Who's on First?

this is the classic Abbott and Costello routine as printed in the Lexington Herald-Leader sometime in, i think, 1996. (the top of the page is missing from my copy...)


Bud: You know, strange as it may seem, they give baseball players peculiar names nowadays. On the St. Louis team, Who's on first, What's on second, and I Don't Know is on third.

Lou: That's what I want to find out. I want you to tell me the names of the fellows on the St. Louis team.

Bud: I'm telling you. Who's on first, What's on second, and I Don't Know is on third.

Lou: You know the fellows' names?

Bud: Yes.

Lou: Well, then, who's playin' first?

Bud: Yes.

Lou: I mean the fellow's name on first base.

Bud: Who.

Lou: The fellow's name on first base for St. Louis.

Bud: Who.

Lou: The guy on first base.

Bud: Who is on first base.

Lou: Well, what are you askin' me for?

Bud: I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. Who is on first.

Lou: I'm askin' you, who is on first.

Bud: That's the man's name.

Lou: That's whose name?

Bud: Yes.

Lou: Well, go ahead and tell me.

Bud: Who?

Lou: The guy on first.

Bud: Who.

Lou: The first baseman.

Bud: Who is on first.

Lou: (trying to be calm.) Have you got a baseman on first?

Bud: Certainly.

Lou: Well, all I'm tryin' to find out is what's the guy's name on first base.

Bud: Oh, no, no. What is on second base.

Lou: I'm not askin' you who's on second.

Bud: Who's on first.

Lou: That's what I'm tryin' to find out.

Bud: Well, don't change the players around.

Lou: (exasperation creeping into his voice) I'm not changin' anybody.

Bud: Now take it easy.

Lou: What's the guy's name on first base?

Bud: What's the guy's name on second base.

Lou: I'm not askin' you who's on second.

Bud: Who's on first.

Lou: I don't know.

Bud: He's on third. We're not talking about him.

Lou: (almost begging) How could I get on third base?

Bud: You mentioned his name.

Lou: If I mentioned his name, who did I say is playing third?

Bud: (back to basics) No, Who's playing first.

Lou: Stay offa first, will ya?

Bud: Please, now what is it you'd like to know?

Lou: What is the fellow's name on third base?

Bud: What is the fellow's name on second base.

Lou: I'm not askin' ya who's on second.

Bud: Who's on first.

Lou: I don't know.

Bud & Lou: (together) Third base!

Lou: (tries again) You got an outfield?

Bud: Certainly.

Lou: St. Louis got a good outfield?

Bud: Oh, absolutely.

Lou: The left fielder's name.

Bud: Why.

Lou: I don't know. I just thought I'd ask.

Bud: Well, I just thought I'd tell you.

Lou: Then tell me who's playing left field.

Bud: Who's playing first.

Lou: Stay outta the infield!

Bud: Don't mention any names there.

Lou: (firmly) I wanna know what's the fellow's name in left field.

Bud: What is on second.

Lou: I'm not askin' you who's on second.

Bud: Who is on first.

Lou: I don't know.

Bud & Lou: (together) Third base!

Bud: Now, take it easy, man.

Lou: An dthe left fielder's name?

Bud: Why.

Lou: Because.

Bud: Oh, he's center field.

Lou: Wait a minute. You got a pitcher on the team?

Bud: Wouldn't this be a fine team without a pitcher?

Lou: I dunno. Tell me the pitcher's name.

Bud: Tomorrow.

Lou: You don't want to tell me today?

Bud: I'm telling you, man.

Lou: Then go ahead.

Bud: Tomorrow.

Lou: What time?

Bud: What time what?

Lou: What time tomorrow are you telling me who's pitching?

Bud: Now listen, who is not pitching. Who is on --

Lou: (excited) I'll break you arm if you say who is on first.

Bud: Then why come up here and ask?

Lou: I want to know what's the pitcher's name!

Bud: What's on second.

Lou: (sighs) I don't know.

Bud & Lou: (together) Third base!

Lou: You got a chatcher?

Bud: Yes.

Lou: The catcher's name.

Bud: Today.

Lou: Today. And Tomorrow's pitching.

Bud: Now you've got it.

Lou: That's all. St. Louis got a couple of days on their team. That's all.

Bud: Well, I can't help that. What do you want me to do?

Lou: Gotta catcher?

Bud: Yes.

Lou: I'm a good catcher, too, you know.

Bud: I know that.

Lou: I would like to play for St. Louis.

Bud: Well, I might arrange that.

Lou: I would like to catch. Now tomorrow's pitching on the team and I'm catching.

Bud: Yes.

Lou: Tomorrow throws the ball and the guy up bunts the ball.

Bud: Yes.

Lou: So when he bunts the ball, me, bein' a good catcher, I want to throw to the guy at first base. So I pick up the ball and I throw it to who?

Bud: Now that's the first thing you've said right!

Lou: I don't even know what I'm talkin' about!

Bud: That's all you have to do.

Lou: I throw it to first base.

Bud: Yes.

Lou: Now who's got it?

Bud: Naturally.

Lou: Naturally.

Bud: Naturally.

Lou: I throw the ball to naturally.

Bud: You throw it to Who.

Lou: Naturally.

Bud: Naturally, well, say it that way.

Lou: That's what I'm saying!

Bud: Now don't get excited, don't get excited.

Lou: I throw the ball to first base.

Bud: Then Who gets it.

Lou: He'd better get it.

Bud: That's it. All right now, don't get excited. Take it easy.

Lou: (beside himself) Not I throw the ball to first base, whoever it is grabs the ball, so the guy runs to second.

Bud: Uh-huh.

Lou: Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don't Know. I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow. A triple play!

Bud: Yeah, could be.

Lou: Another guy comes up and it's a long fly ball to center. Why? I don't know. And I don't care.

Bud: What was that?

Lou: I said, I don't care.

Bud: Oh, that's our shortstop.