When an unusual want ad appears in his newspaper, sports reporter Jimmy Jones is sent to determine if a good story is behind it. Jimmy goes to the address in the ad, which turns out to be a photographer’s studio, and discovers a line of girls waiting to get in. Striking up a conversation with one of the girls in the line, Ann Casey, Jimmy persuades her to join him for lunch at a nearby drugstore and pays a woman to hold her place in line until they return. During lunch, Jimmy learns that Ann is an accomplished athlete and that she is trying to get into modeling because she has tired of wearing athletic clothes. Jimmy and Ann return to the photographer’s studio too late, for the job has been filled by the woman who Jimmy paid to hold Ann’s place. Jimmy sees a story in this unfortunate situation, but Ann resents his opportunism and throws an ice cream cone in his face. A few days later, Jimmy discovers Ann practicing with her all-girl softball team, which Ann joined after having no success in finding a job. When Ann and Jimmy go on a date, he learns that her team is sponsored by Foy Harris, a racketeer, and decides to investigate the matter. Pretending to be interested in his team, Jimmy goes to meet Harris at his office, and there fends off a gun-wielding intruder. Following the attack, Jimmy takes the intruder’s gun to his friend, Inspector Flannigan, and has it examined for fingerprints. The prints turn out to belong to a man who is found murdered the next day and whom the police are unable to identify. The victim, a former partner of Harris, was killed by Harris, who, at the time, was disguised as a member of his softball team. Harris next intends to kill his girl friend, Sue Collins, who is the team’s catcher, because she may know about his disguise. During the next game, Sue suddenly collapses and dies after putting on a new catcher’s glove that Harris gave her. Witnessing the event, Jimmy takes the glove to Inspector Flannigan, who confirms Jimmy’s suspicions that it is laced with poison. Harris decides that he must flee to avoid being caught, and when he returns to his office, he nearly walks in on Ann, who is searching for evidence to help Jimmy make a case against him. Hearing his approach, Ann ducks into his closet, and police surround the building. After putting on his softball uniform disguise, Harris discovers Ann hidden in his closet and forces her to escort him out of the building until he reaches safety. When the two exit, Ann secretly tips off Jimmy as to Harris’ identity, and Jimmy apprehends him and saves Ann, who then consents to marry him. More on Wikipedia or Mubi
Watch Girls Can Play (1937)
