0:00:02 > 0:00:07# Every day you walk down the street Everybody that you meet
0:00:07 > 0:00:11# Has an original point of view
0:00:11 > 0:00:13- # And I say, hey!- Hey!
0:00:13 > 0:00:18# What a wonderful kind of day We can learn to work and play
0:00:18 > 0:00:20# And get along with each other
0:00:20 > 0:00:24# You gotta listen to your heart Listen to the beat
0:00:24 > 0:00:30# Listen to the rhythm of the street Open your eyes! Open your ears!
0:00:30 > 0:00:34# Get together, make things better By working together
0:00:34 > 0:00:38# It's a simple message And it comes from the heart
0:00:38 > 0:00:43# Believe in yourself For that's the place to start
0:00:43 > 0:00:48- # And I say, hey!- Hey! - What a wonderful kind of day
0:00:48 > 0:00:53# We can learn to work and play And get along with each other
0:00:53 > 0:00:59# What a wonderful kind of day, hey! What a wonderful kind of day, HEY! #
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Hey, DW!
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Hey!
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Whoa-oa!
0:01:11 > 0:01:13GRUNTING AND GROANING
0:01:17 > 0:01:20This is Sisyphus, a character from Greek mythology.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24The Greek gods must not have liked him very much...
0:01:24 > 0:01:26GROANS WITH THE EFFORT
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Made it. Phew!
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Oh, no! Not again!
0:01:33 > 0:01:36He had to spend eternity pushing that boulder up a hill,
0:01:36 > 0:01:41only to have it roll back down over and over again!
0:01:41 > 0:01:43If Sisyphus had liked baseball,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46he would have been an Elwood City Grebe fan,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48getting your hopes up year after year...
0:01:49 > 0:01:54This time, we're gonna win. This time, it's gonna be different.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Go, Grebes!
0:01:56 > 0:02:00..only to have those hopes crushed at the end of every season.
0:02:00 > 0:02:01Argh!
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Cock-a-doodle-doo!
0:02:10 > 0:02:13You're acting like it's no big deal
0:02:13 > 0:02:15that the Grebes are in the world championship.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19I just don't want to jinx it by getting my hopes up.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24We already won the first game. We just need to win three more.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27But we're up against the Crown City Kings.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- They've won the world championship 25 times.- So what?
0:02:31 > 0:02:36So the Grebes haven't won a world championship since 1918.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39But don't you see? Our time has come.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41How can you be so sure?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Baseball is a science, a game of numbers.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49This year, we've got three factors that have changed the equation.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50What factors?
0:02:50 > 0:02:51The new players.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Winlin, Playmon and Bateria.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Last year, Playmon hit 375
0:02:57 > 0:02:59with a 465 on-base percentage.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02The Kings don't have a hitter like that.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Yeah, and Bateria is the best short stop in the league.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Not to mention Winlin, the best pitcher with 27 saves
0:03:10 > 0:03:12and a 2.1 E.R.A.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13Nobody can outpitch him.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17I've done a data comparison of the Kings and the Grebes
0:03:17 > 0:03:19and mapped it onto a grid.
0:03:19 > 0:03:20The outcome is clear.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Our team simply can't be beat.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27I've figured out that this hat wards off the curse.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29When I wear it, the Grebes win!
0:03:29 > 0:03:33- There's no such thing as "the curse".- How can you say that?
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Things haven't been the same for the Grebes
0:03:35 > 0:03:37since that one game in 1918...
0:03:37 > 0:03:39It was the Grebes versus Kings.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43It's two on and two out for the Grebes
0:03:43 > 0:03:47with Ray Woodpecker Vance stepping up to the plate.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Elwood City has their hopes riding high on Vance.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52And he connects...
0:03:52 > 0:03:55This could be it. This ball is going! Going...!
0:03:55 > 0:03:56Gone!
0:03:56 > 0:03:58The Grebes win ten to nine!
0:03:58 > 0:04:02They are the new world champions!
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Got it!
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Ahem!
0:04:17 > 0:04:19I bet you're one of those urchins
0:04:19 > 0:04:22who sneaks into the park without paying!
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Give me that ball, you little thief!
0:04:24 > 0:04:28But, Mister, I chased it down fair and square.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31My name is Horace P Crane.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32I own the Grebes.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37I own the land you're standing on and I own that ball.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Then with this ball, I put a curse on your crummy team.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45You'll never win another championship.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49'And that started the longest championship-losing streak'
0:04:49 > 0:04:51of any team in the history of the league.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55- Harry said the curse of the kid was lifted this year.- How?
0:04:55 > 0:04:59A descendant of Horace P Crane, his second cousin's nephew's niece,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01found the ball in her attic
0:05:01 > 0:05:05and finally laid it at the kid's tombstone.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Why do people believe these things?
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Well, so far so good.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14But I'm not taking off this hat until the series is over.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17'The Kings are hoping to break the 3-3 deadlock
0:05:17 > 0:05:19'but it doesn't look very likely
0:05:19 > 0:05:22'as their number nine hitter steps up to the plate.'
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Don't worry, Buster. Look who's up at bat.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Mucky Flint has the lowest batting average of anybody in the league!
0:05:29 > 0:05:32He's no match for Winlin's cutter, that's for sure.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38'He connects! This ball is...
0:05:38 > 0:05:39'gone!'
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Who knew Mucky Flint could hit like that?
0:05:45 > 0:05:49I'm not surprised. We Kings always win.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Just got lucky, I guess.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55We didn't come this far to give up now.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58I was worried when the Grebes lost the second game,
0:05:58 > 0:06:03but after we won games three and four, I knew the hat still worked.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08Look! It's Daddy's new commercial and I'm in it!
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Come on down to Crosswire Motors...
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Is your dad wearing a Grebes hat?!
0:06:14 > 0:06:19Remember, at Crosswire Motors, you'll always drive away a winner!
0:06:19 > 0:06:21BOTH: Go Grebes!
0:06:21 > 0:06:26That is hypocritical. You and your dad have always been Kings fans.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Yeah, but now the Grebes have three wins,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31it's much more fun to be on the winning side.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Anybody can root for a winning team.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38It takes character to stick with the underdogs.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Well, Buster, tonight's the night.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48Yeah, tomorrow the Grebes could be the world champions.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50KLAXON SOUNDS
0:06:52 > 0:06:57'And the Kings have taken game five, forcing a sixth game.'
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Don't worry. We're still up three games to two.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05Oh, Daddy, this is terrible! What'll we do if they don't win the next one.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06Don't worry, Muffin.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10We can always pull the new Grebes commercial off the air
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and replace it with the Kings one.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I just hope the curse hasn't kicked in.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- Are you going to the game with Harry tonight?- Yeah.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21I hope we win. I've only been there when we lose.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Oh, really? How interesting.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29It's just... You know...now that I think about it...
0:07:29 > 0:07:31A strange coincidence?
0:07:31 > 0:07:34OK, well, um, gotta go!
0:07:36 > 0:07:40'This could be it. The Grebes can finally win it all!
0:07:40 > 0:07:43'Just one hour away from the world championship!
0:07:43 > 0:07:46'Here's the pitch.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47'It's an easy grounder...
0:07:47 > 0:07:51'It went right through his legs! The Grebes just lost their best chance
0:07:51 > 0:07:54' to win it all again!'
0:07:55 > 0:07:58When I show up, they lose.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00When I'm not there, they win.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Oh, I'm their biggest fan, but what if...?
0:08:03 > 0:08:05What if...?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10There he is! Get him!
0:08:11 > 0:08:13That way!
0:08:16 > 0:08:21- Hey, hold it right there.- Is this that kid with the curse?- Si, eso es.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23You're the reason the Grebes are losing.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26You don't think I'd curse the team I love, do you?
0:08:26 > 0:08:30- You're bad luck.- Get out of town, Baxter.- Largate.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31You've done enough damage!
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Why are you here? You don't believe in the curse.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Of course not, but according to the Quantum Theory,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40the outcome of any experiment is partly determined
0:08:40 > 0:08:42by the presence of a particular observer.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45What does that have to do with baseball?
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Your presence in the stands has a negative impact
0:08:48 > 0:08:50on the physics of baseball for the Grebes.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52In other words, you're the curse.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h!
0:08:56 > 0:08:58I can't go to the last game.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I just can't.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- Oh...!- Do you want one of those to wear to the game?
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Mom, take my ticket. I can watch the game on TV.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Oh, that is so sweet of you, but you and Harry are diehard fans.
0:09:14 > 0:09:19You've got to be there for the final game of the world championship.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22- We forgot the milk. Will you run and get it?- Sure.
0:09:26 > 0:09:27Oh!
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Playmon?
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- Hi, kid.- Wow! This is...! I'm a big fan.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- Nice to meet you.- Would you sign my milk carton?- Sure. What's your name?
0:09:37 > 0:09:42- Buster Baxter.- Hey, Playmon, there's a special on apples.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Winlin?! Bateria! You guys buy groceries too?
0:09:46 > 0:09:50- How about signing this for Buster? - We appreciate your support.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52We couldn't do it without fans like you.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54You going to the big game?
0:09:54 > 0:09:56< Yes. I mean no.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Trust me, you don't want me there.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59Why not?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02You know how you lost games two, five and six?
0:10:02 > 0:10:03It was my fault.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06- Guess we're off the hook. - No, it's true.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08When I'm in the stands, you lose.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10When I'm not, you win.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It's the curse. I bring the curse.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15No es verdad. It's not true.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20The curse is you not showing up for the game in case we lose.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21The curse is you thinking
0:10:21 > 0:10:25that we don't need you in the stands tomorrow because we do.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28- Ever hear of Dickinson?- Shortstop?
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Poet. Lived in New England. Wrote a poem that goes like this.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul
0:10:36 > 0:10:39"And sings the tune without the words
0:10:39 > 0:10:41"and never stops at all."
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- Do you see what we're trying to say? - Not really.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Tomorrow at the big game, hope is a green-tailed grebe.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51If we're gonna win, then we need all the fan support we can get.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54We need you, Buster, curse or no curse.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Yeah, Buster, we need you.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00'It's the bottom of the nine, the bases are loaded for the Grebes,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- 'but they're down ten to seven with two outs against them.'- It's time.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Playmon is up.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11Strike one.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Come on, Playmon!
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Strike two.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21"Hope is the thing with feathers!"
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Woo-hoo!
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Oh, no! Buster's cracking.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27No, I can't watch.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32'Playmon connects. This ball is hit hard. It could be an out.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36'It's there. Grebes have won!'
0:11:42 > 0:11:45- Playmon's the best! - The numbers were right!
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Ho-ho-ho! We're the world champions!
0:11:48 > 0:11:51And it only took 87 years!
0:11:51 > 0:11:54And you can tell your grandchildren you were there!
0:11:56 > 0:11:58The most amazing part was
0:11:58 > 0:12:01what happened to the ball after Playmon hit it.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06It went up and up and then it sprouted feathers.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Wings! Did anyone ever find that ball?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Oh, no. It flapped right out of the ball park,
0:12:13 > 0:12:18past the moon and right to the stars.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 2006
0:12:36 > 0:12:39E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk