Jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge
- Makio Mukai
- Mar 21
- 2 min read
The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. It is a famous suspension bridge that crosses the East River and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. It took more than 10 years to complete, and was completed in 1883. It is still a tourist attraction as a symbol of New York City.
There is an American movie in which the Brooklyn Bridge plays an important role. “Kate & Leopold”(2001). The plot of this movie has a very unique premise. If people living in the 21st century jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, they can go to New York in 1876 through a time tunnel. Of course, people living in 1876 can also come to New York in the 21st century by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. However, the Brooklyn Bridge in 1876 was under construction. It was completed in 1883.
Now. In this movie, a noble man comes to New York in the 21st century from 1876 and falls in love with a career woman. After many events, the man returns to 1876, but the woman follows him and jumps off the Brooklyn Bridge to go back to 1876. The two get together and have a happy ending.
I love this movie, but there is one thing I'm disappointed about. There are scenes of New York in 1876 with horse-drawn carriages going back and forth, but there is no mention of Major League Baseball. Even though 1876 was an important year for Major League Baseball. That was a year the National League, which still exists today, started. At that year, New York also had a baseball team in the National League. So, if they were going to set the movie in New York in 1876, I wish they'd made sure to mention at least a little bit of Major League Baseball.
If I were allowed to make this movie, I would change the whole story. Hmmm? Would I have the 1876 New York baseball team jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and play against a 21st century major league team? That's an easy story that anyone could come up with. My idea is completely different. Because I've noticed one more important fact.
In 1876, in Brooklyn, there was a four-year-old boy named William Henry Keeler. This was Willie Keeler, who in 1901 would set a major league record of hitting 200 or more hits in a season for eight consecutive seasons, which Ichiro was attempting in 2008.
So, the story I came up with is as follows.
Four-year-old Keeler, who jumps off the Brooklyn Bridge and comes to New York in 2008, is so moved by Ichiro's attempt to hit 200 or more hits in a season for eight consecutive seasons that he goes back to 1876 and plays baseball. Then, as a major leaguer, he attempts to hit 200 or more hits in a season for 8 consecutive seasons, and achieves it. On the other hand, Ichiro continues to hit 200 or more hits in a season until 2010, setting a new major league record of hitting 200 or more hits in a season for 10 consecutive seasons. ....Pretty good, right?
( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)
