Abbott & Costello: Who's on First?


AbbottWell Costello, I'm going to New York with you. The Yankee's manager gave me a job as coach for as long as you're on the team.
CostelloLook Abbott, if you're the coach, you must know all the players.
AbbottI certainly do.
CostelloWell you know I've never met the guys. So you'll have to tell me their names, and then I'll know who's playing on the team.
AbbottOh, I'll tell you their names, but you know it seems to me they give these ball players now-a-days very peculiar names.
CostelloYou mean funny names?
AbbottStrange names, pet names...like Dizzy Dean...
CostelloHis brother Daffy
AbbottDaffy Dean...
CostelloAnd their French cousin.
AbbottFrench?
CostelloGoofe'
AbbottGoofe' Dean. Well, let's see, we have on the bags, Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third...
CostelloThat's what I want to find out.
AbbottI say Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know's on third.
CostelloAre you the manager?
AbbottYes.
CostelloYou gonna be the coach too?
AbbottYes.
CostelloAnd you don't know the fellows' names.
AbbottWell I should.
CostelloWell then who's on first?
AbbottYes.
CostelloI mean the fellow's name.
AbbottWho.
CostelloThe guy on first.
AbbottWho.
CostelloThe first baseman.
AbbottWho.
CostelloThe guy playing...
AbbottWho is on first!
CostelloI'm asking you who's on first.
AbbottThat's the man's name.
CostelloThat's who's name?
AbbottYes.
CostelloWell go ahead and tell me.
AbbottThat's it.
CostelloThat's who?
AbbottYes.
PAUSE 
CostelloLook, you gotta first baseman?
AbbottCertainly.
CostelloWho's playing first?
AbbottThat's right.
CostelloWhen you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?
AbbottEvery dollar of it.
CostelloAll I'm trying to find out is the fellow's name on first base.
AbbottWho.
CostelloThe guy that gets...
AbbottThat's it.
CostelloWho gets the money...
AbbottHe does, every dollar of it. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.
CostelloWho's wife?
AbbottYes.
PAUSE 
AbbottWhat's wrong with that?
CostelloLook, all I wanna know is when you sign up the first baseman, how does he sign his name?
AbbottWho.
CostelloThe guy.
AbbottWho.
CostelloHow does he sign...
AbbottThat's how he signs it.
CostelloWho?
AbbottYes.
PAUSE 
CostelloAll I'm trying to find out is what's the guys name on first base.
AbbottNo. What is on second base.
CostelloI'm not asking you who's on second.
AbbottWho's on first.
CostelloOne base at a time!
AbbottWell, don't change the players around.
CostelloI'm not changing nobody!
AbbottTake it easy, buddy.
CostelloI'm only asking you, who's the guy on first base?
AbbottThat's right.
CostelloOk.
AbbottAlright.
PAUSE 
CostelloWhat's the guy's name on first base?
AbbottNo. What is on second.
CostelloI'm not asking you who's on second.
AbbottWho's on first.
CostelloI don't know.
AbbottHe's on third, we're not talking about him.
CostelloNow how did I get on third base?
AbbottWhy you mentioned his name.
CostelloIf I mentioned the third baseman's name, who did I say is playing third?
AbbottNo. Who's playing first.
CostelloWhat's on base?
AbbottWhat's on second.
CostelloI don't know.
AbbottHe's on third.
CostelloThere I go, back on third again!
PAUSE 
CostelloWould you just stay on third base and don't go off it.
AbbottAlright, what do you want to know?
CostelloNow who's playing third base?
AbbottWhy do you insist on putting Who on third base?
CostelloWhat am I putting on third.
AbbottNo. What is on second.
CostelloYou don't want who on second?
AbbottWho is on first.
CostelloI don't know. Together Third base!
PAUSE 
CostelloLook, you gotta outfield?
AbbottSure.
CostelloThe left fielder's name?
AbbottWhy.
CostelloI just thought I'd ask you.
AbbottWell, I just thought I'd tell ya.
CostelloThen tell me who's playing left field.
AbbottWho's playing first.
CostelloI'm not...stay out of the infield!!! I want to know what's the guy's name in left field?
AbbottNo, What is on second.
CostelloI'm not asking you who's on second.
AbbottWho's on first!
CostelloI don't know. Together Third base!
PAUSE 
CostelloThe left fielder's name?
AbbottWhy.
CostelloBecause!
AbbottOh, he's center field.
PAUSE 
CostelloLook, You gotta pitcher on this team?
AbbottSure.
CostelloThe pitcher's name?
AbbottTomorrow.
CostelloYou don't want to tell me today?
AbbottI'm telling you now.
CostelloThen go ahead.
AbbottTomorrow!
CostelloWhat time?
AbbottWhat time what?
CostelloWhat time tomorrow are you gonna tell me who's pitching?
AbbottNow listen. Who is not pitching.
CostelloI'll break your arm if you say who's on first!!! I want to know what's the pitcher's name?
AbbottWhat's on second.
CostelloI don't know. Together Third base!
PAUSE 
CostelloGotta a catcher?
AbbottCertainly.
CostelloThe catcher's name?
AbbottToday.
CostelloToday, and tomorrow's pitching.
AbbottNow you've got it.
CostelloAll we got is a couple of days on the team.
PAUSE 
CostelloYou know I'm a catcher too.
AbbottSo they tell me.
CostelloI get behind the plate to do some fancy catching, Tomorrow's pitching on my team and a heavy hitter gets up. Now the heavy hitter bunts the ball. When he bunts the ball, me, being a good catcher, I'm gonna throw the guy out at first. So I pick up the ball and throw it to who?
AbbottNow that's the first thing you've said right.
CostelloI don't even know what I'm talking about!
PAUSE 
AbbottThat's all you have to do.
CostelloIs to throw the ball to first base.
AbbottYes!
CostelloNow who's got it?
AbbottNaturally.
PAUSE 
CostelloLook, if I throw the ball to first base, somebody's gotta get it. Now who has it?
AbbottNaturally.
CostelloWho?
AbbottNaturally.
CostelloNaturally?
AbbottNaturally.
CostelloSo I pick up the ball and I throw it to Naturally.
AbbottNo you don't you throw the ball to Who.
CostelloNaturally.
AbbottThat's different.
CostelloThat's what I said.
AbbottYour not saying it...
CostelloI throw the ball to Naturally.
AbbottYou throw it to Who.
CostelloNaturally.
AbbottThat's it.
CostelloThat's what I said!
AbbottYou ask me.
CostelloI throw the ball to who?
AbbottNaturally.
CostelloNow you ask me.
AbbottYou throw the ball to Who?
CostelloNaturally.
AbbottThat's it.
CostelloSame as you! Same as YOU!!! I throw the ball to who. Whoever it is drops the ball and the guy runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don't Know. I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Triple play. Another guy gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don't know! He's on third and I don't give a darn!
AbbottWhat?
CostelloI said I don't give a darn!
AbbottOh, that's our shortstop.

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