Episode: “The Clampetts and
the Dodgers” (1963)
REVIEWED BY MARK A. LARSON
Editor & Publisher
“Oil that is. Black gold. Texas Teeeea …”
“Californy’s the place you outta be.”
“So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverleeee.”
Sky-high ratings were the hallmark of “The Beverly Hillbillies” on CBS for most of its 274 episodes. From 1962-64, it was the Number One television show in the country. (It was in the Top Ten for seven out of its nine seasons between 1962-71.)
The show focuses on four main characters who left the mountains when they it hit rich with an oil strike on their property: Widower Jed Clampett (Buddy Ebsen); his mother-in-law, Granny (Irene Ryan); his daughter, Elly May Donna Douglas); and his “nephew” — actually cousin — Jethro (Max Baer).
Although I was never a big fan of the series, its “fish-out-of-water” theme is pretty darn funny in this episode featuring Los Angeles Dodgers coach Leo Durocher.
(Your view of golf may never be the same after watching this show.)
The show opens with an invitation for Jed and Jethro to shoot golf with their banker, Mr. Drysdale, and Durocher. Jed and Jethro’s understanding of golf is one for the books. Jed tells Granny he’s going to go hunting for game, shooting something called golf. Jed figures golfs live in the ground like gophers and says that Mr. Drysdale shot 57 last time.
Jethro adds that golfs must be able to fly because “Mr. Doooorocher got four birdies yesterday.” According to Jethro: “After you shoot ’em, you gotta club ’em.” (Mr. Drysdale had sent over two sets of golf clubs for them.)
Now, there have been a lot of dunces on TV sitcoms – Gomer Pyle, Herman Munster and Gilligan, to name a few – but Jethro is perhaps the dumbest of the dumb. Terms like doofus and lunkhead would seem to fit pretty well.
Mr. Drysdale cannot attend the outing so Jed and Jethro head to the country club and catch up with Durocher and a pitching prospect who is accompanying him. Because of their shabby clothing, Durocher and the other guy mistake them for caddies and eventually try to lose them by driving away on a golf cart. But Jed and Jethro give chase on foot and catch up.
When Jethro stops Durocher’s ball from going into the hole, Leo blows his cork and whips the ball, getting it stuck in a tree. To make amends, Jethro says if he had something to throw, he could get the ball down. So the Dodger coach hands him a baseball. And boy, can he ever throw. … Hard and accurate. Durocher comments: “If he can hit that trunk from this distance, he’s got the greatest arm since Satchel Paige.”
(Your understanding of baseball may never be the same after watching this show.)
Upon returning home, Jethro tries to explain to Granny how the game of baseball works. She interprets terms like “pitcher” and “plate” as crockery. As for a bat, a perplexed Granny says: “A bat? … sounds like a game you play in a cave!”
“Mr. Doooorocher,” as they all continue to call him, heads over to the Clampett’s with a contract for Jethro in hand. He brings Dodgers’ General Manager Buzzie Bavasi with him so he can see Jethro’s throwing ability in person. (Bavasi was the real Dodger G.M. at the time, but was played here by an actor.)
Durocher dons catcher’s gear and has Jethro back up 60 feet. Jethro pulls something out of his pocket, rubs the ball and hurls a screaming fastball. Durocher is pushed backward by the lightning-fast pitch, falling into the “Ceeeement Pond” (swimming pool to you and me) and getting drenched.
However, there’s a catch (yes, pun intended). When Bavasi goes to shake Jethro’s hand, it’s gooey and slippery. Turns out, Jethro has to grease up the ball with possum fat in order to throw straight. With those type of pitches illegal in baseball, there will be no Dodger contract for Jethro. (A disappointed Durocher quips “Maybe we can get the Commissioner to legalize the Possum Ball.”)
“Well now its time to say goodbye to Jed and all his kin.
They would like to thank you folks for kindly droppin’ in …”
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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 THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES” … 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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