S01.E07: Full Count

[OtterMommy]

TBA

Streaming Date: August 12, 2022

[Haleth]

I watched this and episode 6 last night so forgive me if I mix up things that happened in each.  Lots of times you think a character is going to act or say something one way and then they do/say something else.

It was sad that Jo got traded, but what a surprising revelation that the matron (whose name I don't remember) fixed it to avoid scandal and to let Jo continue to play.  Instead of being a villain she showed that she does care about the women and is more worldly than she seems.

Instead of being a villain Esther gives Max a chance to shine.  Right now she doesn't seem jealous that Max will tour with the team.  (So Max will never join the Peaches?  I thought that's where her story was going.)

Instead of being a villain Charlie is a sweet guy who wants Carson to be happy.  He doesn't stand in her way.

I love Lupe.  I'm glad for the scenes with Esti, providing her with some background and context for her grouchiness.  I also love Clance and am thankful the writers have her so supportive of Max and not freaking out over her sexuality.

[Mabinogia]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

Lots of times you think a character is going to act or say something one way and then they do/say something else.

They have managed to dodge all my expectations and I love it. Max's story did not go the way I thought it would. I assumed that in the early eps she would somehow end up on the Peaches, probably thanks to Carson. I thought Charlie would be a dick so we'd all root for Carson to dump him and run off with Greta. I'm also glad they are telling a different story than the movie. I loved the movie, but that story was told very well, so to follow the same storylines was unneccessary. I like some of the nods to the movie (though others felt a bit forced) but I like, also, that we're getting a deeper dive into this fascinating bit of history. 

Jo being traded gutted me. And yay for Matron for keeping her in the league. I think she could tell how much being in the league meant to Jo. I like that, though she is strict, she is really just looking out for these girls, many of whom are probably experiencing freedom for the first time. 

[Cranberry]

In real life, Black women were never allowed in the AAGPBL, so I didn't expect Max's story to go there -- the show hasn't contradicted anything major like that (despite what all the people leaving bad reviews about how the show is "forced woke" and "historically inaccurate wish fulfillment" like to claim). I'm so glad Max got recruited to a team, anyway.

This is neat:

Quote

Women’s baseball had their first and strongest league during World War II with the AAGPBL. No black women played in this league but seven young ladies from Cuba were invited to play starting in 1948. Mamie Johnson and a friend went to one of the tryouts but were sent away. For Johnson that led to her being signed to pitch in the Negro Leagues with the Indianapolis Clowns. Johnson joined the clowns in 1955 with outfielder Connie Morgan from Philadelphia. When Morgan and Johnson joined the Clowns they became the second and third women to play professionally in the Negro Leagues. The first woman was Marcenia (Toni) Stone. Stone first played for the Clowns in 1953 and then for the Monarchs in 1954. When she was traded to the Monarchs she was replaced by Johnson and Morgan.

[shantown]

I'm so sad for Jo. She's making the choice to go to South Bend, but there wasn't much of a choice involved. I hope this isn't the last we see of her on the show. Especially for her and Greta to part ways like that. I'm glad Beverly helped Jo out - she claimed it was to protect the league but it was just as much to protect Jo. And the whole team was all sad to see Jo leaving - especially Maybelle! It was nice to see her stand up for Jo against Shirl, and to tell Shirl to chill out.

I had somewhat forgotten that Jess and Lupe had gone searching for Esti, so I was concerned that no one was worried why they didn't come home from the previous night either. I'm glad they found her and that Lupe and Esti found an understanding. Good for Jess for knowing they needed time alone as a push to talk. Jess really has been the most observant person on the team this whole time. 

Clance continues to be the greatest friend and funniest character. 

I'm guessing from the end Shirl figured it out about Carson and Greta?

[Mabinogia]

3 hours ago, Cranberry said:

In real life, Black women were never allowed in the AAGPBL, so I didn't expect Max's story to go there -- the show hasn't contradicted anything major like that (despite what all the people leaving bad reviews about how the show is "forced woke" and "historically inaccurate wish fulfillment" like to claim). I'm so glad Max got recruited to a team, anyway.

Yeah, I was expecting it as a sort of "historically inaccurate wish fulfillment" that most of Hollywood would have done. I am actually glad the show didn't go there (I do believe historical accuracy is important when it comes to major things like that) and that instead she was recruited to one of the Negro League teams, which did actually happen and is historically accurate and fascinating. 

1 hour ago, shantown said:

I'm guessing from the end Shirl figured it out about Carson and Greta?

I would think she'd have to be blind not to have figured it out. They were getting sloppy towards the end there. 

1 hour ago, shantown said:

Clance continues to be the greatest friend and funniest character. 

She really does. I think everyone needs a Clance in their life. Honestly, from the first second she and Max showed up on screen I knew they were going to be my favorite relationship. They did a great job of setting up from the start that they were very different/had different interests but were completely supportive of one another. That is how you best friend. 

[Cranberry]

A really good point from Twitter:

[Mabinogia]

Totally agree with that. While I admittedly expected Carson to be the "white saviour" who got Max on the team because that's typically how Hollywood would tell this story, I am so happy that it didn't happen. 

That market scene was so well done it made me cry. Movies/shows tend to show the more violent, aggressive racism but that scene really showed the day to day challenges a Black person had to face. Between that and the scene where Max tries to get a job and is basically told that they don't want to hire a Black woman, this show really depicted the true ugliness of racism. It's not just the constant fear of physical violence but the day to day picking away at a person's basic rights. 

[Haleth]

4 hours ago, shantown said:

I'm guessing from the end Shirl figured it out about Carson and Greta?

She found the letter Greta left for Carson. Pretty shitty of her to read it. 

[fayster]

I think Esther was based on Jackie Mitchell. Funnily enough, I just learned of her today while reading an newsletter in honor of Women's Equality Day. Jackie (who was white) supposedly struck out Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth in an exhibition. https://www.mlb.com/news/meet-jackie-mitchell-the-girl-who-struck-out-babe-ruth. And even the bits in the news sound like what the announcer said when introducing Esther: "The curves won't be all on the ball when pretty Jackie Mitchell ... takes the mound," "The New York Daily News noted she was a pitcher "who has a swell change of pace and swings a mean lipstick."

[buckboard]

Mabinogia wrote:
While I admittedly expected Carson to be the "white saviour" who got Max on the team because that's typically how Hollywood would tell this story, I am so happy that it didn't happen. 

Abbi Jacobson and her co-creator did a ton of research before writing the scripts, including interviewing many former players, so  I was expecting them to stick to the basic facts.  So I wasn't expecting Carson as "white savior," but Carson and Max did develop a somewhat tentative friendship and met several times to discuss their shared love of baseball and their sexual interest in other women -- and "have a catch."  They were both outsiders, each in her own way.

[Scarlett45]

On 8/21/2022 at 1:46 PM, shantown said:

I'm so sad for Jo. She's making the choice to go to South Bend, but there wasn't much of a choice involved. I hope this isn't the last we see of her on the show. Especially for her and Greta to part ways like that. I'm glad Beverly helped Jo out - she claimed it was to protect the league but it was just as much to protect Jo. And the whole team was all sad to see Jo leaving - especially Maybelle! It was nice to see her stand up for Jo against Shirl, and to tell Shirl to chill out.

I loved Maybelle’s scene too. We haven’t seen much of her, but I enjoyed how she handled Shirl. 
 

I have no doubt Greta and Jo will make up eventually, but I think it would be good for their friendship to spend a little time a part. As Jo said she’s always been tailing behind her with Greta calling the shots. They weren’t making decisions together. This way Jo gets to be her own woman. 

[Hanahope]

If Jo was traded to the other championship team , why didn’t the Peaches get a player back?

will Max handle losing games for All Stars?