Hardball is an American baseball sitcom that aired on the Fox Network on Sunday nights from September 4, 1994 to October 23, 1994. Ironically the series premiered in the middle of the 1994-95 Major League Baseball strike and was canceled around the time that the year's World Series would have been played.
Hardball (Season 1)
Pilot (Episode 1)
Air date: 1994-09-04
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: The Pioneers are a losing baseball team. And to make matters worse, they now have to deal with a new manager - Happy Talbot - who seems anything but "happy" about his new appointment. Happy decides to put pressure on some of the players and targets both wisecracking pitcher Dave Logan, whose losing streak is in direct opposition to his salary, along with catcher Mike Widmar, whose weight is as much a problem as his age. To compound problems for the womanizing Dave, his latest conquest, Jennifer, turns out to be Happy's daughter, a fact that almost gets him fired when their stadium "kiss" is broadcast via the scorecard camera. A secondary plot involves the ditzy new publicist, Lee Emery, and her attempts to introduce a new team mascot. In the end Happy decides to be magnanimous, Dave is inspired by Jennifer to win his first game in months and Lee admits defeat and brings back the team's mascot -- the ever popular "Hardball".
Mike's Release (Episode 2)
Air date: 1994-09-11
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Talbot fires Mike for being out of shape, but has to reconsider when a series of errors results in Mike helping to apprehend a notorious fugitive.
The Butt Winnick Story (Episode 3)
Air date: 1994-09-18
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: The guys must play against a tream led by Happy's arch-enemy, coach Butt Winnick; and Frank strikes out when he tries to seduce Lee.
Whose Strike is it Anyway? (Episode 4)
Air date: 1994-10-02
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Panicked when the team goes on strike, Arnold agrees to a very, very bad business deal.
Frank Buys An Island, Mike Pays the Price (Episode 5)
Air date: 1994-10-09
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Frank buys his own island, which doesn't go over well with the inhabitants. Meanwhile, Mike's wife discovers he has been making love to her as part of a scheme to improve his batting average.
Lee's Bad, Bad Day (Episode 6)
Air date: 1994-10-16
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Lee has her hands full when things go wrong during the annual Old-Timers' Day game.
My Name is Hard B (Episode 7)
Air date: 1994-10-23
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: Team mascot Hardball loses his wife to a rival mascot.
See Spot Run (Episode 8)
Air date: 1994-10-30
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: The team hires a football pro as a publicity stunt, but it turns out he plays better than some of the regular team.
The Rookie, The Batgirl, the Coach and His Wife (Episode 9)
Air date: 1994-11-04
Runtime: 30 min
Overview: When Nelson is injured, Lee hires a batgirl as his replacement. Meanwhile, Happy strikes out in the romance field when his third wife files for divorce.
