to detonate inside Crewe's cell when he turns on the light. Caretaker is killed instead when he enters Crewe's cell to retrieve some papers; Unger locks the cell door, preventing rescue. Hazen sternly lectures Crewe's teammates about the consequences of any attempted escape after the game. Afterward, Crewe re-energizes the team with a surprise - presenting them with professional uniforms (stolen from the guards by Caretaker before he was killed). They charge onto the field in their new uniforms, angering the guards and Hazen. The "Mean Machine" starts out well, and at halftime the game is close: the guards lead 15-13. Hazen threatens Crewe as an accessory to Caretaker's murder unless Crewe loses the game to the guards by at least 21 points. Crewe reluctantly agrees, but only if Hazen promises not to hurt the other prisoners; Hazen agrees, but in bad faith, and tells Knauer to have his team "inflict as much physical punishment on the prisoners as humanly possible" as soon as they are ahead by 21 points. Crewe makes deliberate mistakes, putting the "Mean Machine" down by more than three touchdowns, 35-13, then takes himself out of the game. The guards gladly injure several of the prisoners, and Crewe's teammates feel betrayed. Depressed, Crewe goes back into the game, but the prisoners refuse to cooperate with him until he convinces them of his change of heart. The "Mean Machine" gets back into the game, trailing 35-30, one of their touchdowns scored by Nate despite his bad knee, and he is immediately cut down and crippled by guard Bogdanski. As he is wheeled off the field, Nate tells Crewe to "screw Hazen" and win the game. Crewe scores the winning touchdown with no time left and the "Mean Machine" wins, 36-35. As the prisoners celebrate, Crewe walks across the field towards the departing crowds. Hazen repeatedly orders Knauer to shoot him because he thinks Crewe is trying to escape. Knauer hesitates due to his newfound respect for Crewe, who is actually retrieving a football. Disgusted at what he almost did, Knauer hands the rifle back to Hazen saying, "Game ball." Crewe returns to the crestfallen Hazen with the ball telling him, "Stick this in your trophy case." Crewe walks into the stadium tunnel with Pop who says "I knew you could do it!" Cast Production Writing Producer Albert S. Ruddy wrote the story in the late 1960s. He