Original subtitles

When I was growing up during the Great Depression,

I often marveled at the road which connected us with the rest of the world

and which brought us friends and strangers.

The road afforded us our isolation

and at the same time provided a link

with the rapidly changing cities.

Here on Walton's Mountain there was a "Y" in the road

where a fateful decision was to be made by a new friend,

a decision that was to involve the entire family.

Wish we had more time for a chat, Verdie.

Me, too.

How long is Harley gonna be away?

Well, he's not due back for a week or so.

Okay, watch out, Jim-Bob.

This is gonna be a real good one.

Come on, Erin. Throw the ball.

Thanks again for the jam. We're really gonna enjoy it.

You're welcome.

Time to go, Jody.

Oh, Mom, we just got here!

You heard me.

Mrs. Foster, when can Jody come back for a real game?

When Jody does his chores. Come on.

Goodbye. Bye-bye. Bye, Jody.

Jim-Bob, you better go to your Daddy.

He's not in a good mood. He needs some help. Now.

No time to play anymore.

I'll take that, Mr. Schubert. Hmm?

Oh, they working? Yes.

Okay.

It's about time. More work out of Reckless here.

Come on, I'll set you up in the mill, you can help Ben.

Look at that old dog.

She's dreaming she's out hunting again.

Probably running a cottontail or treeing a raccoon.

If your daddy wasn't keeping such an eye on me

I'd lay right down alongside her and go off dreaming myself.

Look at her. She's dreaming she's in heaven

and every cloud is a fleecy white rabbit.

♪ Old shep he is gone

♪ Where good doggies go

♪ And no more with old shep will I roam

♪ But if there's a heaven, I know where she'll go

♪ Old shep has a wonderful home ♪

Can I get any work out of anybody today?

One little song lightens the heart and the workday.

You will get those in.

What do you want done?

Easy, girl, easy, easy.

Ah, that's a good girl, yeah.

Reckless is as harmless as an old hen without teeth.

You just surprised her.

You sure know how to gentle a dog.

Yeah, we got dogs in Richmond. Mean and lean and hungry ones.

Yeah.

Ain't no places like this where I've been.

Walton's Mountain?

Sure putting on quite a show today.

Yeah.

Mr. John Walton? That's me.

James Trevis Clark. I saw your notice in the general store.

"Help wanted. Hard work." Mr. Godsey gave me directions.

I'm looking for hard work,

to blow the soot and factory fumes out of my system.

Your pipes don't appear to be too clogged-up.

Most anybody run from

Ike Godsey to here would be puffing and heaving like a broken-winded mule.

My father, Zeb Walton, my son, John-Boy Walton.

James.

You run all the way from Richmond?

Right smart of it.

You know, I was thinking of hiring a local.

Drifters always coming from somewhere and going somewhere else.

Yeah, this is where I want to be.

John, we could do with some help.

It's hard work hauling logs, chopping them to size.

Give it to me.

Let's try it for a day. I pay $2.

Clean these logs off here.

Ever swing an axe before?

Give me one and I'll show you.

No, thank you.

You sure are strong. What you do, lift weights?

I have.

Well, that's it for today.

$2, well earned.

The job's yours tomorrow if you want it.

I appreciate that, Mr. Walton,

but, uh, instead of cash money,

I would be obliged for room and keep.

I looked over the barn. Do just fine.

It's yours if you want it.

I prefer being alone and taking my meals alone, if nobody minds.

A man has a right to his privacy.

You enjoy your work, for someone who seems to have his mind elsewhere.

Yeah, this is a place of many horizons, John-Boy.

What're you thinking?

Just wonder what he's after.

Said he was after privacy.

That's what he said.

Morning! Morning.

Good morning, ladies! Morning.

I wonder what he's doing running through the woods at the crack of dawn.

I don't know.

Do you think he'll have the strength to put in a full day's work?

Hey, that's quite a beat.

Keeps you on your toes.

What's he doing?

What does it look like?

Can I try? Sure.

Come on, Elizabeth.

Here, let me try.

No, come on! Come on, let me try it!

Let me... Give it!

Break, break! That's enough! Back to work. You got chores to do.

Come on, that's enough. I wanted to try.

Skipping rope is for little children.

I'll see you there.

See you later. Okay.

Suppose after we're finished with our chores you could show me those steps?

Sure thing. Me, too. And I'll bring my own rope.

All right.

Well, I best be moving my logs before I loose my job.

Nice fancy pair of shoes you got there.

Nice footwork, too.

But tell me if I was wrong. Uh, is "break" the correct word to use?

I mean, isn't that what they say when the bell rings?

John-Boy, just what is going on?

James is in training.

He's a fighter. What?

A fist fighter? Are you sure?

Well, of course, look at it. It all figures, doesn't it?

The cross-country running, the fresh air, the fancy footwork, the shoes.

He's in training.

Well, what do you know, a pugilist on Walton's Mountain.

No wonder he didn't like my food.

He's... He's had his brains shook loose.

It's got nothing to do with your food, Grandma.

He's a prizefighter. He's got to watch his weight.

Just look at it this way, you two are running a training camp kitchen.

John-Boy, that is not amusing.

He's setting a bad example for our children.

It's bad enough being a fighter, but it's sinful to take money for it.

Many is a bare-knuckle fight I've had out behind the barry dance

and mostly over you, Esther.

Oh, I didn't like it then and I sure don't like it now.

I think I'll go out to the barn

and give James a few pointers on the manly art of self-defense.

Come on, Pa.

John, you hired him. Now, how do you feel about harboring a fistfighter?

John, it is upsetting. He didn't tell us his real mission.

I feel like we're being used.

John! Say something.

Well, Liv, James is a good worker, doesn't cost us much,

lightens the load for the rest of us.

Hey, Mama, you know something?

I'll bet there's a story here. A story for the newspaper.

All I got to do is find out a little bit about James' background,

his drives, his ambitions. I'll bet they'd buy it for the sports page.

I thought you'd set your sights higher than the sports page.

What about Grantland Rice? He became famous writing about sport champions.

Bill Tilden, Helen Wills, Bobby Jones and Jack Dempsey.

Come in.

Hey.

Oh.

Hard on the fists.

You sure make friends fast.

Well, this is a friendly place.

If I wanted to do a story on you as a fighter, what would you say to that?

For instance, what makes you a fighter?

In this almighty world,

if you've got burdens, you work them away, don't you?

You let all that energy out.

Like working in the cotton fields

or the docks at Newport News.

Knocking people's brains out.

Look, I'm a stringer for the Jefferson County News,

so that's why I'm... You know. But I'm interested.

I... I'd like to know what makes a likeable

and apparently peaceful fellow like you

who's managed to endear himself to everybody

from Grandpa all the way down to Reckless, here,

except for Grandma, her nose is out of joint. Oh.

Yeah.

The fried potatoes. Uh-huh.

I should have taken them and given them to the chicken.

Anyway, I'm interested in you and, uh... Uh-huh.

Well, could you at least tell me a little bit about where you come from?

Richmond. City of 55,000 of my people in miserable tenements.

You ever been there?

I have only driven through the slums. Hmm.

Most drive around, they don't want to know it's there.

The street was our playground and social center.

For the young, life was dangerous, meaningless.

Then out of street brawls I discovered the dynamite in my fists.

I saw what Jesse Owens was doing in track. The "Buckeye Bullet."

And I decided to lift myself out of the slums.

Escape the quickest way possible, sports.

Like Joe Louis, huh?

Joe Louis.

Joe Louis made us feel like something when he knocked out Max Baer.

A religious feeling.

My people poured out into the streets,

laughing and shouting and shaking hands with strangers.

I've got dynamite in me. And it started with my fists.

You got a fight coming up?

My return to Richmond, my hometown, a week from Friday.

Got to line up a manager, and a stool-and-bucket man.

I thought you escaped out of there.

No, it's not back to the slums, John-Boy.

This is my big fight.

A purse fight, winner take all!

I've club-fought from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.

In Baltimore you couldn't beat a hometowner with a hammer.

And I hope to get a fair fight in my own hometown.

Might not be too easy.

What do you mean?

Speaking of fair, when you first came here

you said all you wanted was fresh air and hard work.

Mama thinks you're using this place as a training camp. Is that fair?

It's fair, John-Boy. You get an honest day's work,

and I get to train in some clean air. It's fair.

You're honest about it.

Any final word for the waiting world?

Yeah, John-Boy. I'm gonna win.

Write that.

Here, James.

Ben, come on, throw it to me. Come on, Ben...

Jim-Bob, burn it right. - Here.

Erin, stretch out and catch the ball with your hand.

Here we go now.

Like that? Perfect. Perfect.

It's unladylike.

Now, Esther, woman wasn't made to ride sidesaddle all of her life.

Now you're an authority on women?

From afar and near.

I almost got you.

Yeah, you catch on quick. You're a pretty good ball player.

We're all pretty good ball players.

Great, because girls' softball teams

are becoming a big thing in the cities.

Oh, yeah? Yeah. They're wearing snazzy uniforms,

drawing big crowds and making big money.

John, I just don't like what's happening.

Times change, Liv.

Remember that picture of the NRA girls parading up New York City

in shorts with eagles painted on their backs?

I burnt that picture in 1933.

I can close my eyes now and see those NRA girls

prancing around with their long legs.

Oh, you're a wicked old man.

Why, thank you, Esther.

James, what field do you want me to play? Left, center or right?

Play all three, Jody. You're an all-around athlete, aren't you?

Whatever you say, coach.

Well, let's get that game going, huh? Yeah.

Jason, you catch and Elizabeth, you'll be up first.

Okay, come on. All right, let's go.

I'll be third. Here we go.

Hats on. All right, here we go. Here we go.

Here we go, right here.

Come on, James, burn it in here, boy.

Come on. Wait. Wait, wait, wait.

Now, you, uh, just

cock the bat back here, right? Stay right here.

Raise your arm and swing flat so you can hit the ball.

All right? Okay.

Come on, look alive. Look alive. All right, here we go.

All right. Come on, Elizabeth.

Go! Run!

Safe! Attagirl!

Excuse me.

John-Boy, is James' fight gonna be broadcast?

I reckon. It's the main event.

The Richmond station will broadcast it.

We have our regular programs to listen to.

Liv, we got to listen to how James makes out.

John, we're not tuning in that fight.

Now, you and Ma and the girls can go upstairs and occupy yourselves

like you did the time the boys came over to listen to the Louis-Baer fight.

Something happens to men when two other men

try to knock each other senseless for money. Even you, John.

All we could hear upstairs was stomping and hollering

like bloodthirsty Comanches.

I'm convinced somebody brought a bottle.

Not one of our friends, Esther.

You were stomping and hollering worst of all.

I... I swear you had a skinful.

Oh, no. No, Esther, not a skinful. Just a snoot full.

And the rest will be bottled when we make enough.

Jason, that tune is getting on my nerves.

My Tattoo Blues? Listen.

Can't you just see James' footwork and shadow boxing.

What happened to the composition you were working on

for the Kleinberg Conservatory?

Mama, before I was just imitating the old masters, but this is mine.

Instead of some dull exercises, my... my fingers are springy.

For heaven's sake.

Daddy, suppose I could save up and buy some boxing gloves?

Instead of an aviator, I'm going to become a fighter.

You, a fighter? Jim-Bob, you're too puny.

Size isn't everything. They have all kinds of weights.

Flyweight on up. It says so right here.

Charles Atlas! Gimme that!

"The 97-pound weakling who became the world's most perfectly-developed man."

Mary Ellen, you give me that!

Easy, stop. Hey, Jim-Bob, you forgot your biceps.

Now stop it.

John!

Okay, come on. Let's go.

I will not have this house turned upside down because of a prizefighter.

"If a man gouges out another man's eye, he must pay with his own eye."

Wonder what he thinks about the Law of Moses. "If a tooth..."

If you don't tell him to move on, to move out of our lives, I will!

Liv, he's a good worker.

I have nothing against him, it's what he does!

All right, all right, all right.

It means that much to you, I'll talk to him.

It does.

Especially if you're going to quote the Bible on me.

"And David girded his sword upon his armor,

"And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these

"for I have not proved them.

"And David put them off him.

"And he took his staff in his hand,

"and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook,

"and put them in his shepherd's bag..."

And he walked down the brooks of the Himalayan mountains.

And he moved on down the Nile.

"And his sling was in his hand,

"and he drew near to the giant Philistine.

"But Goliath saw David, and he disdained him,

"for he was but a youth.

"The Philistine cursed David by his gods and said, come to me,

"and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the airs,

"and to the beasts of the fields.

"Then said David, thou comest to me with a sword and a spear and a shield.

"But I come to thee in the name of the Lord God of Hosts,

"the God of the Armies of Israel, Whom thou hast defied,

"for the battle is the Lord God's.

"And this day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand,

"and I will smite thee.

"And all this assembly shall know

"that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear.

"And it came to pass..."

I'd like to talk to him.

"David put his hand in his bag

"and then took out a stone, and slang it,

"and smote the Philistine."

Yeah.

What happened, Mama?

James and I talked.

Seems he wants to use the prize money to build his own country church here.

He has the call to preach. What?

There goes the best worker I ever hired.

The call to preach?

That defies belief. A fistfighter with a call?

He has it, Grandma. He wants to help his own people.

I don't believe it.

You ought to be the one with the journalism scholarship.

You got more out of him than I did.

Then he can stay?

I wish James would stay just the way he is.

And what is that, Elizabeth?

Mmm, fun. Teaching you things when you don't even know it.

Besides, I don't like church much anyways.

Elizabeth Walton, well, that's blasphemy!

To think that I would live to see a grandchild of mine say such things.

Don't look at me, Ma. It's not my department.

Well, it is mine and you'd better change your attitude, young lady.

Well, the kids always have to sit up front.

Well, that's to keep you out of trouble and awake.

Yeah, but when you sit up front,

the preacher just looks right over your head and looks at the grown-ups.

And talks over your head, too.

Careful, young 'uns. The walls of Jericho'll come tumbling down on you.

John, it seems that James needs an honest manager

to help him have a fair fight.

John-Boy, will you drive James into Richmond tomorrow?

I got my work here cut out for me.

Sure, I'd like that.

Good morning, John-Boy. Morning, Verdie.

Have you seen Jody around?

Well, you find James and you'll find Jody.

I know!

Jody hasn't been able to talk about anybody else

since James came to the Mountain.

He has made his presence felt.

Teaching Jody how to field and run the bases.

I'd like to meet James.

Well, come on.

All right, Jody, now. Don't pull the punches!

Come on, come on. That's it.

Come on, hit me, hit me.

Jody! Yes, Mama?

Jody, you go home!

Uh, James, this is Mrs. Foster, Jody's mama.

It's a pleasure. Teaching my boy to fight!

Verdie, James' fighting has a purpose.

Jody, you heard me! Home!

You don't have to be so hard on him, ma'am.

He... He just needs one big fight to help his people.

My people have come further than a bear and bull in a pit!

Why would they wanna pay to see you or anybody else fight?

To see you beaten to a pulp!

Verdie, this is crazy! Crazy! You're just blowing off steam.

He thinks he's helping Jody.

John-Boy, you taught me how to read.

And you helped bring my husband and Jody and me together,

but that kind of help we don't need.

Verdie, I feel the same way about prizefighting you do.

But after this one fight James is gonna be working for the Lord.

He's gonna make a church

for the people who've been meeting in your house all this time.

I will not accept blood money in the name of the Lord!

I'm surprised at you, Olivia, taking the devil's side.

What's your interest in this, Walton?

I'm a friend.

I'd like to see that he gets a good manager and a fair fight.

He's got the fight. I booked it.

With the Comet Kid.

Hmm.

Uh, local favorite?

Hometowner?

What are you, a wise guy?

I told you, I'm a friend.

He needs a manager, he needs a corner man.

Leave all that to me. I'll sign him, Benny.

Hi. Sam Mumford.

John Walton. Nice to know you.

Bring him into my office.

Hi, kid, I'm your new manager.

Now, you let me do the talking and the thinking.

You do the fighting, and we come up winners.

Come on, let's go.

Now, I don't want no misunderstandings.

Winner take all.

That always gets a big play in the press.

Well, winner take all, but the loser gets expenses.

Manager, corner man, meals.

When you lose, you get expenses.

What is this?

Hey, look, Walton, you're from the woods.

There's going to be a lot of heavy betting on this fight,

and I wouldn't want nobody to make any mistakes in judgment.

Mr. Rafferty, I ain't never been set up.

Hey, look. You better have a private talk with your manager.

Sam, this fight is booked.

I gave my word. No mistakes.

Please?

You're good, kid. Sweet-looking good.

But the last time I heard that speech from Benny Rafferty,

the fighter who wasn't supposed to win and did...

Well, him and his manager got jumped, beaten up

and dumped in an outbound boxcar.

You know, kid. You been there.

No! I ain't never been there. And I ain't going there.

You said you'd sign him.

You can't sign a fighter with a broken arm!

We went to find a manager for James and, uh...

Mama, it's gonna take a little explaining.

In fact, I don't really know if I can explain it right.

But we went to find a manager and I, uh...

Your son, me, the writer, is the manager.

Good Lord.

John-Boy, I don't think I like the sound of that.

John-Boy.

Um, John-Boy, I've been fighting on my own before.

Sort of a loner, as you can see. Mmm-hmm.

And I'm better off without a manager.

And you really don't need to go to the fight. Really.

Well, I know I don't know much about fighting.

But, I was thinking about going to the library tomorrow

and taking out a book on it. Maybe I can...

A book has not been written

that can tell you how to be a manager or a fighter. So, forget it.

Hey... Hmm?

Your manager says it's time for bed.

All right, John-Boy, you're on your own.

What's going on, John?

Uh... Look, Daddy.

I, uh... I didn't want to make Mama nervous or anything,

but the truth is that the manager ran out because there was a threat

to hurt James if he wins the fight.

Is there a threat to hurt the manager, too?

Well, I didn't want to worry you, either.

Pa, it looks like you and me ought to go to this fight.

Pick up Ike, too.

Zack, too. He'd be terribly upset if he knew something's going on

and we didn't include him in.

What I don't know about being a fight manager...

All right, son, we'll be in your corner.

Haven't picked up a bucket or a stool since I was in the Army.

I surely wish those city softies would take us on!

You all right, Pa?

Uh, my galloping gout's caught up in the rheumatism.

But I'll be all right the day of the fight.

All right.

Hi.

Thought you might need an extra blanket.

Well, thanks, Jim-Bob.

It does feel like a two-dog night.

How do you think they'll announce you in the ring tomorrow night?

Why?

Joe Louis is "The Brown Bomber."

So I came up with one for you.

You like to get your fights over with your one-two punch.

How about "Boom Boom"?

James Trevis Clark.

Your fight name? My name.

Oh, I see what you mean. You like to be called James Trevis.

I like to be called James Robert every now and then.

Night.

Thanks for the blanket, James Robert.

You about ready to turn in?

Shortly.

What have you got there? Where did you get that?

Oh, well, Elizabeth gave it to me.

She said it was some stories you wrote.

It's, uh, sort of a thing I... I was trying to write something up for, uh,

Elizabeth's Sunday school class. Um...

You know, sort of simplified Bible stories.

I... I'd take the verses and re-write them to make them easy to understand.

"Christ and the Children.

"Whoever receives one little child in My name, receiveth Me.

"But, whoever offends one of these little ones who believe in Me

"far better for him that a millstone be hanged around his neck,

"and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea."

See, I... I asked her to draw a picture

of what she thought a millstone would look like around a fellow's neck.

Look at that sinner going down into the sea.

Oh, that's been a long time ago. I forgot all about it.

Good night. Good night.

So now you're a manager. Yeah.

What is it like? No complaints.

Working with a winner.

Get some sleep.

Morning.

Morning. Breakfast.

I'm rereading them.

How much sleep did you get last night?

Huh? Some.

I can't believe it.

You train like a crazy man

and then you stay up the whole night before the fight

just reading Bible stories for children.

I thought I had power in my fists.

This is power. Words. Your words.

Words to give young people great lessons from the Bible.

Yeah?

Well, words ain't your weapons tonight, James.

Good evening, sports fans.

Direct from the Richmond Arena,

this is Billy Walker bringing you the main event.

Ten rounds of boxing.

Tonight, The Comet Kid, a popular favorite here in Richmond,

is being challenged by the up and coming James Trevis Clark,

The Ebony Flash.

Clark is coming into the ring now.

Give him a chance.

What do I do now? Take off my robe.

How you feeling? I'm just fine. Just fine.

Put the robe on. Okay.

What do I do now? Nothing.

Here comes The Comet Kid down the aisle.

No. This isn't The Kid. There must be a last minute change.

Stand by for your ring announcer, Howling Harvey Slocum.

That's not The Comet Kid we saw!

Hey, Daddy, that's not the same fighter we saw. This guy is much bigger!

Must run to 170! They brought in a ringer.

What you wanna do about it?

All right, fight fans, here we go.

The main event...

Now, you don't have to fight, we can protest.

It's all right, I'll fight him.

The Comet Kid has taken ill.

So introducing his substitute at 165 pounds.

But truly a boxing bonus brought to you by your promoter,

Mr. Benny Rafferty.

And now... And now the highly-regarded Pennsylvania State Champion

from Pittsburgh, Iron Mike McCoy!

His opponent this evening, weighing in at 161 pounds,

a crowd pleaser,

who's electrified the circuit from Baltimore to Washington D.C.

The ever-dangerous James Trevis Clark,

The Ebony Flash!

All right, and your judges at ringside, ladies and gentlemen,

Commander Howard Bradbury,

Mr. Clifford Spencer.

And your referee tonight, Honest John Kelly!

The War Of The Week is about to begin as Mighty Mike McCoy

and The Ebony Flash meet in the center of the ring.

Why are they calling him The Ebony Flash?

Oh, I'll bet he's mad.

I'd have called him the "Tattoo Tornado."

Hey, quiet!

Clark! Clark!

Clark!

Clark comes out to the center of the ring.

McCoy waits for him, confidently.

How's he doing, Daddy? He's doing all right.

He's doing all right? He's doing good.

Come on, James, hit him!

Clark shoots a left jab to the head

but McCoy comes right back with a smashing body blow.

Two left, right, combos. Clark slips that punch.

Slips away, bobs, weaves. It's surprising.

Clark is taking the fight to McCoy.

Yeah.

Come on, James!

Clark continues to jab at McCoy's head straight, stinging blows.

Elizabeth. Iron Mike moves in...

I'm saving a place for you.

Clark breaks out of McCoy's vicious infighting.

Iron Mike moves steadily forward, he's working on Clark's body.

Clark, The Ebony Flash, is setting the pace,

carrying the fight to Iron Mike from Pittsburgh.

A good right hand from the Mighty Mick! Clark responds with a flurry!

McCoy is hurt! A left and a right to the chin by Clark.

Come on, hit, hit, hit!

Clark decks McCoy with a left hook to the chin right on the button!

McCoy is down!

Get him again! Come on, get him again!

Get him again, James!

Come on, James, get him.

A savage attack! Clark never should have knocked him down

in the first round! He really stirred up the animal!

Beautiful, James!

Just relax now, James. Don't talk.

Okay, you're doing just fine. Just fine.

So are you.

After three rounds, The Ebony Flash could be ahead on points

because of the knockdown.

His headhunting has been effective.

It remains to be seen if Iron Mike's body blows will wear him down.

He'd better put him away early!

Yeah. That's his style.

That's it! That's it!

Take him! Take him!

Clark comes out quickly, keeping that left jab in McCoy's face.

He circles McCoy, a slick, smooth dancing master!

Close in here.

McCoy has the savage power...

Come on and listen, Grandma.

To a prizefighter?

I'll dance for the devil first.

McCoy is trying to turn it into a slugging match.

Clark counter-punches. Straight, sharp punches from The Ebony Flash!

Clark is fighting courageously, but McCoy is starting to cut him down.

Ebony Flash is scoring. Jab! Jab! And a good right by Clark.

A whirlwind attack by McCoy.

He's punishing Clark's body.

The Ebony Flash is losing some lightning from his punches.

He's pawing, he's not punching.

He's tiring him, Daddy. Dropping his guard.

Come on, James.

Clark is cut above the left eye. Two to the head by McCoy.

Clark drops his guard.

A hard combination to the head by McCoy.

He's a bruised and a battered fighter.

Clark returns two quick shots to the head

but The Ebony Flash has no sting in his punches.

Clark brushes blood away from the eye.

Come on, Elizabeth, up to bed. That's enough of that.

Come on, come on.

But he's being out-slugged!

One, two, three... Take nine! Take nine!

Clark gets up too soon. He should have taken nine.

McCoy is all over him.

That poor boy.

What's keeping Clark up?

McCoy to the body.

To the head, to the body. To the head again.

He's hit.

His ankle goes out from under him.

Clark's ankle buckled under him.

This man is fighting on courage and heart alone.

Two, three...

five, six, seven...

Come on, James, get up! Come on, James, get up!

It's McCoy who helps Clark to his feet and to his corner!

No animosity. Sportsmanship here tonight, fight fans.

It's all right. He's all right.

Can you hear me talking to you?

Can you hear me talking to you?

Can you hear me? Can you hear me?

Tell me something. Talk to me, what's your name?

The Ebony Flash.

About it. Nothing like my wild herb poultice.

Just what James Trevis needs for his bruises.

It's his hurt pride I'm worried about, Esther.

Come in!

Verdie?

Mr. Walton, we heard it on the radio.

Jody had to listen. Mmm-hmm.

Where is he?

He's in the shed with Olivia.

He's kind of in a coma. Comes in and out of it.

Oh.

I'm going out there now.

Come on, give me a hand with the doors.

All right.

You still with us, son?

Verdie was right. They wanted to see his blood.

Yeah, but after they got it, they were for him.

Kind of makes me wonder what it feels like,

being on the other side of the fence.

Excuse me.

Poor boy.

My heart hurts for him.

Ours, too, Verdie.

You go rest now. I'll tend to him.

This will draw the pain out.

I'll get another one.

He showed a lot of courage tonight.

I've been trying all night to think of that verse from Genesis...

About the dreamer?

Marketh the...

"Here cometh the dreamer. Let us slay him.

"Then shall we see what will become of his dream."

We got some callers.

Verdie.

We got a start, Verdie.

We want that church for him and for us.

Mr. Walton.

Whatever lumber this will buy,

it will be the foundation for our church.

Now, this'll buy a lot of lumber.

Some labor, too.

You got all the help you need.

Let's go to work.

That's just... Yes.

That's just fine.

Hey, Mr. Walton!

There seems to be a lot of activity around the mill.

Isn't this a beautiful Sunday?

You sure do a lot of giggling, honey.

♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful, the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the saints at the river

Maybe I didn't lose.

Maybe not.

♪ Yes, we'll gather at the river

♪ The beautiful, the beautiful river

♪ Gather with the saints at the river

♪ That flows by the throne of God

♪ That flows by the throne of God.

♪ That flows by the throne ♪ Of God ♪

Amen. ALL: Amen.

So good to have you in church.

Hope the ceiling doesn't fall in.

I've long been torn as to the subject of my first sermon.

Somewhere I read a story about Christ and the children.

Picture Jesus Christ surrounded by children.

One on his knee

and a little girl with her baby brother in her arms.

Christ is talking to them.

"Whoever receives one little child in My name receives Me."

He's telling one of your Bible stories.

"But whoever offends one of these little ones who believes in Me.

"It were far better that a millstone be hanged around his neck,

"and he be drowned in the depth of the sea."

Who knows what a millstone is?

I don't. I think I do.

You do?

Elizabeth, do you wanna tell us what a millstone is?

Or you wanna think about it?

I'll tell you what a millstone is.

That Sunday and for several months to follow,

this was the only church that James was to have.

When a suitable replacement was found,

James Trevis Clark insisted on moving on.

For as much as he longed to be in the country,

he returned to the streets from which he had fled.

Working with youngsters,

he was to live his religion on the playgrounds he established.

Hundreds of boys and girls, both black and white,

would turn to James Trevis Clark for leadership.

- Mama? - Yes, Elizabeth?

When people get the call, and they're baptized in the Rockfish River,

are their sins really washed away?

Yes, honey. They're really washed away.

Where does all the water go?

Rockfish River empties into the James River at Howardsville,

flows through Fort Union, Short Pump, Richmond,

and empties into Hampton Roads Harbor at Jamestown.

And all those sins end up in the sea?

That's right.

Is that fair to the fish?

Good night, Elizabeth.

Good night, Mama.