 All of the World Series facts were true in this film. The Mets  Cleon Jones (qv) really did get hit on the shoe with a pitched  ball. At first the umpire didnt award him first base but when Mets  Manager Gil Hodges (qv) showed him the shoe polish on the ball the  umpire changed his call and awarded him first base. It became known  as the "Shoe Polish Incident".