it's been said that the body is the means
through which an athlete can best reveal
the dynamic potential of the human spirit.
but what happens when the means to that expression
is injured beyond repair?
meet ed hamner,
a once-prominent player in the big leagues.
a man who's never resolved himself
to his fate as a non-participant
but who will soon be forced to bat
in the twilight zone.
and the pitch.
a drive to right center.
it's in the gap.
go, baby, go.
that's it!
dig, dig, dig!
take three.
yeah!
ed?
hey, paula, come on in.
come on.
carson working fast.
the pitch...
a routine bouncer to short.
the throw to first
and that's the ball game.
the tigers' slump continues.
bet they wish you were still hitting clean up.
i had my share of big swings and came up empty.
hey, how was practice today?
pretty good.
brian's teaching me to throw a curve.
i'm not going to.
i remember what you said.
you're too young to throw a curve ball.
you'll hurt your arm.
your fast ball's enough to get anybody out.
if you ever feel like you're losing it
just step off the mound, take a deep breath
completely clear your mind.
confidence and concentration.
it works every time.
oh, i almost forgot.
i hear 20 ed hamners
will get me a reggie jackson.
but that's not even the real surprise.
take a look at this one.
monte hanks?
never heard of him.
not much of a career... two years.
good stats, though.
seven home runs his second year.
that was a lot before the babe.
looks kind of familiar.
like who you see in the mirror?
the guy at the shop
has been holding onto that card for years.
only one like it he's ever seen.
it's an off-brand—
not even listed in the catalog.
i've got to go.
see you at the game tomorrow.
of course.
3:00.
what about your card?
it's a present.
i got it for you.
take care of ol' monte.
i'm home.
hey, cindy.
take a look at this.
another baseball card.
an old one.
an old, expensive one.
i thought you were going to be revising your resume today, ed.
your interview is tomorrow.
you promised you'd try.
yeah, but...
it's the weirdest coincidence i've ever seen.
paula gave it to me.
this guy looks just like me.
and what's more, in 1909, this monte hanks guy
batted.322, had 87 ribbies and stole 31 bases.
is that weird or what?
or what?
those were my stats my first year in the majors.
that's very interesting.
yeah.
i thought i had a bad break.
he really got shortchanged.
his team was in the pennant race.
he got hit in the face with a pitched ball.
never recovered consciousness.
will you pay attention?
your interview is tomorrow, ed.
i think it's more important
than some baseball player that died before you were born.
larry dula is a fan of yours,
and you promised you'd try... for me.
i will.
i'll be fine.
that's at 2:00, right?
i'll turn on the old charm, get the job
and be home by 7:00
with champagne to celebrate my gainful employment.
how's that?
vectrocomp.
computer division.
thank you.
i had a 2:00 appointment.
i'm sorry, mr. hamner.
i realize you've been waiting a long time
but mr. dula is still on his conference call.
would you tell him i had another appointment
and couldn't wait?
come on, paula.
you can do it.
ball four.
hey.
let's see some smoke.
strike one.
strike two.
strike three.
well, look who's here.
the rookie of the year.
i'm late, i'm sorry.
paula's team won the championship.
coach took the kids out for pizza.
they wanted me to come along.
somehow i just lost track of time.
i remembered the champagne.
i'm surprised you didn't pour it over paula's head.
isn't that how it's done?
what did you think we'd celebrate tonight, ed?
you could have had the vectrocomp job, but no.
you just walked away from it.
maybe it's just as well.
i mean...
what do i know about selling computers, anyway?
what about our future, ed?
it's been two years since your injury.
are you going to feel sorry for yourself
for the rest of your life?
do you ever think about me?
do you think i like
paying all the bills
while you sit around trading baseball cards?
monte...
monte boy, are you all right?
you have one hard head, monte.
i thought that killed you.
my leg.
there's nothing wrong with my leg.
of course there isn't.
it's your damn head that got hit.
maybe i should send moran in to run for you.
no, i'm fine.
this ain't no fan dance.
let's play ball!
play ball!
what happened to you?
something wonderful.
a busted nose is wonderful?
and that's not all.
ooh!
look at this.
oh, gross.
i did it 78 years ago, but it felt like yesterday.
it's a beaut, isn't it?
i got it sliding into second.
into second what?
second base.
spikes high in a cloud of dust.
i had two stolen bases and a three-run homer!
and i didn't need this.
it's that baseball card.
somehow it took me back.
this guy
monte hanks
i'm him.
he's me.
i know, i know, it's hard for me to believe, too.
maybe you had some kind of a dream or something.
i didn't do this in any dream.
look at the card.
i don't see anything.
check the stats.
home runs, second year.
"eight."
eight?
yesterday, it was seven.
i hit that one.
it wasreal.
i was there.
and i'm going back.
hey, kid...
you want to see a baseball game?
yeah, sure, but...
then take my hand.
uh...
i don't know, ed.
this is a little weird.
hold on.
here we go.
they get rough, we get rough.
what happened, ed?
monte, you're late.
get that kid out of here.
come on, look alive.
we got a ball game to win.
oh.
huh?
you were great!
i feel great.
we're only a game behind the athletics.
if we could sweep them, we'd take the pennant.
and i'll be in the world series.
oh, wow.
world series!
i was supposed to be home for dinner 20 minutes ago.
we'll do it again tomorrow.
take off.
don't you think you're a little old
to be playing with kids and baseball cards?
i guess i'm not exactly a prize husband.
we were just kids when we got married, cindy.
you grew up.
i guess i didn't.
i still love baseball.
i know it's just a kid's game, but i love it.
more than me?
no, not more than you.
can't i have both?
i guess not.
i talked to larry dula.
there's a company banquet tomorrow.
their speaker cancelled and he asked if you'd fill in.
tell a few old tiger stories.
i'm having your tux cleaned.
you always look so sexy in a tux.
i don't know, cindy.
come on, ed. once they get to know you
i'm sure they'll find some work for you.
oh, there you are.
it's an early game today.
i didn't want to leave without you.
i can't go.
i've got an orthodontist appointment.
but today's the big one.
we beat the athletics today, we clinch first place.
yeah, i know,
but my mom will never let me get out of it.
especially for something i can't even
tell her about.
well, i'll miss you.
it won't be the same without you there rooting for me.
well, i'll still be rooting.
i'll just be 78 years away.
big dinner party tonight.
i'm meeting my future employers.
you're going to coach?
computer salesman.
aren't you happier playing ball?
it's not that easy, paula.
not when you're an adult.
i have responsibilities.
ed, i was thinking about 1910.
it almost seems...
like you belong there.
eight inning and goose eggs.
i can't believe we're not hitting.
sit down, monte.
you're driving me batty.
what time do you suppose it is?
later than you think
if we don't beat these bums.
ed?
strike three!
your last two at bats
you looked like you don't want to be here.
i'm swinging too hard.
get out there and hold them.
do it to them.
i got a problem.
yeah, me, too.
no win, no pennant.
what's your problem?
i promised my wife...
your wife? we're into extra innings.
if i stay, i'll lose everything
including my wife.
i'm out of extra innings at home.
what about here?
i'm talking about the world series.
are you nuts?
walk out, and you don't come back.
not tomorrow, not ever.
moran, take third.
no.
i'll finish the game.
that's more like it.
now let's play ball.
where's ed?
don't you knock?
what are you doing to ed's stuff?
repaying him.
each one of these cards is a day he wasted.
part of our lives he threw away.
look around you, paula.
i'm almost even.
no...
he'll be back.
i know he will.
oh, yeah?
rookie of the year always makes it home, doesn't he?
what if there's no home when he gets there?
don't say that.
he's a big man to you, isn't he?
a big man.
you know why he's so nice to you?
because you're a fan.
ed needs to hear them cheering
and you're the only fan he's got left.
ed just needs someone to care about him.
it's all so simple when you're 12, isn't it?
eventually you'll grow up and you'll realize
you can't play games for the rest of your life.
you're wrong.
give it to me, please.
you thought i didn't notice it.
ed's latest treasure.
he showed it to me the other day.
is it special to him?
no, it's my favorite.
ed doesn't care about it.
i told ed it looks like him, but he doesn't think so.
you're lying.
i remember now.
the stats.
same stats as the rookie of the year.
no!
i bought it for him.
it cost so much.
my mom will kill me.
please don't.
take it.
take it and get out.
that's right, cherish it.
you're a girl, paula.
you're just a little girl.
but you'll grow up, and when you do
losers like ed won't look so wonderful.
i promise you that.
he'll always look wonderful to me.
go on, go home.
there's nothing you can do for him.
yeah...
there is.
i knew you'd do it.
(narrator)ed hamner...
monte hanks.
to some a mere face on a trading card.
but to a special friend, he's an eternal boy of summer
an athlete who found himself drafted by a unique team
in a league that plays its games
in the twilight zone.