| "In the Big Inning" | |
| Season 2, Episode 4 #28 overall in Series | |
 | |
| Series: | Little House on the Prairie |
| Network/Country: | NBC |
| Original air date | October 1, 1975 |
| Production code | 2008 |
| Episode Guide | |
 IMDb
|
In the Big Inning |
| Written by | B.W. Sandefur |
| Directed by | William F. Claxton |
| Episode Chronology | |
| Previous episode: "Ebenezer Sprague" |
Next episode: "Haunted House" |
It's Walnut Grove vs. Sleepy Eye in the annual baseball battle. Star pitcher Jebediah Mumford appears to be an ace up Walnut Grove's sleeve, until his wife discovers the townspeople are betting heavily on the game's outcome. To put a stop to the madness, she benches him, leaving Caroline to persuade Margaret Mumford to allow him to play.
The troubles of the Walnut Grove team are not over however, between arguments of the rightful name of the team to Sleepy Eye's Green Stockings' win at any cost attitude the battle for the game is fought in quite an unorthodox manner.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls
- Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls
- Melissa Sue Anderson as Mary Ingalls
- Melissa Gilbert as Laura Ingalls
- Lindsay Greenbush \ Sidney Greenbush as Carrie Ingalls
Supporting Cast[]
- Barney as Jack
- Richard Bull as Nels Oleson
- Katherine MacGregor as Harriet Oleson
- Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson
- Jonathan Gilbert as Willie Oleson
- Dabbs Greer as Reverend Robert Alden
- Kevin Hagen as Dr. Hiram Baker
- Charlotte Stewart as Eva Beadle
- Karl Swenson as Lars Hanson
- Victor French as Isaiah Edwards
Guest Stars[]
- Gregory Walcott as Slick McBurney
- Karl Lukas as Jebediah Mumford
- June Dayton as Margaret Mumford
- Bonnie Bartlett as Grace Snider
- Chuck Hayward as Cosby
Uncredited Supporting Cast[]
- Jaye Durkus as Townsman
- John Hudkins as Townsman
- Jack Lilley as Townsman
- Arnold Roberts as Townsman
- George Tracy as Townsman
- Wally West as Townsman
- Henry Wills as Townsman
- Troy Melton as Ball Player
- Alex Sharp as Ball Player
Trivia[]
- Dr. Baker wears a uniform he says is from his college team, the "Mulligans". This is unlikely, as baseball was a gentleman's club sport when he would have been in college and the very first college challenge game (between Williams and Amherst) was in 1859 -- only about 15 years before this episode takes place.?
- On the scoreboard, Laura writes a 2 on Walnut Grove's side. The shape of the 2 changes the next time they show the board.?
- All the base ball (two words back then) players on the Sleepy Eye team are wearing gloves when fielding. In the year depicted in this episode, only the catcher and occasionally the first baseman wore gloves. It wasn't until the late 1890s that all fielders wore them.?
External links[]
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| Ebenezer Sprague | Haunted House |