Question
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How do the stage directions help reveal Mrs. Baskin's emotions during the climax of the play? Use specific examples from the text.
Jennie: Georgia, you’re a star!
Florence: Did you hear your mother screaming for you in the stands?
Georgia: It’s great to see her smile. She rarely does these days—she’s so worried about Frankie.
Jennie: Have you heard from him since he was deployed?
Georgia: We only get scraps of news.
Florence: At least you have his Joe DiMaggio mitt. It’s bringing you luck.
Jennie: Flo! What a thing to say. Georgia doesn’t care about the mitt.
Florence: I meant as a way to think of her brother.
Georgia: I don’t have the mitt anymore. I sent it to Frankie. I just hope he gets it.
Jennie: That’s big of you, Georgia.
Florence: He won’t have time to play, though—not on a battleship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Georgia: Maybe the mitt will bring him luck.
SD3: Florence and Jennie give Georgia a hug and leave.
SD1: Georgia is collecting her gear when two men walk up to her.
Bill Larkin: Georgia Baskin, right?
Georgia: Yes?
Joe McDonald: You’ve got quite an arm.
Georgia: Um, thanks.
Larkin: I’m Bill Larkin, and this here’s Joe McDonald. We’re talent scouts for a new ball league—a girls’ league, 100 percent professional.
McDonald: It’s going to be run by Mr. Philip Wrigley himself.
Larkin (handing Georgia a slip of paper): This flyer explains all the details. Tryouts are in
Medford this weekend, and we would like you to come. If we like you, we’ll send you to a final
tryout in Chicago.
McDonald: Think about it, will you?
Georgia (thrilled): I certainly will!
Scene 5
Dinnertime
The Baskins’ House
Mrs. Baskin: I’m sending another package to Frankie tomorrow. Is there anything you two
want to add?
Mr. Baskin: I picked up a football magazine for him.
Georgia: I want to write a letter to him about the new baseball league.
Mr. Baskin: A new league?
SD2: Georgia takes the piece of paper from Larkin out of her pocket and smooths it out on the
table. Her mom picks it up.
Mrs. Baskin: A girls’ league! Isn’t that something! Girls playing like professionals!
Georgia: Two scouts came to my game today. They said I have talent and I should try out.
Mr. Baskin (scoffing): Nobody wants to watch girls try to play baseball.
Mrs. Baskin: They certainly line up to see Georgia pitch at the high school games. She’s
amazing.
Mr. Baskin: Georgia is 16 years old. She’s not going to traipse around the Midwest in some
kind of carnival!
Georgia: Excuse me. I, uh, have a terrible headache.
SD3: Georgia stands and leaves the room.
Mr. Baskin: Girls playing baseball? If only Frank could hear this. He’d have a good laugh!
Mrs. Baskin: Women are working in factories. Women are building airplanes and ships and
guns. Nobody says that’s nonsense.
Mr. Baskin: That’s different. Those women are helping us win the war.
Mrs. Baskin: These are dark times. Every day, the newspapers tell us how precarious things
are. If our daughter has a chance to live her dream in the middle of all this, I want her to take it.
Mr. Baskin: But she’s so young.
Mrs. Baskin: So is Frank. And he’s at war.
SD1: Mr. Baskin takes a deep breath in then slowly exhales.
Mr. Baskin: All right. If you want to let our girl go, I won’t stop her.
Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images (Racine Belles); Bettmann Archive/Getty Images (Sophie Kurys)
Based on History
From 1943 to 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) employed more than 600 women and girls as players. Georgia Baskin, the main character of this play, is fictional. But many elements of the play are based on real people, places, and events connected to the AAGPBL. The Racine Belles (inset) were once one of the AAGPBL’s original four teams. Sophie Kurys (show here) was a real player on the Racine Belles—and famous for her base-stealing abilities.
Scene 6
May 1943
Wrigley Field, Chicago
SD2: Georgia sits down on a bench next to another girl.
Georgia: Hi, I’m Georgia Baskin.
Sophie Kurys: I’m Sophie Kurys. Nice to meet you. How did your fielding drills go?
Georgia: Pretty good, I think. There’s a lot of competition, though. I’m trying not to get my
hopes up.
Sophie: I know what you mean. Some of these girls are amazing.
Georgia: From what I saw, you are one of the best.
SD3: Sophie smiles.
Sophie: Thanks! You know, I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.
SD1: Georgia smiles back at Sophie.
Georgia: Me neither.
© Minnesota Historical Society/Corbis via Getty Images (Toni Stone)
An Ugly Truth
The AAGPBL was segregated—it did not hire Black players, no matter how talented they were. Three Black women did find a way to play professionally, however: by playing on men’s teams. Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, Connie Morgan, and Toni Stone joined teams in the Negro Leagues, an association of all-Black professional men’s baseball teams. (The term “negro” was once commonly used to refer to Black people; it is now considered offensive.)
In the middle of this picture is second baseman, Toni Stone.
Scene 7
Three Days Later
A Hotel Lobby/The Baskins’ House
SD2: On one side of the stage, Georgia stands inside a phone booth in the lobby of a hotel.
She dials the phone.
SD3: On the other side of the stage, a telephone in the Baskins’ front hall begins to ring.
Mrs. Baskin answers it.
Mrs. Baskin: Hello, Baskin residence.
Georgia: Mom! I made it! I’m on the Racine Belles! I’m going to be a professional baseball
player!
Mrs. Baskin (holding back tears): Oh, Georgia . . .
Georgia: What’s the matter?
Mrs. Baskin: We got a telegram. It’s Frank.
Georgia: What happened?
Mrs. Baskin: He’s been injured—badly. There was an explosion on his ship. Four boys were killed. He’s in a hospital in Hawaii.
Georgia: I’m coming home.
Mrs. Baskin: No, stay there. You will take this opportunity and make the most of it. Do you
understand?
Georgia: Yes, Mom. Yes, I think I do.
Courtesy of USA Baseball (Alex Hugo)
A New Women’s League
There hasn’t been a professional women’s baseball league in the U.S. since the AAGPBL folded—but that’s about to change. The Women’s Pro Baseball League plans to launch in the summer of 2026 with six teams of women players.
Alex Hugo of the USA Baseball Women’s National Team is shown here.
Scene 8
Three Months Later
A Playing Field in Racine, Wisconsin
Announcer 1: That’s it, folks—another electrifying game between our own Racine Belles and the ferocious Rockford
Peaches!
Announcer 2: We had some big plays. Sophie Kurys stole three bases.
Announcer 1: And we had solid relief pitching by youngster Georgia Baskin.
Announcer 2: Let’s have a cheer for the teams!
Announcer 1: God bless America, and God bless our troops!
SD1: The crowd cheers.
SD2: As the players walk off the field, Sophie and Georgia link arms.
Sophie: I’ve never had so much fun!
Georgia: When you stole home, my heart jumped out of my chest!
Sophie: They almost nabbed me!
SD3: Just then, Georgia hears her name being called.
Mr. Baskin: Georgia!
SD1: Shocked, Georgia turns to see her parents standing there.
Georgia: Mom? Dad? I didn’t know you were—Oh no! Has something happened to Frankie?
Mrs. Baskin: No, no, he’s fine. They’ve transferred him to San Francisco.
Mr. Baskin: You were wonderful out there, Georgia.
SD2: Mr. Baskin reaches into his bag.
Mr. Baskin: Frank sent something home for you. He asked me to deliver it myself.
Georgia: The DiMaggio mitt! I knew it would bring Frankie good luck.
Mr. Baskin: Look at it, Georgia. Do you notice anything different about it?
SD3: Georgia studies the mitt intently, turning it over in her hands. Then her face lights up.
Mr. Baskin: Mr. DiMaggio is in the armed forces too. Turns out he is stationed in California. He
paid a visit to Frank’s hospital, and Frank got him to sign the mitt—again. But this time it’s for you.
Georgia (reading): “To Georgia Baskin, a fellow pro. Keep playing in the dirt, Joe DiMaggio.”
SD1: Mr. Baskin gives Georgia a hug.
Mr. Baskin (whispering): I am so proud of you.
How do the stage directions help reveal Mrs. Baskin's emotions during the climax of the play? Use specific examples from the text.
Jennie: Georgia, you’re a star!
Florence: Did you hear your mother screaming for you in the stands?
Georgia: It’s great to see her smile. She rarely does these days—she’s so worried about Frankie.
Jennie: Have you heard from him since he was deployed?
Georgia: We only get scraps of news.
Florence: At least you have his Joe DiMaggio mitt. It’s bringing you luck.
Jennie: Flo! What a thing to say. Georgia doesn’t care about the mitt.
Florence: I meant as a way to think of her brother.
Georgia: I don’t have the mitt anymore. I sent it to Frankie. I just hope he gets it.
Jennie: That’s big of you, Georgia.
Florence: He won’t have time to play, though—not on a battleship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Georgia: Maybe the mitt will bring him luck.
SD3: Florence and Jennie give Georgia a hug and leave.
SD1: Georgia is collecting her gear when two men walk up to her.
Bill Larkin: Georgia Baskin, right?
Georgia: Yes?
Joe McDonald: You’ve got quite an arm.
Georgia: Um, thanks.
Larkin: I’m Bill Larkin, and this here’s Joe McDonald. We’re talent scouts for a new ball league—a girls’ league, 100 percent professional.
McDonald: It’s going to be run by Mr. Philip Wrigley himself.
Larkin (handing Georgia a slip of paper): This flyer explains all the details. Tryouts are in
Medford this weekend, and we would like you to come. If we like you, we’ll send you to a final
tryout in Chicago.
McDonald: Think about it, will you?
Georgia (thrilled): I certainly will!
Scene 5
Dinnertime
The Baskins’ House
Mrs. Baskin: I’m sending another package to Frankie tomorrow. Is there anything you two
want to add?
Mr. Baskin: I picked up a football magazine for him.
Georgia: I want to write a letter to him about the new baseball league.
Mr. Baskin: A new league?
SD2: Georgia takes the piece of paper from Larkin out of her pocket and smooths it out on the
table. Her mom picks it up.
Mrs. Baskin: A girls’ league! Isn’t that something! Girls playing like professionals!
Georgia: Two scouts came to my game today. They said I have talent and I should try out.
Mr. Baskin (scoffing): Nobody wants to watch girls try to play baseball.
Mrs. Baskin: They certainly line up to see Georgia pitch at the high school games. She’s
amazing.
Mr. Baskin: Georgia is 16 years old. She’s not going to traipse around the Midwest in some
kind of carnival!
Georgia: Excuse me. I, uh, have a terrible headache.
SD3: Georgia stands and leaves the room.
Mr. Baskin: Girls playing baseball? If only Frank could hear this. He’d have a good laugh!
Mrs. Baskin: Women are working in factories. Women are building airplanes and ships and
guns. Nobody says that’s nonsense.
Mr. Baskin: That’s different. Those women are helping us win the war.
Mrs. Baskin: These are dark times. Every day, the newspapers tell us how precarious things
are. If our daughter has a chance to live her dream in the middle of all this, I want her to take it.
Mr. Baskin: But she’s so young.
Mrs. Baskin: So is Frank. And he’s at war.
SD1: Mr. Baskin takes a deep breath in then slowly exhales.
Mr. Baskin: All right. If you want to let our girl go, I won’t stop her.
Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images (Racine Belles); Bettmann Archive/Getty Images (Sophie Kurys)
Based on History
From 1943 to 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) employed more than 600 women and girls as players. Georgia Baskin, the main character of this play, is fictional. But many elements of the play are based on real people, places, and events connected to the AAGPBL. The Racine Belles (inset) were once one of the AAGPBL’s original four teams. Sophie Kurys (show here) was a real player on the Racine Belles—and famous for her base-stealing abilities.
Scene 6
May 1943
Wrigley Field, Chicago
SD2: Georgia sits down on a bench next to another girl.
Georgia: Hi, I’m Georgia Baskin.
Sophie Kurys: I’m Sophie Kurys. Nice to meet you. How did your fielding drills go?
Georgia: Pretty good, I think. There’s a lot of competition, though. I’m trying not to get my
hopes up.
Sophie: I know what you mean. Some of these girls are amazing.
Georgia: From what I saw, you are one of the best.
SD3: Sophie smiles.
Sophie: Thanks! You know, I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.
SD1: Georgia smiles back at Sophie.
Georgia: Me neither.
© Minnesota Historical Society/Corbis via Getty Images (Toni Stone)
An Ugly Truth
The AAGPBL was segregated—it did not hire Black players, no matter how talented they were. Three Black women did find a way to play professionally, however: by playing on men’s teams. Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, Connie Morgan, and Toni Stone joined teams in the Negro Leagues, an association of all-Black professional men’s baseball teams. (The term “negro” was once commonly used to refer to Black people; it is now considered offensive.)
In the middle of this picture is second baseman, Toni Stone.
Scene 7
Three Days Later
A Hotel Lobby/The Baskins’ House
SD2: On one side of the stage, Georgia stands inside a phone booth in the lobby of a hotel.
She dials the phone.
SD3: On the other side of the stage, a telephone in the Baskins’ front hall begins to ring.
Mrs. Baskin answers it.
Mrs. Baskin: Hello, Baskin residence.
Georgia: Mom! I made it! I’m on the Racine Belles! I’m going to be a professional baseball
player!
Mrs. Baskin (holding back tears): Oh, Georgia . . .
Georgia: What’s the matter?
Mrs. Baskin: We got a telegram. It’s Frank.
Georgia: What happened?
Mrs. Baskin: He’s been injured—badly. There was an explosion on his ship. Four boys were killed. He’s in a hospital in Hawaii.
Georgia: I’m coming home.
Mrs. Baskin: No, stay there. You will take this opportunity and make the most of it. Do you
understand?
Georgia: Yes, Mom. Yes, I think I do.
Courtesy of USA Baseball (Alex Hugo)
A New Women’s League
There hasn’t been a professional women’s baseball league in the U.S. since the AAGPBL folded—but that’s about to change. The Women’s Pro Baseball League plans to launch in the summer of 2026 with six teams of women players.
Alex Hugo of the USA Baseball Women’s National Team is shown here.
Scene 8
Three Months Later
A Playing Field in Racine, Wisconsin
Announcer 1: That’s it, folks—another electrifying game between our own Racine Belles and the ferocious Rockford
Peaches!
Announcer 2: We had some big plays. Sophie Kurys stole three bases.
Announcer 1: And we had solid relief pitching by youngster Georgia Baskin.
Announcer 2: Let’s have a cheer for the teams!
Announcer 1: God bless America, and God bless our troops!
SD1: The crowd cheers.
SD2: As the players walk off the field, Sophie and Georgia link arms.
Sophie: I’ve never had so much fun!
Georgia: When you stole home, my heart jumped out of my chest!
Sophie: They almost nabbed me!
SD3: Just then, Georgia hears her name being called.
Mr. Baskin: Georgia!
SD1: Shocked, Georgia turns to see her parents standing there.
Georgia: Mom? Dad? I didn’t know you were—Oh no! Has something happened to Frankie?
Mrs. Baskin: No, no, he’s fine. They’ve transferred him to San Francisco.
Mr. Baskin: You were wonderful out there, Georgia.
SD2: Mr. Baskin reaches into his bag.
Mr. Baskin: Frank sent something home for you. He asked me to deliver it myself.
Georgia: The DiMaggio mitt! I knew it would bring Frankie good luck.
Mr. Baskin: Look at it, Georgia. Do you notice anything different about it?
SD3: Georgia studies the mitt intently, turning it over in her hands. Then her face lights up.
Mr. Baskin: Mr. DiMaggio is in the armed forces too. Turns out he is stationed in California. He
paid a visit to Frank’s hospital, and Frank got him to sign the mitt—again. But this time it’s for you.
Georgia (reading): “To Georgia Baskin, a fellow pro. Keep playing in the dirt, Joe DiMaggio.”
SD1: Mr. Baskin gives Georgia a hug.
Mr. Baskin (whispering): I am so proud of you.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In the climax of the play, Mrs. Baskin's emotions are revealed through various stage directions that enhance the dialogue and showcase her internal conflicts. One of the key moments occurs in Scene 7 when Georgia, who has just learned she made the Racine Belles, receives devastating news about her brother Frankie.
**1. Physical Reactions and Restraint:**
When Georgia excitedly shares her news about joining the Racine Belles, Mrs. Baskin's response is laden with emotional complexity. The stage direction indicates that she is "holding back tears," which immediately conveys her struggle to balance joy and sorrow. This moment highlights the heightened tension in her emotions—she wants to celebrate her daughter's achievement but is simultaneously crushed by the news of her son's injury.
**2. Protectiveness and Support:**
After Georgia hears about Frankie’s injury, Mrs. Baskin insists, "No, stay there. You will take this opportunity and make the most of it. Do you understand?" This line is powerful not just because of its content, but also because of the stage direction that accompanies it. The command of “you will take this opportunity” illustrates her fierce protectiveness over Georgia's dreams, despite her own emotional turmoil. The stage directions imply a moment of both strength and vulnerability in Mrs. Baskin, showcasing her determination to support her daughter while dealing with her own fears about Frankie.
**3. Contrasting Emotions:**
As the scene progresses, the contrast in Mrs. Baskin's emotions becomes more apparent. She transitions from almost euphoric pride in Georgia's achievements to deep grief over Frankie's injuries. The stage direction, emphasizing her struggle to hold back tears, symbolizes the conflict between a mother's desire to encourage her child and the pain of worrying about her other child at war.
Overall, the interplay of stage directions and dialogue allows the audience to perceive Mrs. Baskin's emotional complexity during the climax of the play. Her physical reactions, verbal reassurances, and the gravity underlying her words create a poignant contrast of hope and despair, unfolding her character's profound emotional depth. These moments illustrate the weight of familial love and the sacrifices made during times of war, enhancing the overall dramatic tension of the scene.
**1. Physical Reactions and Restraint:**
When Georgia excitedly shares her news about joining the Racine Belles, Mrs. Baskin's response is laden with emotional complexity. The stage direction indicates that she is "holding back tears," which immediately conveys her struggle to balance joy and sorrow. This moment highlights the heightened tension in her emotions—she wants to celebrate her daughter's achievement but is simultaneously crushed by the news of her son's injury.
**2. Protectiveness and Support:**
After Georgia hears about Frankie’s injury, Mrs. Baskin insists, "No, stay there. You will take this opportunity and make the most of it. Do you understand?" This line is powerful not just because of its content, but also because of the stage direction that accompanies it. The command of “you will take this opportunity” illustrates her fierce protectiveness over Georgia's dreams, despite her own emotional turmoil. The stage directions imply a moment of both strength and vulnerability in Mrs. Baskin, showcasing her determination to support her daughter while dealing with her own fears about Frankie.
**3. Contrasting Emotions:**
As the scene progresses, the contrast in Mrs. Baskin's emotions becomes more apparent. She transitions from almost euphoric pride in Georgia's achievements to deep grief over Frankie's injuries. The stage direction, emphasizing her struggle to hold back tears, symbolizes the conflict between a mother's desire to encourage her child and the pain of worrying about her other child at war.
Overall, the interplay of stage directions and dialogue allows the audience to perceive Mrs. Baskin's emotional complexity during the climax of the play. Her physical reactions, verbal reassurances, and the gravity underlying her words create a poignant contrast of hope and despair, unfolding her character's profound emotional depth. These moments illustrate the weight of familial love and the sacrifices made during times of war, enhancing the overall dramatic tension of the scene.