Original subtitles

He must have forgot what he's being paid for. He's got to be out of his head.

Keeps this up, he's going to need a new one.

Oh, now, don't look at me, Rudy. If I dogged it any worse out there, Coach

have yanked me.

No beef with you, kid.

You did real good.

As for you, Star, you had yourself quite a night, huh?

You got your spread. We won by 11.

The magic number was 12.

So? So.

What was that last shot you took?

That one almost went in.

If I hadn't sneezed, it would have dropped.

Suppose it did, huh?

Huh? Now, get off me, man.

I mean, get off me!

Now, you won your game and I won mine. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing

else to rap about.

I see.

Okay, kid.

Maybe you're right.

The FBI.

A Quinn Martin production starring Ephraim Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott, William Reynolds, with

guest stars Anthony Costello, Susan O 'Connell, and special guest

star Peter Mark Richman.

Tonight's episode, The Natural.

On January 12th, the FBI learned that a large gambling syndicate based in New

York was placing unusually heavy bets outside the state.

When informants reported that the gamblers had bribed one or more

players whose team was competing in the college basketball tournament at

Jefferson City, Kentucky, the FBI moved promptly to intensify its probe of the

syndicate.

This has to do with Johnny Nesbitt, the kid who plays basketball for Jefferson

City.

He was hurt in an accident about 30 minutes ago.

Yes, we heard about that. Are you near our office, or is there someplace we can

meet you?

No, no, just listen.

All right, just a minute.

Inspector, an anonymous caller. He says he was at the tournament tonight when

the young ballplayer was hurt.

Put it on the speaker.

My name is Griffith.

I'm the special agent in charge here.

Inspector Lewis Erskine is on the line also.

Would you mind repeating the information you have?

Johnny was trying to get away from a couple of guys who were set to work him

over. What happened exactly?

Johnny and this one guy were having an argument in the field house.

Hey, Marty?

If Johnny's last shot had gone in, Jefferson said he would have had one

point than would suit this guy.

How do you know that?

The guy said so.

He said 12 was the magic number.

Marty, how about some service down here?

Can you identify this man?

No, that's why I'm calling you people.

Then the other two guys chased Johnny out of the field house right into that

bike. They shouldn't get away with a thing like that.

Johnny's a good kid, a real good kid.

And the same goes for... Was there another player involved?

No, no, no one else.

Listen, I gotta go. Goodbye.

He sounded legitimate.

Yes, he does.

The man he saw was probably the fixer.

What did you make of the background sounds?

Either a bar or a restaurant.

With an employee named Marty.

Oh, he had that boy's pretty well busted up.

Has a concussion, compound fracture, some internal bleeding, but the doctor

we should be able to interview him sometime tomorrow.

Well, if the better one tonight, and I think we can assume he did, he'll be in

even more heavily for the closing game.

That is, if he feels he has it fixed.

It's two days away.

You'll have to move quickly, and so will we.

Yeah. Well, you're still there.

Where else would I be?

The way it went last night, I wondered if anyone was in charge down there.

It was messy.

Very messy.

Yeah, Vince, I know. It should never have been that close.

You made my associates nervous.

That's not right.

Well, it was that kid who got hurt.

I don't know what got into him.

Don't give me kids, Rudy.

Tell me about you.

Are you in charge or are you not in charge?

Vince, this next time out, believe me, nobody will get nervous. I'm arranging

new insurance.

I don't want the details.

Just your word.

You got it.

Good.

Then I'll go ahead on this end.

One more thing.

The youngster who's in the hospital, is it necessary to send him something?

No, no. He won't need anything special from us.

He's hurt, and he's too scared right now.

Fine.

Remember, Rudy, I have your word, and I'm going ahead.

Yes, sir.

I understand.

Yeah, stopped by at the hospital.

Talked to our boy?

Nah, nobody's allowed in.

I asked the head nurse about him, though, and she said he's really racked

Yeah.

And nobody to blame but himself.

Listen, the papers say the coach is gonna fill in with, uh,

what's his name, the sophomore.

What does that do for us?

Well, it gives us less of a scoring punch, but... More height.

Better control the boards.

Well, that's what the sports writers say.

What do you say?

Depends on Billy Blake. You know, if he's hot, we'll score as big as ever.

Yeah, that's the way I had it up.

Billy's the key.

With our friend in the hospital, Billy might just run wild.

Can we get to him?

He's got that staunch mine -in -town morality, you know.

Poor as he is, he's got ridiculous pride.

No, Rudy, I don't think so.

Well, I do.

Yep.

Billy Boy is a boy for us.

Billy? Mm -hmm?

It's not working.

Not the way it should.

Ma. Ma, you know what you're doing. You're letting the fear get to you.

The oxygen will help you. You've got to let it, though.

Easy. You've got to take it easy.

Breathe.

Deep.

Easy.

Breathe.

Slow.

I'm not going to go to that team meeting. I'm going to stay here.

All right, then.

I want to see you do better.

Okay?

Breathe.

Deep.

Breathe.

Slow.

Maybe we should raise you up a couple inches, huh?

Maybe that's it.

Okay.

Easy.

Deep.

Breathe.

Slow.

Deep.

That's it.

You're getting it.

Breathe.

Slow.

Each week she gets worse, Billy.

She does.

The attacks are longer.

Now they're coming closer together.

We ought to move, that's what.

We ought to move somewhere where they have a decent heating system.

What are you talking about? We've got plenty of heat.

True. And plenty of dust, which is exactly what she's allergic to.

All those old heaters create dust. Every place in town's got the same kind.

There's a new apartment on Edgewood Road, and there heat doesn't blow in.

It radiates from coils in the ceiling.

How do you know?

Well, I babysat there last Friday, and the man told me.

He tell you how much rent he pays?

What's he pay? Two times what we pay?

Three times what we pay?

Your buddy, Chet.

Super dude.

What's the matter? Don't you like the way he dresses?

I don't like him.

He keeps expecting me to turn on the very sight of him.

It's really a bad scene.

As you can see, it's a well -balanced team.

So much so that if Gambler were able to fix any one of the starters, he could

control the point spread?

Right.

The boy with the ball now, that's Johnny Nesbitt, the one who was hurt.

Tell me, Peter, is he on a scholarship?

No, I don't believe so.

I've heard he works part -time in a car agency here in town.

And he drives a new sports car.

Any other starters?

The only playboy is Chet Hansard. He comes from a well -to -do family.

Isn't that Hansard taking the ball down the court now?

All right, there he is.

Who's the most consistent scorer, Nesbitt?

Until recently.

Now it's Blake, Billy Blake. He came on with a rush.

What are you going to say?

According to the newspapers, he's a junior from West Virginia.

His father was killed in a mine accident.

Mother's bedridden.

He has a younger sister.

Both brother and sister work part -time.

It seems that between that and the scholarship, they just managed to get

Where's the hospital?

He's feeling much better. The doctor said that we could talk to him now for a

few minutes.

We'll be there if you need us, Peter. All right.

If this doctor's so great, how come he doesn't come up with some answers for

your mother, you know?

There aren't any answers.

You don't get rid of emphysema. You just live with it as long as you can.

Now, right there. Now, I saw an article just the other day. It was about this,

one of those electronic deals, you know, the cleans the air.

Why don't you get her one of those, man?

What does it cost?

I almost forgot.

Here, this is for you. It's from an alumnus.

A small token of his appreciation, I think, was the way he put it.

Man, you ought to see this old boy.

Oh, he's passing out bread like he was a full -time baker, man. Everybody on the

team got some.

You know something, boy?

You can make a downstroke on one of those deals, one of those air things

It's not bad, huh?

1 ,500?

Everybody on the team got 1 ,500?

No, no, no. Not everybody got that much. But after all, you got special

problems, boy. The guy understands that.

Man, you're too much.

Now, what's the matter with kindness, man? Just a little bit of kindness.

Look, Billy, look, if this is going to bug you, you know, you can always figure

it this way now.

You're not actually taking the stuff.

You know, you're just borrowing it, you know, like it's a loan.

Come on, man, make the guy happy, you know.

He's one of those alma mater freaks, you know.

Nothing's too good for the boys of dear old Jeff City, you know.

He's got a hang -up, man.

Tell him to forget it.

Tell him I got my own hang -up.

What you got is something else, boy.

Now, when your pride means more to you than your own mother's health, oh, man,

that's sick.

Now, you listen to me, boy.

There's 1 ,500 bucks worth of air here.

That's for your mother.

Did I hear you right, Inspector?

Gamblers?

Big -time gamblers?

Some of the biggest.

You know, I wouldn't have even thought that they would even know about a

conference like ours.

What makes this conference important, Johnny, isn't the size of your college

the quality of the basketball being played, particularly yours.

Yeah, the word's gotten around.

You've had a lot of attention recently from the national press, as I'm sure

you're aware.

Oh, yeah, sure. I just didn't think, you know, that...

You know, before you go any further, Johnny, you don't have to talk to us

it.

But if you do, we want you to realize that anything you say can be used

you.

You have the right to have an attorney presence.

You understand?

Have you ever been approached to shave points?

Sir, I've never been approached by gamblers.

I mean, here or anywhere else.

Never. Do you know if any of your teammates have?

No, sir, not that I know of.

What about the indirect approach, say, through a third party, a friend of

perhaps? No, sir.

During the tournament, has there been any change in the Hawks' style of play

that you've noticed?

Sir, the only thing I've noticed is that we just keep trying on winning.

Each time with a smaller margin than the point spread in the paper.

Well, then they're underrating our competition.

For they think we're better than we are.

Mind talking about your accident for a moment?

Might as well talk about it, Inspector. I haven't thought about anything else

all day long.

How'd it happen?

I went tearing across a parking lot out there like a jerk.

Where were you headed?

I was going over to my girlfriend's house.

She, you know, I always stop in after home game there.

You left your car at the opposite end of the lot.

Do you normally do that when you go to visit your girl?

Yes, sir.

It's too hard to find a parking spot where she is.

Johnny, we have reason to believe that you met with a man last night, right

after the game.

Can you tell us about that? A man?

Oh, sorry, Inspector.

It was in the field house.

There was an argument.

No, I don't know who told you that. It just isn't true. I mean, there was no

man, and there was no argument.

You simply left the field house and headed for your girlfriend's?

That's what I did.

I guess I was in a hurry to smash myself up and blow my career.

Inspector, if you don't mind, the old leg has really kicked it up. I'm going

have to... Oh, yeah, well, let me get this out of your way.

Get a nurse in here to get a pain shot or something.

Billy Blake, what a pleasure this is. Come on in. I'm so glad you stopped by.

Come on, sit down, relax, make yourself comfortable.

Can I get you something? A soft drink, maybe? No, no, no, thanks.

You know, Billy, honestly, I told Chet this, right, Chet?

I think that you are easily the class of the team.

You got the shots, you got the moves.

I mean, you got it all. Excuse me, you don't mind if I use the bedroom and make

a little call?

Sure, go ahead.

Love a boy.

I suppose I ought to explain myself.

You know, Jefferson City isn't just another college to me.

I mean, it's really so much more.

How do I explain middle -aged nostalgia?

Chet said you're an alumnus.

You want to know a secret?

I'm not, although I've been claiming it for years.

You see, I always used to dream about going here.

But I could never afford it. I couldn't even afford the bus fare.

I guess that's why I get such a kick out of helping you young men.

It kind of makes up for having missed out myself.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, I think I do.

I'm afraid, Mr. Walden, that what feels good to you works just the opposite for

me.

I can't accept that.

I appreciate you having offered it. I really do appreciate it, but I...

I've thought about it. I can't.

Well, you don't have to explain it, Billy.

If it doesn't work for you, that's it.

I hope you're not offended.

Well, I guess I am.

But I'll tell you how you can make it up to me.

Tomorrow night in the final, just...

Just be sure you win by less than six points.

You mean deliberately shave six points?

Well, I always say shaving points is like shaving your face.

It doesn't really hurt.

It just kind of keeps things tidy.

How about it?

As a favor to me.

That's no favor, Mr. Walden. That's what I call a fix.

Nobody's asking you to throw the game.

Just win by less.

What's wrong with that?

Are you kidding?

Billy.

Before you go, I think you ought to have a glance at that folder on the bar.

There's some stuff in there about you in some semi -pro outfit a couple of

summers ago.

There was a pickup team. We weren't even in a league.

You've seen a rule book. If you're paid, you're paid. You're a professional.

There are no exceptions.

Your cancelled checks are in there somewhere.

Copies of them.

Take a look.

Be ashamed if this got out.

The team.

Scholarship.

Chance of the big time.

Down the tubes. All of it.

They move with the action. It's all part of growing up.

What do you say?

Tomorrow night.

What's our magic number?

on your way.

Yes, sirree.

All my little shavers are on their way.

More coffee?

Yes, thank you.

Inspector, that's Charlie there.

Thank you.

Gallo?

I'm Inspector Erskine, FBI. This is Special Agent Colby.

Can we talk to you for a moment?

Oh, sure.

Over here, honey?

Fine.

Last night, about an hour after the game, I believe you phoned our office

here. Me?

No, sir.

Oh, I did use the phone. I called my wife.

I suppose you told her about Johnny Nesbitt.

You mean about the accident?

No, I didn't find out about that until this morning.

Really, I would have thought that everybody would have been talking about

last night.

Oh, well, I don't know.

Mr. Gallo, we admire your loyalty to the university and your concern for the men

on the team.

We share that concern, even though very few college athletes ever get involved

in this kind of thing.

We're asking you to help us.

I've been working at the field house 22 years.

I've known every athlete ever come through and been their friend.

Someone they trusted.

Now what?

I'm an old lady all of a sudden pointing a finger. Not at all.

You phoned our office.

Quite simply, because you're Johnny Nesbitt's friend.

Isn't that true?

Yeah. Yeah, it's true.

There is another player involved, isn't there, Mr. Gallo?

Now, look, if you're going to ask me who the other fellow was, that's different.

I got no reason to tell on him.

Mr. Gallo, if you don't, he may end up getting the same treatment.

Or worse.

Have you considered that?

Well, no, I hadn't.

I guess you're right.

Who was he?

Well, Kay, you've been fair with me. I guess you'll be fair with him.

It was Chet.

Chet Hanser.

You going to school on Saturday?

No, playing five and dime.

It's not going to be open.

Employees check in early.

Particularly on the first day.

Don't bother about the coffee.

They've turned the gas off.

Keeney, come back here.

Look, we've had this out before.

You're supposed to take care of Ma.

Get yourself an education. If you can fit in some babysitting on the side,

that's fine. But that's it. There's no other jobs for you.

Uh -huh.

What happens to the bills? The bills are my responsibility.

That's what I told the gas company yesterday, and they weren't impressed.

I doubt if Ma is either.

Ma, I haven't heard her complain about anything.

The gas has only been off an hour.

Wait till it cools down.

How much heat do you want?

That should take care of it, don't you think? And buy some coffee, too.

Um,

somebody gave it to me.

No, Billy.

No, nobody gives away money like this.

Wherever.

However you got this, I know it's not right.

It isn't, is it?

What's the number of the gasket?

Billy, I know it's not right. I know it.

You don't know anything.

I'll make a deal.

I'll cancel the job.

If you just give us back.

Please give it back.

Maybe I could get one of the guys and loan me some money and I could get the

turned on.

Sure.

Or I could ask my friend Janet. Her folks have lots of money.

No, I don't want Janet.

I'll take care of it. It's my problem.

Okay.

I'm sorry.

It is a deal.

Get those things off and get into mine.

Chad, it's Billy.

I gotta talk to you.

No, right now.

What? What are you giving me?

He was fixed last night. Yeah, well, he isn't now.

He said that?

Yeah, he said he's going to drop the money off sometime before tonight.

The subject is meeting with two men in front of an apartment house.

One of the men is about 40 years old, dark hair, 6 feet tall, 180 pounds. He's

wearing a beige car coat with a brown fur collar.

The other man... Okay, kid.

I'll talk to you.

Yeah. Yeah, Vince.

How do we look?

I'd say good.

What do you mean, you'd say?

What is that?

I mean, we're solid, Vince. We're solid.

That's more like it.

We're going the route with this one.

200 Gs, the whole bundle.

Now you're making me nervous.

Why?

You said everything's set.

It is, Vince. It is. But you know, the...

A game is still a game. Nothing is on ice until it's over.

This is, Rudy.

It has to be.

I told you, I went ahead.

Vince, now don't get me wrong.

Make sure I don't.

Make very sure, Rudy.

I'll be talking to you after the game.

I want you to get in touch with Nat.

We're going to set up a grab.

Yes?

Oh, good. Put him on.

Hello, Lewis.

I was about to call you.

All right. Johnny Nesbitt, the young basketball player who was injured, has

a change of heart.

He's given us everything he knows about the fix.

He's named Rudy Walden and his lieutenant, Ed Larch, both out of New

Did he implicate anyone else?

Yes, another player.

Chet Hanser. All right, Lewis.

Ask the United States attorney if he'll authorize warrants on Walden, Larch, and

Hanser. I'll take care of it immediately.

Get me the U .S. attorney.

the babysitter?

Yes, I am.

Are you Mr. Wilson?

Right. I say, listen, there's been a slight change of plans.

My wife took the children over to her father's house.

Well, it seems the color television went on the blink.

Well, we just thought that since it is the weekend and all, rather than just

appoint them, we'd... Sure. Yeah, I know how it is.

I'll babysit for you some other time. No, you don't understand.

We still want you to sit, but instead of here...

Over at my father -in -law's.

Oh, I see.

The other house, is it close by?

Oh, it's half a mile at the most.

Hop in.

I really should call my mother first. I guess she starts looking for me or

something.

Could I just make a quick call? Well, could you call from the other house?

I mean, I've got everything all locked up and... Do you mind?

No. I guess it's okay.

Yeah, hello?

Hello, Billy.

Why is this I hear about you letting me down?

I can't believe that. You will.

You'll see it tonight.

I'm going to score like I never scored before.

I'm going to make sure we win by at least 20 points.

No, kid. It's too late for tricks.

You're going to play the game exactly as we agreed.

You watch.

You don't care what you lose, do you?

Not anymore.

What about your little sister, Keeney?

You want to put her in a pot, too? You keep away from her.

Where is she now, Billy?

She's where you won't find her.

No, no, baby.

Where you won't find her.

Not unless you keep your eye on the scoreboard.

You see, Billy, we've got her.

in business again.

Yes. All right. Thank you.

The U .S. Attorney has given us the go -ahead on Walden, Larch, and Hanser. Get

some agents to help us on the arrest.

Take a nap and you relax.

Rudy said everything's all set, so there's nothing to worry about.

Where's my sister?

What, my sister?

Where's Walden?

I don't know. I want my sister back. You're going to get it right now.

I don't know.

I'm not going to ask him again.

Keeney. They took Keeney.

Who's that? My sister. They got my sister.

Let's go.

Got your ham salad, is that all right?

I'm going to stay for dinner.

I'll have some of that fresh sausage.

Ham salad okay for you?

Maybe Billy will do what you want him to tonight.

Because you have me.

But when this is all over, you're gone.

We're going to go to the police.

How old are you?

I'm almost 18.

18.

That's very nice.

I'd like to see you make it.

I'm sure your brother would.

And your mother, too.

You can threaten me.

But we'll still do it.

You just wait and see.

I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. When this is all over, you'll forget all

about it.

There's no percentage in trying to cause trouble.

Not unless you don't ever want to see 18.

you have the right to an attorney.

Yeah, yeah.

Now, let me point out a few things, Mr. Larch. Oh, yeah, sure. You're going to

tell me that the hands of a kid laid his cards on the table and that I'm left

holding it.

Well, I had something else in mind.

Tonight's game should be getting underway soon.

Of course, with three starters out of the lineup, Jefferson City doesn't have

chance. We can't win them all.

I was thinking of the man who sent you and Walden here.

He must have a lot of money on the game.

You've got the wrong notion, Inspector.

I'm here on my own. I don't know where Walden is.

Nobody sent me here.

Then there's another consideration, of course.

The girl.

If she gets hurt, it won't exactly be a gambling case anymore, will it?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Don't you?

I'm not involved in anything else.

If something happens, I hope you can prove that.

In your position, I know I wouldn't like those odds.

He's at the old amusement park.

He has a friend that lets him use a concessionaire.

I'm going to see that game tonight. I'm going to get moving.

See you later.

you decided to eat after all.

Well, go on.

Take what you want.

If I find her, we're in a lot of trouble.

There's no one there.

Check that side.

Nothing. What do you mean, nothing?

She's got to be here somewhere.

Inspector? Sit down, Billy.

What happens to me now?

Except the U .S. attorney.

Oh.

I should have reported it the moment it got started.

Yes, you should have.

I suppose you saw the score last night's game.

Wow.

We really got tromped.

Well, I guess that couldn't be helped.

No, it could have been.

If I'd been there, it could have been.

Even with Chet and Johnny on the sidelines, we could have pulled it out.

we could have.

That's the part that hurts the most.

I spoil it for the rest of the guys.

Billy, we've had your statement typed up here.

Would you look it over?

If it's correct, initial it and sign it.

Rudy Walden, Vince Stanton, Ed Larch, Matt Wenning, Chet Hanzer, and Johnny

Nesbitt were tried and convicted in federal court of interstate racketeering

sports bribery charges.

Billy Blake testified as a government witness at their trial.

Walden and Wenning were also found guilty in state court of kidnapping.

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