Fade In:

Ext. baseball stadium - Day (video footage)

Credits Roll

The video quality is grainy, and every so often the picture fuzzes to complete static for a moment, but an announcer’s voice can be heard uninterrupted.

ANNOUNCER ONE (V.O.)

And welcome back to ESPN 2’s coverage of the Little League World Series. The stands are filling up now for what promises to be one of the highest level competitions the series has seen in quite a few years.

As the announcer speaks, the camera pans past people filling the stands. They're fans, but of a more homemade quality. Fewer official merchandise hats and more homemade signs. The field is empty, for the moment, though a few young, uniformed BOYS are halfway out of the dugouts.

ANNOUNCER TWO (V.O.)

You said it, Jim. We’ve got some players here today that are getting a lot of press these days. On the Japanese side, Takashi Kurasawa is apparently quite the celebrity in his hometown. He’s only twelve and already starting shortstop.

BEN KING wanders out of the right hand dugout. He seems to hear something from the stands, and turns slightly to look, but his profile is only briefly visible before he turns back and pulls his cap low on his head.

ANNOUNCER ONE (V.O.)

Such a young age on such a high caliber team they’ve brought here to South Williamsport this year. You know, Pat, these young players constantly astound me. They seem to get better and younger every year.

Ben, still the only one standing fully out of either dugout, rubs gently at his right shoulder for a moment. Then pulls a ball out of his glove and starts snapping it underhanded from one hand to the other, absentmindedly.

ANNOUNCER TWO (V.O.)

Well, the talk of the American team is on the older end of things this year.

ANNOUNCER ONE (V.O.)

Fourteen years old, practically a geezer at this stage of the game!

The video footage flickers out completely as the announcer’s chuckle behind static. When the picture refocuses the OTHER PLAYERS are starting to wander out of the dugouts as well. The CROWD NOISE has turned anticipatory.

ANNOUNCER TWO (V.O.)

Benjamin King is the talk of the day in American Little League. He’s been around for a few years, this is his third year at the series, but this year he’s just exploded.

ANNOUNCER ONE (V.O.)

I’m telling you Pat, this kid is scary! You got it in one with exploded this season. This’ll be his last year in the league, he’s aging out for next season, but what a way to go.

On the field the players from both teams have lined up in front of their dugouts. As the announcers finish talking, tinny music starts playing over a loudspeaker. The opening notes of the STAR SPANGLED BANNER. Collectively, the fans and players remove their hats.

ANNOUNCER TWO (V.O.)

Oh, and there’s the anthem. Folks, we’ll be right back after these messages!

The KID on Ben’s right has to elbow him before Ben finally pulls off his hat. His tousled hat hair the last thing we see before the TV goes to static once more.

 

INT. Living Room - Night

The staticy TV is in a dark living room. What's visible is generally brown and maudlin furniture, carpeting, etc. COACH ELMAN, a middle age man in a worn t-shirt and weather beaten ball cap, is sitting on the edge of a fraying La-Z-Boy, watching the TV. He blinks at the static, then stands up and walks towards the TV. He turns the screen off, then hits eject on the VCR. He pulls out the tape, holds it up the look at the label on the front:

2006 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES (typed)

BEN KING (handwritten, underlined a few times)

Elman snorts to himself, but he's smiling.

cut to:

Series of shots - moving to Iowa

A beat up Ford truck, the bed piled high with boxes, drives down the road through all shots.

A. A two-lane road carved into mountainous land.

B. Open green fields. A farmer slowly rides a tractor by the road.

C. A baseball field, dusty brown the only spot of contrast in the middle of an alfalfa field. Kids are playing a pickup game, and as the truck passes by one hits a ball to the outfield and starts running wildly.

D. A long stretch of apparently endless cornfield just past the ditches on both sides of the road.

END SERIES

Ext./int. Front of the king's house/inside truck - day

The truck pulls up a gravel driveway. The yard next to it has mud-filled tire tracks where someone apparently tried to turn their car around in the grass. A whitewashed house sits at the end of the drive.

JOE KING, a middle aged man who looks a bit like an overgrown boy despite his thinning hair and stubbled face, hits the brake and shifts the gear into park. He turns eagerly to a sleeping boy next to him.

JOE

We avoided most of the semis, kid.

BEN KING, Joe's son, is dozing in the passenger seat. His hat is pulled low over his face, blocking out the morning sun.

Joe reaches over and pulls the hat off Ben's face. Ben blinks sleepily, then unslouches. He makes a grab to get his hat back, but Joe holds it out of reach and Ben apparently decides it isn't worth it.

JOE

Only saw five of ‘em between three and four am. Record low, right?

Ben sits up straight, ignoring Joe in favor of grabbing his hat and shoving it back down his forehead until his eyes are barely visible. Joe cracks his door and makes a big show of stretching out his legs, wiggling feet, sighing dramatically.

Ben silently slips out his door. He sticks his hands in his pockets and starts towards the house.

JOE (o.s.)

Hey! Ben, aren't you gonna help your feeble old man carry everything inside?

 

INT. BEN’S BEDROOM - DAY

Ben stands in his room, which is entirely empty and white except for a dresser with peeling paint, a made up bed, and a few stacks of boxes on either side of the bed. A well-worn baseball glove sits on the bedspread.

Ben looks down at an open drawer in the dresser. It's filled with athletic shorts and old jerseys and one lonely pair of jeans.

Ben leaves the drawer open and flops on his bed, next to his glove. He puts his hands behind his head and stares at the ceiling for a moment, before a doorbell rings in the distance. Footsteps can be heard, followed by muffled conversation. Then Joe's shouting comes from downstairs.

JOE (O.S.)

Ben, people. Hey kid, you hear that? We got guests, so make yourself fast.

Ben stands up, grabs his glove, shoves the dresser drawer shut with an elbow, and heads out the door.

 

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Ben walks into the kitchen. Seated at the table are Joe, Coach Elman, and Jonah Elman, a tall, college-aged boy with oddly good posture and a stern expression.

JOE

Took you long enough. Ben, this is Coach Elman. Coach, this is the little idiot.

ELMAN

It's good to meet you, son. I can't tell you how excited we are you're gonna play for Rosefalls. I've got to tell you, I just got to see the footage of your series game. Woo-we, son, that was one hell of a... pardon my language, but that ninth inning. Woo-we.

While talking, Elman stands up from the table and walks up to Ben. He grabs Ben's hand and shakes it enthusiastically. Ben looks supremely nonplussed.

BEN

(pointing at Jonah)

Who's he?

Jonah's expression seems to grow more severe. Ben lifts and eyebrow.

ELMAN

Excuse me, I almost forgot. Ben, this is my son Jonah. He helps out with the team when he's not off at school. Goes to Rosefalls community.

BEN

(to Jonah)

You play?

JONAH

Yes. I pitch, too.

BEN

(looking unimpressed)

Che.

JOE

What my son meant to say was thanks, that's very nice of you.

(pause)

Your wife couldn't make it, I see?

ELMAN

Book club night. Can't ever tear her away from it.

(laughs)

Well, Ben. We're really glad to have you. Like I said, I think the team's going to be good this year. Jonah's been working with pitchers and catchers in pre-season — when he's not too busy playing doctor, that is.

Elman laughs. Ben smirks at Jonah.

BEN

Playing doctor?

JONAH

I'm in a physical therapy program at school.

ELMAN

A real genius, my son. But yeah, Jonah knows his stuff, and he says the rest of the pitching staff is looking good. They'll be good support for you, right?

JOE

Good enough to draw the scouts?

ELMAN

Don't we always. Last season, you should have seen it, five different schools at our first playoff game. That was a show.

JOE

(standing up)

Well kid, what do you say we show coach what you've got.

They all stand up and head towards the door. Ben grabs his glove off the table on the way. As they're about to leave the room, Ben walks up next to Jonah.

BEN

You play at school?

JONAH

(stiffly)

Yes.

BEN

(sarcastically)

Community college? You guys any good?

Ben walks out of the kitchen before Jonah has a chance to respond.

 

Ext. back yard - a short while later

Joe crouches at the far end of the yard, a CATCHERS MASK up on his head, not pulled down over his face yet. He and Ben throw the ball back and forth as Elman and Jonah watch from the side.

ELMAN

You ready?

BEN

(pulls the brim of his hat down)

Yeah.

Joe pulls his mask down and crouches in a catching position.

ELMAN

(impressed)

You catch him with just a mask?

JOE

(laughing)

I’m the only one stupid enough to catch him without pads these days. Only upgraded to the mask a year ago.

Ben pulls back, holding his glove close to his chest for a moment, feeling for his grip on the ball. Then he rears back, throws. There's a loud snap as the ball hits Joe's glove. Elman makes a noise of approval. Jonah remains silent.

Ben throws a few more fastballs, each one snapping audibly into Joe's glove. As he throws, Elman starts smiling more and more visibly.

ELMAN

You got some heat, kid.

JOE

(pulls up mask)

Sure does.

ELMAN

Mind if Jonah gives it a try?

Joe takes off his mask and glove and stands up. Jonah walks over and takes both from him.

JOE

Sure. You want me to go get the rest of the gear?

JONAH

I'm fine.

Ben looks disbelievingly at Jonah, who takes Joe’s spot.

Jonah crouches down and pulls the catchers mask down. Ben smirks, then pulls back to throw another pitch. This time, when Ben throws, the ball sinks right in front of Jonah, so that it's almost hitting the ground by the time it reaches his glove. Jonah drops to his knees expertly and catches the ball. In the background Joe rolls his eyes at Ben.

JONAH

(pulls the mask up)

You've got a good sinker.

BEN

(looking somewhat impressed)

Yeah, I do.

JONAH

But I heard you have an even better curve.

BEN

Yeah, I do.

JONAH

Can I see it?

Ben pulls the ball and his glove to his chest, visibly readjusting his grip. Then he throws the ball. This time it curves sharply to the left just before it reaches Jonah. Jonah catches it with a loud crack as the ball hits his glove.

ELMAN

Whoa! That's even more impressive in person.

Ben doesn't respond, just catches the ball when Jonah throws it back and pitches another curve. They repeat this several more times, Elman looking impressed and Joe looking proud and a bit smug off to the side.

Finally, Ben is about to pitch again when Jonah stands up and pulls his back. Ben let's himself slump out of position, and looks put out.

BEN

I can keep going.

JONAH

Probably.

BEN

(getting back into position)

So come on.

JONAH

I've seen enough. I'll see you at practice on Tuesday.

 

int. front hall — day

The front hall is mainly empty except for a side table on which Ben's glove sits. The front door is half open, and has narrow windows on each side.

Joe waves out the front door at the retreating Elmans, then shuts it. He turns to Ben, who is staring out the window.

JOE

(teasingly)

You'll see your new friend Tuesday, you know. Can't wait that long, eh?

BEN

Still trying to figure out how big the stick up his butt is.

Joe swats Ben on the back of the head, but laughs.

JOE

Bit of a stiff, yeah. But the coach was nice enough, and they seem to know what they're doing.

BEN

(vaguely, looking out the window again)

They were good, yeah.