Ep. 25 - Baseball

August 20, 2015

Writer: Hugh Wilson

Director: Hugh Wilson

Original Air Date: October 15, 1979

I don't know the first movie, or story or play that used the trope of the lone "nerd" standing out in the middle of a ball field praying for the ball not to come his way. I've seen the scene echo throughout entertainment, in later movies and cartoon episodes. I can't imagine it was originated by Hugh Wilson. If so, that's amazing. But even if not, Nessman is always the nerd I imagine and this is where it feels like that trope began.

If this boxset had director commentaries, this is definitely one of the episode I'd want to hear some background about. It is so different from the rest of the series, I'd love to hear both how it was technically produced as well as if it was any fun to shoot.

The cold opening is unique for several reasons. It is the only scene filmed at the station (so I wonder if they even bothered to shoot it in front of an audience). Also, in three minutes the entire plot and motivation of the episode is laid out. "Okay Herb. What about me?" We usually don't get that much that fast.

As the game begins, Les appoints himself as manager and pitcher, since he is the sports director of WKRP and this feels to me a little bit like Charlie Brown. He's the only person who truly cares about even playing this game, so he gives himself all of the most important roles however he is also the least qualified person do to any of those roles. By the end of the game, it's apparent he's not even qualified to stand alone in right field. I'm surprised nobody calls him "You Blockhead!"

A Nessman Out Standing in his Field

What is it about baseball that brings out the sepia-tone heritage heart tugging in Americans? Les uses this same imagery to convince the station to play in game in the first place. Where this really stands out is in the slow banjo music that plays throughout the game. For a show about a rock and roll station, this is the only music in the episode and it is suppose to remind everyone of those sunny summer days when everyone played ball with their... chief rivals on a $200 bet?

But that's not the music Les hears. He hears the scraping sounds of violin lessons and the bullying voice of his mother. This glimpse into Les' life is one of the main purposes of the episode.

The other purpose is one "WKRP in Cincinnati" loves to pull out every so often and that's to show the individuality of the characters outside of work. Johnny Fever brings a lawn chair while in centre field. Venus wears a scarf and carefully brushes himself off after diving across the field. Herb continues to wear double knit pants and white shoes. Andy is the only person (on either team) to wear a tank top -- gotta show off those guns to the ladies at home!

The completely blotto engineer Buckey Dornster (brought back for the last time in show history in order to fill out a nine man roster) smacking line drives while passing out is a nice call back to episode 21 in which Johnny gets faster reflexes the more he drinks. 

But the stand outs are Arthur "Moose" Carlson, who just wants to have fun but wilts under the pressure of competition, and his loyal friend Jennifer, who helps him out with a smile and her "new red shorts." 

Did you notice Andy is also in this picture?

This episode is like a buffet of WKRP, It's not a great episode itself, but there are a lot of good treats in it. After reading his paper and not caring for four innings, I love that Johnny finally says he's had enough and then explains to Carlson and Jennifer how to turn the game around. It results in five runs in one inning! Add to that Johnny getting himself hit by a pitch and Venus and him acting like he's been shot. Carlson's exclamation of "I should hope so!" when called safe at home after defiantly walking the bases is lovely understatement.

To me, the funniest joke in the episode comes when Les asks Bailey (who looks great even if she's not wearing short shorts) to lead the team in a prayer. Why her? "Because you're the most wholesome," explains Les. What's funny there is 1) how many of her friends at the station think this is funny, as if they know something more about her, 2) that she agrees anyway because she realizes that is her reputation and 3) that Les wouldn't consider himself the most wholesome. What dark secrets is he hiding?

The outcome of the game is never in question to an audience that has ever seen even one sports movie - (spoiler alert!) the picked upon Les wins the game on the very last play and is carried off the field on the shoulders of his team mates. A voice over plays that I don't recall from syndication of Les "recalling" the events of that day, as if in a memoir. It's more of the purple prose he uses at the beginning of the episode but what I found interesting is he says this was an experience most boys and girls have when they are ten or eleven, and here he was experiencing it "27 years later." That puts Les' age at around 37 or 38 years old! With the bow ties, receding hairline and general squareness of the character, I always thought Les was well into his 40's and maybe 50's. (IMDB says Richard Sanders was 39 in 1979, but he seems older, doesn't he?)

Other Notes: WPIG station manager Clark Callahan was played by actor Ross Bickell who was married to Loni Anderson at the time (maybe that why he wasn't distracted by her "playing in tight" at centrefield). Did you know when to laugh throughout the episode? Any laughs you hear are canned; not audience. This episode aired during the middle of the 1979 World Series, which the Pittsburgh Pirates eventually won. Pete Rose really did play third and first base, but the show is now three years past the Cincinnati Reds "Big Red Machine" dynasty which featured Pete Rose.