His speech offends most of the student body, especially the popular athlete Jeff, and causes Ronald's sweetheart Mary to reject him.

Hoping to impress Mary, Ronald tries out for the baseball and track and field teams, but proves to be totally inept.

At the same time, he attempts to work as a soda jerk and as a waiter in blackface while trying to keep these jobs a secret from Mary, who has started dating Jeff.

However, on the day of the boat race, Jeff gets kicked out of college and takes her hostage in her room, locking them in together in an effort to get her expelled so she will marry him.

In the end, she manages to contact Ronald by telephone, who in a sudden show of athleticism sprints to her dormitory, pole vaults into her window, and fights off Jeff by throwing household objects at him and demonstrating skills in javelin, shot put, and tackle football.