Pilot
Draft 1
EXT. LONDON. UPMARKET HOTEL. DAY. RAIN.
A cab stops at the curb of a street. GRANT HAWTHORNE (40s) exits the cab and hurries into the hotel. We follow him through the lobby and into the bar. He looks around. THEO CABOT (early 30s) waves to GRANT from a booth in the corner.
LONDON 5:20 PM
INT. UPMARKET HOTEL BAR.
Grant approaches the booth, not sure if this is a good idea, but putting on a brave face as he reaches Theo, who rises. They shake hands.
THEO
Grant Hawthorne at long last. A cold pint of bitter, as promised.Both men take a seat.
THEO
You've been a tough one to pin down, Grant.GRANT
End of season has been busier than we expected. Decisions
needed to be made.THEO
No doubt. If you don't mind, I'd like to get down to it.GRANT
Please do. Your message was a bit … cryptic.THEO
I assume that you know who I am.GRANT
I've familiarized myself with your family, a bit. We don't appear
to be in the same line of business. You all are in mining?THEO
Mineral extraction, yes. But we are branching out. We're
finalizing terms on the sale of a professional sports franchise.
A baseball team in the Brewster Baseball Association. I can trust
in your discretion?Grant nods.
THEO
Excellent. Specifically, we are negotiating with Carl Ayers to
obtain a controlling interest in the Brook Park Brownies. I want
you to be my general manager. What do you think of that?GRANT
It's a bit unexpected. Don't the Brownies have a GM?THEO
Both he and the owner are on the way out. It will be the
beginning of a new era for the club.GRANT
I see.THEO
Grant, I haven't even told you the most exciting part. I plan to
move the team to, get this, Indianapolis.GRANT
Why? Didn't the club just relocate?THEO
Well, the short answer is that it's my club, or soon will be, and I'll
do with it as I damn well please. But yes, to answer your
question. They did relocate, to Cleveland, which, as you know,
already has a big league club. The market can't support two,
Grant. Not in the long run. Plus the weather there is ghastly.GRANT
Setting aside the wisdom of all this moving around, why do you
think I'd be the man for the job?THEO
Because, Grant. I'm sitting across from a baseball executive
who still keeps a signed photo of Kevin Lee on his wall. You
can't tell me that you're not intrigued, because I know you are.
Your boyhood club, coming back to Indianapolis, you at the
helm.Grant takes a long sip of bitter and collects his thoughts.
GRANT
It all sounds a little too good to be true.THEO
Sometimes things are exactly as good as they sound, Grant.GRANT
So you intend to take over a Cleveland area ballclub, with the
express purpose of moving it to another city? I've seen this
movie. We aren't the protagonists.Theo laughs.
THEO
Cleveland will be fine. I don't have a timetable for a move just
yet. There are a lot of moving parts, you know. I want you to
come to Ohio, work your magic with your Hawthorne System –GRANT
It's ... I don't really have a name for it. It's just what we do.THEO
You don't have a head for branding, that's fine. We'll have
people who'll work on that for you.GRANT
It's a lot to think about. I assume you'll make a formal offer once
the deal is finalized?THEO
Of course. You'll find the compensation to be quite competitive,
I'm sure.GRANT
Well, I appreciate the offer. I'll have to discuss it with my family
before I can give you an answer.THEO
Naturally, you don't want to take a decision like this to lightly.Theo pulls out a mobile phone and begins sending a text.
THEO
This is my personal number. Please don't share it. And … done.
I'll be in touch. I'm flying back to New York tomorrow, but let me
know if you have any questions in the meantime.Both men rise and shake hands again.
GRANT
Will do. Thanks again.Grant leaves the bar. Theo's eyes follow him. A smile never leaves his face. We hear the sound of someone shifting in a leather seat.
LAWRENCE (O.S.)
He didn't sound too keen.THEO
He'll come around.TITLES
(CONTINUED)
