Original subtitles

What do you think?

I think I'm the luckiest guy on the planet earth.

No, I mean about the catcher.

The opener's in two days.

Okay. Let's take a look at his stick.

Fisher!

Grab a bat!

Okay, coach.

Johnny.

Take a break.

I don't want you getting sore.

Okay, coach.

Hilger!

I didn't think they played baseball at Jefferson.

Relax. This won't take long.

Looks like another walk-on.

What are we doing... Putting ads in the paper?

Hey, kid.

How would you like to play some baseball?

I'd like that very much, sir.

Yo, blowfish.

Hey, iok, how goes it?

Penhall.

Bazeball been Berry, Berry good to you?

Berry, Berry good.

National pastime of Japan, my man.

Ooh, hoffs, hoffs.

You look magnificent.

What has gotten into you?

Spring. Spring is here, and I'm playing baseball.

The feds are here

and you'll play the unemployment line

if you don't get in Fuller's office.

You should have seen me whacking the ball.

I connected like...

Like a guy batting high school pitching?

I need this from a cubs fan?

The most loyal fans of all.

Let me know when they win a pennant.

Get in there.

You make the team?

Yeah.

Been at Lincoln a week. Made the baseball team.

So what's going on?

I'll ask the questions.

This is Spencer Phillips.

He's with the feds.

How come you guys always have names like corporations?

This your crack undercover unit?

I don't think I like your attitude.

Why don't you call my supervisor

and let him know what you think?

There's a player on your team named Johnny hartman.

Yeah, pitcher. Guy's unbelievable.

They say he's big league material.

They're probably right. We believe he's a kidnap target.

What's so important about him?

I'm sorry. I can't tell you.

The details are strictly on a need-to-know basis.

And us small-time local cops have no need to know.

That's right.

I can tell you that if there's a move against hartman,

it will occur within 72 hours.

What happens in 72 hours?

I can't tell you that.

Why do you need us at all?

We can't stay as close as you people can.

We have agents protecting him at night and at home.

But we have no juvenile operatives in our department.

That's 'cause them crew cuts always give you guys away.

The department thanks you in advance for your cooperation.

Please...

Don't disappoint us.

Charming guy.

All right.

Penhall, you're with hartman on the field.

Hoffs, I'm putting you into most of his classes.

Hanson and ioki will back you up.

Should we tell them or are they on a need-to-know basis?

I can't tell you that.

Yo! Fedheads.

Hi, mom.

Hi. How's it breaking?

Low and away.

Your dad called.

Great.

He's coming into town.

Did you tell him where we live?

Nice. Very nice.

He just wants to meet coach Wilson,

check the scholarship offers.

I thought we decided we could handle all that.

He wants to come to the game on Thursday.

He can do whatever he wants.

He's proven that over and over again, hasn't he?

Very good, Mr. hartman. Very good indeed.

I'd like you all to look at Mr. hartman's paper.

I've taken the Liberty of xeroxing it.

That's embarrassing.

Just pass these back, please.

Not only has Mr. hartman written a wonderful essay

on the volstead act...

That's prohibition for those who slept through class Tuesday...

But he's proven a point I've tried to get across

to the administration and the student body of Lincoln high.

That is just because one excels on the athletic field

does not mean one cannot excel in class as well.

Right, Mr. moeller?

Sorry. What was the question?

I rest my case.

You were in my last class. You following me?

Maybe.

Judy Robinson. I just transferred in.

Today's my first day.

Johnny hartman. Transferred in the fall.

I know who you are.

You're a legend.

1.07 e.R.A., 110 strikeouts in 10 games last season.

A baseball fan?

Cub fan.

Oh, painful!

Loyal.

Maybe you want to come out and watch a real team play.

Mm. Maybe.

That's it! Hit the showers!

Fisher?

I'm sorry, coach. It's just the layoff.

Hey, it's baseball, son.

You don't have to run more than 90 feet at a time.

Why do you coaches always make us run wind sprints?

Tradition.

Look, Fisher.

I'm penciling you into the starting lineup for Thursday.

Really?

Whitaker? Yes. Really.

You're gonna catch hartman,

so start spending more time with him.

And make sure you've got the signals down pat.

Okay?

Whitaker, you're starting at short.

Watch the stuff hit to your right.

You're taking an extra step before you throw to second.

Okay? Yes, sir.

Doug Fisher.

Jake Whitaker.

Two transfers. Two starters.

Not to mention hartman last year.

Somebody up there must like me.

Jake: You're gonna be catching hartman, huh?

Yeah. Is he amazing or what?

Pss! Aah!

145 pounds, and all of it arm.

Another five years, we'll be trading his baseball card.

So, what do you say we grab some dinner?

Don't you have a girlfriend?

Mm. Not that I can remember.

Penhall: You got a problem?

Young man: Yeah. I'm sick of you guys making the team.

Hey!

What's the matter with you?

Get up!

That's enough.

What's the beef here?

Nothing, coach.

We were just arguing about who had the better fastball...

Gooden or valenzuela.

Yeah, right.

You okay, henessey?

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Next time you want to question the lineup,

you knock on my door.

Yes, sir.

All right. Listen up.

Postgame party in the cafeteria immediately following the opener

on Thursday.

Parents, girlfriends. Everybody's invited.

We got a good thing going here.

We could have a terrific season.

I know the team's been in transition,

what with hartman coming in last season

and Whitaker and Fisher.

But they're all a part of this ballclub.

And I want them made to feel that way, all right?

Okay.

No practice tomorrow.

See you all Thursday, an hour before game time.

Nice move there.

I can take care of myself.

I'm sure you can.

You're from back east.

Yeah.

Me too.

New York.

How do you like it out here?

Same as anywhere, I guess.

Want to grab some dinner or something tonight?

No, thanks. Got a date.

So there I am standing in front of my locker.

My father comes up and says:

"Somebody here would like to meet you."

I turn around, and there is Scott Peterson.

From the Yankees?

Live, in person.

My idol wants to meet me.

Get out of here!

What did he say?

"I hear you got a great arm, kid."

And I say, "you're not so bad yourself."

You said that to Scott Peterson?

He strikes out 300 hitters in one season

and I say, "you're not so bad yourself."

Oh, man. What else? What else? What else?

Usual stuff.

Stay in school, get good grades, stay off drugs.

Stay off drugs, huh?

Yeah, yeah. Good advice.

Two years later, he's busted

in the Kansas City airport and spends six months in rehab.

Heroes.

So... Who are you?

What are you talking about?

What's your real name?

Judy Robinson.

Look, you can play it any way you want,

but I know you're a cop.

Or a fed.

Or something.

You show up in all my classes.

You buddy up with the baseball talk.

You come to practice.

It's about my father, right?

Johnny, I don't know anything about your father.

I hope you're telling the truth.

Because I would like to think of you as a friendly girl

rather than a nosy cop.

Johnny: Oh, my god.

Johnny, what's the matter?

What's going on? Is my mother all right?

She's fine.

This gentleman was sneaking around the house.

He says he's a teammate of yours.

He is.

Hey, man, you left your glove on the bench.

I just brought it over.

Thanks.

I'll see you out.

These guys work for my dad.

They get a little paranoid every now and then.

No kidding.

Could have sworn I tossed this in my locker.

What makes you think Jake Whitaker

wasn't just returning the glove?

Johnny remembers leaving the glove in his locker.

Tell me about him.

There's something definitely weird about the guy.

He flew off the handle in the locker room...

Nearly slung this guy 20 feet across the room.

What else?

Well, he's got good range to the left,

above-average arm,

and he steps in the bucket on the inside pitch.

Johnny said he transferred in about a week ago

and made the team just like that.

Keep an eye on him.

Shouldn't be hard. He bats ahead of me.

Hanson! Ioki!

You get any more info out of Phillips?

You're kidding me.

Want you two to check out a student named Jake Whitaker.

He's a shortstop for Lincoln high.

Do you want batting average,

fielding percentage, what?

Get hold of his transcripts, hanson.

Okeydokey.

Okay.

Is that all?

Almost. There is one more thing.

Johnny hartman knows I'm a cop.

I didn't give it up or confirm it.

He just figured it out.

Your cover is already blown,

and you treat it like an afterthought?

It's no problem. Johnny's totally cool with it.

It sounds like it's routine to him.

It has to do with his father.

He kind of let that slip.

Frank hartman?

Doesn't ring any bells.

All right. Stay with it.

You found more in a day

than the feds will tell us in a month.

Okay. That's it.

Get to school.

Coming to the opener?

You ready?

I'm dedicating my first homer to you.

I bet I can bat about .340 in this league.

Umpire: Strike!

Oh, shoot.

You're out!

Who did you dedicate that one to, Fisher?

I hate this game.

He's warm, new guy.

Have fun, huh?

Strike!

Way to go, Johnny baby!

Ball!

Ball!

Excuse me, ma'am.

I, uh, banged up my arm pretty good.

Nobody's at the nurse's station.

Oh, my.

Everybody's at the game.

Let me open it up for you.

Whitaker.

Come on, Doug!

Umpire: Strike!

Ease up, Fisher.

Just meet the ball.

Come on!

Umpire: Strike!

Come on, Fisher!

Anybody I should say hi to when I round the bases?

They'll all be in college by then.

Come on!

All right!

Great going!

I've been waiting half an hour.

Yeah. I like to take long showers.

You pitched real well, son.

Thanks.

So, uh, how is your mother holding up?

Not bad, all things considered.

Hey.

So is this your father?

Yeah. Uh, Judy Robinson. Frank hartman.

My pleasure.

Nice to meet you.

That's quite a pitcher you grew there.

Oh, yeah. Quite a pitcher.

Jake: Johnny hartman.

I'd like you to meet my mother.

Nice to meet you.

This is the guy.

One of these days, he'll be in the big leagues.

From your mouth to god's ear.

Frank hartman.

Grace Whitaker.

You must be very proud.

You have no idea.

If, uh, you all will excuse me for a minute.

Jake tells me you just moved here, too.

Yeah. About a year ago.

Mm-hmm. Where from?

Back east.

Oh. Where from back east? I'm from back east.

The city.

Connecticut.

We moved around a lot.

Wilson: I'd say about 20 colleges in all.

Not to mention a few pro scouts that would like to see the boy

go straight into the minor leagues.

No, no, no. Forget that.

I want him to play at least two years of college ball.

I think that's a good idea.

Good.

I want you to handle all that.

You find a school with a good baseball program

and a coach that won't throw his arm out.

Don't worry. I take care of my kids.

Uh, there's, uh,

there's something else I'd like to ask you.

Sure.

You're going to find it strange, because we've never met before.

But I want you to accept what I'm about to say

without asking any questions.

What are you talking about?

If anything should happen to me...

I mean if I should get in an accident or something...

I want you to look out for my kid.

I don't understand.

No questions.

I want you to look out for Johnny

and his baseball career.

You make sure that he stays on track,

that he stays in school,

and works his butt off when he gets down to the minors.

You're a good man, Mr. Wilson.

I chose Lincoln high and...

And your program for very specific reasons.

You take care of the baseball.

His mother will take care of the rest.

Look...

Please.

No questions.

You'll be very well compensated for your time and effort.

It's all been arranged.

I can't believe this.

What's up? Bad news?

There's no record of a Jake Whitaker

at the New York City school in his transcript.

So where's he from?

That's what they want us to find out!

Who? The feds!

They want us to go into his house.

They must be serious.

They got a no-knock warrant in 20 minutes.

That's your government at work, iokage.

Not exactly better homes and gardens, huh?

Yeah.

I'll check the bedroom.

All right.

Look at this.

Freeze!

Freeze!

Freeze! We're police officers!

Oh, yeah?

So am I.

Phillips: What about the woman with you?

I paid her a grand to pose as my mother.

She brought in her electric bill,

got me registered me at Lincoln.

Let me see that.

We'll have a full report later, captain.

But New York midtown confirms his story.

He's a first-class detective on two weeks' vacation.

Not bad, huh?

Fuller: Danny Jacobson.

25 years old. Four years on the force.

Two years undercover.

Been decorated twice for valor.

Looks like we got ourselves a genuine hero.

Right.

Why don't we get together sometime and reminisce?

Okay?

Want to get me a cab, pretty boy?

Sit down.

Look.

You want to keep carmine terranova in one piece.

So do I.

So why not keep on doing what we're doing?

Three days, we can all rest easy.

What do you say?

Carmine terranova?

Frank hartman.

You didn't tell them, did you?

Frank hartman is a protected witness

set to travel to New York in two days

to testify against Nick lucchesi.

Nick "the iceman" lucchesi.

The trial's been going on for weeks.

Guess you forgot some of the details, huh, Spence?

Need-to-know basis, all that bull?

Why don't you fill us in?

Jacobson: It's very simple.

The feds had carmine... Frank hartman...

On a murder beef.

He turned state's witness on lucchesi and got out of it.

So they put him in a witness relocation program.

Very good.

Chris and carmine terranova became Johnny and frank hartman.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Unless lucchesi's boys get to frank first

and blow his head off.

Right. He's under heavy protection.

So they could get his kid

and make frank forget what he was gonna testify about.

Why wasn't I apprised of this?

Your only assignment was

and is to preserve Johnny hartman's safety.

Anything beyond that is peripheral

to the matter at hand.

You're getting very good at that bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo.

If Johnny went to the witness program,

how did you find him?

Johnny hartman's always been a standout pitcher.

I kept tabs on usa today,

followed the sports section until I found him.

That's where you feds aren't very good at this.

Why, Jake?

What's your interest in terranova?

Same as yours.

I want to see him testify against the iceman.

I don't buy it.

You spend your vacation

making sure some mob witness lives three more days?

I think you want the iceman to go away

for some other reason.

Like maybe he's got something on you.

Drugs. Protection.

How can he hang you for, Jake?

I don't need a reason to see some scum sent up.

Why this scum?

What's so important about this one?

Because this one killed my partner.

He killed my partner.

I just want to see justice done.

Fuller: Yeah. Phillips, it's for you.

Phillips.

Yeah?

When?

Keep me updated.

Informant in New York says a couple of lucchesi's boys

are in town.

I can find them.

I know how these guys operate.

I'm here. I might as well help.

Okay. You can ride with hanson.

Hoffs, penhall, you don't let Johnny hartman

or terranova whatever the heck his name is out of your sight.

Ioki, contact New York.

I want files, photos...

Everything they've got on terranova.

Come on.

What are you waiting for... A goodbye kiss?

This is going to be a great assignment.

Hey, don't worry about it.

I seen these kind of guys before.

They only talk tough.

You'll kill the guy.

Relax. He loves this stuff.

This will only take a minute.

Nick lucchesi.

I hear he's got some muscle in town.

I would like to know where.

I don't know you.

Let me introduce myself.

I'm the guy with the knife.

I can't let you do this. Hey, you look.

These aren't kids selling coke in the bathrooms.

These are professional killers.

You can't keep up, take a walk.

Anything lucchesi can do to you,

I can do worse.

And right now.

He's not kidding, pal.

Jacobson: You don't know what room they're in?

Want to bet?

What is wrong with you?

It was a simple question, Mr., uh...

Carter.

I'll ask it again.

What's their room number?

Think they were tipped off?

No. I think they got lucky.

Probably went out for a pizza or something.

These guys are always eating.

Who are you calling?

Fuller. I want this place under surveillance.

Make sure those bozos don't blow their cover.

You're not the only cop who knows the ropes here.

The only cop in this hick town, yeah.

Oh, really?

You weren't so clever

that we didn't figure you out from day one.

And you weren't so tough that you got by me and ioki.

As a matter of fact, all I see is a guy with a big mouth

and a total disregard for anyone's civil rights.

I'm starting to like you.

Johnny, I know who your dad is.

So maybe you should call me Chris.

And you are?

Judy. Hoffs.

Officer Judy hoffs.

Well, I'm glad to meet you, officer hoffs.

I'm starting to see the possibilities in this.

Say I make a fool of myself in front of some girl.

Move to a new town. Get a new name.

New personality. Bada bing. Start over.

It's kind of like writing in erasable ink.

I know a little about changing characters myself.

Except I can never go back.

It makes you think twice about getting into relationships.

Not to mention magazine subscriptions.

Sometimes I wonder if I'll even remember who I was

the first 16 years of my life.

Or if Chris terranova will just be this guy I used to know.

Ioki!

Yeah?

Papers just through from New York.

Thanks, zig.

What do they do... Spray-paint the cardboard?

Is there a problem with the pizza?

Yeah. It ain't from New York.

Hey, it's just a fact of life.

It ain't New York, it ain't nowhere.

Except when it comes to football.

Then there's Jersey, right?

Fuller: Call the d.A.

Find out when the Miller case is coming to trial.

No running in the hallways, Phillips.

Save it.

Who's watching Johnny right now?

Hoffs. Why?

Frank hartman's getting cranky.

Says he wants to see his kid one more time

before he leaves to testify.

Maybe he's worried he's not coming back.

Yeah. Well, I'll tell you the truth.

As long as he puts lucchesi away,

I don't care what happens to him.

Nice.

Blowfish, you've outdone yourself.

I like to put on a good show for these out-of-town guests.

There you go, man. Thank you.

I got to admit.

Nobody in New York would even think of doing that.

Where did Johnny and hoffs go?

I think she said sharkey's restaurant.

Find them and drive Johnny to the Sheraton villas.

His father wants to see him.

Want some company?

Who said this guy ain't friendly?

The snitch at the bar.

The motel clerk.

Me.

I was thinking.

You're the first person I've talked to in two years

I didn't have to worry about slipping with.

What do you mean "slipping"?

Answering to the name Chris by mistake.

Forgetting what my phony past was about.

Falling on ice... You know, slipping.

Doug, what's the matter?

Everything's okay.

Your father wants to see you before he heads to New York.

The catcher, too?

Afraid so.

Officer Doug penhall.

My father actually asked for me?

Yeah.

Come on. He's waiting. The car's out front.

Woman: Blue haven motel.

Room 224.

Man: Yeah?

Frank hartman's at the Sheraton villas.

He's taken care of. Mr. lucchesi thanks you.

Captain, we've got a problem.

I've been going over the rest of Jake's files and some photos.

Take a look at this.

This is a picture of Jake and his partner, Marty spaulding...

The cop who was murdered by Nick "the iceman" lucchesi.

This woman here is the woman Jake said he paid $1,000 to

to pose as his mother.

You grab hanson and you pick her up.

Now.

Ioki: Come on. We've heard all that.

Who are you, lady?

I did a favor for Jake. He's already told you.

No. He told us what he wants us to believe.

Do you think I'll tell you anything different?

You come here from New York and act like you own the place.

What gives you the right to do this?

Did you ever ask yourself what gives carmine terranova

the right to murder a man?

And get a new name and address for his punishment?

Marty spaulding was your husband, wasn't he?

It's not going to be too difficult to check out.

I'm sorry.

This time, sorry isn't good enough.

This time, I want justice.

Ma'am, that's what we're trying to give you here.

Look, frank hartman testifies. Nick the iceman goes to jail.

Nick lucchesi's not the one who killed my husband.

Frank hartman killed my husband.

Frank hartman, the witness?

Oh, my god.

Then Jake doesn't want to protect hartman.

He wants to kill him.

He's not going to kill anybody.

He'll just tell the hit men where to find him.

Come on. He's going to drop a dime on him.

I hope he drops a ton of bricks.

You got a future, kid.

That arm of yours says you are going to make it big.

Listen, um, dad, what are we doing here?

You've been talking baseball to me for 20 minutes.

I've got to go to New York.

You understand that, don't you?

I'm turning over on lucchesi.

Yeah. I know that.

Let's just say I got more faith in lucchesi getting to me

than the feds keeping him off.

You don't think much of me, do you, kid?

No, dad, I don't.

Well, I'm not saying I've been any great father.

Who would I be kidding?

I just hate to go out like this.

Oh. Should I feel sorry for you?

Or love? That was over a long time ago.

Don't talk to me like that!

What are you gonna do, shoot me?

Don't come to me now that you're afraid of not coming back

and expect me to make you my hero.

Okay, kid.

I'm sorry I spoiled your date.

Waiting for someone, gentlemen?

Easy, easy. Come on out.

Come on out.

Nice and easy.

Kiss the car.

Hands on your head.

Come on. Hands on your head.

Where's Jake?

He went to get some sodas.

Get down!

Are you nuts? There's a car coming!

I know that!

Holy...

That's the way Jake would have done it.

I guess you'll be moving again.

New name, new identity.

You didn't even make a fool of yourself in front of some girl.

I hope not.

You know, I don't know whether

I'll remember or want to remember

Chris terranova in ten years,

but I'm not gonna forget Johnny hartman.

Neither will I.

I'll tell you what.

If in five years, you come out to the ballpark

and see a guy pitching that looks a lot like me,

come by and say hello.

You'll sign me an autograph?

Yeah, I'll sign you an autograph.

I don't know what name it will be,

but I'll sign you an autograph.

Wilson: Fisher, get over here.

This is Fred clairman from state university.

I've been telling him a lot about you.

I think I've piqued their interest.

Uh, look, sir, I appreciate the offer and all,

but I got to tell you something.

I've been through high school, and I'm a police officer.

I'm a cop, guys.

So?