[SelzShoes]

Dissent in the Empire

[newsreel with narration]The newest Yankees show off their stuff in a workout for the cameras before heading to spring training. There’s Hank Greenberg showing the form that should drive in plenty of runs for the Bombers. And hurler Bob Feller shows his form on the mound of the House that Ruth Built. Yes, with additions like these, expect another pennant to fly over the Bronx. [/newsreel]

After spending the workout avoiding Hank Greenberg, Larry MacPhail approached the Movietone crew hired to film the workout. The three men were gathering the equipment preparing to leave. “You fellas, do you have anything to do with the editing?”

“Not really,” the crew chief said. “Sometimes we’ll make suggestions to the editor, on what the good stuff we filmed is.” The young men nodded.

Larry bunched his nose in thought. “You boys like the Yanks?” The GM moved his hand inside his coat and started to remove an envelope.

“Love ‘em, I was here for Gehrig’s farewell.” The crew nodded in unison. Who didn’t love the Yankees in this town?

“How about your editor? Yankee fan?” MacPhail stroked, nearly caressing the envelope in front of the men. Again, the question was answered in the affirmative. A smile cracked across Leland’s face. “I bet you boys would go to more games if you could, probably the same for your editor, right?” The nods continued. “Great, well I’ve got four season passes here as a thank you, if you do me a favor.”

“Sure, Mr. MacPhail, anything for season passes.”

“Now I know you shot a lot of film, and only have a few minutes you can show. Well, I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t use any footage of those swats of Hank’s that just died out there in left. There was a couple that left the park, just use those. Be a big favor to me if you did.”

The crew looked at each other. “I don’t think there would be anything wrong with that Mr. MacPhail. After all, he did get . . . a couple out of the park. Heck, we could probably use the same shot a couple times; make it look like he was hitting ‘em like the Babe.”

MacPhail slapped the crew chief on the arm playfully. “That’s what I wanted to hear. You’re doing the Yankees a great service.”