Difference between revisions of "Homer at the Bat"
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| − | {{ | + | {{Tab}} |
| − | |image= | + | {{EpisodePrevNext|Bart the Lover|Separate Vocations}} |
| − | | | + | {{Icons||FE}} |
| − | | | + | {{Quote|It's something very special: a homemade bat.|[[Homer Simpson]]}} |
| − | | | + | {{Episode |
| − | | | + | |name= Homer at the Bat |
| − | | | + | |image= Homer at the Bat promo.png |
| − | | | + | |number= 52 |
| − | | | + | |season=3 |
| + | |snumber=17 | ||
| + | |prodcode= 8F13 | ||
| + | |airdate= February 20, [[1992]] | ||
| + | |blackboard= "I will not aim for the head" | ||
| + | |couchgag= The family knock each other out by running into each other. Maggie however gets to the couch. | ||
| + | |guests= [[Wade Boggs]] as {{Ch|Wade Boggs|himself}}<br>[[José Canseco]] as {{Ch|José Canseco|himself}}<br>[[Roger Clemens]] as {{Ch|Roger Clemens|himself}}<br>[[Ken Griffey, Jr.]] as {{Ch|Ken Griffey, Jr.|himself}}<br>[[Don Mattingly]] as {{Ch|Don Mattingly|himself}}<br>[[Steve Sax]] as {{Ch|Steve Sax|himself}}<br>[[Mike Scioscia]] as {{Ch|Mike Scioscia|himself}}<br>[[Ozzie Smith]] as {{Ch|Ozzie Smith|himself}}<br>[[Darryl Strawberry]] as {{Ch|Darryl Strawberry|himself}}<br>[[Terry Cashman]] as "[[Talkin' Softball]]" singer | ||
| + | |showrunner1= Al Jean | ||
| + | |showrunner2= Mike Reiss | ||
| + | |writer= [[John Swartzwelder]] | ||
| + | |director= [[Jim Reardon]] | ||
| + | |DVD features = yes | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | "'''Homer at the Bat'''" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons' | + | "'''Homer at the Bat'''" is the seventeenth episode of [[season 3]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and the fifty-second episode overall. It originally aired on February 20, [[1992]]. It was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[Jim Reardon]]. It guest stars [[Wade Boggs]] as {{Ch|Wade Boggs|himself}}, [[José Canseco]] as {{Ch|José Canseco|himself}}, [[Roger Clemens]] as {{Ch|Roger Clemens|himself}}, [[Ken Griffey, Jr.]] as {{Ch|Ken Griffey, Jr.|himself}}, [[Don Mattingly]] as {{Ch|Don Mattingly|himself}}, [[Steve Sax]] as {{Ch|Steve Sax|himself}}, [[Mike Scioscia]] as {{Ch|Mike Scioscia|himself}}, [[Ozzie Smith]] as {{Ch|Ozzie Smith|himself}}, [[Darryl Strawberry]] as {{Ch|Darryl Strawberry|himself}} and [[Terry Cashman]] as "[[Talkin' Softball]]" singer. |
| − | + | The show was honored for this episode at the {{W|National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|National Baseball Hall of Fame}} in May, [[2017]].<ref name="AlJeanTwitter">Al Jean's Twitter (account closed)</ref> A documentary about the episode called ''[[Springfield of Dreams: The Legend of Homer Simpson]]'' was also released. | |
| − | The | ||
| − | Mr. Burns | + | == Synopsis == |
| + | {{Desc|[[Mr. Burns]] bets $1,000,000 that his company team can beat a competing plant's team. In order to do so, he replaced the regular company team with new security guard {{Ch|Roger Clemens}}, new janitor {{Ch|Wade Boggs}}, lunchroom cashier {{Ch|Ken Griffey, Jr.}}, and other new employees, such as {{Ch|Steve Sax}}, {{Ch|Don Mattingly}}, {{Ch|Ozzie Smith}}, {{Ch|Darryl Strawberry}}, {{Ch|José Canseco}}, and {{Ch|Mike Scioscia}}.}} | ||
| − | + | == Plot == | |
| + | The [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team]] has gone through their season undefeated, and in the championship game, they will face the Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant. Homer is the team's leading hitter, thanks to his homemade [[Wonder Bat]] (a takeoff of the plot of the film The Natural). | ||
| − | + | Mr. Burns makes a million dollar bet with Aristotle Amadopoulos, owner of the Shelbyville plant, that his team will win. To secure victory in the game, Mr. Burns wants to hire major league stars, but Smithers tells Mr. Burns that the players he picked are all dead (they were alternately active from 1857–1937). Thus Mr. Burns orders Smithers to find some current superstar players and hires several Major League Baseball players to work at the plant (Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey, Jr., Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, José Canseco, Don Mattingly, Darryl Strawberry and Mike Scioscia) and to play on the team, much to the dismay of the plant workers who got the team to the championship game in the first place. | |
| − | + | However, the night before the game, all the players but Strawberry have different incidents that don't allow them to play. Because of this, Mr. Burns must use actual employees, but keeps Homer on the bench because Strawberry plays his position. Homer does get in, though, with the score tied and bases loaded in the 9th inning, when Burns wants a right-handed hitter against a left-handed pitcher. The very first pitch hits Homer in the head, rendering him unconscious and forcing in the winning run. Homer is then paraded as a hero, still unconscious. | |
| − | |||
| − | + | During the credits, Terry Cashman, who wrote the song "Talkin' Baseball", sings a take on his hit, "[[Talkin' Softball]]". | |
| − | == | + | == Production == |
| + | The episode was written by John Swartzwelder (a ''huge'' baseball fan) and directed by Jim Reardon. According to the crew, the episode took longer than most episodes to produce. | ||
| − | ''Wade Boggs | + | Up until this point, ''The Simpsons'' didn't usually have tons of guest stars and never had more than four in a single episode. [[Roger Clemens]], [[Wade Boggs]], [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], [[Steve Sax]], [[Ozzie Smith]], [[José Canseco]], [[Don Mattingly]], [[Darryl Strawberry]], [[Mike Scioscia]] and [[Terry Cashman]] all guest star as themselves. {{W|Ryne Sandberg}} and [[Carlton Fisk]] rejected guest spots in the episode,<ref>{{cite news|title=Hairy problem dogs mattingly Don gets a 'toon-up' on 'Simpsons' tonight|accessdate=2008-02-19|date=1992-02-20|author=Tim Kaiser|page=C2|publisher=The Evansville Courier}}</ref> as did [[Barry Bonds]] and {{W|Nolan Ryan}}.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-simpsons-baseball/</ref> |
| − | + | The writers and producers had to wait throughout the season for players to play the Los Angeles [[Dodgers]] or the California [[Angels]] to record their lines. Some plot lines had to be rewritten quickly. José Canseco's scene originally called for him and [[Mrs. Krabappel]] to engage in {{W|Bull Durham}}-inspired extramarital shenanigans. However, Canseco's wife rejected the scene and the staff had to do a quick rewrite when Oakland came south on a mid-August road trip.<ref>http://deadspin.com/5886723/the-making-of-homer-at-the-bat-the-episode-that-conquered-prime-time-20-years-ago-tonight</ref> | |
| − | + | <gallery> | |
| + | File:8F13 Script.jpg | ||
| + | </gallery> | ||
| − | + | == Reception == | |
| + | The episode has received overwhelming positive reviews from critics and it is often included in lists of the best episodes of the show. "Homer at the Bat" was tuned in by more American homes than ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' or the [[Winter Olympics]] from Albertville, [[France]], resulting in Fox's first primetime victory, over NBC and CBS.<ref>http://deadspin.com/5886723/the-making-of-homer-at-the-bat-the-episode-that-conquered-prime-time-20-years-ago-tonight</ref> | ||
| − | + | == In other languages == | |
| − | + | {{LanguageBox | |
| − | + | |fr=yes | |
| − | + | |frName=Homer la foudre | |
| − | + | |frTrans=Lightning Homer | |
| − | + | |de=yes | |
| − | + | |deName=Der Wunderschläger | |
| − | + | |deTrans=The miracle bat | |
| − | + | |es=yes | |
| − | + | |esName=Homer, bateador | |
| − | + | |esTrans=Homer, batter | |
| + | |la=yes | ||
| + | |laName=Homero al bat | ||
| + | |laTrans=Homer at bat | ||
| + | |br=yes | ||
| + | |brName=Homer Batedor | ||
| + | |brTrans=Batter Homer | ||
| + | |it=yes | ||
| + | |itName=Homer alla battuta | ||
| + | |itTrans=Homer at the bat | ||
| + | |jp=yes | ||
| + | |jpName=大リーガーがやって来た! | ||
| + | |jpTrans=The Major Leaguers have Arrived! | ||
| + | }} | ||
| − | + | == References == | |
| + | {{Reflist}} | ||
| − | == | + | == Promo Videos == |
| − | + | *{{Youtube|CGFeXMtJwEY|Baseball Hall Of Fame: Mr. Burns Tries To Add Ringers To His Team}} | |
| − | * | + | *{{Youtube|Tm7LpRyKa1A|Baseball Hall Of Fame: Homer Wins The Game!}} |
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| − | = | + | {{Images|ep=yes}} |
| − | + | {{season 3}} | |
| − | + | [[sv:Homer at the Bat]] | |
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| − | + | [[Category:Sport-themed episodes]] | |
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:1992]] |
| − | [[Category: Episodes]] | + | [[Category:Homer episodes]] |
| + | [[Category:Episodes written by John Swartzwelder]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Episodes directed by Jim Reardon]] | ||
Latest revision as of 22:54, December 4, 2024
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- "It's something very special: a homemade bat."
- ―Homer Simpson
"Homer at the Bat"
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Episode Information
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
"Homer at the Bat" is the seventeenth episode of season 3 of The Simpsons and the fifty-second episode overall. It originally aired on February 20, 1992. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jim Reardon. It guest stars Wade Boggs as himself, José Canseco as himself, Roger Clemens as himself, Ken Griffey, Jr. as himself, Don Mattingly as himself, Steve Sax as himself, Mike Scioscia as himself, Ozzie Smith as himself, Darryl Strawberry as himself and Terry Cashman as "Talkin' Softball" singer.
The show was honored for this episode at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in May, 2017.[1] A documentary about the episode called Springfield of Dreams: The Legend of Homer Simpson was also released.
Contents
Synopsis[edit]
- "Mr. Burns bets $1,000,000 that his company team can beat a competing plant's team. In order to do so, he replaced the regular company team with new security guard Roger Clemens, new janitor Wade Boggs, lunchroom cashier Ken Griffey, Jr., and other new employees, such as Steve Sax, Don Mattingly, Ozzie Smith, Darryl Strawberry, José Canseco, and Mike Scioscia."
Plot[edit]
The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team has gone through their season undefeated, and in the championship game, they will face the Shelbyville Nuclear Power Plant. Homer is the team's leading hitter, thanks to his homemade Wonder Bat (a takeoff of the plot of the film The Natural).
Mr. Burns makes a million dollar bet with Aristotle Amadopoulos, owner of the Shelbyville plant, that his team will win. To secure victory in the game, Mr. Burns wants to hire major league stars, but Smithers tells Mr. Burns that the players he picked are all dead (they were alternately active from 1857–1937). Thus Mr. Burns orders Smithers to find some current superstar players and hires several Major League Baseball players to work at the plant (Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey, Jr., Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, José Canseco, Don Mattingly, Darryl Strawberry and Mike Scioscia) and to play on the team, much to the dismay of the plant workers who got the team to the championship game in the first place.
However, the night before the game, all the players but Strawberry have different incidents that don't allow them to play. Because of this, Mr. Burns must use actual employees, but keeps Homer on the bench because Strawberry plays his position. Homer does get in, though, with the score tied and bases loaded in the 9th inning, when Burns wants a right-handed hitter against a left-handed pitcher. The very first pitch hits Homer in the head, rendering him unconscious and forcing in the winning run. Homer is then paraded as a hero, still unconscious.
During the credits, Terry Cashman, who wrote the song "Talkin' Baseball", sings a take on his hit, "Talkin' Softball".
Production[edit]
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder (a huge baseball fan) and directed by Jim Reardon. According to the crew, the episode took longer than most episodes to produce.
Up until this point, The Simpsons didn't usually have tons of guest stars and never had more than four in a single episode. Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey Jr., Steve Sax, Ozzie Smith, José Canseco, Don Mattingly, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Scioscia and Terry Cashman all guest star as themselves. Ryne Sandberg and Carlton Fisk rejected guest spots in the episode,[2] as did Barry Bonds and Nolan Ryan.[3]
The writers and producers had to wait throughout the season for players to play the Los Angeles Dodgers or the California Angels to record their lines. Some plot lines had to be rewritten quickly. José Canseco's scene originally called for him and Mrs. Krabappel to engage in Bull Durham-inspired extramarital shenanigans. However, Canseco's wife rejected the scene and the staff had to do a quick rewrite when Oakland came south on a mid-August road trip.[4]
Reception[edit]
The episode has received overwhelming positive reviews from critics and it is often included in lists of the best episodes of the show. "Homer at the Bat" was tuned in by more American homes than The Cosby Show or the Winter Olympics from Albertville, France, resulting in Fox's first primetime victory, over NBC and CBS.[5]
In other languages[edit]
|
References[edit]
- ↑ Al Jean's Twitter (account closed)
- ↑ Tim Kaiser. "Hairy problem dogs mattingly Don gets a 'toon-up' on 'Simpsons' tonight"The Evansville Courier, p. C2. Retrieved on 2008-02-19.
- ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/02/19/homer-at-the-bat-simpsons-baseball/
- ↑ http://deadspin.com/5886723/the-making-of-homer-at-the-bat-the-episode-that-conquered-prime-time-20-years-ago-tonight
- ↑ http://deadspin.com/5886723/the-making-of-homer-at-the-bat-the-episode-that-conquered-prime-time-20-years-ago-tonight
Promo Videos[edit]
Baseball Hall Of Fame: Mr. Burns Tries To Add Ringers To His Team at YouTube- Baseball Hall Of Fame: Homer Wins The Game! at YouTube
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Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to "Homer at the Bat". |
