Willie is volunteering as a Little League umpire when he is shot as two men rob the food stand. The bullet may paralyze him unless he has a risky operation.
A great episode, fine performance by Michael Ontkean and a lot of things going on to make this a fast moving, engrossing show. One of the robbers is a big guy called Bud (Bo Svenson, who later played in Walking Tall sequels) and a creepy little guy named Vestor, he's the one who shot Willie. It seems Vestor is a horror movie buff, which helps Terry and Mike to track him down. Darleen Carr plays Willie's fiancee, but she breaks it off by the end of the episode because she cannot bear to be a cop's wife. She later returned in two other episodes in different roles. Other guest stars are Arlene( Mayberry RFD) Golonka as a book store clerk and Vic Tayback (later on Alice) as a suspect. Willie of course makes a miracle recovery in the end.
A great episode, fine performance by Michael Ontkean and a lot of things going on to make this a fast moving, engrossing show. One of the robbers is a big guy called Bud (Bo Svenson, who later played in Walking Tall sequels) and a creepy little guy named Vestor, he's the one who shot Willie. It seems Vestor is a horror movie buff, which helps Terry and Mike to track him down. Darleen Carr plays Willie's fiancee, but she breaks it off by the end of the episode because she cannot bear to be a cop's wife. She later returned in two other episodes in different roles. Other guest stars are Arlene( Mayberry RFD) Golonka as a book store clerk and Vic Tayback (later on Alice) as a suspect. Willie of course makes a miracle recovery in the end.
