[BAT HITS BALL]
ALL:
You blockhead, Charlie Brown!
[SQUEAKS]
Well, tomorrow starts
another baseball season then.
I've worked up a few statistics
about our baseball team, Charlie Brown.
I think you'll find
they have something to say to all of us.
I'll bet they have a lot to say.
What do they have to say?
Well, last year
our opponents scored 3000 runs...
...to our total of six runs.
They made 4900 hits to our 11 hits.
And they made four errors
to our 375 errors.
And while we were losing
999 straight games, we...
I don't think
I'm gonna get much sleep tonight.
See you tomorrow, Linus.
And thanks for the statistics.
Charlie Brown,
do your team a big favor tomorrow.
- What's that?
- Don't show up.
I've got five boys, three girls,
and a dog who can't throw.
And every time we lose,
they call me a blockhead.
They never let me forget
the mistakes I make.
Never.
Why do we have to suffer
every year like this?
Maybe that blockhead Charlie Brown
won't show up this time...
...and we'll have a chance.
Well, team, here I am.
ALL:
Disaster time. We're doomed.
What a team. Good grief.
No manager goes through what I do.
All right, now,
this season's going to be different.
What's gonna make it different?
Well, first, last year
we hit into too many double plays.
Therefore, I've arranged a demonstration
on how to avoid double plays against us.
Snoopy is the runner coming in from first
to break up the play at second.
Now, watch carefully.
The play begins with Linus fielding.
Linus fields the ball.
[GROWLING]
Are there any questions?
I have a question, Charlie Brown.
Do I have to play right field again?
Nobody in the stands
can see my naturally curly hair.
And if I don't get time off
to practice Beethoven...
...I'm not going to play catcher.
And we can't keep up
all that ridiculous infield chatter.
Like, "come on, charlie Brown.
Attaboy. You can do it."
Because you can't do it, charlie Brown.
So you're turning us into
a bunch of hypocrites.
And we don't like being hypocrites.
Baseball is supposed to build character,
not tear it down.
All right, all right.
Let's show a little cooperation.
Take your positions.
- Pigpen, has the other team shown up?
- Unfortunately, yes.
All right, here we go.
The first pitch of the season.
I have to get this first one
right over the plate.
There it is. Right over the plate,
and clear over the backstop.
What kind of a pitcher are you?
You threw the first ball of the season
clear over the backstop.
It sort of got away from me.
Well, try to be more careful,
Charlie Brown.
You almost hit my mother.
It's good to be back
on the mound again.
The sun is shining
and my arm feels great.
Everything is just like it was
in the good old days.
[BAT HITS BALL]
Unfortunately.
All right. So they have a man on first.
If this team is gonna beat us,
they're really gonna have to try.
[BAT HITS BALL]
I hate it when they try.
[BAT HITS BALL]
[BAT HITS BALL]
[BAT HITS BALL]
[BAT HITS BALL]
[BAT HITS BALL]
I just have to concentrate.
I just have to bear down.
I just have to...
[BAT HITS BALL]
- Frieda, how are things in right field?
- Kind of boring.
You going to the party
Wednesday afternoon?
I sure am.
You should see
what my mother bought me to wear.
It's a white party dress
with a huge sash...
[BALL FALLING]
...of sugar-pink satin.
That's the old pepper, charlie, old boy.
That's a pitching in there.
The slow ball is working
pretty well today, Charlie Brown.
Let's fool this next guy.
Give him your fastball.
I've been giving them my fastball.
Don't tell me you're thinking about
eating at a time like this.
Are you out of your mind?
Get back to your position
and take that stupid dish with you.
And pay attention to the ball game.
[BAT HITS BALL]
[SNEEZES]
Some of these infielders
are kind of touchy.
[BAT HITS BALL]
ALL:
It's a high fly ball!
- Catch it, Charlie Brown!
- Catch it.
Have you got it, Charlie Brown?
- Don't miss it.
- Get under it, Charlie Brown.
- Isn't this exciting?
- What if he drops it?
If he drops it, let's all kick him.
- It's coming down, charlie Brown.
- The fly ball is coming down.
If I catch it, I'll be the hero.
If I miss it, I'll be the goat.
[BALL FALLING]
I can hear it.
Charlie "The Goat" Brown.
ALL:
Oh!
I had the ball right in my glove
and I dropped it.
Rats. Another game lost. I really thought
we were going to win this one.
For one brief moment
victory was within our grasp.
And then the game started.
A hundred and twenty-three to nothing.
Good grief.
What a way to lose
your first game of the season.
- By the way, where'd everybody go?
- They all went off to cry. Sniff, sniff.
- All of them?
- All of them.
[CRYING]
I quit.
I refuse to play anymore
on a team that never wins.
Don't quit, violet, please. We need you.
We need to stick together as a team.
After all, it's not the winning
that counts, the fun is in the playing.
- Oh, brother.
- I'm quitting.
It's ridiculous to keep playing on a team
that always loses.
This team will never amount to anything.
I refuse to play left field
for a sinking ship.
We're through with baseball.
We're going to enjoy summer
like the other kids.
I'm sorry, charlie Brown,
but I guess I'll quit too.
It's hard to play on a team
that always loses.
It's depressing.
I'm the kind
who needs to win now and then.
With you, it's different.
I think you get sort of a neurotic
pleasure out of losing all the time.
That's all I need,
Little League psychiatry.
My whole team is deserting me.
I wonder who will be next.
I don't know what to do.
I must be a terrible manager.
Maybe for the sake of the team
I ought to resign.
What's the rush?
After 999 games,
don't I deserve one more chance?
[READING ON-SCREEN TEXT]
LINUS: Thank you, Mr. Hennessey.
I'll tell charlie Brown.
Charlie Brown, guess what.
Mr. Hennessey was wondering
if you'd like to get in a real league.
I don't get it, Linus.
Mr. Hennessey
wants to sponsor our team.
Sponsor our team?
Sure, Charlie Brown.
Real uniforms and everything.
That's great.
Wait till the team hears about this.
That's just the inspiration
we need, Linus.
Now nothing will stop us.
Maybe we'll win one in a row.
I don't think we should
get involved with this, Snoopy.
No one else will play baseball anyway.
They're all doing other things.
You'd better forget it, charlie Brown.
See you later.
Hey, don't go.
This will really inspire the team.
Real uniforms,
a real league, real equipment.
Uniforms, uniforms.
Don't I look nice in my bikini?
Nope.
- Don't I look like a beach bunny?
- Nope.
Isn't he the cutest thing?
He never says what he means.
LINUS:
Surf's up!
Surf's up!
Wipe out!
Who wants to apply
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?
Bleh.
[COUGHING]
Listen, everybody.
Charlie Brown, you can't possibly
imagine how glad we'll all be...
...when summer is over
and you're back in school.
Listen, everybody, I've got great news.
If it's about baseball,
we don't want to hear it.
But this is good news.
If it's from you, charlie Brown,
it's failure news.
No, listen. I've got something
to tell you about the baseball team.
Forget it, Charlie Brown.
We're never gonna play baseball
with you again.
Why don't you leave us alone,
Charlie Brown?
You don't understand.
Mr. Hennessey at the hardware store
is going to give us...
We're through with your team forever.
[CHATTERING]
CHARLIE: All right, listen, everybody.
What I've been trying to tell you...
...is Mr. Hennessey has agreed
to buy us team uniforms.
We're going to get the chance
to play in a real league.
Uniforms? Who'd want to
waste uniforms on your team?
Mr. Hennessey
has ordered the uniforms...
...and we're even going to have
names on them.
We're gonna play in a real league.
Real uniforms?
- Will we be able to have lace cuffs?
- Will they be drip-dry?
Okay, you blockhead.
If you can deliver the uniforms,
we'll give you one more chance.
[CHATTERING]
Boy, real uniforms, we'll show them.
[PHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Oh, Mr. Hennessey.
Yes, this is Charlie Brown.
They're here? Great.
When can I get them?
Right now? Great, I'll be right down. I'll...
What's that?
Why, yes,
we do have a dog on the team.
Girls? Yes, we do have
a girl or two on the team.
But... But...
Oh, I couldn't do that, Mr. Hennessey...
...they're my team.
I couldn't tell the girls and Snoopy
they couldn't be on the team.
Oh, you mean the league won't accept
the girls or a dog on a team.
But, Mr. Hennessey, they're my friends
and he's my faithful dog.
Well, I understand, Mr. Hennessey.
I know it isn't your fault. Rules are rules.
I guess we'll have to do without
uniforms and being in a real league.
Thanks anyway.
Rats. No uniforms, no real league.
What am I going to do, Linus?
Mr. Hennessey just called,
and we can't have the uniforms...
...unless we get rid of Snoopy
and the girls from our team.
He says there's no place for them
in an organized league.
Oh, brother, Lucy's gonna tear you
limb from limb when you tell her.
She's gonna blow sky high.
They'll never play for you again.
I've got it. I won't say a word
till after the next game.
All we need is one victory
and they'll forget all about the uniforms.
We'll just play and win.
I don't know, charlie Brown.
Perhaps you should just leave town.
No, Linus, I know we can do it.
We can win if we really try.
Good old Charlie Brown,
he never gives up.
I wanna tell you how pleased I am
with the spirit you've been showing.
I like the way you're talking it up
out there. I like to hear lots of chatter.
Don't be so polite, charlie Brown.
Why don't you just
come right out and say...
...you're glad you have
a team of loudmouths?
I've come up with something
that's going to bring us victory.
What about our uniforms?
I've had Linus scout the opposition.
Now we'll know their weaknesses.
Linus, give us the scouting report
on the other team.
I watched this team practice, see?
They were terrible.
Anybody could beat them.
None of their players
could hit the ball out of the infield.
And they have this loudmouthed girl
in center field who can't catch a thing.
They also have some animal
at second base who can't even throw.
Their pitcher is a kind of round-headed
kid who is absolutely no good at all.
- And...
ALL: You scouted your own team.
Charlie Brown, why don't you give up?
It's a good thing
we're gonna get uniforms.
Otherwise, we wouldn't even play.
All right, all right. Let's start the game.
[COUGHING]
Bleh.
Pigpen, you're impossible.
Can't you do something
about all this dust?
How can you consider putting on
a new uniform over such a dirty figure?
You're absolutely filthy.
Yes, but I have clean thoughts.
Can't you even keep your shoelaces tied?
What do you want me to be,
inconsistent?
I've got to pitch them in there and win.
It's the only thing that will take
their minds off those stupid uniforms.
It's very lonely out here
on the pitcher's mound.
It's hard sometimes
to bear all this responsibility.
But suddenly you seem to realize
that you are not really alone.
Actually,
you are surrounded by loyal teammates.
Come on, you blockhead,
try to get one over the plate.
[BAT HITS BALL]
Oh, well, a man on first.
I'll keep the ball low for a double play.
[BAT HITS BALL]
Greatest double play I've ever seen.
Look at that. Shermy got a hit.
Wow, another hit!
LUCY: Where did it go?
CHARLIE: I don't know, I can't see.
I feel it in my bones, today we win.
[BAT HITS BALL]
Boy, what a catch.
The team is really up for this one.
We can't lose.
Linus, they've only scored two runs
in nine innings. We still have a chance.
I want you to go up there
and grit your teeth.
Look at that, Linus got a hit!
Oh, good grief. Out by a blanket.
Lucy, if you grit your teeth
and show real determination...
...you always have a chance.
Let's see you grit your teeth.
Fantastic.
You'll scare their pitcher to death.
Go get a hit.
Get a hit? I can't even see the pitcher.
This bat is no good. It's too light.
That ball they're using is no good either.
How can anyone hit
when the sun is so bright?
- I bat better when it's cloudy.
- Good grief.
All right, Snoopy.
This is the last of the ninth.
We need at least two runs.
I want you to go up there
and get on base.
Ahhhh!
That's it, Snoopy. Grit your teeth.
Look at that, Snoopy got a hit!
We're still in the game!
Look at that, Snoopy stole second!
Snoopy stole third!
ALL:
Slide, Snoopy, slide!
Snoopy stole home.
We're only one run behind.
ALL:
He's a hero.
It just shows what
teeth-gritting determination can do.
Who's our next teeth-gritting hero?
Who's up next?
You are. Grit your teeth, Charlie Brown.
Just do what you told all the others.
Grit your teeth and get a hit.
[TEETH RATTLING]
Good grief.
Ooh, come on, Charlie Brown, hit it.
For once in your life, hit it.
Wouldn't you like just for once
to see Charlie hit the ball?
No, I'm not prepared
to have the world come to an end.
Now I'm gonna grit my teeth
and bear down.
If a person grits his teeth and shows
real determination, he can't fail.
I got a hit, I got a hit!
I finally got a hit!
I got a hit!
You can't say I didn't get a hit.
And now...
And now I'm gonna steal second.
I stole second base!
I'm on my way to being a hero.
If I could steal third, we have a chance.
There's third base.
It's hero time.
ALL:
Slide, Charlie Brown, slide.
Oh, I did it. I stole third base.
I actually stole third base.
I honest-to-goodness stole third base.
We're only one run behind
with the tying run at third.
But we have two outs.
But Charlie Brown is on third,
and our best hitter is coming up.
Say, you don't think charlie Brown
will try to steal home, do you?
Never. Not even Charlie Brown
would do anything that stupid.
I wonder if I should try to steal home.
This is my big chance to be a hero.
If I could steal home, the game would be
all tied up, and I'd be the hero.
I haven't got the nerve.
I'm gonna steal home, and I'm gonna
be a hero. Get ready now, here I go.
Don't be scared, here I go.
Zoom, here I go.
Here I stay.
If I'm gonna be a hero,
I gotta try to steal home.
First I'll dance around a little on
the baseline to confuse their pitcher...
...and then I'll take off.
ALL: That crazy Charlie Brown
is trying to steal home!
Slide, Charlie Brown, slide!
Oh, you blockhead. Oh!
We lost the game
because of Charlie Brown.
[CRYING]
- Was I out?
- Out? Why, you blockhead.
You didn't even get halfway home.
If it weren't for those uniforms
we're gonna get, we'd quit right now.
Yeah, if we had our uniforms,
this wouldn't have happened.
- We're not going to get uniforms.
- What?
I told Mr. Hennessey
we didn't want his old uniforms.
Oh.
That's it, charlie Brown. So long forever.
If I had stolen home,
I'd have been the hero.
Lnstead, I'm the goat.
Was I out by much?
By 30 feet.
Boy, is Charlie Brown stupid.
He lost us the game
and gave away our uniforms.
I was counting on a pink uniform
to set off my naturally curly hair.
That blockhead lost us our uniforms.
Well, if you must know, Charlie Brown
was only thinking of your feelings.
ALL:
What do you mean our feelings?
Well, the only reason Charlie Brown
turned Mr. Hennessey down...
...was because he'd have to
get rid of Snoopy and you girls.
Mr. Hennessey said that the league
won't accept girls and dogs on a team.
[CRYING]
I think we were pretty rough
on Charlie Brown.
You girls are very thoughtless.
Don't you think charlie Brown
has feelings?
All of you are the most
thoughtless bunch I've ever known.
You don't care anything
about Charlie Brown.
He's been loyal to you
because he thinks you're his friends.
But do you ever act like friends? No.
Those uniforms meant
as much to Charlie Brown...
...as they did to you, probably more.
- I feel terrible.
- But what can we do?
Hey, maybe we can make it up to
Charlie Brown by making him a uniform.
Yes, that might pep him up.
But we don't have any material.
Oh, yes, we do.
- Give me that stupid blanket.
- Ugh!
ALL:
Ooh. Ahhh.
Why? Why?
Why did I have to try to steal home?
Because I wanted to be a hero.
If I had stolen home,
I'd have been the hero.
Lnstead, I'm the goat. Why, why, why?
Here, Charlie Brown,
even though you lost the game...
...and even though you're the goat,
we've made you a uniform.
Me, the loser? A uniform?
It's beautiful.
Well, I'm happy to see that today's
little reverse has not wrecked our spirit.
Tomorrow's game will be different.
We'll really show them tomorrow.
I've never seen it rain so hard
for such a long time.
I'm just glad I'm inside.
Well, good grief. Only a real blockhead
would be out in the rain like this.
Where's everybody? We're supposed
to have a ball game today.
Don't tell me everyone stayed home
because of a little rain.
A little rain never hurt anybody.
Why are you standing here in the rain,
Charlie Brown?
You know we have
a game scheduled for today.
As soon as everyone shows up,
we can get started.
I don't suppose it has occurred to you
that no one else may show up?
Not for a second.
Why are you looking at me like that?
They made your uniform
out of my blanket!