Orson at the Bat is an episode from the fourth season of Garfield and Friends.
Synopsis[]
Due to a baseball-related injury, Orson imagines himself as "Casey at the Bat".
Plot[]
Wade discovers a book with his favorite poem, "Casey at the Bat", when Orson arrives, asking Wade if he wants to join a baseball game. Wade declines, and so Orson plays with Roy, Bo, Booker, and Sheldon. Orson reluctantly takes up right field. While he tries to recall "Casey at the Bat", the ball hits him on the head, knocking him unconscious.
Orson then dreams about himself as Casey, with Wade narrating the poem. The Barnyard team (which includes Orson) plays against Orson's brothers. Despite their best efforts, the Barnyard team is easily overwhelmed by their opponents. The spectators (namely Sheldon) are disappointed with the game, yet still hope to see Orson play. Before then, Roy and Wade manage to secure second and first base respectively.
The crowd becomes enthusiastic once Orson goes up to bat. Due to his overconfidence, he makes no attempt with the first two balls, much to the dismay of the audience. He focuses sharply on hitting the last ball, resulting in a mighty swing from his bat. Despite the effort, he misses.
When Orson wakes up, he finds out that his team is behind 347 to zero, and that he is up at bat. Realizing that the important thing is to "keep your eye on the ball and give it your maximum effort", he manages to score numerous consecutive home runs, continuing into the night. By then, no one is keeping track of the score, with Bo describing Orson as "a one-pig team". Wade concludes the story by noting that "mighty Orson's on a streak" in extra innings.
Characters[]
Major characters[]
- Orson Pig
- Wade Duck
- Roy Rooster
- Bo Sheep
- Booker
- Sheldon
- Gort (non-speaking)
- Mort (non-speaking)
- Wart (non-speaking)
Minor characters[]
Trivia[]
- During the aftermath sequence of the story, Roy turns the channel on his television set from the baseball game to Garfield.
Cultural references[]
- The title of the episode spoofs Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" (fully titled "Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888"), the poem enacted in Orson's dream.