 Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage. Kathy Lewis, Elliot Lewis. Two of the most distinguished names in radio. Appearing each week in their own theater, starring in a repertory of transcribed stories of their own and your choosing. Radios for most players in radios for most plays. Drama, comedy, adventure, mystery, melodrama. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Elliot Lewis. Good evening. May I present my wife, Kathy? Good evening. Many people have asked us if there's a difference between married couples in show business and married couples anywhere else. There isn't. For example, it being that time of the year, the other day, Elliot said to me... Spring. Isn't it beautiful? Green grass. Clear, worn days. And then he put his newspaper down and said to me... Kathy? Yes, dear. Do you suppose it would be all right if we did a baseball story on stage? It's that time of the year, you know. And of course I agreed. And so tonight, a new dramatization of Ernest Lawrence Thayer's classic Casey at the Bats. With High Aberbach as the mighty Casey. We take you now to the most famous baseball game of them all. And extremely rocky for the Mudville Nine that day, the score stood two to four with but one inning left to play. So when Cooney died at second and borrows did the same, a pallor reathed the features of the patrons of the game. No, you're sticking around here anymore. Mudville's done for. Well, maybe Casey will get his bet. No, no, old timer. It's all over but the funeral. Oh. A straggling few got up to go leaving there the rest with that hope which springs eternal within the human breast. But they thought if only Casey could get a whack at that, if Casey would just get up there and take a sweep. Yes, they put even money with Casey at the Bats. Flynn, Flynn, a flake on deck and Casey in the hall and two outs. Maybe, just maybe. Well, not a chance, Pop. But Flynn preceded Casey and likewise so did Blake and the former was a puddin' and the latter was a fake. Casey will never get up there with those two bums ahead of them. They are! So on that stricken multitude, a death-like silence set. But there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat. Have a single for the wonderment of all. Gotta hit! Dust had lifted and they saw what had occurred. There was Blakey safe on second and Flynn a hug and third. And from that gladdened multitude went up a joy. It rumbled on the mountaintops. It rattled on the dell. It struck upon the hillside and rebounded on the floor. Barbs about that ball game in Muttville back in 1888. They say Casey was a big goofer of pea brain and no talent kit. They say a lot of things. But I'm gonna give you the real story about Casey that day and what really happened when he got up to bat. Long time ago, 1888, a lot of ball played since then. The National League was just a baby and there wasn't any American League at all. First thing you ought to know is that Casey didn't always play for Muttville. Oh no. He first started belting them out of the park in a little town upstate called Pratsburg. Yes, Mr. Jonah Byrd. Hold it a minute, Brady. Come over here a minute. Sure. There you go, Eddie. How about tossing me a few? Casey, this is Mr. Weeks. Yeah. How do you do? Fine. So you're Casey, huh? Yes, sir. You heard of me? Mr. Weeks saw you play against Burns yesterday. Oh. We're mighty proud of Casey around here, Mr. Weeks. Yeah. What do you think of that pitcher? Odell? The lefty on the other side. That's Odell. He's an awful good pitcher. You hit him every time you're up at bat. Oh, sure. Of course. Can't be too good a pitcher. Oh, he's still a good pitcher. Just that I'm a better batter. Coach! Hey, coach! Hey, excuse me a minute, Mr. Weeks. Yeah, sure. You think quite a bit of yourself, don't you, Casey? Sure I do. What do you think about when you're standing across the plate waiting for the pitch? About hitting a ball. That's what I'm there for, isn't it? Mm-hmm. What is that over there? Uh, Brady Peterson. Is he a good pitcher? Just the best. Let's watch. Why not? Did you know they pay people to play ball in some parts of this country? Sure. I get paid a buck again. I mean real money. Sometimes 50, 60, $100 a week. Yeah? Yeah. Ever been to Baltimore, Boston, and New York? No. That's where they pay it. How'd you like to go and play baseball in one of those towns? For money? Yeah. That'll be swell. Take time. You ever like to learn? I know how to belt that old apple, I guess. You don't know anything. You're still green. Can you take orders? I suppose so. Why? That's the first thing you have to learn. Get yourself a bat. All right. Hey, this ought to do it. See if you can get a hit off, Peterson. Easiest pie. Do it. All right, I will. Hey, Bertie, like it was a ball game, huh? Catch him, will you, Eddie? Oh, you betcha. Come on, boy. Pitching me, Bertie. Right in here, boy. Right in here. Watch this, Mr. Wicks. I'm watching. Boy, right to me, baby. Right to me. That was a low ball. What, what, what? It's legal, Bertie. All right, Bertie, throw to me. Get right to me. Here we go. Here we go, Bertie. We got a par. Yeah. How's that? I said get a hit. I knocked a homer. I said hit. H-I-T. If I'd wanted you to knock a homer, I'd have said so. Well, gosh. Don't know how to take orders. You'll always be in Pratsburg. See you around, kid. Timers, no one knew where this Wicks came from or what he did before he showed up in Pratsburg that day. They said he was a tall, thin sort of bird with a lot of black hair and a couple of black eyes that looked like dyed baseballs. Eddie Maytag, catcher, and Bertie Peterson, the pitcher, saw and heard what went on there. And they both said it was like nothing they'd ever seen. Wicks seemed to reach right out and sort of take hold of Casey. Baltimore, Boston, New York. Mr. Wicks. Mr. Wicks, wait a minute. Could I really get paid good money for playing baseball? You ever heard of the National League? Yeah, I guess so. Wasn't it just started a few years ago? Yeah. How do I get to play ball for them? Take orders from me. Well, the... You've got a lot to learn yet. You have to let me teach it. Well, I can take any kind of orders. You tell me to get a hit, I'll get a hit. You say get a homer, I'll get a homer. I want to play baseball in one of those cities for the National League. All right, Casey, I'll give you another chance. Don't understand this, Mr. Wicks. I'm afraid I don't quite understand this at all, sir. I'll say it once again, your honor. Fire Mr. Juniper. Fire Mr. Juniper? And what, sir, would Pratsburg's baseball team do without Mr. Juniper? Answer me that. I would have a baseball team and no one to run it. I'll run it. I don't even know you, sir. Mr. Juniper's done a splendid job. We have a winning baseball team. And they're going to start to lose if you don't fire Juniper and hire me. I'm afraid you're a little misinformed, Mr. Wicks. In case you weren't aware of it, we have a fine ball player right here in Pratsburg by the name of Casey. I'm aware of it, your honor. Casey. Yes, sir? Get in here. Hi, Casey. Hello, your honor. Tell his honor. Casey. I want Mr. Wicks to be our new manager. Casey, what is this? I'll quit the team if you don't fire Mr. Juniper and hire Mr. Wicks. Was? Well, I can't believe this. Well, your honor, what do you want in Pratsburg? A winning ball club or a losing manager? I want to think this over. Come on, Casey. Let's go. No, no, no. Wait. Wait, wait. Well? Do you really mean what you say, Casey? Yes, your honor. I have no choice then. No. Yeah. You're the new manager, Mr. Wicks. Thank you. How'd I do, Mr. Wicks? You can take orders. We'll get along fine, Casey. The record books, the Pratsburg Club didn't lose a game for the rest of the year. No one ever knew if it was because Wicks managed it or Casey played on it. But everyone knew that Casey wouldn't do anything or go anyplace without Wicks, say so. And no one ever knew what Wicks' full name was either. But after a while, seeing how things were between him and Casey, they gave him one. Sven Gali. You are listening to Kathy and Elliott Lewis onstage tonight's play, Casey at the Batts. This Sunday night, CBS Radio and your Hall of Fame Playhouse pay tribute to a great veteran actor, the program's host, narrator, and frequent star, Lionel Barrymore. The occasion of the tribute is Mr. Barrymore's 60th anniversary in show business and an observance of his upcoming 75th birthday. Be sure to be listening to the special Hall of Fame Playhouse broadcast paying tribute to Lionel Barrymore this Sunday night on most of the same CBS radio stations. Now, before Casey got up there to bat for Mudville that day, you should know the other things about him. I mean, besides Wicks. First, he got out of Pratsburg the next season and played ball for Emmering Corners. Naturally enough, Wicks went with him as the manager there. After that, they played two seasons at Pittstown. From there, they went to Yardley. You might say it was the old squeeze play. If anybody wanted Casey, they had to take Wicks as manager. It's a pretty nice ride for Wicks, but sometimes it got a little tough for Casey. Well, Casey was all right when he was strutting out in front of the bleachers, smiling, taking off his hat to everybody, with Wicks in the background to tell him what to do. But it was a lot different when Wicks wasn't around. Hello, Mary. Why, Casey, how nice. I caught the ferry over after the game today. They were having a big dinner, but I wanted to see you. I'm glad you came. Are you alone? Sure. I'm surprised he isn't with you. Who, Wicks? How'd you get away from him? Is he stuck at the dinner? I didn't get away from him. I can come and go as I please. Can you? Sure, sure I can. Let's sit on the swing. It's a lovely night. Well, I got a triple in a Homer today. That's nice. Yeah, Mayor gave me this key to the city. Did he give one to Mr. Wicks, too? I don't know. I haven't seen you in a long while. Busy playing ball, you know. I know. Casey, what are you going to do? What am I going to do about what? About us. Why, we'll get married as soon as I get my job with the Cincinnati Red Stockings or the National League. Casey, you're 33 years old now. I'm still knocking them out of the park. Yes. Every time Mr. Wicks tells you to. Well, what's the matter with that? He's the manager. You can't seem to do anything for yourself anymore. He does it all. He can't marry me, Casey. Has he asked you? Casey, don't you understand? I want you, but I can't have you as long as you're with him. What do you want me to do? Quit. Quit baseball? Everybody knows you're a great ball player, but you can't make a living and support a wife. Well, I can as soon as I get into the National League or with the Cincinnati Red Stockings. You'll never go with any one of those teams. Do you know why? It's because of Wicks. He's helping me. You're helping him. You've gotten him every job he's ever had. He hasn't done anything for you. Don't you see that? And even if they did take you and him too, it'd just be something else. It'd still be with him. Oh, you've got it all wrong, Mary. No, I haven't. I won't wait forever, Casey. I love you. Tell that to Mr. Wicks if you're not afraid to. I guess I better go. Yes. Good night, Mary. Good night, Casey. What time is it? I don't know. Midnight, maybe. What did I tell you about late hours? I know. I know. Come over here. Let me look at you. Where you been? Answer me, you big dumb stoop. Where you been? Prattburg? I went to see Mary. Do you want to play baseball? Yeah. You want to play in the National League? Yeah. Forget her. Look, Wicks, it's been almost six years now. We're no closer than when we started out. This happens every time you talk to her. Well, I've been doing some talking myself tonight. You know what happened? What? We quit. Huh? We're going over to Mudville in the morning. And there we go to New York. Mudville? You know how close that is to Boston and New York, huh? Well, I'll tell you. It's just a two-hour train ride that anybody from any of those places can come down and see you play ball. This is the place we've been wanting to get into all the time. It is? You start playing ball for Mudville tomorrow. When you play the best baseball you ever played anywhere, anytime. You do exactly what I tell you and you'll be all right. Understand? Yeah. Exactly what I tell you, Casey, all the way. You're the manager. And don't ever forget it. Get the lamp. I think I'll just go to bed. Get the lamp. Now, get to bed. Now Casey finally got tied up with the Mudville Club. Wicks got him there, true. And he also got himself hired as team manager. And Casey did everything he was told to do, just the way Wicks told him to do it. They loved Casey and Mudville. They had to. Who wouldn't love a batter who was averaging an even 400? Well, that's what Casey was doing that afternoon in Mudville. We want Casey. We want Casey. We want Casey. All right, Casey, it's up to you. Get out there and do your stuff. What's the picture's name? Vance. He's a bum. You blast him out of the park. Here. Got you. Listen to those yokels. Don't let them down. And don't let me down. Have I ever let you down, Wicks? At a boy, Casey. You say get a hit and I get a hit. You say get a homer and I get a homer. Get a homer this time, Casey. All right. A homer it is. Andy Cummins is here today. Cummings? Here in Mudville? Up there. In the Derby. Hey. Well, the next to him is Honest Wagner. You get your homer now and you'll be dunking us right out of this hick town. This is what we've been waiting for, Casey. They're looking at you today. Yeah. Make yourself a bat. Yeah, Wicks? Play for them. Right. What are you doing here? I'm here to see you for the last time. What? Casey. I've made up my mind. You quit Wicks in baseball or we're through. He's depending on me. Him or me. Mary, please. I mean it, Casey. They're here from the big league today. I've got to get a homer. If you go with them, you'll go with Wicks and you'll never see me again as long as you live. Leave the girl alone, Casey, and get out there. Wicks. Go on. Casey. I'm a ball player, Mary. These in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place. There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face. And when responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat. No stranger in the crowd could doubt was Casey at the bat. Time at all. Relaxed. Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt. Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt. Play ball. Riding pitcher ground the ball into his hip. You're a hit, Casey. Defiance glanced in Casey's eyes. A sneer curled Casey's lip. Right here, boy. Come on, I need you to look at me. Put me right in here by now. Now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air. And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there. Close by, the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped. That ain't my style. Said Casey. I ain't one man. The umpire said, From the benches black with people there went up a muffled roar. Like the beating of the storm waves on the stern and distant shore. It's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand. Please! Please! He's only doing his job. Please! With a smile of Christian charity, great Casey's visit shone. He's still the rising tumult. He bade the game go on. All right, Mr. Pitcher. If you'll please. And once more the spheroid flew, but Casey's still ignored it and the umpire said, Spawnful look from Casey in the audience was odd. Saw his face grow stern and cold. He saw his muscles strain. And they knew that Casey wouldn't let the ball go by again. Come on out, pitching me boy, pitching me. Let's find this windbag. Pitch right here to me, right in here in our vents. Come on, right in here. The leather is gone from Casey's lips. His teeth are clenched in hate. He pounds with cruel vengeance, his bat upon the plate. And now the pitcher holds the ball. And now he lets it go. And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow. Favored land, the sun is shining bright. The band is playing somewhere. And somewhere hearts are light. And somewhere men are laughing. And somewhere children shout. But there is no joy in Mudville. Mighty Casey has struck out. Well, you all knew that happened. And as you might have guessed, everybody was calling Casey a bum. But for some reason, and he had one, Casey didn't mind the way you'd think he should. No, he didn't seem to mind it a bit. He just packed up his gear and walked out of the park. What? Mary? I've been waiting for you, Casey. Yeah, I hoped you would be. Honestly? Honest. Wick's gone, looking for another ball player, I guess. They fired us both. Oh, Casey, you did strike out, didn't you? Come on. I'll walk you home. Oh, Casey. I'm not going to say he struck out on purpose. And I'm not going to say he didn't. I don't want to start any more robots. But I can tell you Casey never played ball after that. And he did get married. Casey at the Bat, starring Kathy and Elliot Lewis. In a moment, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis will tell you about next week's play. This Sunday, Claire Trevor, winner of an Academy Award for her acting, stars in a moving drama titled, Tauce Incident. The story will be featured on your Theater of Stars over most of these same stations. Don't miss Tauce Incident, the high-tensioned account of a woman's innocent truck ride that leads her into a terrifying maze of suspicion and the threat of reprisal swifter than justice. Sunday nights on CBS Radio's Theater of Stars. And now, once again, Kathy and Elliot Lewis. And that was E. Jack Newman's dramatization of Ernest Lawrence Thayer's, Casey at the Bat. Our thanks to High Everback, the mighty Casey. The mayor of Pratsburg was portrayed by Howard McNear and the manager of the Pratsburg Nine was Byron Kane. Hal March caught the game. And Peter Leeds umpired. Sydney Miller heckled from the stand. And Casey finally escaped the clutches of manager Wicks as played by her Butterfield. Our thanks to all of them for a tightly played game. Next week, the story of a woman with a problem. She was young, successful, intelligent, but not at all pretty. You probably know her. The story is called Skin Deep. And it was written for us by Richard Chandley. Two weeks from tonight, we celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary with all of you. And in answer to many of your requests, Ray Noble will join us in order that we might present our happy anniversary album. Until next week, thank you for listening. And good night. Good night. Music for tonight's story was composed and conducted by Fred Steiner. The Kathy and Elliott theme is by Ray Noble. And the program is transcribed and directed by Mr. Lewis. George Walsh speaking. America is cooking with 14 million kitchen radios and listens most to the CBS radio network.