Screwball cover art

Screwball

Preview
Free with 30-day trial
A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook free.
1 credit/month after trial—to buy any title you like, yours to keep.
Listen all you want to a selection of thousands of Audible Originals, audiobooks and podcasts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.

Screwball

By: Simon Rich
Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Beck Bennett
Free with 30-day trial

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $7.99

Buy Now for $7.99

About this listen

SNL’s Beck Bennett performs Screwball, a wildly funny and wistful take on Babe Ruth’s little-known stint in the minor leagues, from one of America’s funniest writers, Simon Rich.

Before he was “Babe” or “The Sultan of Swat” or “The Great Bambino”, George Herman Ruth was just another teenage misfit at St. Mary’s School for Boys. But Ruth has something the other boys don’t, and when Baltimore Orioles manager Jack Dunn watches him throw a baseball over a building, Ruth gets the chance to punch his ticket out of the orphanage. All he has to do now is make the team.

For help navigating life in the Minor Leagues, good-natured Ruth is paired with another rookie, one Jack Dunn, Jr., the coach’s son. Even though they’re the same age, Ruth looks up to his new pal and roommate. But despite his encyclopedic knowledge of the game and austere work ethic, “Junior” (as his teammates mockingly refer to him) can’t field a ground ball to save his life. When Babe makes the roster and Junior doesn’t, their budding friendship feels the strain.

As Babe’s otherworldly on-field abilities and cringe-worthy off-field antics take center stage, jealous Junior resolves to sabotage the naïve and unsuspecting Babe. It’s a choice that could prove catastrophic for not only the young phenom, but also Junior, his father and the entire sport of baseball. Told from the Babe’s point of view, the hilarious and heart-felt Screwball is a classic story of friendship, envy and a legend-in-the-making.

©2019 Simon Rich (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.
Literature & Fiction Heartfelt Witty Funny
All stars
Most relevant  
Fictional story about Babe Ruth and his start with the minor league Baltimore Orioles and his best friend

Interesting short story, wish it went for longer

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Very cute story, enjoyable and fun. Loved it. And excellently performed. This review needs more words. Ok that's enough.

Good fun!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.