Original subtitles

- I'll sure be glad to sleep in my own bed tonight.

I'm tired.

- I am, too.

But it's been a wonderful trip, hasn't it?

- It sure has, mom.

I'm the only kid I know who's been all the way to Washington

and had lunch with a real, live Senator.

- You did a good job with them, too, son.

Thanks to you, we have a National Forest right

in our own corner of the state.

- Thanks to Mr. Wilson, too.

I'm sorry he didn't fly home with us.

- Well, he had to go to New York to see his publishers.

He'll be home in a few days.

- In a few days?

That means he'll miss our basketball game.

- I'm afraid so.

- I'm getting worried about that game.

Sure hope I can help us win.

- Oh, I know you will.

I'll bet you're the best player on the team.

- Well, I'm one of the best players on the bench, anyhow.

- On the bench?

- They haven't used him much yet.

- Yeah, but Coach says if we ever get a 40-point lead,

he'll send me in just like that.

- They've saving him for the pincher.

- That's why I got to get back into practice.

I'm going to get up early tomorrow and practice

in the yard a little while before school.

- Early? How early?

- I think I'll get up about daybreak

and bounce a few off the backboard

to kind of sharpen up.

- You wake me up at daybreak, I'll

bounce a few off of your backboard.

You practice after breakfast, OK?

- OK.

I think I'd better.

My backboard's not made out of wood.

[theme music]

If I do get in the game, here's what I'm gonna do.

- [laughing] You can do better than that.

Here, let me show you.

- If I was as tall as Stretch Nichols, our center,

I wouldn't have to shoot.

He just stands up there and stuffs them in the basket.

- You'll never make the team, Henry.

- Hi, Mr. Quigley.

- Hello, Dennis.

- I guess I am a little rusty.

- Rusty?

I could hear you creaking three stoplights away.

- Is that so?

What are you doing out of the grocery store, Quigley?

- Well, I imagine Mrs. Mitchell would like some groceries.

My delivery boy ran off of with the circus last week,

and I haven't been able to get a new one.

Uh, you think you'll win tomorrow, Dennis?

- Yeah.

Stretch Nichols can win all by himself

if they just keep feeding the ball to him.

He's about six feet tall.

- A six footer playing with boys?

- Oh, he's not much older than the other boys.

He just grew fast.

I was like that myself.

- You ought to see Johnny Brady try to get the ball away

from Stretch when we're practicing.

He just holds it up there, and Johnny can't even get it.

Boy, does he get mad.

- Johnny Brady, huh?

Is he a good player?

- Nah.

But he sure thinks he is.

- Sounds like his father.

- Uh, exactly.

- You know Stretch's dad, too, don't you Mr. Quigley?

Mr. Nichols, the man who collects our neighborhood trash

every week. - At 5 o'clock in the morning.

- Oh, him.

Yes, well, I've never met the man, Dennis,

but I've heard his work.

- Hey, boy, do you know what time it is?

We've only got 10 minutes to get you to school.

Come on, I'll ride you over. - So long, Mr. Quigley.

- Bye, Dennis.

- All right, now, boys.

We're going to try that opening play again.

Stretch tips off to Cooms, Cooms dribbles straight

down court as passes to Stretch in the corner for a set shot.

Brady, you screen for him.

Now let's try it.

- Don't let me out jump you, Stretch.

- I'll try real hard, Dennis.

[whistle]

- Now what's the idea, Brady?

You were supposed to screen for Stretch,

not take the shot yourself.

- It's the only way I ever get to take one.

Give it to Stretch, pass it to Stretch.

I'm on the team, too, Coach.

- It is a team, and you have to do what's best for the team.

- It's OK with me if you take a few more shots, Johnny.

- Ah, don't give me that modest hero stuff.

I don't need any favors from a big freak like you.

- Another crack like that out of you, Brady,

and I'll toss you right out of here.

Now come on, let's try that play again.

And this time, let Stretch do the shooting.

- Yeah, Johnny.

You almost missed the backboard.

- Come on!

- And the Coach says if the game goes OK tomorrow night,

he might use me for a few plays.

- I sure hope so, Dennis.

I wish you could play regular.

- Maybe I will next year.

I'm getting better all the time.

- Hey, did somebody lose a ferry boat?

It looks like a ferry boat drifted in here.

- Give me my shoe, Johnny.

- Shoe?

Lucky it's not a boat.

It's got a leak in it.

- Give him his shoe, you!

- OK, OK.

But no kidding, Stretch.

Looks like your old man could find you a better pair of shoes

than that with all the trash he handles.

- Yeah, trash.

- Stretch doesn't get his shoes out of the trash collection,

and you know it.

- Well, maybe he ought to start.

- Boy, they make me so mad I could--

- It's OK, Dennis.

They were just kidding.

- Oh, no, they weren't.

Johnny's just jealous of you, that's all.

You're a lot better player than he is.

He's just sore because he can't be the star of the team.

- Never mine.

Let's go.

- You'll show him tomorrow night, boy.

With you on the team, we can't lose.

- And with my kid on the team, we can't lose.

See you around.

- Hi, Quigley.

- Oh, hello, Brady.

- Just talking about the basketball game tomorrow night.

You going to be there? - Yes, I intend to.

- Because if you want to make some fast money,

get a bet down on the home team.

We're a cinch.

- Oh, really?

- My kid Johnny's playing forward,

and is he terrific, Quigley.

He's going to be just like his old man.

I was a natural athlete.

- Oh, naturally.

- Yes sir, with my kid setting the pace tomorrow night,

you're going to see some terrific basketball.

We'll win by a mile.

- Oh, come now, Brady.

This is just a grammar school team.

Don't go too far out on a limb.

- Wait a minute, Quigley.

You may be just the pigeon I'm looking for.

You like to make a little bet against our team?

- Bet? No, I--

- Because $10 will get to $20, Quigley.

- No.

No, thank you.

- Yeah, I always figured you were chicken.

All right, I'll bet you $50 to $10 that

Johnny's team slaughters 'em.

- Frankly, I never heard it referred to as "Johnny's team"

before.

Around school, they consider the Nichols boy their star player.

- Sure.

He's the Coach's pet, that's why.

My kid's got it all over him.

Listen, Johnny's not only great on defense.

He's a great offensive player, too.

- If you're a boy lived to be 100, Brady,

he'd never be as offensive as you are.

[music playing]

- What you should have done, you should

have punched Johnny Brady right in the nose.

Pow!

- Hitting Johnny wouldn't fix these old shoes.

It wouldn't make any of my clothes look any better.

- Your clothes look all right, Stretch.

- I've been thinking about it all season, Dennis,

and, well, I've got my mind made up.

I'm going to quit the team.

- Quit the team!

Aw, Stretch, you can't.

Oh, no!

- I've just got to, Dennis.

I don't belong with Brady and those guys.

I just don't belong.

- But Stretch, jeepers, I mean--

- I don't even like playing ball with guys that make fun of me.

- But Stretch, if you don't play tomorrow

night, our team's going to get fractured.

- Maybe not.

Anyhow, it doesn't even feel like our team anymore,

you know what I mean?

- Well, I guess so, but I--

- I decided the thing for me to do

is to get a job after school helping

my dad in the trash truck.

I might as well start learning the business.

Well, I'll see you.

[music playing]

- This is about the worst thing that's

ever happened to our team.

- That's a shame, dear.

- Yes, it's too bad he quit the team before the big game

tomorrow.

- Hello, folks.

I got that prime rib I told you about, Mrs. Mitchell.

I thought I'd drop it by.

- Thank you, Mr. Quigley.

- Still no delivery boy, Otis?

- No.

- I'll work for you, Mr. Quigley, if you

wait till I finish school.

- [laughing] I might be in a wheelchair by then, Dennis.

Bye, now.

- Goodbye, Mr. Quigley.

- Son, are you sure he's not going to play?

- Sure, I'm sure.

Well, there-- there may be an advantage

to Stretch quitting the team.

DENNIS (OFFSCREEN): What's that?

HENRY (OFFSCREEN): Well, with him out of the game,

you may get to play more tomorrow night.

- Well, that's right.

The Coach will really need you now.

- We'll need a lot more than me with Stretch gone.

I wouldn't even get $0.02 on our team now.

[music playing]

[phone ringing]

- Brady.

- Hello, Brady.

Otis Quigley.

Yeah, yeah.

I've been thinking about that conversation we had today.

- You mean you're going to be me after all,

against my kid's team?

Sure, the offer's still open, pigeon.

Five to one odds.

- Yeah, I'll bet $20, Brady.

- Oh!

This is like finding money in the street.

Uh, too bad some of my friends can't

get a piece of the action.

- I doubt if you have many friends, Brady,

but feel free to tell anyone you like that I'll

cover any bets they care to make.

- Oh, am I glad I was around when you flipped your wig.

So long, sucker.

[laughing]

[music playing]

- You're not eating, dear.

- Worried about the game, son?

- Well, sort of.

- Well, don't worry about it.

There'll be lots more games.

- There won't be for Stretch.

Playing basketball made him feel important.

But Johnny Brady rode him so hard

he-- he just couldn't take it any more.

That's wrong, isn't it?

- It certainly is.

- Because Stretch needed something to make

him feel important.

He's not lucky like me.

I've got you, and dad, and-- well, everything.

- We're all lucky, Dennis.

- Stretch doesn't even have a good pair of shoes.

Jeepers, you bought me enough shoes for a caterpillar.

- Well, fortunately, we're able to, son,

and we enjoy giving you things.

- I enjoy getting them, too, but I'd sure enjoy 'em more

if guys like Stretch had 'em, too.

I told him I'd meet him in the park this morning.

Is it OK if I go now?

- Certainly, honey.

Run along.

- Well, looks like our son's beginning

to figure things out for himself.

- I like that.

A boy should be able to find his own way.

- Well, at lest he's headed in the right direction.

- I sure with you'd change your mine, Stretch.

- Can't do it, Dennis.

I told my old man about it, and he

said if I wasn't good enough for those guys,

I was a dope to win the games for 'em.

- But you are good enough for 'em, Stretch.

You're better than they are.

- Are you kidding?

They live in swell houses.

I live in a dump.

- It doesn't matter where you live, Stretch.

How about lions?

They live in smelly old caves, but nobody pushes them around.

- I just don't fit, Dennis.

And when you don't fit, you butt out.

Well, I'll see you.

[music playing]

- So if you were the best basketball player in school,

you'd know how important it is to have

Stretch back on the team.

- Yes, I can see that, Dennis.

- Thanks for the ice cream, Mr. Quigley.

When I'm in trouble, I always think

a lot better eating ice cream.

- Well then, you must be quite a lot, I guess, huh?

- So I thought maybe if you talked to Stretch,

you might get him to play tonight.

- Oh, I couldn't do that.

I've already made a bet-- it's really none of my affair.

- But it's such a problem, Mr. Quigley.

- Oh, come now, Dennis.

What difference if your team does get beaten?

Remember, it matters not whether you win or lose

but how you play the game.

- Oh, I'm not worried about losing.

I just want Stretch to belong.

- Belong to what?

The team?

- Well, not exactly.

It's kind of hard to explain.

You see, Johnny Brady made fun of Stretch

because his father is the trash man,

and Stretch has to wear beat up old clothes.

And it hurt his feelings so bad, he just quit.

- Well, he'll get over that.

- Not unless somebody helps him.

Can't you think of something, Mr. Quigley?

It's not right for a fellow as tall as Stretch to feel so low.

- Well, it-- it really doesn't concern me.

- Well, it ought to.

- Why?

- Because you're one of the good guys.

- I am? - Yeah.

If you were a cowboy, you'd wear a white suit.

- That's very flattering, Dennis, but I, uh--

- And good guys help each other.

Suppose you were poor and lived in a crummy house,

and felt awful because the bad guys made fun of you.

Wouldn't your friends try to make you feel better?

- Y-yes, yes, I suppose so.

- Of course they would.

They'd know you weren't poor on purpose,

and neither is Stretch.

- That's true.

- So we ought to concern you.

- Thank you, Dennis. - Huh?

What are you thanking me for?

- For giving me a good, swift kick in the conscience.

- Did I do that?

- Don't worry, I deserved it.

Say, I've got an idea that might help get Stretch back

on the team.

- I know you liked basketball, Mr. Quigley.

- You go get Stretch and meet me on the corner in half an hour.

- Oh, boy, I sure will!

Thanks, Mr. Quigley!

[music playing]

- Over here, boys.

- Boy, Stretch, you sure do look sharp.

- Here you are, fellas.

- Thanks, Mr. Quigley.

- It was well of you to buy me these new clothes, Mr. Quigley,

but, well, isn't it kind of like charity?

- Oh, no, not at all, my boy.

- Well, I don't know--

- Now, look, if it'll make you feel any better,

you come in after school and on Saturdays

and be my delivery boy, and work it off that way,

because I think you deserve to know what it feels

like to have a new suit on your back.

- Yes, I'd like to do that, sir.

- Good.

- Old Johnny Brady can't laugh at those shoes.

They're shinier than his and twice as big.

- First real new ones I ever had.

Who do I feel so different, Mr. Quigley?

I'm the same guy under these clothes.

- Of course you are, my boy.

The same boy that Johnny Brady tried to hurt because he

was jealous of you.

- What he says won't bother me anymore.

- Are you going to play tonight?

- You bet I am.

I'm going to walk over to Coach Gilmore's house

right now and tell him.

- That's the spirit.

- Then I'm going to walk by Johnny Brady's house and Froggy

Bates's house and show them they've got nothing on me.

- And don't forget, you're having dinner at our house,

and we'll all go to the game together.

You're invited too, Mr. Quigley.

- Well, thank you, Dennis.

- I'll be there, Dennis.

Thanks again, Mr. Quigley.

- Look at him, Mr. Quigley.

He's walking tall like he ought to.

- You know, Dennis, I feel taller myself.

[music playing]

- I'm glad you're going to meet Stretch, mom.

He's a swell guy.

- Yes, I was greatly impressed by the lad.

- Well, I hope he likes fried chicken.

[doorbell]

- Hey, there he is now.

Hi Stretch.

Come on in.

- Hi, Dennis.

- Hey, mom, dad, I want you to meet my pal, Stretch Nichols.

- Hello, Stretch.

- Hi.

- Hey, Stretch, you're limping.

- What's the matter, son?

Did you hurt yourself?

- It's my new shoes.

They're killing me.

- Well, good Christopher, boy, why didn't you take them off?

- I wanted everybody to see them.

I walked all over town.

- Do you think you'll be able to play?

- I'll sure try, but my feet do hurt.

- We better get him right over to the gym.

Coach Gilmore will know that to do.

- I'm sorry, dear, we won't be able to have the dinner.

This is an emergency. - Of course, go ahead.

- Wait a minute.

- Maybe if we rubbed your feet with ice it'll help.

- Or soak them in hot water.

- Gee, I'm sorry to cause all this trouble.

- Here, Stretch.

Here's some of mom's fried chicken.

It may not make your sore feet feel well,

but it'll sure take your mind off of them for a while.

- Come on, let's get going.

[music playing]

- How do they feel?

Any better?

- Did the rubbing alcohol do any good?

- Not much, Coach.

They're still swollen.

- See if you can get your shoe on now.

- Nope, I can't make it.

- Haven't you got a bigger pair of shoes he can wear, Coach?

- His are the biggest.

Even mine are too small for him.

- Jeepers, Stretch, your feet should stop growing a while.

- You're wasting your time playing basketball.

With feet like that, you could get

a job stamping out forest fires.

- Oh, now, that's just enough of you, Brady.

Now go on, you get out of her.

Go, go.

- OK, OK.

Come on, Froggy.

- What are we going to do, Coach?

- Well, we better start soaking his feet in hot Epsom salts,

try and reduce the-- the swelling.

- We'll have to hurry.

- Yeah, I know.

Oh, I've got to get the boys out on the floor right now.

Come on, boys.

- Yeah, well, you go ahead, Coach.

We'll take care of Stretch. - Oh, very good.

And you'll find a tub in that closet and the Epsom salts

in the cabinet.

Just start soaking.

Maybe he can play some of the game.

- I'll soak real hard, Coach! COACH (OFFSCREEN): OK.

Good luck, Stretch.

[groans]

- They're eight points ahead already.

- And the game is hardly started.

- We sure do need Stretch in there.

[groans]

- Well, there goes another one.

- I'll call time, Dennis.

You go see how Stretch is doing.

- OK.

- Keep your feet in here, now, Stretch.

This'll help.

- Are they shrinking any, Stretch?

- Not yet. How's the game going?

- They're ahead 14 to 4.

- Well, we're counting on the Epsom salts.

- Come on, lift your feet, Stretch.

Let's make 'em real salty.

[music playing]

[groans]

- Doesn't that make you sick?

Isn't just like Johnny Brady?

Thinks he can win it all by himself.

[groans]

- They're murdering us.

- Dennis, go check Stretch again.

- OK, Coach.

- Come on.

Hurry up, Stretch.

- We're coming up to the fourth quarter.

Can you get his shoes on yet?

- We're just about to another try.

- Are we doing any better?

When I left, it was 45 to 38 in their favor.

- Oh, no.

Still can't get it on.

- Oh, this is nerve-racking.

- Jeepers, take you sock off, Stretch.

You don't want to shrink that.

- Oh, brother.

- Jeepers, we'll never catch up.

Stretch sure didn't help us any.

- Push, Stretch!

Push!

- It's no use, Dennis.

I just can't make it.

- Well, the heck with your shoes.

Come on and play with your socks.

- My socks?

I couldn't do that.

I'd slip and slide all over the place.

- Then play barefooted.

I just figured it out.

All you have to do is stand under the basket

and let the other guys feed the ball to you.

We only got four minutes left, Stretch,

and we've got to try everything.

- You know, it might work.

- Let's go!

- Hey, another one!

Oh, it worked, Dennis!

- If they'll just keep feeding the ball to Stretch.

- Johnny!

[groans]

- What does that Brady think he's doing?

Brady.

Wait until I get a hold of him.

- Send me in, Coach.

If Brady won't pass the ball to Stretch, I will.

- Get in there, Dennis.

Time!

[buzzer]

[whistle]

- You're out, Brady.

The Coach sent me in.

- Oh, brother.

Now we've got to lose.

[whistle]

- Stretch!

COACH (OFFSCREEN): Come on!

Let's make it, Stretch!

And we've still got a few seconds left!

- Take it away!

Take it away from him! - Stretch!

- Come on, Stretch!

- Make it, Stretch!

[cheering]

[buzzer]

- Nice going, boys! Great game!

Great!

- Congratulations, Coach.

- Thanks, fellas, but you better congratulate them.

They're the ones that did it.

Congratulations, boys.

- Thanks, Coach.

[music playing]

- And I want to thank you and Dennis for all you've done.

- Oh, don't thank us, Stretch.

We thank you.

- Boy, I'll say.

- No, if you hadn't talked me into it, Dennis,

I would have never even played.

- Oh, that's just team work.

- Well, I'll be wearing these as soon as I can get into 'em.

[laughter]

- See you all later.

- So long.

- Goodbye, Stretch.

- Get your shirt on, son.

Your mother's waiting for you.

- OK, dad.

BRADY (OFFSCREEN): Hey, Quigley!

- Oh, excuse me.

My public calls.

- You were trying to hide.

It didn't work.

Pay me.

- OK, Brady.

- Of course, we'd have really wiped them it

they'd left my boy Johnny in there.

- Huh, your boy Johnny.

Here you are, Brady, $20, which I pay gladly.

- Gladly?

Well, that's not like you, Quigley.

- Yeah, I know.

That's a feeling you wouldn't know much about.

- Huh!

MOONEY (OFFSCREEN): Hey, Quigley!

- Well, Mooney.

Say, great game, wasn't it?

- That's what I like, a cheerful loser.

I'll take $20.

- What are you talking about?

I had no bet with you.

- You told Jack Brady you'd cover any bet anybody wanted to make.

I took you for $20 on the home team.

- But that's not ethical.

I didn't dream he'd go around making bets for me.

- Well, Jack said you would.

Of course, if you want to be a welcher.

- Oh, all right.

- Thanks, Quigley.

And while I'm here, I'll collect for the other guys.

- Other guys!

- You had $10 with Finch and $10 with Crinky.

I'll see that they get it.

- Mooney, this is rank piracy!

- It's not as bad as betting against the home team.

And brother, if you don't pay off,

your name is going to be mud in this town.

- All right.

- So long, Quigley.

Sweet dreams.

- Boys decided to have a little celebration, Quigley.

- Yeah.

We're going to the drug store and have

a big mug of root beer.

- Say, that's a good idea.

- It's been a swell day, hasn't it?

- Yes, my heart is full.

But my wallet is empty.

[laughter]

[music playing]

ANNOUNCER: This has been a Screen Gems film production.