Applegate says he is going to bring Joe a fascinating woman who will make him forget his wife, but Joe insists he isn't interested. He reminds Applegate that Applegate doesn't own his soul until September 24th. Left alone, Joe reflects on all he has given up to join the Senators ("A Man Doesn't Know"). Joe tells Gloria and a group of reporters that the Senators will have the pennant race sewn up by September 24th. Scene 6: Applegate gets together with Lola, his female assistant. She reports success on her last assignment; she ruined a man's life and got him to jump out a window. Applegate, who actually wants the Yankees to win, has called her in to help with Joe. He fears Joe's escape clause may endanger his evil plot. He plans to let Senators' fans believe their team can win until the last minute. Then he will pull the rug out from under them by letting the team lose, causing the fans to have heart attacks, apoplexy, or commit suicide. He wants Lola to make Joe forget Meg. She assures him she is the woman for the job ("A Little Brains, A Little Talent"). Scene 7: Increasingly lonely and disturbed by Applegate's treachery, Joe returns to his house to see Meg (who does not recognize her much-altered husband), and convinces her to let him rent a room in her house. They share their feelings of loneliness, although she has no idea who he is (Reprise: "A Man Doesn't Know"). Sister and Doris recognize Joe as the famous ballplayer, Joe Hardy. Joe pretends to find money in his room, which Meg is sure her husband left for her. Applegate tries unsuccessfully to stop Joe from renting the room. Scenes 8 and 9: In the locker room corridor, the players are enjoying their new success. Gloria presses Applegate for information about Joe's past. Applegate brings Lola to the locker room to begin working on Joe. When Joe rebuffs her initial advances, she explains, "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets." Joe is impressed, but he remains true to Meg. When Joe heads for Meg's house, Applegate accuses Lola of using old-fashioned methods. He decides to cause a scandal for Meg because she has a single man living in her house. Scenes 10 and 11: A group of teenagers and Sister are rehearsing their fan club presentations for a Senators Pep Rally. They reprise "Heart." At the rally, Lola, claiming she is on Joe's side, explains that Applegate made the team lose that afternoon as part of his plan to win Joe's soul. Gloria tells Applegate she has been to Missouri to research Joe's past; she has found out Joe is not really from Hannibal. Applegate suddenly insists that Joe is not Shifty McCoy. Gloria discovers Shifty McCoy was a ballplayer in Mexico who took bribes; she goes off to investigate. Lola performs "Who's Got the Pain" as a member of a group called the "I Love Joe Fan Club." The baseball commissioner calls Welch and accuses Joe of being Shifty McCoy. Joe insists the story isn't true and swears he will clear his name and lead the team to victory. ACT TWO Scenes 1 and 2: In the locker room, the team members discuss their support for Joe and express their determination to live by the rules, dedicating themselves to "The Game," forgetting any thought of enjoying themselves until the pennant race is over. Joe has asked Meg to meet him outside the ballpark. She apologizes for asking him to give up his room. She says she misses her husband more than ever now that Joe Hardy is gone too. Joe assures her her husband will come back ("Near To You"). Scene 3: Applegate tells Lola that once he has Joe trapped after the 24th, he will make him throw the pennant game. Joe comes in and says he is going to exercise the escape clause on the 24th and Applegate pretends to agree. After Joe leaves, Applegate chastises Lola for feeling sorry for Joe and mourns "The Good Old Days" when evil was in fashion. Scene 4: At the hearing at the Commissioner's office on September 24th, Applegate says he has a witness coming to prove Joe's innocence who will arrive at fifteen minutes past midnight. Joe says he can't wait. Meg, Sister and Doris appear, pretending to be from Hannibal, and claim they can identify Joe. They convince the postmaster from Hannibal, who has come to the hearing, that he remembers Joe too. At five minutes before midnight, Joe asks to leave the room. The commissioner won't let anyone leave. Meg is giving a speech to vindicate Joe as the clock strikes. Joe has surrendered his soul by default. Scenes 5 and 6: Lola has knocked Applegate out with strong drinks. She tells Joe she was the ugliest woman in
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