Batter Up

### Writer

Will Graham (*written for television by*), Abbi Jacobson (*written for television by*)

### Director

Jamie Babbit

**Batter Up** is the first episode in the first season of the Amazon Prime Video television series, *A League of Their Own*. The episode was released on August 12, 2022.

## Synopsis

In 1943, Carson Shaw travels to Chicago to try out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. There, she meets other women who also dream of playing pro baseball and makes connections that open up her world. Rockford local Max Chapman also comes to the tryouts but is turned away. With the support of her best friend Clance, she must forge a new path to pursue her dream.

## Plot Summary

Carson Shaw runs to catch a train but runs into someone she knows. The woman, along with her husband in military uniform, asks Carson if she’s coming to the picnic later and reminds her to bring a pie. Carson tells her of course she’ll be there but that she has to run. She literally jumps onto the train as it’s in motion, despite the protests of the ticketman on board.

Carson plans on trying out for the Girl’s Professional Baseball Team (GPBL). She arrives in Chicago and sees two other women in baseball uniforms- Greta Gill and Jo Deluca. She follows them to the try outs. Carson makes a good impression at the try outs.

One of the team executives, Nathan Marshall, is worried about women acting too much like men on the baseball field, not like ladies. Another exec, Morris Baker, is worried the public wouldn’t pay to watch women play. They need to make money since the war has taken most of the male players.

Max Chapman decides she wants to try out for the GPBL. She approaches the field with her best friend, Clance Morgan, but a few men stop her from trying out because she’s black. Max insists that they see her throw and that they won’t regret letting her try out because she puts on a good show. They tell her no but she throws the ball anyway into the stands, impressing everyone. The men still tell her to leave.

The next morning- all of the female players are announced. Carson, Greta, and Jo all make the Rockford Peaches team. They go out to celebrate that night at a bar.

Max and Clance also go to the bar, but instead to see Clance’s husband in the kitchen. Max becomes upset when she finds out a waiter is getting a baseball tryout. She has to cool down in the back.

Out on the dance floor, Jo dances while Greta and Carson chat. Greta puts her hand on Carson’s and takes her to the back. She kisses Carson who kisses her back. Max happened to see the whole thing.

Greta leaves with a man in a military uniform. Carson runs into Max again and realizes she’s the girl from the tryouts earlier. Max confirms this and walks away.

## Cast

### Main

* Abbi Jacobson as Carson Shaw
* Chanté Adams as Max Chapman
* D'Arcy Carden as Greta Gill
* Roberta Colindrez as Lupe García
* Gbemisola Ikumelo as Clance Morgan
* Kelly McCormack as Jess McCready
* Priscilla Delgado as Esti González
* Nick Offerman as Casey "Dove" Porter

### Recurring

* Melanie Field as Jo Deluca
* Molly Ephraim as Maybelle Fox
* Kate Berlant as Shirley Cohen
* Patrick J. Adams as Charlie
* Patrice Covington as Gracie
* Lea Robinson as Bertie Hart
* Andia Winslow as Esther
* Rae Gray as Terri
* Lil Frex as Ana
* Nat Faxon as Marshall
* Kevin Dunn as Morris Baker
* Marquise Vilsón as Red Wright
* Marinda Anderson as Leah
* Don Fanelli as Alan Baker
* Nancy Lenehan as Vivienne Hughes
* Saidah Ekulona as Toni Chapman
* Kendall Johnson as Gary
* Alex Désert as Edgar
* Dale Dickey as Beverly