re: The Pick Of The Day

The United States Steel Hour — "Bang The Drum Slowly" (September 26, 1956)

A dimwitted hillbilly, the third string catcher for a major league baseball club, learns he is dying from an incurable disease, and the star pitcher tries to keep him on the team as long as possible...



A live TV production adapted from the novel by Mark Harris, this is one of the best entries in the sports tearjerker subgenre. Although it's not exactly a comedy, the tone is surprisingly lighthearted for most of the action.

As the pitcher, Paul Newman is on the cusp of stardom and shows the beginnings of his soon-to-be-famous screen persona, rascally charm mixed with impertinence.

The doomed catcher is played by character actor Albert Salmi, who is excellent. And in the small role of the hotshot replacement catcher, George Peppard makes his TV debut.

The theatrical handling, with Newman speaking directly to the camera and weaving in and out of scenes, is very effective.

Worth a watch, and actually a must-see for Newman fans.