Shazam! #32 is an issue of the series Shazam! (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1977.
Synopsis for "Mr. Tawny's Big Game"
In Detroit, Captain Marvel saves a plane from crashing. The plane's passengers were scheduled to play the Tigers that evening, but when the plane started to fall, the passengers had disappeared!
Later, Billy Batson and Uncle Dudley meet up with Mr. Tawny and his new friend, Ivan Ludington, head of the Ludington News Company. Tawny is in town to try out for the Detroit Tigers.
Tawny does passably well in his try-out and makes the team!
Before that night's scheduled game, Mr. Mind reveals he kidnapped the ballplayers on the plane and is replacing them with alien players – if he wins, he rules the world! Captain Marvel joins the Tigers hoping to beat Mr. Mind's ringers.
To prevent Captain Marvel from playing, Mr. Mind's players kidnap Billy Batson, who eventually frees himself but cutting his bindings with a pair of spiked shoes.
Play ball!
The aliens quickly earn run after run with their speed or ability to walk home in four strides. Their defense is also enhanced by their abilities to fly and stop runners getting safely to base. By the time Captain Marvel arrives, the eighth inning the score is 28-2.
Marvel, pitching, retires the side and in the next inning hits a home run. "The Tigers are heartened" and Mr. Mind's Minions are discouraged! Eventually the score evens out and the Tigers win with Mr. Tawny's game-winning home run!
Captain Marvel follows the Minions to Mr. Mind's hideout before Mind can execute his prisoners. Mr. Mind escapes (he was really a hologram) and warns Marvel that they will meet again in Indianapolis. Tawny, over-tired, retires from baseball. Detroit asks him to try out for the football team, but he demurs – he could never be a Lion!
Appearing in "Mr. Tawny's Big Game"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mister Mind
- Alien Baseball Team
- Fly Catcher (Single appearance)
- Great Skate (Single appearance)
- Handyman
- Hopper (Single appearance)
- Kaleidoscope (Single appearance)
- Motorman (Single appearance)
- Six-Foot Strug (Single appearance)
- Stretch (Single appearance)
- Windup (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Ivan Ludington, vice president and general manager of Ludington News Company
- Detroit Tigers
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Trivia
- Dudley wears a mustache in order to look like Mentor, character of the series Shazam!; other elements were also incorporated due to the influence of the TV series, such as the van, the Eterni-phone and the fact that he and Billy are traveling.
It is unknown if this game was sanctioned by Major League Baseball. ;-) The Tigers were 74-88 in 1977 and finished 4th in the AL East. Just FYI…
See Also