:

Those towns may as well be a

million miles from Daytona.

WHITE 3-14-12 14.

SMITH:

Live Oaks is 150 actually.

RICKEY:

I spoke to the Daytona mayor. He

assures me there’ll be no trouble.

But Rickey doesn’t sound so sure. They consider each other.

RICKEY (CONT’D)

Mr. Smith, are you a Communist?

SMITH:

I’m a Democrat. Why do you ask?

RICKEY:

I have a business proposition.

What’s your salary at the Courier?

SMITH:

Fifty dollars a week.

RICKEY:

I will pay you an additional fifty

dollars a week plus expenses if you

will attend spring training with

Jackie Robinson. You will watch

over him, help him to avoid the

harm that could come if he were to

do or say anything out of turn.

You will act as his chauffeur, you

will secure accommodations for him

wherever the team may be, help him

find restaurants, etc...

SMITH:

What’s in it for me? Besides the

fifty dollars and a whole lot of

aggravation?

RICKEY:

Unprecedented access for any

reportage you feel appropriate.

What do you say, Mr. Smith?

SMITH:

I say yes, sir. If a Negro is good

enough to stop a Nazi bullet in

France; he's good enough to stop a

line drive at Yankee Stadium.

RICKEY:

Ebbets Field actually, but yes, I

agree. The world is ready.

CUT TO:

TAN REV 6-25-12 1515.

13 OMITTED 13 *

14 INT. BALLROOM - THE WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL - NIGHT 14 *

Over 500 guests:
journalists, players and politicians alllisten politely as a SPEECH drones to an end.

INSERT:
New York City. 23rd Annual Baseball Writer’s

Association Dinner February 3, 1946.

SPEAKER:

As our former President Herbert

Hoover remarked in his tribute to

our national pastime: ‘The rigid

voluntary rules of right and wrong,

as applied in baseball, are secondonly to religion in strengtheningthe morals of the American people.’

Polite applause as the speaker steps off. The clapping moreenthusiastic as the lights dim on all but an impromptu set:

plantation house columns. Hoots as a BUTLER appears wearingsatin knee breeches and a MONTREAL ROYALS jersey. He holds a

ring like a lawn jockey, a WHITE MAN in BLACK FACE. The

laughs get louder as he peers out with exaggerated wide eyes.

BUTLER:

Lordy, lordy, it’s looking like da

massa will be late dis ebning.

As the LAUGHS from the audience subside, a sportswriterdressed as a COLONEL enters from stage right.

Robbie!

COLONEL:

Robbie!

BUTLER:

Yassuh, Massa Kunl. Here Ah is.

Huge LAUGHS as he struts and dances his way over.

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