Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore

If you’re a fan of the movie “The Natural”, you’re probably also aware that the movie was based on a novel of the same name. The novel was written by Bernard Malamud and was published in 1952 (/jmorris). Perhaps you’ve even read it. It’s certainly possible that you’re one of those people who prefers movies that are based on books instead of the other way around. Unfortunately for myself, I’ve never read it. I’ve always wanted to, but for whatever reason I never got around to it. Even without reading it though, I’ve always known that the book doesn’t have the same Hollywood happy ending. I think the ending of the novel has Roy striking out to end the game, causing Cassandra’s career to be ruined, and then a fire starts in Roy’s basement while he carries a dying Pop Fischer to safety and screams “why, God? why?” Or something like that.

Of course Hollywood couldn’t end the movie like that, so instead they did the super happy ending that had Roy hitting a game-winning HR that destroyed the stadium’s lights followed by a game of catch between Roy and his bastard [doodladoo, doodladoo, doodladoo].

I always knew that in the novel, Roy strikes out to end the game. But just recently I came across the wikipedia page (so it must be true) that details plot points of the book and I was surprised by what it shows. It turns out that Cassandra’s career was never ruined and there was no fire in Roy’s basement. Here’s how the book ends according to wikipedia:

Hobbs seek(s) out the Judge, Memo, and Gus Sands, hitting both the Judge and Sands out of frustration. Sands has his glass eye knocked out of his head and the Judge has a bowel movement in his pants. Memo Paris fires at Hobbs, but misses. She then places the pistol in her mouth until Hobbs takes the gun away from her. That evening, as he leaves the stadium, a late edition newspaper headline declares the career of Hobbs to be over on suspicion of throwing the game that afternoon. A newsboy asks him to tell him it isn’t true, but Hobbs breaks down and weeps. The novel ends with this image.

Is all that true? Gus has his glass eye knocked out of his head and the Judge has a bowel movement in his pants? Either someone is getting clever cleaver with wikipedia, or I really have to read this book. If it’s true that the book ends like that, it’s no longer any wonder why Hollywood went with a different version. Nobody wants to watch an old guy shit his pants.

Personally though, I would have gone with the Scooby Doo ending.

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