Ball Four (TV series)
| Ball Four | |
|---|---|
Time-Life Television | |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 22 – October 27, 1976 |
Ball Four is an American sitcom that aired on CBS in 1976. The series is inspired by the 1970 book of the same name by Jim Bouton. Bouton co-created the show with humorist and television critic Marvin Kitman and sportswriter Vic Ziegel. Bouton also starred in the series.[1]
Ball Four followed the Washington Americans, a fictitious minor league baseball team, dealing with the fallout from a series of Sports Illustrated articles written by Americans player Jim Barton (Bouton).[2] Like the book, the series covered controversial subjects including womanizing players, drug use, homosexuality in sports, and religion.[3] The series included a gay rookie ballplayer, one of the earliest regular gay characters on television.[4] The trio began developing the series in 1975, looking to other series like M*A*S*H and All in the Family as models. CBS expressed interest and the creative team developed a script. CBS shot the pilot episode and ultimately bought the series.[2]
Ball Four aired at 8:30 PM Eastern time, which was during the
Ball Four debuted on September 22. While Bouton and other members of the cast received praise for their performances, critics found the series uneven in quality.[1][2] CBS canceled the show after only five episodes.
Cast
- Jim Bouton as Jim Barton
- Jack Somack as 'Cap' Capogrosso
- David James Carrollas Bill Westlake
- Ben Davidson as 'Rhino' Rhinelander
- Bill McCutcheon as Coach Pinky Pinkney
- Lenny Schultz as Lenny 'Birdman' Siegel
- Marco St. John as Rayford Plunkett
- Jaime Tirelli as Orlando Lopez
- Samuel E. Wright as C. B. Travis
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Work in Progress" | Jay Sandrich | Greg Antonacci and Marvin Kitman | September 22, 1976 |
| 2 | "The Unpractical Joke" | Unknown | Unknown | September 29, 1976 |
| 3 | "High-Flying Rookie" | Unknown | Unknown | October 13, 1976 |
| 4 | "A Quiet Day at the Iroquois Hotel" | Unknown | Unknown | October 20, 1976 |
| 5 | "What's a Nice Watch Like You Doing in a Place Like This?" | Unknown | Unknown | October 27, 1976 |
| 6 | "Rookie in Love" | TBD | TBD | UNAIRED |
| 7 | "Closet-Phobia" | TBD | TBD | UNAIRED |
Notes
- ^ a b Sharbutt, Jay (September 22, 1976). "Ball Four Falls Off Mound". Sarasota Journal. Associated Press. p. 16C. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Ludtke, Melissa (September 27, 1976). "Two Strikes On 'Ball Four'". Sports Illustrated. p. 38. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
- ^ "Bouton Stars In Series Created From His Book". Sarasota Journal. July 12, 1976. p. 5D. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
- The Advocate. p. 12. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
External links
- Ball Four at IMDb
