The WHIZ of a baseball breaks the air to a baseball mitt
slapping it closed.
A television blares a Seattle Mariners baseball pre-game
broadcast in a living room.
EXT. LAWN - DAY
A father and son play catch in the yard. The lawn, manicured
and green like a baseball field, shines in the sun.
The father (52) adjusts a Seattle Mariners cap then throws
the ball a little harder than he should to his son (17). The
mitt slaps closed.
The son shakes his hand in pain.
SON
That hurts.
FATHER
I still got it.
SON
No you don’t.
FATHER
You couldn’t hit it.
SON
When I was twelve.
FATHER
You couldn’t hit it now.
SON
I don’t really care.
The father waves the glove to encourage the son to throw the
ball back.
SON (CONT’D)
I’m never going to like this game.
No matter...
FATHER
Please, just a little longer.
The son considers it.
FATHER (CONT’D)
We may not have another chance at
this.
SON
I didn’t like it when I was twelve
and that isn’t going to change.
FATHER
Why?
SON
I couldn’t even make all-stars and
you were my coach.
FATHER
Is that why you don’t like it?
Because it was hard?
The son throws the ball back.
The father throws another fastball.
The ball slaps the son’s mitt. He winces in pain. The son
throws the glove down along with the ball.
SON
I’m done with this shit.
The TV Broadcast blasts.
TV ANNOUNCER
Nothing but blue skies above here
at Safeco Field.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The son races into the house then to his room with a slam of
the door behind him.
The father follows. He knocks on the bedroom door.
FATHER
Can we just sit and talk at least?
The father touches the door then steps away.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Striking Out
EXT. PORCH - DAY
The father relaxes on the steps. He works the baseball in
different pitch grips then snaps it into a mitt.
SON
What grip was that?
FATHER
Two seam.
He shows the grip to his son.
SON
I never perfected that pitch or my
curve.
The father grips the ball for a curve.
FATHER
You just needed to get the edge of
the seam and snap your wrist down.
The father demonstrates the action but winces in pain.
SON
Are you ok?
FATHER
I’m fine.
SON
Who are the M’s playing today?
FATHER
The Rays. Do you want to go?
SON
Catch was enough for me.
They sit in awkward silence.
TV ANNOUNCER
King Felix is off to a great start.
SON
Why baseball?
FATHER
WHY BASEBALL? There’s an art to
this game.
SON
I don’t see it.
FATHER
Don’t you love any sports?
SON
Not my thing.
FATHER
Soccer? Football?
SON
Playstation. Call of Duty.
FATHER
Aren’t those called Esports now?
SON
Only if you can make money from it.
FATHER
You could be good at it?
SON
Just being good doesn’t cut it.
FATHER
You know, you don’t have to be
great at everything.
SON
I’m good at a lot of things but not
great at anything.
FATHER
I’m not great at anything and look
at me.
SON
Exactly.
FATHER
You know. The difference between a
hall of fame player and an everyday
one isn’t far off.
SON
Only millions of dollars.
FATHER
I’m serious.
SON
I don’t need a baseball life
lesson.
FATHER
Six hits versus five every twenty
at bats.
SON
What are you talking about?
The father walks into the yard.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Swinging for Connection
EXT. LAWN - CONTINUOUS
The father grabs a bat from the ground and steps into an
imaginary batter’s box. He takes a couple practice swings.
FATHER
One more hit every twenty at bats.
He swings like he makes contact with the ball for a homerun.
The crack of a bat echoes in the yard.
FATHER (CONT’D)
It’s the difference between hitting
close to three hundred or below two
fifty. It can put you into the hall
of fame or back in the minors.
SON
Ok baseball Yoda.
FATHER
Well, at least we both like Star
Wars.
SON
Isn’t there more to it than just a
batting average now?
FATHER
There is. WAR. I think that’s what
they call it.
SON
WAR?
FATHER
It’s just the acronym. Wins above
replacement.
SON
What’s that mean anyway?
FATHER
It measures the value of a player
against a replacement.
SON
That sounds like they’re just
making shit up.
FATHER
No. It’s a real thing. It’s like
what impact YOU have on a team.
SON
YOU watch it on TV.
The father reflects on his words.
FATHER
What do you think my replacement
value would be?
SON
You’re not a ballplayer.
FATHER
I wasn’t asking that.
SON
I know.
The son rushes back inside.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
A Slushie for the Road
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
The father watches the Mariner’s baseball game on the
television.
TV ANNOUNCER
This could be a NO-NO in the
making. The King keeps mowing them
down as the King’s Court goes
crazy.
The father turns off the television. He steps to the son’s
bedroom door and knocks.
FATHER
Hey, let’s take a drive.
SON (O.S.)
Only if I can get a slushie.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Silent Drives and Unspoken Bonds
EXT. CAR - DAY (TRAVELING)
They drive in awkward silence.
The son notices as they pass the convenience store on the
corner.
SON
The 7-11 was over there.
FATHER
I know.
SON
Kidnapping me now?
FATHER
I just want to spend time with you.
SON
We are. I’m at your house aren’t I.
FATHER
That’s not what I mean.
SON
Tell me what you want.
FATHER
I just want to talk to you. Tell me
about school. Something. Anything.
SON
School’s fine. It doesn’t start
till September anyway.
FATHER
You’re not excited about Senior
year?
SON
I’ll be excited in June.
FATHER
I loved my senior year.
SON
Don’t try to relive your glory days
through me.
FATHER
I’m not.
SON
We all can’t be class President or
Captain of the baseball team.
FATHER
I’m not asking you to be.
The son listens but focuses on the hum of the highway.
FATHER (CONT’D)
I just want you to put your effort
into something. It’s ok to fail.
SON
Ya right.
FATHER
It’s why I like baseball. Baseball
players fail all the time.
SON
So you want me to be a failure now?
FATHER
I just want you to learn to get
back up if something knocks you
down.
The son scoffs.
FATHER (CONT’D)
I get that we can’t be perfect. I’m
not going to sit here and say I am.
But, every so often, something
magical happens. And one day, you
can be.
SON
I’d like to see that happen.
The son turns away to stare out the window.
Safeco Field comes into view.
SON (CONT’D)
I told you. I didn’t want to go to
a game.
FATHER
It’s almost over anyway. What’s a
couple of innings?
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
A Day at the Ballpark
EXT. SAFECO FIELD - DAY
The brick and steel building with a wide-open retractable
roof rumbles from the excitement of the crowd. The crescendo
of cheers can be heard from the street.
MONTAGE:
The father buys tickets at the box office as other excited
fans scurry for tickets.
They walk the main entry steps.
The son admires the chandelier adorned with white baseball
bats.
The son drinks from a huge lemonade.
They walk the main level as the Sun basks the field in
brightness.
The palpable murmur of excited fan.
END MONTAGE:
SON
Where are we sitting?
FATHER
One-sixteen. First row.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Sports"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
A Game of Disconnection
EXT. SAFECO FIELD - SECTION 116 - DAY
They find a spot in the front row.
Other fans squeeze in with them to get closer to the field to
watch.
The sea of yellow shirts highlights Section 148 - 149 and
chant “K” with every two strike count.
SON
What’s all the excitement about?
FATHER
Look at the scoreboard.
SON
So, it’s one nothing.
FATHER
Look again.
SON
We’re in the top of the seventh.
The son recognizes the manual scoreboard in left field.
SON (CONT’D)
Wait... They haven’t got a hit yet.
FATHER
Exactly.
The crack of the bat silences the crowd but then erupts with
the second out of the seventh inning.
SON
Ever seen a no hitter?
FATHER
Never. But, this is my dream come
true.
SON
How so?
FATHER
To be at a game with you.
SON
Get over yourself. You kidnapped me
to be here. And, It’s not going to
happen. He’s still got two innings
left.
FATHER
This day could be perfect.
SON
You’re dreaming. Nothing’s perfect.
The son rushes from his seat, through the line of fans, then
up the stairs.
The father turns dejected in his seat.
Genres:
["Drama","Sports"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
A Perfect Moment
EXT. SAFECO FIELD - MAIN LEVEL WALKWAY - DAY
The son watches a TV next to other fans.
FAN
This could be the twenty-third
perfect game ever.
SON
Ever?
FAN
Yeah, over a hundred twenty years
of baseball and only twenty-two
games have ever been perfect. Why
are you watching it from here?
SON
Why are you?
FAN
I wish my son was here to see this.
A moment of realization overtakes the son as he races back to
his seat as the crowd erupts for the second out of the nineth
inning.
Genres:
["Drama","Sports"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
A Moment of Connection
EXT. SAFECO FIELD - SECTION 116 - DAY
The son pushes back to his father.
Standing room only as fans record the moment with their
phones.
The father, seated and emotional, doesn’t notice the son
pushing through the aisle. He removes his hat as a wig comes
off with it. The father’s scalp, with only a few patches of
hair left from the effects of chemo, glows like a halo in the
Sun.
The son reaches his father as the last out is recorded.
Players rush the field and the crowd screams with excitement.
The father and son embrace in both quiet celebration and
reconciliation.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Passing the Game
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
SUPER: 12 years later.
The son, now (30), admires the photo on a mantel of him and
his father at the Perfect game on August 15th, 2012.
GRANDSON
Daddy!!
The grandson (7), adorned in Seattle Mariner fandom, rushes
to hug him.
SON
Hey. Are you ready for your first
game?
GRANDSON
YEAH!!
The son grabs a mitt and ball from a table.
SON
I’m going to tell you about my dad.
But first, let me teach you how to
play catch.