n the late 1949 Ray Milland, exactly one-third of the way through his formidable movie career, won the role of college chemistry professor Vernon Simpson in It Happens Every Spring. A hopelessly addicted baseball fan, Vernon accidentally discovers a substance that makes a baseball repel any wooden material, particularly baseball bats. Knowing “his” St. Louis team is just one pitcher away from being serious pennant contenders, Vernon finagles a teaching sabbatical and a major league tryout in the same day (Hey, it’s the movies!) and by the third reel he’s known as King Kelley, the man with the most amazing breaking ball in history.

When I was a teenager in the Chicago suburbs, WGN-TV would show that movie every March, usually very late at night. To me it was the harbinger of the baseball season, marking the time to dig through the garage and find my umpire equipment. Before Monk Lannigan (Paul Douglas) was catching batting practice and Vernon was striking out the roster, commercials found me in Dad’s closet, selecting a new long sleeve white shirt for the coming season.

Baseball fans find it an easy movie to relate to. Vernon’s love of the game and the chemistry accident combined to form an irresistible force. He had to head for St. Louis and try to make the team’s pitching staff. For me, melting snow and baseball movies equaled the same compulsion. Get the gear ready; dream of umpiring in the big leagues; try to learn something to be better this season than last.

But Vernon had it easy. Like Ross on Thursday night has his Rachel, Vernon knew instinctively he’d go to St. Louis.

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