Episode: “The Grandstand Play”
Parts I and II (1971)
REVIEWED BY MARK A. LARSON
Editor & Publisher
What three-word phrase is most often associated with “Hawaii Five-O?”
If you guessed “Book ’em, Danno,” give yourself a prize – perhaps a delicious, juicy pineapple.
In any case, whether it was “Book ’em” … “Book ’em, Danno” … or “Book ’em, murder one,” Steve McGarrett, the hard-nosed, no-nonsense, tough-as-nails head of the Aloha State’s special state police unit often uttered one of those commands when the bad guys inevitably got nabbed at the end of the show.
With its distinctive opening of a giant wave breaking and horns playing in the background, the CBS police drama starring Jack Lord was instantly recognizable to TV viewers for a dozen seasons from 1968-80.
“The Grandstand Play” was a two-part episode guest-starring Pernell Roberts (known best for playing Adam on “Bonanza”) as fictional former major league catcher Lon Phillips. Phillips plays for the Hawaiian Islanders AAA minor league team. In an unusual background story, he was at the tail end of his 12-year American League career and moved to Hawaii with his son, Gary (Elliot Street). His wife had died and Gary was a bit challenged so Lon thought the change would do them both good.
Gary attends all his father’s ballgames. This time, against Lon’s directive, Gary leaves his seat during the game. He went to get a hot dog and ends up witnessing a woman murdered under the grandstand. When questioned by Five-O, Gary won’t admit to seeing the crime for two reasons: He doesn’t want his father to know he left his seat and he fears the cops suspect him as the perp.
Gary is a nice guy who appears to be in his early twenties. He’s somewhat slovenly, needs a haircut (who didn’t in 1971?) and likes to chow down … albeit a messy eater. (One over-the-top scene shows Gary with ice cream dripping down his face. It is really out of place, as it makes him look stupid, rather than just unaware.)
The actual killer is a security guard at the stadium and his girlfriend works at the concession stand. They immediately realize Gary has to be knocked off to cover up the crime. The web around Gary is much more tangled than it first appears. What ensues are many plot twists and turns, including the involvement of the dead woman’s ex-husband. Gary thinks the cops are after him for the murder and runs away. Actually, the police realize he’s a target and are trying to catch him for his own protection. McGarrett and the Five-O team get the criminals and prevail in the end. Whew. Even though attacked by the killer, Gary is OK.
Covering two episodes, the show is a tad bit long. And, admittedly, baseball itself wasn’t very integral to the plot, except for the stadium being the location of a murder and the final scenes. However, it does include brief glimpses of the Lon Phillips character playing in games at the Islanders park.
Five-O Facts:
• Eleven years earlier, in 1960, the acting paths of Jack Lord and Pernell Roberts crossed in the first season of Bonanza. Back then, Lord played a bad guy.
• Elliot Street guest-starred on another episode of Hawaii Five-O a couple of years later. He played a deranged character who slips into a fantasy world believing a newspaper comic strip was real. When the comic’s featured female, Judy Moon, is endangered, Street’s character wants to protect her by killing off real people who resembled the antagonists in the strip.
• The Hawaii Islanders were an actual AAA baseball team in the Pacific Coast League from 1961-87. In 1971 – the year of this episode – they were affiliated with the San Diego Padres. Unlike most minor league teams at the time, their working relationship with San Diego was as a semi-independent team. The Padres controlled about a half-dozen players, while the Islanders could negotiate, sign, trade or release the rest. This helps explain how the Lon Phillips character could theoretically choose to leave the majors, sign an Islanders contract, move to Hawaii and play ball.
Some familiar names who played for the Islanders while in the minors in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s include: Bo Belinsky, Barry Bonds, Clete Boyer, George Brunet, Tony Gwynn, Bobby Valentine and Bob Walk.
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NOTE: To find out if this show is available in your area, use a search engine and type in: “Where to watch HAWAII FIVE-O” … In general, know that some television programs are currently only available on DVD, so check your local library … Others may not be available at all at this time.
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