Introduction

“Take Me Out to the Holosuite” is the 154th episode of the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the fourth episode of the seventh season.

The title refers to the 1908 song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”, the unofficial anthem of North American baseball.

The episode aired during the 1998 World Series. Sisko and station staff play a baseball game in Quark’s holosuites with the crew of a visiting Federation space vessel.

Outline

A Starfleet starship docks at Deep Space Nine. Sisko recognises its captain, Solok, as a former classmate and longtime rival. Solok believes that his all-Vulcan crew are superior in every respect, and challenges Sisko to a baseball game in the holosuite. Sisko accepts, even though this gives him only two weeks to form a team into shape, and his son Jake is the only other potential member who has played the game before.

Sisko’s team trains hard and suffers injuries. Impatiently, he dismisses Rom from the team, and the squad nearly quits in protest. Sisko admits to Kasidy Yates that he is taking Solok’s challenge so seriously, but it is not because of baseball, it is because of Solok: At Starfleet Academy, Sisko challenged Solok to a wrestling match after Solok provoked a drunken Sisko by announcing that he was studying “illogical human bonding rituals”, but Solok won causing Sisko several injuries. Kasidy was amused that Ben would have even challenged Solok, because Vulcans are three times stronger than humans. Afterwards, Solok used the incident as evidence of his viewpoint that Vulcans are superior to humans. Solok published 5 papers on the wrestling match during their time at academy, and after they graduated Solok published over a dozen papers comparing Vulcans and humans, each beginning with an analysis of the wrestling match, and Sisko refused to lose at his favourite sport to Solok. Sisko makes Kasidy promise to keep this between them, but she immediately tells the truth to the whole team, making them understand just how much this means to Sisko.

When the game is played, the Logicians (Solok’s team) immediately build up a good score. Sisko gets into an argument with the umpire, security chief Odo, and is thrown out for laying a finger on him.

Near the end and 10-0 down, the Niners (Sisko’s team) are desperate to score a run. Rom’s son Nog makes it to third base. In consideration for Rom’s feelings, Sisko sends him into the game. Rom accidentally hits a perfect bunt, which brings Nog home, giving the Niners their only run in a 10-1 loss. The team’s celebration confuses Solok, who protests to Odo, but also touches him so Odo throws him out too.

After the game, the DS9 crew relax at Quark’s bar, toasting the triumph of team spirit over Vulcan superiority. Solok protests their celebration, only to be taunted. After continued disparaging attacks by Solok that are met with more mockery, Kira throws Sisko a baseball that his whole team has signed. When Sisko asks Solok if he wants to sign the ball, Solok leaves.

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Production & Filming Details

• Director(s): Chip Chalmers.
• Writer(s): Ronald D. Moore.
• Release Date: 21 October 1998.
• Running Time: 45 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.