The Natural - Hobbs Strikes out Whammer

[chilipepper2015]

He's hitting with a spit bat!

[fleone372]

The eyes of the lady in black (Hershey) switching from Bluto to Hobbs, this is awesome.

[jrs689]

What the fuck? Is this the director's cut or did you take some very poor editing liberties?

[peterp21]

Joe Don Baker played the best Babe Ruth in film, even if he's not *actually* Babe Ruth in this.

[jrs689]

@peterp21 Agree, except... Babe Ruth as himself in Pride of the Yankees.

[nickellicker]

Very interesting posting. It's been re-edited, some small snippets have been taken out and it's been condensed, but there is an interesting addition. Suddenly, the Whammer says, "Hold it! If he tries to dust me off, I'm gonna crack his skull, you both got that!" I have never seen that small segment ever before, even in the Special Edition versions. Thank you very much for sharing this...

[ksol1460tv]

@roBertpasteur Babe Ruth had lots of strikeouts as well as hits and home runs. He was once struck out by a WOMAN pitcher! This and a few similar incidents led to women being officially banned from MLB. The rationale was that there shouldn't be a "circus". Ha!

[thndrct218]

Look at that tailing action on that last swinging strike

[yeauxxx]

It's Jim Thome

[drewrocks3456]

anyone else love the song when the 3rd pitch lands in the glove?

Great Movie :D

[Aerialistreloaded]

The wammer had to be taken down a peg or two

[JDHoffa]

I came here cause it says on Wiki that Jim Thome took his stance from The Whammer

[rangerrick67]

The greatest baseball movie ever !

[flapjackrabbit]

Oh Joe Don Baker, you and your failures, LOL

[nrkgalt]

The Whammer almost certainly was based on Babe Ruth, but they used a different name, and so they can take different dramatic liberties. On the other hand, in "Field of Dreams" they used the name Shoeless Joe Jackson for a character and changed his batting side from left to right, so that was a more glaring inaccuracy.

[alexcubs25]

he looks JUST like Ruth

[previnsnaidu1]

That Lady scares me to this day!

[mclovinwaffles]

the whammer disliked this video

[jakethemuss3]

"Hey Bush Leaguer! Pitch one in here, I'll knock it to the Moon huh."

[lexr1]

Has anybody ever seen the ESPN Baseball tonight parody of this.....cracks me up

[8Trego8]

terrible POS swing

[cschnei08]

Hmmm, Whammer's pissed now, but that strikeout probably saved his life when you think about it. That bitch.

[tayjrich]

The Natural is probably both the best and worst sports movie of all time.

[cappskr92]

@tayjrich How is it the worst?

[tayjrich]

@cappskr92 As much as I love it, it does have a lot of corny, cliche parts. Plus there's the scene where the guys runs through the outfield wall and dies.

[royalflipskater]

@tayjrich a guy really did die running in the outfield for a fly ball the first of 2 to die in the major league the other was beamed in the head by a spitter which is why u cannot pitch that anymore

[TonyLyndellWilliams]

Yep, the Whammer is Ruth.

Joe Don Baker even "calls his shot" like Ruth. But unlike the Babe, he strikes out.

Walter Johnson said Smoky Joe Wood was the fastest pitcher he ever saw. He later coached for years at Yale.

Tony

[CountArtha]

Hey, I found an uncredited appearance by the girl from True Grit!

[jordi0508]

Its Not the best baseball movie ever...its the best MOVIE ever made PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!

[pjunior46]

Greatest baseball movie ever

[Xilarating]

i love the smirk the whammer has on his face at 3:32-3:33. he knows he just got shown up and (imo) that look shows roy has earned the whammers respect

[PCRenegade]

Everyone knows right that by striking The Whammer out, Hobbs essentially saves his life because that women wanted to kill the best, and Hobbs struck him out, beating the best, thus being the best and she shoots him later on.

[furiousdan]

@roBertpasteur

1) It is fictional, so no big deal that he was right-handed

2) The Babe had 1330 career strikeouts, and led the league in SOs 5 times over his career, so he absolutely WOULD strike out like that, and a dozen other ways.

3) The point is that Hobbs is an amazing pitcher, so much so that he could strike out the best hitter in baseball without a problem.

[jimraw1]

Whatever one thinks of the movie, I can't think of another movie that brings the myth of baseball to life as well as The Natural - and no sport (outside of soccer, perhaps) has as much myth interwoven into its tapestry as baseball. To compare, Eight Men Out is a far more realistic baseball movie, but The Natural is the one we will always remember.

[MrTheSwampthing]

"The Whammer" is supposed to be Babe Ruth. Anyone that thinks differently is either a layman or a complete shithead.

[MrTheSwampthing]

"Hey bush leaguer! Pitch one in here, I'll knock it to the moon huh?"

[thndrct218]

Gotta love Hobbs' reaction at 3:25

[gingerslayer1134]

doesnt that bitch shoot hobbs on that train afterwards

[3blackbeachdogs]

hobbs = shoeless joe jackson + babe ruth + ted williams + dream of everyone who ever played the game.

[cowboysfan1964]

the boy that asks what his name is is the boy he faces in the final scene of this film. The young pitcher that enters the game check out the scene!! its really cool...

[yeauxxx]

Does anyone think the pitcher at the end of the movie looks like a young Tom Seaver?

[videoshyguy]

Wasn't Babe Ruth a lefty?

[mophead013]

@videoshyguy thats not babe ruth hes a fictional character.

[AudiAlex94]

you should also check out roy's number in relation with Babe Ruths lol.

[PADREJOHN]

I always get worried that the Whammer might foul the ball right into the old man's face!

[NFSox05]

whammer's reaction to the first pitch is the best part.

[haywood16]

Greatest movie ever!

[Esus4]

Great movie, but striking out Ruth was not a big deal. Like most big hitters he struck out a lot.

[Freebleeper]

@Esus4 Just ask Reggie Jackson, heh!

[jurgen974]

does no one realize this was based on malamud's the natural? yes, it's an arthurian parable, but hobbs was intended to be the flawed hero...much as i like this movie, it makes little sense when compared to the book...the entire point of the work was that he was doomed to failure from the very start simply because he is consistently victimized by his own desires, greed, lust, gluttony and pride being the most prominent...also, he strikes out at the end

[bigrob981]

most have no idea there was a book.....

but that is niether here nor there, because we are talking about the movie starring Robert Redford

[jimraw1]

@jurgen974 To be honest, I find the movie better to Malumad's novel. In spite of creating some memorable scenes, it's not particularly great baseball writing. Consider the difference between The Natural (Malumad's first work) and later works such as The Fixer. Even better is Malumad's terrific short story work - he might be arguably the best American short story writer of his generation. Malumad thought the movie "legitimized" himself as a writer - nowhere as heavy handed.

[bostwickzapruda]

oddly, Lordo, barbara hershey was in both 'the natural' and 'hoosiers'. guess she knows how to make a sports movie

[LordofDublin4]

One of my two favourite sports movies ever. The other is "Hoosiers".

Both are excellent movies that deliver beautiful storylines with feeling AND without vile language, nudity, special effects. It's the story, the acting, and the set. Movies like these two, Cool Hand Luke, the Hustler, are missing big time from Hollywood today. Anyway ,...... cool stuff.

Good job, Redford.

[bigrob981]

as great as the movie is....they could have atleast gotten a fat lefty to play Ruth.....

its not like the actor had any skills baseball skills anyway.

[sammythemc]

he's not supposed to be Babe Ruth (although the character he is playing is definitely based on Ruth)

[rouncer74]

lmao......nice one!

[jaktigmidblinx]

the most amazing baseball story of all time. You know this movie is damn good when the 1ST legendary/mythical feat he does is striking out BABE RUTH!

[ezekielkinkade44]

You watch your mouth Mr

[edwood666]

yea was that cut in this version? i didnt here it

[phantomlord54]

BEST baseball movie EVER...a magical scene indeed...the fading daylight, the train, the old-school fans, the triumphant music; Levinson brings such an incredibly nostalgic feel to the screen

[originalellamalacha]

Love this film, one of the best. I always feel sad that the crazy woman is going to shoot him and deprive him of his career though, even though his comeback is what makes the movie...!

[burgersforreal]

that old dude had no face mask on...do u have any idea how fucked he would be if whammer foul tipped it

[originalellamalacha]

Great comment mate, you just had me in stitches...

[phantomlord54]

I love that mid-80's era of films

[6300lennoxstreet]

One of the best, if not the best, 'sports' movies ever made.

[logant44]

guy who plays whammer can't swing worth a shit.

At least redford could play ball.

[leiefilm]

well if you look at that last hrow there,youll see that would never ahd reached beither the batter or the catcher.look how fast i decnds

[flenderson69]

too bad these guys had roy hobbs and all we have is barry bonds

[bartolemeo]

this film is art.

[HoustonGD]

Great upload 5/5 stars

[gregwddriver]

Roy Hobbs. The best there ever was.

[raiderdan05]

Roy Hobbs struck out The Whammer !

Joe Don Baker was terrific in this -- anyone see him in "Charley Varrick" ?

The Natural is a great film.

[pz4prez]

this is where Bret Hitman Hart got his famous phrase "best there is , best there was, best there ever will be"

[leshager]

its funny cause when i was 11yrs old i was confused and didnt understand what they met, and i even thought it was the same person..its funny when u watch movies when ur young and when u get older

[logant44]

Guy who plays the mock babe ruth has an awful swing. Just terrible. Wish they had gotten him to do some batting practice.

[DBen1992]

Three is all he'll need Whammer! Great scene,great movie.

[trailerworldky]

QUESTION: How come Roy tells memo: "You were right Memo, we have met before"

I don't understand what he means by that, unless he is saying that she was visious like the woman that shot him before, Harriet Bird.

[ripperduck]

Agree with Gibsonguy. Memo is the temptation that led Hobbs away from the righteous path, to one of destruction. Its part of the Arthurian legend, that of kights, and in this case, the knight errant. Hobbs is the Knight, but he has erred and strayed, because of a woman, in the case of the woman in black, and later with Memo. Hell Memo has no character, she'd sell out her own uncle to get what she wants. Hobbs recognizes that and discards her, to become what he was meant to be, a knight.

[sammythemc]

Excellent critical analysis? Here? I must be on the wrong website, I thought this was youtube

[JRussoBuffaloNY]

@ripperduck the woman in black was a vindictive repeat offender whose existence is malevolent & un-needed, this is the way it appears in the film. Theirmeeting is so brief, she is the one who is selfish & has this deviance to spoil people's endeavours. A truly wicked creature, although she is beautiful. I do agree with all you & jurgen typed. Thank you for your contribution.

[thndrct218]

Does anybody think The Whammer character is a fictional portrayal of Babe Ruth? I think it is, but who agrees with me?

[pacers721]

yeah, its kind of obvious

[jgrab1]

@pacers721 Ya think?!?

The whole movie is a conglomeration of true stories. A Phillies player was shot by a mysterious woman in 1951 too, and that's what inspired the novel two years later.

[fr6313]

@jgrab1

Yes and I think it also contains the story of Joe Wood the once great pitcher who hurt his arm and later came back as an outfielder for the Cleveland Indians. He played for the Red Sox in 1912 and 1915 and the Cleveland  Indians as an outfielder in 1920

[ksol1460tv]

@jgrab1 Eddie Waitkus. He recovered and went on to play several more seasons. He was often called "the natural" too.

[SuperThunderlips]

@thndrct218 I agree whole-heartedly....the Whammer was absolutely a fictional character based on Babe Ruth.......The only problem is that. It is FICTIONAL. BABE RUTH WOULD HAVE TATOOED THAT WEAK ASS SHIT OUT OF THE FREAKIN CARNIVAL AND INTO THE NICKELODEANS AND SHANTY HOUSES ALL OVER THAT DEPRESSION FILLED VILLAGE.....

[MrTheSwampthing]

@thndrct218 Yes, "The Whammer" is obviously supposed to be Babe Ruth. A fat guy who can hit colossal home runs with a 20's cap on? Furthermore, described as the "greatest baseball player in the world" Yes, this is offically a fictional portrayal of the great Babe Ruth.

[JRussoBuffaloNY]

@MrTheSwampthing "a 20's cap"? it's called a sixpence, scally cap, Ivy Cap, Irish Cap, Windsor cap, touring cap, or driving cap. furthermore they have been around for centuries in one form or another. the style familiar today originated in the 1880's.

[MrTheSwampthing]

@thndrct218 "The Whammer" is Babe Ruth. .

[Pleaver]

@thndrct218 Of course. He points the bat just like Ruth did. Looks like him too.

[Christopherwilder47]

@thndrct218 no shit.

[LeighMet]

@thndrct218 yup

[joejoerg]

@thndrct218 you know what I remember when I watched this movie as a kid, I always thought the same thing.

[royalflipskater]

@thndrct218 agreed he is the right handed mirror image

even bats the same

[Supersonicsfan12]

@thndrct218 i thought it was babe ruth. am i wrong?

[ksol1460tv]

@thndrct218 Roger Angell in his long beautiful essay "No, But I Saw the Game" about baseball movies (in the New Yorker, July 31, 1989), says Whammer is definitely supposed to be Babe Ruth.

[trailerworldky]

this is a different version from what I have on dvd. He doesn't say anything about cracking his skull if he beans him.

[BillyMumfrey]

Damn if people didn't dress better in that movie time period. Roy!

[Suziefloozie3]

Very cool. I was there for that filming in South Dayton, NY. I remember them having to do the train scene over and over again. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

[imaclocknut]

any chance of getting a few more videos of this great movie...??

[mills9lane]

i think its funny that he throws so hard that the whammer can barely see it, but the old man is able to catch it....ha...great movie though

[imaclocknut]

why not the scene before the big game with Roy and Pops talking in the locker room. Great scene.

[camselle]

Lefty... Kinda looks like me out there...!!

[brianpadraic]

Pitches like Draq.

[BigBlue1721]

Who is "Draq'? He pitches more like Koufax.