Bull Durham

Dear Lord, thank you for being

with us tonight, thank you for

protecting us from injury and--

DEKE WALKS BY, shaking Jimmy irreverently as he prays.

DEKE

Wake up, wake up--

MICKEY (A BLACK) COMPLAINS TO TONY as they undress.

MICKEY

This league is racist, man.

TONY

Every time you go 0 for 4 you

think the league is racist-face

it, Mick, you're an equal

opportunity "out".

CUT TO:

THE MANAGER'S OFFICE -- A tiny cubicle, a desk, phone Larry

joins him with the pitching charts. Skip studies the charts.

SKIP

He walked eighteen?!

LARRY

It's a league record.

SKIP

Struck out eighteen...

LARRY

League record.

(beat)

And he hit the Radio Announcer, a

Sportswriter, and the Bull Mascot

twice--also league records--

(beat)

Joe, the guy's got some serious

shit.

THE DOOR OPENS -- A PLAYER ENTERS, in street clothes, carrying

his suitcases. CRASH DAVIS, 30, older than the other players.

And different. More than just opinions, he actually has a

point of view. A career minor leaguer, hanging on wherever

he can get a job. Unlike Ebby--Crash knows a lot about the

world without baseball. Also unlike Ebby--he loves baseball

desperately.

LARRY

Who're you?

Crash speaks slowly, with a trace of cynicism and pride,

like an old warrior who knows he's just a hired gun.

CRASH

I am the player to be named later.

Beat. Skip looks out, half dressed, from his cubicle.

SKIP

Crash Davis?

CRASH

The Crash Davis.

(beat, then nonstop))

And you, Larry Hockett, should

recognize me 'cause five years

ago in the Texas League when you

were pitching for El Paso and I

was hitting cleanup for Shreveport,

you hung a curve on an 0-2 pitch

of a 3-2 game in bottom of the

8th and I tattooed it over the

Goodyear Tire sign, beat you 4-3--

and I got a free wheel alignment

from Goodyear.

LARRY

(remembering)

Ohyeah. I shoulda throwed a

slider. Damn, Crash, how're ya?

SKIP

I'm Joe Riggins. Sit down

CRASH

I'm too old for this shit. Why

the hell am I back in "A" ball?

SKIP

'Cause of Ebby Calvin LaLoosh.

(beat)

The Big Club's got a hundred

grand in him-

LARRY

He's got a million dollar arm and

a five cent head.

SKIP

--we had the gun on him tonight--

the last five pitches he threw

were faster than the first five.

96 miles an hour, 98, 97, 97.

97. (beat) He's got the best

young arm I've seen in 30 years.

LARRY

But he ain't quite sure which

plane he's on, y'know what I

mean...

SKIP

You been around, you're smart,

you're professional, you know

what it takes--

(beat)

We want you to mature the kid.

CRASH

"Mature" ain't a fuckin' verb.

LARRY

You go to college or what?

SKIP

We want you to room with him on

the road and stay on his case all

year.

(beat)

He can go all the way.

CRASH

And where can I go?

SKIP

You can keep going to the ballpark

and keep gettin' paid to do it.

(beat)

Beats hell outta working at Sears.

LARRY

Sears sucks, Crash, I tried it

once. Sold Lady Kenmores--it's

nasty, nasty work.

SKIP

Even if it's the Carolina League--

this is a chance to play everyday.

CRASH

(angrily)

You don't want a player, you want

a stable pony. My Triple A

contract gets bought out so I can

hold the Flavor o' the Month's

dick in the bus leagues?!

(angrily)

Fuck this fucking game... I

fuckin' quit.

CRASH RISES TO LEAVE -- Picks up his luggage, and turns to

Skip and Larry before exiting. A deep breath

CRASH

Who we play tomorrow?

Beat. They know, they share the inability to quit the game.

They're all clinging to the Church of Baseball.

SKIP

Winston-Salem. Batting practice

at 4:30.

CRASH LEAVES and as he does -- Ed (the catcher) enters.

ED

You wanted to see me?

SKIP

Yeah, Ed, shut the door...

He does. Remains standing. He can see it coming.

SKIP

This is the toughest job a manager

has, Ed...

(deep breath)

But the organization has decided

to make a change--we're releasing

you from your contract...

CLOSE ON ED -- Silent. Motionless. Empty.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LOCKER ROOM --

CRASH PUTS HIS BAG IN A LOCKER as other players return from

the shower. Crash watches as EBBY SOAKS HIS ELBOW IN A TUB

OF ICE WATER as the sports writer, Whitey, interviews him.

WHITEY

How's it feel to get your first

professional win?

EBBY

It feels "out there". A major

rush. I mean it doesn't just

feel "out there" but it feels out

there.

CRASH

Hopeless. Utterly fucking

hopeless.

CUT TO:

INT. MAXWELL'S BAR -- LATER THAT NIGHT

Loud country music in the players' hangout and pickup spot.

It's full of players and lots of young women.

MILLIE SITS DOWN NEXT TO YET ANOTHER PLAYER, TONY, 25-- He's

slick, urban, smooth.

MILLIE

Hi, I'm Millie.

TONY

I'm Tony. I play left field.

MILLIE

I know.

ANNIE SITS IN THE CORNER at her own table. Max Patkin,

looking spiffy in a turtle neck sweater and double breasted

blazer, sits down next to her. Old friends.

MAX

Love the game, Annie, love it

(dead serious)

When I die I'm gonna have my ashes

sprinkled around a pitcher's mound

in some ballpark somewhere--

(beat)

--and I'll have a few ashes saved

for the rosin bag so I'll still

be in the game after I'm gone.

ANNIE

What a sweet idea-

A COCKTAIL WAITRESS DELIVERS another round to them.

ANNIE

We didn't order this, honey...

WAITRESS

(she points)

He did.

P.O.V. CRASH DAVIS SITTING ALONE IN THE OTHER CORNER. HE

waves, and smiles easily.

ANNIE

(to Max)

Who's that?

MAX

Hey--that's Crash Davis. He's

played in more towns than I have.

Helluva guy--real different... I

actually saw him read a book

without pictures once

ANNIE

Really? Kinda cute...

ANNIE NODS AT CRASH -- He comes over to her table, greets

Max as an old friend, and introduces himself.

CRASH

I'm Crash Davis.

ANNIE

Annie Savoy. Wanta dance?

CRASH

I don't dance.

ANNIE

I don't trust a man who don't

dance. It ain't natural.

SUDDENLY -- HARD CORE ROCK AND ROLL on the juke box. Several

couples dance, and out of the pack--

EBBY DANCES WITH A GROUPIE -- Spinning and whirling,

uninhibited and infectious. He's suddenly dancing with a

different WOMAN, then another, and another...

ANNIE, CRASH AND MAX WATCH the mad performance.

MAX

Who's he dancing with?

ANNIE

All of 'em, I think...

EBBY PUTS ON A ONE MAN SHOW ON THE DANCE FLOOR -- The whole

bar stops to watch him, applauding as he spins to a finish.

A quirkier "Saturday Night Fever" show. More naive, fun.

He climbs off the floor and joins Annie's table.

EBBY

Thanks for the note--you're right,

I wasn't bending my back.

ANNIE

You got a live arm there.

He extends his hand to introduce himself.

EBBY

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh.

ANNIE

You need a nickname.

EBBY

That's what I been telling

everybody! Wanta dance?

CRASH

She's dancing with me.

ANNIE

Crash, I didn't think you--

CRASH

I'll learn. C'mon--

EBBY

Just a minute, pal

The two men square off quickly. Annie mocks them.

ANNIE

You boys gonna fight over little

me?

CRASH RISES, pulling Annie with him. But--

EBBY STANDS to challenge Crash.

EBBY

Step outside, pal.

CRASH

Love to--

ANNIE

Oh don't be such guys--

But Crash and Ebby head outside. She turns to Max--

ANNIE

Hell, Max, wanta dance?

CUT TO:

EXT. THE PARKING LOT -- NIGHT

A circle is formed. Everybody gathers. Millie clings to

Tony, her guy of the moment. Crash and Ebby face off.

CRASH

I don't believe in fighting.

EBBY

Pussy.

CRASH

Take the first shot at me.

EBBY

I ain't hitting a man first.

CRASH

Hit me in the chest with this...

CRASH PULLS A BASEBALL from his jacket pocket, tosses it to

Ebby.

EBBY

I'd kill ya.

CRASH

From what I hear you couldn't hit

a bull in the ass with a slingshot

EBBY

Don't try me.

CRASH

Throw it. C'mon, right in the

chest.

EBBY

No way.

CRASH

C'mon, Meat. You can't hit me

'cause you're starting to think

about it already, you're starting

to think how embarrassing it'll

be to miss, how all these people

would laugh.

(teasing mercilessly)

C'mon, Rook--show me that million

dollar arm 'cause I'm getting a

good idea about the five cent

head--