How old was Roy Hobbs when he died?
Roy Hobbs was a rookie in the Majors when he was 35. On his way to Chicago for his tryout, Roy was shot in a hotel room. The next time you see him, Hobbs is walking into the dugout of the (fictional) New York Knights. He was 35 years old and a right fielder.
Who is Roy Hobbs in natural?
The movie Natural was named Roy Hobbs. Hobbs was from Nebraska, a young phenom pitcher who had a gift for baseball at an early age. His dad tells him, “you got a gift, Roy, but it’s not enough…you rely too much on your gift, and you’ll fail.” Roy was going to have a tryout with the Cubs in 1923 at age 19.
Is Roy Hobbs based on a true story?
Roy Hobbs. Hobbs' shooting is based on 1950s baseball player Eddie Waitkus who was shot by a deranged fan, but survived to continue his baseball career. (With or without a silver bullet, Waitkus was no Hobbs, but he did score over 100 runs one year in his career.) Other elements of Hobbs' character appear to be based on Babe Ruth,...
Is Roy Hobbs bat Wonderboy?
Like Arthur’s sword Excalibur, Roy Hobbs Bat, “Wonderboy,” holds mythical powers. It was even created from an act of nature, being made from a tree struck by lightning. Roy’s quest is to become the greatest baseball player ever.
Where was Roy Hobbs from?
NebraskaThe movie Natural was named Roy Hobbs. Hobbs was from Nebraska, a young phenom pitcher who had a gift for baseball at an early age.
Was Roy Hobbs a real player?
Roy Hobbs is a fictional baseball player from the 1952 Bernard Malamud novel The Natural, made into the 1984 movie in which Hobbs was played by Robert Redford. Hobbs was shot en route to a baseball tryout as a teenager and never made it to the majors until he was 34 years old.
Who is Roy Hobbs based on?
Eddie WaitkusAccording to Wikipedia, Author Malamud, supposedly not a baseball fan himself, created “the Natural” story and his Roy Hobbs character from the real life of Eddie Waitkus, a major leaguer in 1941 and 1946-55.
Was The Natural a true story?
Though we've seen The Natural many times, we have to confess we didn't know that a real woman shot a real baseball player in 1949 and that their story inspired Bernard Malamud's 1952 book and Robert Redford's 1984 movie.
Who is Harriet Bird?
Harriet is a mysterious, attractive woman Hobbs encounters on the train to Chicago. Though she hardly gives him the time of day at first, she seems impressed by his prowess in the competition against the Whammer, which she witnesses.
What stadium was The Natural filmed?
War Memorial StadiumTwo-thirds of the scenes were filmed in Buffalo, New York, mostly at War Memorial Stadium, built in 1937 and demolished a few years after the film was produced. Buffalo's All-High Stadium, with post-production alterations, stood in for Chicago's Wrigley Field in a key scene in the film.
Were the NY Knights a real baseball team?
New York Knights, a fictional baseball team in the novel and film The Natural.
How old is Roy Hobbs?
Plot. Nineteen-year-old Roy Hobbs is traveling by train to Chicago with his manager Sam to try out for the Chicago Cubs.
Was Harriet Bird a serial killer?
For some reason which we never find out, Harriet is a serial killer who targets very successful athletes. She's also pretty good-looking, capturing the attention of not only Roy but also the Whammer. In fact, since the Whammer's already got fame and a lucrative contract, he's the most likely target for Ms.
Who shot Roy Hobbs?
While still a teenager on his way to the major leagues, Roy is shot by Harriet Bird and nearly killed. More than ten years later, at the age of thirty-five, Hobbs returns to the game; his body has aged, but his mind and heart are the same. Read an in-depth analysis of Roy Hobbs .
Where is the Wonderboy bat?
When Roy Hobbs arrived at Knights Field in the beloved baseball movie The Natural, he held in his hand a trombone case; in it, his legendary bat, Wonderboy. The case and the bat are both preserved in Cooperstown.
What does Savoy Special mean?
The Savoy Special was a brand of beer in the 1930s, and was made by the United States Brewing Company. This bat is now in the collection at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, displayed along with Roy Hobb's jacket in an exhibit titled "Baseball and the Movies".
Where was Roy Hobbs born?
1. Comment. Share. Share. Roy Hobbs was born in Sabotac Valley, Iowa in 1904, the same year as Hall of Famer Chuck Klein. Hobbs’ mother died in childbirth. His father, William, had played some semi-professional baseball before settling on a farm; Billy Hobbs desperately wanted his son to become a Major League player.
How many times did Roy Hobbs hit?
He was so good, that just three weeks after he made it to the big leagues he was put on the cover of the August 14 Life Magazine with the headline “Roy Hobbs, Baseball’s New Wonderboy.”. Then, just as suddenly as it began, Hobbs stopped hitting. Between August 23 and August 30, he came up 29 times and struck out 20.
What happened to the umpire when he called Hobbs safe?
When the umpire called Hobbs safe, a rhubarb boiled sending Phillies manager and his players onto the field. At the same time, Pop Fisher was shouting in defense of the ump. The ump had a troublesome time of it and was shoved this way and that.
How far did the Hobbs home run travel?
Many have estimated that home run would have traveled more than 600 feet.
How did Billy Hobbs die?
Billy Hobbs died of a heart attack that same year. Young Roy Hobbs was a phenomenal amateur pitcher; he threw eight no-hitters his senior year in high school. When Billy Hobbs died, Roy was taken in by a former big league catcher named Sam “Bub” Simpson, who is a good story in himself.
Did Roy Hobbs ever play baseball again?
Doctors told Roy Hobbs he would never play baseball again. The next 16 years of Hobbs life are dim and out of focus. Hobbs never much liked talking about anything, but he was especially reticent about those dark years. The only thing he would say was, “I lost my confidence.”. He kicked around in various jobs.
Was Roy Hobbs friendly?
People who saw him play insist that if he could have stayed healthy, Roy Hobbs would have been the greatest player in the history of the game. He was, a natural. 1.
Trivia
In what Robert Redford has said was a nod to Ted Williams, Hobbs wore No. 9 for the Knights in the movie. Hobbs wore No. 45 in the book.
Further Reading
Rob Edelman: "Eddie Waitkus and The Natural: What Is Assumption? What Is Fact?", in Morris Levin, ed.: From Swampoodle to South Philly: Baseball in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, The National Pastime, SABR, 2013, pp. 86-91.
Background
Hobbs, Roy Jerry was born on July 24, 1950 in Whiteville, North Carolina, United States. Son of Roy Jacob Hobbs and Tracy Jane (Register) Shupla.
Education
Bachelor in History and Education, University North Carolina, 1974. Master of Arts in Personnel Management, Central Michigan University, 1977. Master of Arts in Health Care Administration, Central Michigan University, 1981. Associate of Applied Science, Community College of Air Force, 1978.
Career
Second in command Lieutenant, United States Air Force advanced through grades lieutenant colonel, United States Air Force, 1994; air traffic contractor, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, 1975-1979; squadron commander, United States Air Force Hospital, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, 1979-1980; resource manager, United States Air Force Hospital, Yokota AB, Japan, 1980-1983; patient administration officer, Royal Air Force, Bentwaters, United Kingdom, 1983-1986; chief training, Jt.
Achievements
Roy Jerry Hobbs has been listed as a noteworthy health services, career officer, administrator, military by Marquis Who's Who.
Interests
Avocation: martial arts (8th Dan master instructor Okinawan Karate & Kobudo).
How old was Roy Hobbs when he was shot?
Roy Hobbs was a rookie in the Majors when he was 35. On his way to Chicago for his tryout, Roy was shot in a hotel room. The next time you see him, Hobbs is walking into the dugout of the (fictional) New York Knights. He was 35 years old and a right fielder.
Who played Roy Hobbs in The Natural?
Just about every baseball fan over a certain age has seen The Natural, the 1984 movie about the incredibly talented (and incredibly jinxed) Roy Hobbs, played by Robert Redford. It’s one of the best baseball movies ever.
Who shot Hobbs in the movie?
Hobbs was shot by a mysterious woman dressed in black he met on the train to Chicago. In the movie, Harriet Bird had evidently been stalking and shooting athletic heroes and she was on the train to shoot The Whammer, a baseball legend.
Who was the natural baseball player who was born in Massachusetts?
The real Natural was named Eddie Waitkus. Eddie Waitkus was born in Massachusetts and got into the big leagues in 1941.
Who is the natural player?
The movie Natural was named Roy Hobbs. Hobbs was from Nebraska, a young phenom pitcher who had a gift for baseball at an early age.
Who was Roy's sweetheart?
Years later, sports reporter Max Mercy showed pictures of a dead woman, Harriet Bird, to Iris, Roy’s high school sweetheart, who’s back in his life. The shooting is a scandalous story they were hoping to use to blackmail Roy into throwing a playoff game for the pennant.
Was Roy Hobbs like Babe Ruth?
In other words, he wasn’t like the movie’s Roy Hobbs, who could fire a fastball past the Whammer and hit anything. Roy Hobbs was a rookie in the Majors when he was 35. On his way to Chicago for his tryout, Roy was shot in a hotel room.
