The story follows Roy Hobbs, a baseball prodigy whose career is sidetracked after being shot by a woman whose motivation remains mysterious.

The story mostly concerns his attempts to return to baseball later in life, when he plays for the fictional New York Knights with his self-made bat "Wonderboy".

Based loosely on the shooting incident and subsequent comeback of Philadelphia Phillies player Eddie Waitkus,[2] the story of Roy Hobbs takes some poetic license and embellishes what was a memorable account of a career lost too soon.

Other passengers include sportswriter Max Mercy; Walter "The Whammer" Whambold, the leading hitter in the American League and three-time American League Most Valuable Player (based on Babe Ruth); and Harriet Bird, a beautiful and mysterious woman.

During one losing game, Roy Hobbs emerges from the clubhouse tunnel and announces that he is the team's new right fielder, having just been signed by Knights co-owner Judge Banner.

The Judge wants to take over Pop's share in the team but cannot until the season ends and provided the Knights fail to win the National League pennant.

Mercy introduces Hobbs to bookie Gus Sands, who is keeping company with Memo Paris, Pop's niece.

Max Mercy writes a column about the judge's refusal to grant Hobbs a raise, and a fan uprising ensues.

With the Knights one game from winning the National League pennant, Roy attends a party hosted by Memo.

He plays the next day and fouls a pitch into the stands that injures Iris and splits the Wonderboy bat down its length.