The Natural characters

Appears from the start

A gifted baseball player traveling to a major-league tryout with a homemade bat he calls Wonderboy. Roy is certain that extraordinary talent will make him the greatest player in the game, but he is inexperienced, guarded about himself, and strongly drawn to recognition.

Appears from the start

An aging baseball scout who recognizes Roy's exceptional pitching arm and accompanies him toward Chicago. Sam acts as Roy's early guide into professional baseball and worries that the young player's confidence is not matched by judgment.

Also known as the Whammer

Appears from the start

A famous, powerful hitter whom Roy encounters during the train journey. Known as the Whammer, he represents the established baseball greatness Roy is eager to challenge.

Appears from the start

A poised young woman traveling on Roy's train who shows an unsettling interest in celebrated athletes. Roy is attracted to her beauty and mystery without understanding what she wants from him.

Appears from the start

A persistent sportswriter who notices Roy during the train journey and remembers faces and stories that others miss. Mercy is always searching for a revelation that can become news.

First appears in chapter 3

The weary manager and part-owner of the last-place New York Knights. Pop has devoted his life to baseball and longs for one pennant before he loses control of the club. He sees immediately that the much older rookie Roy may possess the talent to transform the team.

First appears in chapter 3

The Knights' established star outfielder and Memo Paris's boyfriend. Bump is naturally talented but careless, selfish, and unwilling to exert himself consistently, making Roy both a threat to his place and a possible answer to the team's failures.

First appears in chapter 3

Pop Fisher's red-haired niece and Bump Bailey's girlfriend. Memo fascinates Roy, but she remains emotionally tied to Bump and associates Roy with changes she does not welcome.

Also known as the Judge

First appears in chapter 3

The Knights' co-owner, who controls the club's finances and wants to gain Pop Fisher's remaining share. The Judge is severe, secretive, and willing to use Roy's contract and need for money as leverage.

First appears in chapter 3

Pop Fisher's practical bench coach and trusted companion. Red helps evaluate Roy, steadies the discouraged manager, and understands the pressures surrounding the Knights.

First appears in chapter 6

A gambler and associate of Memo Paris who claims to understand luck and to influence outcomes through wagers. Gus takes an interest in Roy's appetites and in the money that can be made around the Knights.

First appears in chapter 8

A warm, self-possessed woman who rises in the stands during Roy's slump and seems to restore his concentration. Unlike Memo, Iris is direct about her life and asks Roy to consider obligations beyond fame and appetite.