"Alcoa Premiere"- Flashing Spikes (1962)

Information from IMDb

Plot Summary
An old ballplayer, thrown out of baseball due to a bribery scandal,
becomes friends with a young phenom.
The younger player is at first tainted by his association with the oldtimer,
but eventually the truth about the scandal is revealed.
Summary written by Jim Beaver

Episode Cast
John Wayne .... Sergeant-Umpire in Korea
James Stewart .... Slim Conway
Patrick Wayne .... Bill Riley
Tige Andrews .... Gabby Lasalle
Larry J. Blake .... 1st Reporter
Willis Bouchey .... Mayor
Edgar Buchanan .... Crab Holman
Whitey Campbell .... Player
Harry Carey Jr. .... Player in Dugout
Don Drysdale .... Gomer
Earl Gilpin .... Player
Bud Harden .... Player
William Henry .... Commissioner's Assistant
Stephanie Hill .... Mary Riley
Sally Hughes .... Nurse
Cy Malis .... Bit Man
Charles Morton .... Umpire
Art Passarella .... Umpire
Walter Reed .... 2nd Reporter
Bing Russell .... Hogan
Vin Scully .... Announcer
Charles Seel .... Judge
Vern Stephens .... Player
Ralph Volkie .... Player
Jack Warden .... Commissioner
Carleton Young .... Rex Short

Writing Credits
Jameson Brewer adaptation
Frank O'Rourke novel

Original Music
John Williams (as Johnny T. Williams)

Cinematography
William H. Clothier

Filming Location
Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Watch this Clip

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Flashing Spikes is a 1962 teleplay directed by John Ford
and starring James Stewart, with a lengthy surprise appearance by John Wayne,
billed in the credits as "Michael Morris" (apparently based on Wayne's birth name "Marion Michael Morrison").
The hour-long drama revolving around a disgraced ex-baseball player (Stewart)
was broadcast as an episode of the anthology series Alcoa Premiere hosted by Fred Astaire.

The script was based upon a novel by Frank O'Rourke
and the supporting cast includes Jack Warden, Tige Andrews,
Patrick Wayne, Don Drysdale, Vin Scully,
Harry Carey, Jr., and Edgar Buchanan.
The Director of Photography was William H. Clothier.

This show's director John Ford, actors James Stewart and John Wayne,
and cinematographer William H. Clothier
also filmed The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance together the same year.

Ford had also directed a half-hour baseball television drama shown on
Screen Director's Playhouse in 1955 with an extremely similar theme,
Rookie of the Year, also with Patrick Wayne
as the phenomenal young player but with his father John Wayne,
Vera Miles, and Ward Bond in the leads, all of whom Ford
would direct in The Searchers the following year.

Flashing Spikes remains available for public viewing at the
Paley Center for Media in New York City and Los Angeles.

I do not have a copy of this, and there is very,
little information, in any reference books.
If you have seen or have a copy of this screening,
please let us know,
thanks.

User Review

Quote

A piece of television history!
27 February 2001 | by (San Diego, California)

This is such a great piece of television history that has all but been forgotten. It is the only thing that John Ford ever directed for television! It is 50 minutes of fun starring Jimmy Stewart, Tige Andrews, Jack Warden and a whole list of others including a cameo by John Wayne. Fred Astaire was in it too and narrated it. Baseball legends Don Drysdale, Vin Scully and Harry Carry Jr. were also in it.

It is a fun tangential story about the famous incident in baseball history that "almost destroyed the game of baseball." One of the players who was accused of throwing a world series (Jimmy Stewart, playing Slim Conway) is banned from all baseball stadiums in America! He still loves baseball and played on a team called the wanderers who went around playing other minor league teams. He meets and befriends Bill Riley (Patrick Wayne). He likes his potential and tells the famous Gabby La Salle (Tige Andrews) to give him a chance in spring training.

Gabby is the flamboyant, once player now manager who is characterized after a famous Giants manager. The season is interrupted by the war, and gets back on track after. Find out what really happenned with one of baseball's biggest controversies as this tangential story enfolds. A great, great show

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