Another true story. Pete Gray was born to Welsh immigrants who settled in the mining area of eastern Pa.
Both parents worked in the mines. His brother (Jud Hersh) is a small time boxer who suffers irreversible brain damage in the ring. However, before this occured, Pete's beloved older brother painstakingly taught Pete to play baseball. This was very difficult as Pete only had one arm. (I don't remember how Pete lost his arm) As Pete grew, he got it into his head that he was going to make the family proud by becoming a professional baseball player. This was during the WW2 days when players were in short supply. He hitched a ride to New York for the tryouts and they wouldn't even allow him inside the building. He wouldn't give up. Being picked up by a team in Memphis, he traveled south. The beginnings were tough but Pete was used to people making jokes and underestimating him. Inside, Pete Gray was a seething volcano. Angry as hell at his plight in life and ready to smash sculls to show that he wasn't just a helpless one-armed freak. He proves it one night in a cafe where some guys are annoyingly flirting with a young waitrss(Mare Winningham) He knocks some guy over a few tables and out the door just BECAUSE! Yes, he over-reacts, angry defensive folks overreact. He finally gains the respect he deserves from his team mates and they no longer underestimate his talent on the field. He and Mare Winningham slowly fall in love. This is not easy. Pete is damaged because of years and years of abuse and jokes and such. He's just a defensive angry guy and he drinks too. His new Mare feels he can become a roll model for those coming home from the war without limbs and such but, he is extremely reluctant to become this role model. He wants to forget his infirmity.
Until, one little boy who idolizes him comes into the picture. The little boy had accidently lost his arm. Pete softens up
Pete Gray's glove is in the Baseball Hall of Fame

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