The Mighty Casey
Encyclopedia
"The Mighty Casey" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
.
The episode title is a reference to the baseball poem "Casey at the Bat
".
named Casey to play on his team. Casey has the ability to throw super-fast balls that cannot be hit. Eventually, after Casey is beaned by a ball and given a physical examination, the National League finds out and rules that Casey must be taken off the team because he is not human. Casey's inventor, Dr. Stillman, gives him an "artificial" heart to have him classified as human. Now that Casey has human emotions, he refuses to throw his fast balls anymore. He says that he feels empathy with the batter and does not want to ruin the batter's career by striking him out. With the team sure to fold soon, Dr. Stillman gives McGarry Casey's blueprints as a souvenir. Glancing at them, McGarry suddenly has a brilliant idea, as he and the scientist set off to create an entire pitching staff of "Casey" robots...
, an often-used venue for Hollywood films featuring baseball action scenes. The TV series Home Run Derby
was also filmed at Wrigley, and also aired that summer of 1960.
(the manager in the 1951 film, Angels in the Outfield
) in the role, calling him "MacGarry" rather than "McGovern". Before the episode could air over the network, Douglas died (in September 1959). The entire production was refilmed at the expense of Rod Serling's Cayuga Productions (not the network) with Jack Warden in the role.
In Serling's original first-draft script (and in his short-story adaptation that appeared in the 1960 anthology, "Stories From 'The Twilight Zone'"), the team was supposed to have been the Brooklyn Dodgers [their stadium in the original story: "Tebbet's Field"], who, like the fictitious "Hoboken Zephyrs", moved West in 1958 to become the Los Angeles Dodgers
. The closing narration is a possible reference to the original draft: at the time of broadcast, the Dodgers had beaten the Chicago White Sox
to win the previous year's World Series
, doing so with a dominant pitching staff featuring Don Drysdale
, Johnny Podres
and a young Sandy Koufax
.
Although there was never actually a major league team in Hoboken, the earliest documented baseball games were played in Hoboken, in the 1840s.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
.
The episode title is a reference to the baseball poem "Casey at the Bat
Casey at the Bat
"Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888" is a baseball poem written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. First published in The San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888, it was later popularized by DeWolf Hopper in many vaudeville performances.The poem was originally published...
".
Synopsis
"Mouth" McGarry, the manager of a broken-down baseball team on its last legs, allows a robotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
named Casey to play on his team. Casey has the ability to throw super-fast balls that cannot be hit. Eventually, after Casey is beaned by a ball and given a physical examination, the National League finds out and rules that Casey must be taken off the team because he is not human. Casey's inventor, Dr. Stillman, gives him an "artificial" heart to have him classified as human. Now that Casey has human emotions, he refuses to throw his fast balls anymore. He says that he feels empathy with the batter and does not want to ruin the batter's career by striking him out. With the team sure to fold soon, Dr. Stillman gives McGarry Casey's blueprints as a souvenir. Glancing at them, McGarry suddenly has a brilliant idea, as he and the scientist set off to create an entire pitching staff of "Casey" robots...
Location
The baseball scenes were filmed at the Los Angeles version of Wrigley FieldWrigley Field (Los Angeles)
Wrigley Field was a ballpark in Los Angeles, California which served as host to minor league baseball teams in the region for over 30 years, and was the home park for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League as well as a current major league team, the later Los Angeles Angels, in their...
, an often-used venue for Hollywood films featuring baseball action scenes. The TV series Home Run Derby
Home Run Derby (TV series)
Home Run Derby is a 1960 television show that was held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles putting the top sluggers of Major League Baseball against each other in nine-inning home run contests...
was also filmed at Wrigley, and also aired that summer of 1960.
Other notes
According to The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic by Martin Grams, the entire production was originally filmed with Paul DouglasPaul Douglas (actor)
Paul Douglas was an American actor, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Paul Douglas Fleischer.-Career:...
(the manager in the 1951 film, Angels in the Outfield
Angels in the Outfield (1951 film)
Angels in the Outfield is a 1951 American black-and-white film starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh, directed by Clarence Brown, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) in the role, calling him "MacGarry" rather than "McGovern". Before the episode could air over the network, Douglas died (in September 1959). The entire production was refilmed at the expense of Rod Serling's Cayuga Productions (not the network) with Jack Warden in the role.
In Serling's original first-draft script (and in his short-story adaptation that appeared in the 1960 anthology, "Stories From 'The Twilight Zone'"), the team was supposed to have been the Brooklyn Dodgers [their stadium in the original story: "Tebbet's Field"], who, like the fictitious "Hoboken Zephyrs", moved West in 1958 to become the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. The closing narration is a possible reference to the original draft: at the time of broadcast, the Dodgers had beaten the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
to win the previous year's World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
, doing so with a dominant pitching staff featuring Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
, Johnny Podres
Johnny Podres
John Joseph Podres was an American left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
and a young Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
.
Although there was never actually a major league team in Hoboken, the earliest documented baseball games were played in Hoboken, in the 1840s.