Come here, Bobby.
BOBBY: Come on, give me the ball. No fair!
MARGARET: You might need that.
Where did you find this?
It was in one of those cartons that came over after...
Needs oil.
(CHUCKLES) Who doesn't?
You ready?
I'm not going. Oh, Mom.
I've already got two children. I don't need a third.
Why is it so important that I go?
Well, for one thing, it would be nice if you just left the room.
Oh. Besides, these are your old friends.
They probably won't even remember me.
Oh, the Queen of Diamonds, Dottie Hinson?
Margaret, I just don't think this is a good idea.
Oh, come on, Mom. I mean, you're going to get to see Aunt Kit.
You two hardly ever get to see each other.
We still won't.
Kit won't be there.
She'll be traveling around with that husband of hers.
Frank. He has a name. Frank.
And he's always been very nice to you.
It makes me nervous.
There's a lot of reasons why I can't go.
Mom. Honey.
I'm not comfortable about this.
I'm not really part of it.
It was never that important to me.
It was just something I did, that's all.
Mom, when are you going to realize how special it was?
How much it all meant?
I...
Yeah, I know how you feel.
I really do.
But you're going.
Get in the car.
A car, a train, a bus. I'm tired already.
You'll sleep on the plane. Keep going.
Grandma's out of the room.
Is there a fire? Wisenheimer.
Julie next door is watching you.
I don't want to get any bad reports.
Okay. Bye, Grandma.
Bye.
Jeffrey, come here.
Now remember, no matter what your brother does, he's littler than you are,
so give him a chance to shoot.
Promise? Yeah.
Okay.
Bobby, come here.
Kill him.
Come on, you'll miss your plane.
(NOW AND FOREVER PLAYING)
Yeah! * Now and forever
* You are a part of me
* And the memory cuts like a knife
* Didn't we find the ecstasy
* Didn't we share the daylight
* When you walked into my life?
* Now and forever I'll remember
* All the promises still unbroken
* And think about all the words between us
* That never needed to be spoken
* We had a moment
* Just one moment
* That will last beyond a dream
* Beyond a lifetime
* We are the lucky ones
* Some people never get to do
* All we got to do
* Now and forever
* I will always think of you
* Didn't we come together?
* Didn't we live together?
* Didn't we cry together?
* Didn't we play together?
* Didn't we love together?
* And together we lit up our world
* I miss the times
* I miss the laughter
* I miss the day we met and all that followed after *
MAN: (ON RADIO) This week in the world of sports.
With the boys overseas and off to war,
baseball pitches in for the war effort.
Trading bats for bullets, Yankees' star Joe DiMaggio
promises to give those Nazis a jolt.
Ace fireballer Bob Feller
has traded Cleveland gray for Navy blue.
Baseball's biggest stars say
"Look out, Mr. Hitler, the Yanks are coming.
"Not to mention the Indians, Red Sox, and Tigers."
And they won't come back till it's over over there.
Meanwhile, Chicago club owner Walter Harvey,
the candy bar king, met with other team owners
at the famous Harvey Mansion as rumors persist
that baseball may be shut down for the duration of the war.
Harvey's promotional whiz kid, Ira Lowenstein,
has been given the job of figuring out
how to keep baseball going.
Good luck, Mr. Lowenstein.
(CHEERING)
Hit 'em up, Casey! Head up, Casey!
Strike two!
Hey!
Hey, fatso! Get the hell out of the way.
What are you, crazy?
Strike three!
Kit! Kit.
Look, sis, she's getting everybody out high.
Don't swing at that pitch, okay?
I can hit it.
You can't. I can.
Kit, this bat's too heavy. You're never going to get it around.
I will.
Kit, listen. There's a big hole on the right side, okay? Don't look.
Once she pitches inside, you're gonna have to pull it, okay?
I know.
Batter up!
No high ones.
I like the high ones.
Mule!
Nag!
(CHEERING)
PLAYER 1: Come on, one more!
PLAYER 2: Easy out! Easy out!
Come on, Kit.
Keep your eye on the ball.
CATCHER: Right in here! Right here!
Strike one!
Strike two!
Too high. No.
MAN: All right, Kit. Come on.
Look it over. Look it over there.
Strike three!
(LAUGHING)
All right, two out, everybody. They have two away!
MAN 2: Better luck next time!
MAN 3: Come on, Dottie! Knock it out of here!
Okay, Dottie! All right!
Batter up!
MAN 3: All right, keep your eye on it, Dottie.
CATCHER: Right in here, Becky.
Bring 'em in, bring 'em in!
Bring 'em in there, Dottie!
Ball!
BOY: Hey, scarecrow!
Play it to first base!
MAN 3: Keep your eye on it, Dottie!
CATCHER: Come on, Becky.
MAN 4: Come on, Dottie! One hit and we win!
Oh! Oh!
(WHOOPING) Dottie!
MAN 4: That's it, Dottie! You did it!
Great. Run!
That's the ballgame!
(CROWD CHANTING "DOTTIE")
That was a swell hit! Good job!
Hey, Kit, what do you swing at those high ones for?
Good thing your sister bailed you out.
FRED: Don't pick on her.
Hey, Fred, how about that two bucks you owe me for this game?
MITCH: Kit, wait up. I'll give you a ride.
DOTTIE: Ouch! Would you stop kicking the rocks?
I'm sorry.
That game just made me so mad.
Kit, we won. Get mad if we lose.
That last pitch was right down the middle.
If I'd swung at that, I'd be the big hero.
But you got me so crazy.
All I said was lay off high ones.
"Good thing your sister bailed you out, Kit. Ha ha."
"Kit, why don't you get your sister to teach you to hit?"
"Kit, why can't you be beautiful like that sister of yours?"
What idiot said that?
No one. But I know that's what they were thinking.
No, it's not.
No?
You ever hear Dad introduce us to people?
"This is our daughter Dottie.
"And this is our other daughter,
"Dottie's sister."
Should have just had you and bought a dog.
Mitch Swaley likes you.
Mitch Swaley is one step up from dating pigs.
But an important step.
Why are you walking so fast?
Why are you?
I don't know. 'Cause you are.
Can't even let me walk faster than you?
Sure.
MA KELLER: Girls, you got chores to do.
Don't run! You'll scare the chickens!
I don't have time for these games.
KIT: Why are you running?
Come on, you can run faster than that!
It's not fair! Your legs are longer!
I win! Barely.
(COWS MOOING)
Hey.
Hey!
Hey, yourself.
Aw.
Doesn't that hurt them?
Doesn't seem to.
Well, it would bruise the hell out of me.
DOTTIE: Who are you?
I'm Ernie Capadino. I'm a baseball scout.
I saw you playing today.
Not bad, not bad.
You ever hear of Walter Harvey, makes Harvey bars?
You know, the candy?
Yeah. We feed them to the cows when they're constipated.
That's the guy.
He's starting a girls' baseball league
so he can make a buck while the boys are overseas.
Want to play? Huh?
Nice retort. Tryouts are in Chicago.
It's a real league, professional.
Professional baseball?
Mmm-hmm. They'll pay you $75 a week.
We only make 30 at the dairy.
Well, then. This would be more, wouldn't it? You interested?
Come on. $75 a week?
Pull her leg for a while. Mine are long enough already.
ERNIE: Look, your country needs you,
and you can not only play ball
but you're kind of a dolly. That's what we're looking for.
DOTTIE: Oh, now I get it.
Listen, mister, I'm a married woman.
My husband's overseas.
Oh, relax. I'm talking lookie, no touchie.
It's just that we want girls who are easy on the eyes.
Well, I'll go. I'm ready. I'm ready right now. I gotta sign something?
I don't want you! I want her!
The one who hit the ball.
You can climb back under that cow.
She's good. She's very good.
She's a pitcher.
She just didn't pitch today 'cause she pitched the day before.
Well, thanks for that extra-special glimpse into her life.
I want you.
You I saw. You I like.
Now what do you say? There's a train leaving for Chicago tomorrow.
Well, come on. What do you say? Are you in?
No thanks.
Dottie!
"No thanks"?
Hey, no skin off my Ashtabula.
You want to stay here plucking cows, that's your business.
You know something? You're not nice.
Ooh, that one hurt. So long, milkmaids.
(MOOING)
No, wait! Can't you just watch me pitch?
Dottie, get your mitt! I'll throw him a few! I'll show you some pitches...
No, no, no, no.
Now look. I know the goods when I see the goods,
and she's the goods. I'm sorry.
Hmm. Hmm.
(MOOING)
Will you shut up!
You're a pitcher, huh? Yeah.
I'll tell you what. If she comes, you can come, too.
If you stink, it will only cost us a train ticket.
Get these wild animals away from me!
Haven't you ever heard of a leash?
(EXCLAIMS)
Come on, Dottie. You got the whole rest of your life to hang around here.
Never go anywhere. Never do anything.
Look. I'm married. I'm happy.
That's what I want. Let's not confuse things.
Okay.
But can't you just have this first?
Just so you can say you once did something?
Something special?
Huh?
Goodness' sake, Kit, keep your voice down.
Your father's listening to the radio.
Please, Dottie.
I got to get out of here.
I'm nothing here.
(MAN CHATTERING ON RADIO)
(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING)
In the Pacific Northwest, which is my territory,
we have increased sales 106% in the last 12-month period.
And this with a war on.
(BOTH LAUGHING)
You know, if I had your job,
I'd kill myself.
Sit here and I'll see if I can dig up a pistol.
Every trip I take, I gotta sit next to one of these guys.
I'm just too friendly.
Hey, isn't that...
(DOTTIE AND KIT SCREAMING)
DOTTIE: Stop!
Well, I'll say one thing for them.
They can run.
KIT: Mr. Capadino!
I got her! Look!
Sir, your knee.
Like it?
KIT: Stop that train!
Come on! Come on!
(GRUNTS)
DOTTIE: Give me that bag.
Come on.
Come on, Kit.
(GRUNTS) Give me your hand.
Now you, miss. Oh!
Did you promise the cows you'd write?
(DOTTIE AND KIT PANTING)
When do we get to Chicago?
We got to make a stop. Fort Collins, Colorado.
Got to look at another girl.
Hope you're not jealous.
MARLA: I'm sorry. It's okay, honey.
That was good form.
Yeah, thata girl.
Good, honey. Good. Good.
(GIGGLING)
Nice. Nice. That's a rope, honey.
Good girl. Good. Good.
That's right, honey. Too high.
She's got an eye like DiMaggio.
Good. Good. Good.
Okay, Marla.
Now, lefty.
(PLAYERS GROANING)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
(GRUNTS)
Hey.
She's really good.
She's your daughter?
Yeah. Yeah.
Her mom's dead. It's just the two of us.
Coach of the American Legion team said if she was a boy,
he'd of took her to the state tournament.
And I said, "If she was a boy, I'd be in New York, talking to the Yankees
"instead of living in this place."
All right. That's enough. You can bring her over here.
Okay, Marla. Come here.
Boys, hit the showers!
(PLAYERS MUTTERING)
Take off your hat, honey.
Ugh. We'll let you know.
Daddy. I'm sorry.
ERNIE: Come on. Let's go. We'll miss the train.
Let's move. Move, move!
What's the matter?
I can't use her.
She's great. Why not? What's the problem?
You know General Omar Bradley?
Yeah.
Well, there's too strong a resemblance.
It's all right, honey.
You mean you ain't taking her 'cause she ain't pretty?
Well, look who just caught up.
All right, come on. Let's go.
Pick those suitcases up! Now, come on!
I'm not kidding! Let's go! Move!
Come on, one foot in front of the other.
Hey, mister. Huh?
I know my girl ain't so pretty as these girls,
but that's my fault.
I raised her like I would a boy.
I didn't know any better.
She loves to play.
Don't make my little girl suffer because I messed up raising her.
Please.
I wish you had a decent mitt.
I think maybe I'd better not go.
Nah. You can re-lace it.
It will be okay.
No, I mean, who's going to take care of you?
Cook for you, help you take care of the equipment?
Don't you worry about me.
You're going to play baseball.
I'm not going to know anybody.
Marla.
Nothing's ever going to happen here.
You got to go where things happen.
I love you, Daddy.
Daddy. Mmm.
Let's go. Let's go.
Come on, honey.
Are you coming?
See, how it works is, the train moves, not the station.
Bye, Daddy.
Oh, this is making me sick.
Write to me, honey.
I love you.
ERNIE: Hey, cow girls, see the grass?
Don't eat it.
Come on.
(EXCLAIMING)
ERNIE: Okay, girls. This is it.
Harvey Field. Tryouts.
Get out there. Show them what you got, and don't embarrass me.
It's been a thin slice of heaven. Goodbye.
Wait. You're going?
Dry your eyes.
Yeah, I'm just going home, grab a shower and a shave,
give the wife a little pickle tickle,
and then I'm on my way. I'll see you.
Yeah, but... But what?
Field. Tryouts. Play.
Yeah, that's it. Get lost.
Come on, girls.
I hate when they get attached to me like that.
PLAYER: Ooh! You got an arm!
(GIRLS CHATTERING)
Hey, Mae. MAE: What?
Come here and look at this.
Wait a second, Doris.
I can't wait much longer, so get up.
Yeah, so?
Yeah, so I ain't done yet. Watch this.
(CHUCKLES)
That's it? Yeah, you can't do it, Mae.
I could do it.
Yeah, how long you been working on that, Doris?
Took about a year,
not counting them two months I was in the hospital.
Bat hit me right in the head. Bam!
Really? Yup.
Your head and not your behind?
Because that looks really swollen.
Hey, what the heck kind of a thing is that to say to me, Mae?
MAE: I'm joking, okay? I'm sorry.
I'm nervous, all right?
What are you looking at?
Yeah, what are you looking at?
Nothing.
Yeah. Right, nothing.
All these girls going to be in the league?
You wish. You do wish.
They're going to have four teams, 16 girls to a team.
That's right.
Sixty-four girls.
(CHUCKLES) Yeah, what are you, a genius?
You know, they got over 100 girls here,
so some of youse are gonna have to go home.
Yeah, sorry about that. Those people are jerks, Mae.
Come on, Doris.
What do you mean, some of us?
Do it.
(GRUNTS)
Okay, some of them are going home.
Hey, how did you do that?
Excuse me. Hey.
Hey, you caught that? Hello?
Doris. Did you see that?
Don't be so friendly.
Jeez, let's go practice.
She caught it with her bare hand. Okay. Be quiet.
RADIO HOST: And now, from Chicago,
the Mutual presents another social commentary
by Miss Maida Gillespie.
GILLESPIE: Careers and higher education
are leading to the masculinization of women
with enormously dangerous consequences
to the home, the children and our country.
When our boys come home from war,
what kind of girls will they be coming home to?
And now, the most disgusting example
of this sexual confusion,
Mr. Walter Harvey of Harvey Bars
is presenting us with women's baseball.
Right here in Chicago,
young girls plucked from their families
are gathered at Harvey Field
to see which one of them can be the most masculine.
Mr. Harvey, like your candy bars,
you're completely nuts.
(GRUNTS)
PLAYER 1: Head's up! Head's up!
Very good. Try another one.
COACH 1: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15...
COACH 1: Five, one!
Ouch!
COACH 2: Nice throw.
PLAYER 2: Come on!
CHARLIE: Your name will be on one of those five lists.
Okay, find your name.
(CHATTERING EXCITEDLY)
HELEN: If we could just form two or three parallel lines...
Yeah!
Yes!
I'm a Peach!
What? A Rockford Peach.
I made it. I can stay.
Hi. Are you a newspaper guy? Yeah.
This is my friend Mae. She made the team.
Hi. Pleased to meet you, Mae.
Okay, come on.
We got a lot to do. Let's settle down.
Now you're the first...
Honey, are you supposed to be here
or are you on the cut list?
Look, I'm sorry.
If you're on the cut list,
you have to leave the field. Mmm-hmm.
Well, are you cut?
Well, just look on the list.
It's either Rockford, Racine, Kenosha or South Bend.
Hi.
Can you read, honey?
No.
All right. What's your name?
Shirley Baker. Shirley Baker.
Let's just take a look.
This is you. You're with us.
(LAUGHING EXCITEDLY) You're a Rockford Peach.
Go join your team.
Okay, ladies. Let's settle down, please.
We got a lot to go over.
First, congratulations.
You are the first members
of the All-American Girls' Baseball League.
(CHEERING)
(WHISTLING)
I'm Charlie Collins.
I'll be managing the Racine team when the season starts.
The other teams will have managers soon.
Now at the end of practice today,
you all have to get fitted for your uniforms.
And this is what they're going to look like.
Pretty darn nifty, if you ask me.
(MEN WHISTLING)
BETTY: You can't slide in that! MAN: I like it!
DORIS: Hey, that's a dress!
MAE: It's half a dress!
Excuse me, that's not a baseball uniform.
Yeah, what do you think we are, ballplayers or ballerinas?
(MEN LAUGHING)
It's awfully short.
Short?
I'm going to have to squat in that thing.
(GIRLS CHATTERING)
BETTY: I can't wear that! My husband will kill me!
Ladies. Excuse me, sir.
Ladies! Excuse me.
If you can't play ball in this, you can't play ball with us.
Right now there are 38 girls getting train tickets home
who will play in a bathing suit if I ask them.
Well, there's no pockets for my cigarettes.
(CHUCKLES)
There is no smoking.
There is also no drinking and no men.
All of your social engagements
will be cleared through your team chaperons.
Plus, each of you will have regular classes at charm and beauty school.
For what?
Every girl in this league is going to be a lady.
And gracefully and grandly.
Gracefully and grandly.
All right, girls. Now go back.
And sip.
(SLURPING)
Down.
Don't slurp.
Sip.
(SLURPING) Down.
Don't slurp.
Sip.
Down.
Don't slurp.
Sip.
Down. Stop that.
Why? They're good.
Posture.
Heads up.
Back straight.
And sit.
Right over left.
Legs always together.
A lady reveals nothing.
(GIGGLING)
Stop.
And...
The hair. Soften and shorten.
The eyebrows. Thin and separate. There should be two.
Mmm-hmm.
Very nice.
Lovely.
ASSISTANT: What do you suggest?
A lot of night games.
WALTER: Come on, I want to show you the grounds.
You know, I always... Jimmy!
Come on. I'm showing you around. Beautiful, huh?
Mmm-hmm. Place used to be a golf course.
Never cared for the game myself,
but I love grass.
But it costs a fortune to keep like this with the mowing and the trimming.
But I grew up in an apartment.
I had one lousy plant in a cheese box.
Now look. I got a park.
These are my in-laws. Hello!
They can't hear nothing.
Hi! Enough socializing.
Jimmy, I'm thinking of giving you another managing job.
Oh, well, Mr. Harvey, I guarantee you
that I'll do a better job than last time.
You kind of let me down on that San Antonio job.
Yeah, yeah. I freely admit, sir,
I had no right to sell off the team's equipment like that.
That won't happen again. Let me be blunt.
Are you still a fall-down drunk?
Well, that is blunt.
(CLEARS THROAT)
No, sir, I've quit drinking.
You've seen the error of your ways.
No, I just can't afford it.
It's funny to you.
Your drinking is funny.
You're a young man, Jimmy.
You still could be playing
if you just would have laid off the booze.
Well, it's not exactly like that.
I hurt my knee.
You fell out of a hotel. That's how you hurt it.
Well, there was a fire.
Which you started which I had to pay for.
Well, now I was going to send a you
a "Thank you" card, Mr. Harvey,
but I wasn't allowed anything sharp to write with.
Look, Jimmy, I want you to manage one of the new girls' baseball teams.
Don't look so stunned.
Face it.
You're still a name.
You step out of the dugout before every game.
You waive your little hat in the air. You give the people a thrill.
Why don't we just get an organ grinder?
I can hop around, do a little dance.
If your knees are up to it, go ahead.
Mr. Harvey,
I hit 487 home runs for your baseball club,
three in the World Series, two in game four alone.
I know that.
That's why I'm giving you this job.
Take it or leave it.
I got to feed the fish.
(VENDOR SHOUTING)
COMMENTATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first game
of the All-American Girls' Baseball League.
The South Bend Blue Sox
against your own Rockford Peaches.
Where is he? It's almost game time.
I can't believe he's gonna be our manager.
You know, I was listening to the radio
when he hit that home run off Hubbell that won the pennant.
Oh, yes. Mmm-hmm.
I'm going to get him to sign my husband's baseball card.
Oh, do you mind... Could I look at that?
All right, but just be careful.
If anything happens to that card,
George will come all the way back from the Pacific and kill me.
(DOOR SLAMS)
Mr. Dugan?
Mr. Dugan, I'm simply...
Hi.
(URINATING)
(GASPS)
Hey, Shirley, get down from there.
(GIRLS CHUCKLING)
(MOANING)
DORIS: Do something, Mae.
Time him, at least.
Give me your watch.
DORIS: Could be a record. Stop that.
(STOPS URINATING)
(CONTINUES URINATING) DORIS: Oh.
(MOANS)
That counts.
How long?
I ain't going to ask you again.
Shut up, Doris.
(STOPS URINATING)
(CONTINUES URINATING)
DORIS: Keep timing.
DORIS: Hey, hey.
Hey, Mae, how long? Doris.
Boy, that was some good peeing.
Hey, coach.
Mr. Dugan, would you sign my husband's baseball card for me?
Hey, great to meet you.
What are we going to do? He didn't give us a lineup.
ELLEN SUE: We can't play without a lineup.
KIT: I'll pitch.
(CHATTERING NERVOUSLY)
I thought I was playing center field.
No, Mae, I would like center field.
Hey! Hey!
You guys, come on.
How hard can it be to make a lineup? Come on.
DORIS: Oh, yeah? Well, why don't you do it, Oregon.
Me? DORIS AND MAE: Yeah, you.
All right. Mae, center field. Lead off.
She's good.
And now, the manager of the Peaches,
former six-time National League home run champ,
Jimmy Dugan!
MAN 1: Yay, Dugan! Dugan!
(APPLAUSE)
WOMAN 1: Hey, Jimmy, look up here!
WOMAN: We love you!
This is bullshit. You can all kiss my ass.
That's right.
Kiss my big, hairy ass.
MAN 2: You're the best, Jimmy!
And the Rockford Peaches.
Doris Murphy takes the field.
MAN 3: Hey! Lift up your skirt!
MAN 4: This should be something.
Ain't too many people here.
You nervous, Doris? Yeah.
I ain't.
(CROWD LAUGHING)
Are they laughing at us?
Yeah, they're laughing at us.
CHILD 1: What makes you think you can play baseball?
They hate us.
Just keep smiling.
MAN 5: Hey, your cookies are burning!
MAN 6: Hey, glamour puss, can you throw the ball?
All right, ladies. Let's play ball.
Good luck.
Let's go.
COMMENTATOR: And now the lineup for Rockford.
Leading off and playing center field,
number 5, Mae Mordabito!
Thank you!
Batting second and playing third base,
number 22, Doris Murphy.
Batting third, the catcher,
number 8, Dottie Hinson.
Batting fourth and playing second base,
number 32, Marla Hooch.
Girls can't play ball!
Batting fifth and playing left field, number 11, Shirley Baker.
CHILD 2: Girls can't play ball.
Playing first base, number 15, Helen Haley.
Better look out. I might break a nail.
Batting seventh, the shortstop, number 1, Ellen Sue Gotlander.
(CROWD LAUGHING)
Batting eighth, in right field, number 17, Evelyn Gardner.
DORIS: Let's nail them, all right?
It slipped.
And batting ninth, the pitcher,
number 23, Kit Keller.
Count's two balls and no strikes
to Rockford's big catcher, Dottie Hinson.
And it's in the dirt, 3 and 0.
Okay, let's see if Jimmy Dugan gives her
the green light on 3 and 0 or gives her the take sign.
Game's tied, 2-2, the bottom of the ninth inning
with two runners in scoring position and only one out.
From the belt, here's the delivery.
(CROWD GASPS)
Oh, baby! She hit the cream cheese out of that one!
(CHEERING)
Jimmy Dugan, that master strategist, had her swinging away.
Boy, he sure knows his baseball.
MAE: Come on, Doris!
Let's go, make me proud!
A three-run clout for Dottie Hinson,
and Rockford wins it, 5-2.
All right, Dottie!
That's the way to play. Did you see that?
Dottie, ladies and gentlemen!
Dottie! I couldn't believe it.
BOY 1: Hey, Jimmy, can I have your autograph?
BOY 2: Jimmy? Please?
Not today, boys.
Come back next game.
Nice piece of coaching, Jimmy.
I especially liked that move in the fifth inning
when you scratched your balls for an hour.
Well, anything worth doing is worth doing right.
Yes, indeed.
Until you did that, I couldn't tell if you were drunk or dead.
It was made very clear to me what I'm supposed to do here.
(GROANS)
I smile,
waive my little hat, and I did that.
So when do I get paid?
You have some pretty good ballplayers here.
If you'd only give them a little bit of your...
Ballplayers?
I haven't got ballplayers. I've got girls!
Girls are what you sleep with after the game,
not what you coach during the game.
If we paid you a little bit more, Jimmy,
could you be just a little more disgusting?
I could certainly use the money.
MAN: (ON TV) On the home front,
they find them everywhere.
North, east, south and west, and even Canada.
Players for the new All-American Girls' Baseball League.
After the first month of league play,
the shine still isn't off these diamond gals.
Alice "Skeeter" Gaspers says, "Legging out a triple
"is no reason to let your nose get shiny."
Betty Grable has nothing on these gals.
Helen Haley has not only been
a member of several championship amateur teams,
she's also an accomplished coffee maker.
(INAUDIBLE)
With her husband in the Pacific,
Betty Horn enjoys cooking spaghetti and knitting.
Her teammates call her Betty Spaghetti.
Ellen Sue Gotlander is a former Miss Georgia.
Yeow!
Then there's pretty Dottie Hinson,
who plays like Gehrig and looks like Garbo.
Uh-uh, fellas. Keep your mitts to yourself.
She's married.
And there's her kid sister, Kit, who's as single as they come.
Enough concentrated oomph
for a whole carload of Hollywood starlets.
And how about Marla Hooch?
What a hitter.
What a league.
But girls playing baseball?
She's out! She's out!
Yeah!
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Game ball!
That's good work.
(GIRLS CHATTERING)
MAN: She can hit that ball.
Enjoy that? Yeah. She's all right.
Good. Come back next game, will you?
MAN: Good hitting. Good hitting.
Oh, Mr. Dugan?
I'm Evelyn Gardner.
(STAMMERING) Yeah, I play right field.
For us.
See,
I just spoke to my husband last night,
and he says that I can't leave our son
with him at home anymore.
See, he says he's too busy reading the want ads
and I should just take him with me
and shut up about it.
So can I?
Take my son with me on road trips?
(SIGHS)
Ballplayers.
Well, he's the sweetest little boy.
Everyone's just gonna love him.
(SCREAMING)
(WOMEN CLAMORING)
(ALL YELLING)
LOU: Somebody get this brat off me!
DORIS: Oh, thank God.
That's it. I quit!
EVELYN: Stilwell, angel, come to Mommy.
(EXCLAIMS)
I told you, you're too young to drive.
Evelyn! Evelyn!
I'm sorry, but I'll have to kill your son.
EVELYN: No, Mae!
Wait. The girls have a game!
You can't leave us.
Please, Mr. Goosatelli.
(STILWELL CRYING) Get over here, Stilwell.
Mae! Mae! EVELYN: Come on, Mae, don't!
Stilwell!
DORIS: Don't use my bat! Use Marla's. It's heavier.
HELEN: Evelyn, why is he so wild?
EVELYN: I don't know.
Stilwell, angel, have another chocolate bar.
(GASPS)
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme!
(STAMMERING) You can't leave us like this!
No, no.
We can't be here.
No! Please!
Ew! No!
Keep him away from me.
He's really a sweetie, Dottie.
Yeah, I hope I have five just like him.
EVELYN: Don't eat the wrapper, honey.
KIT: Dottie.
You going to come with us?
Where are you going?
A roadhouse called the Suds Bucket.
(ALL GIGGLING)
No, no. You know, I'm married.
Come on, Dottie, you ain't on the farm anymore. Live a little bit.
(GIRLS MUTTERING)
Girls, girls, please.
Mr. Goosatelli shan't be returning.
What are you gonna do about Miss Cuthbert?
How are you going to get past her?
Mae's going to poison her dinner.
What?
(ALL LAUGHING)
Mr. Dugan?
Mr. Dugan!
What is it, baby?
(MUFFLED SCREAM)
(GASPING)
(BOTH SCREAMING)
(GIRLS GIGGLING)
Ugh! Ugh!
Oh, God! What the hell is going on?
Why are we stopped?
Lou quit.
Who's Lou?
The driver.
A car could have came by now.
Come on, you girls, get on the bus!
DORIS: What did he say? Was that English?
By the way, I loved you in The Wizard of Oz.
MAE: Who's in my seat?
(GROANING)
In the 43 years I've been practicing medicine,
I never saw a woman throw up that much.
Maybe that's how she entertains herself, Doc.
Oh, there, yes.
There you go. Good.
JIMMY: We're getting kind of top-heavy down there, Ira.
Hurry, come on.
Quiet.
DORIS: Mae, what did you give her?
JIMMY: Oh, what a shame.
Who cares? It's working.
I wouldn't wear those shoes again, Miss Cuthbert.
MAN 1: Hurry up, you sad sack.
MAN 2: Keep your pants on!
MAN 3: Hang on.
(BIG BAND MUSIC PLAYING)
(WHOOPING)
I'm going, baby!
Ooh!
Come on! Way to go, Mae!
Doris!
I'm coming in, Mae.
WOMAN: Hey!
Ooh!
Hi, doll. Hi.
(WHOOPING)
Oh!
(WHOOPING)
Oh, no!
(WHOOPING) DORIS: Right, Mae!
(WHOOPING)
Oh!
Catch me!
Did you see me, Kit?
I flipped him! I flipped him!
SHIRLEY: Oh, Mae.
Doris, look how Mae's behaving.
When did you learn how to do that?
She taught me. You know how I met her?
My father owns a dance hall upstate,
Vinnie's Dance Girls Deluxe.
She was one of the dancers. I was the bouncer.
WOMAN: All right, Mae! Go!
All right.
(WHOOPING)
(LAUGHING)
(MUSIC STOPS)
That was great.
Thanks for the ride, kid.
What's your rush, doll-body?
What do you say we slip in the back seat
and you make a man out of me?
What do you say I smack you around for a while?
Can't we do both?
No, I'm not hot. I'm fine.
You know, in fact, it's really cold.
Hi, Dottie. Where's Kit?
I think she's on the dance floor.
There she is.
I got my truck parked outside.
Kit. Sorry, we go to go.
Come on. Alice, come on.
Guys, we gotta go. We got trouble.
Mae. I knew it.
You killed Miss Cuthbert.
We'll bury her. I know a guy.
(LAUGHING)
No, it's Lowenstein. He's on his way here.
He catches us, we're out of the league, okay?
Let's make like a bread truck and haul buns, ladies.
MAN: See you, Mae.
Wait! Let's duck out the back door.
Is this all of you?
Marla didn't come?
She came.
(WOMAN SINGING)
Yeah? Well, where is she?
There.
* Thinking of you
* Some others I've seen
* Might never be mean
What did you do to her?
Nothing. We just gave her a dress.
And a lot of liquor.
(LAUGHING) We gave her liquor.
All right, you guys go ahead. I'll get Marla.
Wait up.
Dottie, thanks.
* Gave me a thrill
* With all your faults
* I love you still
* It had to be you
* Wonderful you
* It had to be you
(SIGHING)
* It had to be you
Marla.
Marla, honey, we gotta go. Come on.
I'm singing to Nelson, ain't I, baby?
You sure are.
Marla, come on.
No!
I could take her home.
It would be an honor.
Ain't he something?
* Could make me be blue
(THUDDING)
That's the second time he dropped that bible since she's been in there.
(GIGGLING)
MISS CUTHBERT: Come on, girls.
DORIS: Mae, what did you say?
MAE: Everything.
Here's a good job for you, Jimmy.
Managing girl ballplayers.
You just go out there and you wave your little hat around.
Yeah, but don't drink.
Why would I want to drink?
I'm a goddamn Peach.
Double play.
Now I'm hitting like a girl.
But be nice to them. They're good ballplayers.
Catch that, blondie!
(LAUGHING)
COMMENTATOR: Now batting for the Rockford Peaches,
number 5, center fielder, Mae Mordabito.
CATCHER: Come on, no hitter, no hitter.
Here's the pitch.
There's a shot into right-center! It's up the alley.
Go to third!
She's turning around first.
She's digging up the dirt!
Mordabito's heading past second!
Throw to third!
She's headed into third!
Dirt in the skirt, Mae! Dirt in the skirt!
UMPIRE: Safe!
She's in there with a triple!
Time! No!
Boy, did she smack that one right on the kisser.
No wonder they call her "All the Way" Mae.
A triple.
Next batter, number 32, second baseman,
Marla Hooch. Hooch.
DORIS: Evelyn, look at this!
I've got Stilwell's snack on my cleat!
DOTTIE: Marla!
MAN IN CROWD: Easy out, easy out.
DOTTIE: Keep your eye on it, Marla.
Hey, what are you, stupid?
DORIS: Somebody's got to run the team, Jimmy.
You know, someone who actually watches the games.
You're going to squeeze bunt with our best hitter?
What's the sign to swing away?
Hey, blonde girl, what's the sign to swing away?
It's the letters, but the infield's deep. The squeeze will work.
Stop thinking with your tits. We want a big inning here.
Batter!
Time!
Come on.
Hey! Who is the God damn manager here? I am!
Then act like it, you big lush.
(DORIS EXCLAIMING)
DORIS: You tell him, Dottie.
BETTY: It's about time somebody told him.
I'm ready now. Play ball!
Oh, goody.
Show her something different. Put it by her.
Way to go, whatever your name is!
Good bluff!
Well, I still say you're not ballplayers.
SHIRLEY: "Ribbed..."
Bone yard.
A cemetery. Bone yard.
You have to cross your fingers or you'll never get another hit.
MAE: Sound it out.
Kimono.
"Kimono off and
"gr, grab-bed..."
Grabbed.
"Her
"mi, mi, mil, milky,
"wh, white, Milky white..."
Mae, what are you giving her to read?
Oh, what difference does it make? She's reading, okay?
That's the important thing. Go away. Shoo, shoo.
Go ahead, Shirley. You're doing good.
SHIRLEY: Thanks, Mae.
"Milky white
"bre,
"breasts."
It gets really good after that. Look.
Delivery boy walks in.
What you doing?
I'm writing a song.
Really? Yeah.
What's it about?
About us.
Do you think you could teach it to me?
BETTY: Doris, is this your boyfriend?
Yup.
Is this out of focus?
No, that's how he looks.
Well, you know, looks aren't the most important thing.
That's right. The important thing is he's stupid,
he's out of work and he treats me bad.
Then why...
Why? What do you think?
You know, none of the other boys ever...
Always made me feel like I was wrong, you know?
Like I was some sort of a weird girl
or a strange girl or not even a girl just 'cause I could play.
I believed them, too, but not anymore, you know?
I mean, look it. There's a lot of us.
I think we're all all right.
We are.
Give me that.
DORIS: So long, Charlie!
COMMENTATOR: So, with two runs in the sixth, South Bend gets even.
(CRYING)
STILWELL: I've got to go, I've got to go.
Shake it off. Shake it off.
Say, Evelyn, can I ask you a question? You got a moment?
Mmm-hmm.
Which team do you play for?
Well, I'm a Peach.
I was just wondering,
'cause I couldn't figure out why you'd throw home
when we've got a two-run lead!
You let the tying run get on second,
and we lost the lead because of you!
Now you start using your head!
That's that lump that's three feet above your ass!
(WHIMPERING)
Are you crying?
No.
Are you crying? No.
Are you crying?
There's no crying.
There's no crying in baseball.
Why don't you leave her alone, Jimmy.
Oh, you zip it, Doris.
Rogers Hornsby was my manager,
and he called me a talking pile of pig shit.
And that was when my parents drove all the way down from Michigan
to see me play that game!
Did I cry? No, no.
No! And you know why?
No.
Because there's no crying in baseball.
There's no crying in baseball!
No crying.
What's the matter, Jimmy?
She's crying, sir.
I didn't mean to do that.
Perhaps you chastised her too vehemently.
Good rule of thumb,
treat each of these girls as you would treat your mother.
Did anyone ever tell you you look like a penis with that little hat on?
You're out of here!
Right now, Jimmy! I heard that! No, you misunderstood me.
No, I didn't!
You can't throw me out for that!
Five seconds, Jimmy! Off this field!
(INCOHERENT YELLING)
UMPIRE: Get off this field!
JIMMY: I can't believe no one ever called you that before.
That's where you belong.
I'm in charge now...
COMMENTATOR: So, the crowd's a little light today
what with the tractor show in town.
So if you're in the area, and you must be in the area,
because this isn't a very powerful radio station,
come on down to the ball park and bring the kiddies.
People better start showing up.
If we don't have fans, we don't have a league.
Ladies, how are you?
You all look wonderful. Mr. Lowenstein.
Ladies, there's a reporter
and a photographer in the stands from LIFE magazine.
LIFE magazine?
Don't waste your time, Doris.
I get that in Saskatchewan.
Dottie?
I'm trying to get them to do a story about you.
Me? Why me?
Because you're the queen of diamonds.
That's what I'm calling you.
Well, did you tell them anything about me?
I sure did, kid.
I told him how, at first, the scout didn't even want you
but how Dottie wouldn't come without her kid sister.
They really loved it.
A real human interest story.
So, will you just try and give them something spectacular out there?
I don't know... Anything.
Why? What's the matter?
Well, Mae, we're not doing so well.
Harvey and the other owners think they've made a mistake.
They're talking about closing you down.
What are you talking about?
(ALL CLAMORING) Closing what down?
DORIS: Explain yourself.
What kind of a thing is that you're saying?
What does that mean?
Well, they're businessmen.
No profit, no product.
And what am I supposed to do, huh?
Go back to taxi dancing?
Ten cents so some slob can sweat gin all over me?
I'm never doing that again.
So you go back there and tell old rich Mr. Chocolate Man
that he ain't closing me down!
It's all right, Mae. They can't keep us from playing.
(ALL MURMURING IN AGREEMENT) They can't stop us from playing, can they?
I'm sorry. I'm very sorry. I am trying my best.
So will you just... Just give them everything you've got.
DORIS: We always do.
(BAT HITTING BALL)
COMMENTATOR: So, a slick play by Alice Gaspers
and there's two gone here in the third.
That will bring up Dee Lynch.
Lynch is the most consistent Belles hitter this year.
DOTTIE: Okay, burn it in. Settles in.
Pops it up! Foul!
Hinson should have no trouble with this.
She's under it.
UMPIRE: You're out!
Uncle Elmore's socks!
What did she do?
Whoo-hoo!
I can't do that.
Who can?
What is her name?
Her name is Dottie Hinson, D-O-T-T-I-E.
Good play! What the hell was that?
I just thought it might help the league.
Shit! A goddamn circus.
...just a triple, maybe. A double would be nice.
All right.
God knows we have a game.
It's not like any of this helps, believe me.
Safe!
That was really nice.
All right, let's go, girls.
Dozens of people are waiting for the game to start.
(PEOPLE CHEERING)
Put it on the plate. Pitch!
Yeah!
Batter!
What is her name?
Hey, you! Tall girl!
Beverly.
Look sharp, tall...
What is her name again?
DOTTIE: Beverly! Beverly. Good.
Yeah! Five bucks. Five bucks.
(GRUNTS)
What if at a key moment in the game
my uniform bursts open and, oops!
My bosoms come flying out.
Now, that might draw a crowd, right?
You think there are men who ain't seen your bosoms?
Thank you.
Marla, what you got?
What about me, Marla?
I got a letter from Nelson.
Whoo!
COMMENTATOR: Long fly ball,
and Dottie Hinson has brought this nice-sized crowd to its feet with a home run.
BOTH: 22!
Yeah.
We love you, 22.
Come on! Come on! Open your mouth! Evelyn!
The kid ate the lineup.
Right here.
I'm so happy.
Thank you so much.
Thanks.
Thank you.
I love you. I'm so happy.
I'll be back next season.
DORIS: Marla, see you next season.
Goodbye, Marla.
Bye!
Slide! Slide!
Safe!
Thank you.
Let it up. Let it up...
And... Ooh, that was a good one.
COMMENTATOR: It's a high ball to the left.
Get under it!
Betty Spaghetti makes the catch!
Spaghetti makes the throw.
It's going to be close...
And...
Oh!
Aunt Edna's bridgework!
Out! She is out!
Dottie Hinson held on to the ball.
Oh, Doctor!
Hmm?
A lot of ball players use it.
UMPIRE: Out!
COMMENTATOR: Oh! A high foul pop!
Hinson's coming back, coming back...
Uh-oh.
...but she caught it. Unbelievable!
Full house on its feet cheering Dottie Hinson.
(SPITS LOUDLY)
That sounded good. Yeah.
You haven't got a curve ball left.
I don't have a curve ball left?
You haven't had a curve ball since the third inning.
(BAT HITTING BALL)
(PEOPLE CHEERING)
Safe!
COMMENTATOR: She is safe.
Aha!
(MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)
Okay.
He's good-looking.
What does he do when he's not in the army?
He's assistant manager at the dairy.
He'll be manager someday. He's real smart.
So he's good-looking and smart?
There are so few of us.
Where did you say he was again? Italy?
Yeah, I think.
I haven't got a letter from him in three weeks.
I used to get one every week.
Well, that doesn't mean anything.
You know, if he's in combat
it's not like there's a mailbox on every corner.
Oh, I know.
Besides, if something happened, you'd have got a telegram.
Oh, God, those.
Oh, he's fine. No. He's fine.
He's fine.
How come you're not in the army?
I have no cartilage in my knee.
Not that you need cartilage to shoot Nazis.
You need this, right? Trigger finger. I can do that.
Oh, right.
How did I get so useless so fast?
RADIO COMMENTATOR: Here's one that's getting a lot of play.
Hope you enjoy it.
Do boys really like this on your fingers?
It works for me.
Your sister's not going to be mad, is she?
I don't care.
Listen, when...
Bob. Bob comes back,
are you going to keep playing? Oh, no.
You could just quit like that?
Sure.
'Cause you play like you love it.
No, no.
Does he know how good you are?
Bob? No, Hitler. Yes, Bob.
How good am I?
You stink.
You're lousy.
You're only the best player in the league.
You don't know that? No.
You ever been married?
Well... Let me think. Yeah, twice.
Any children?
One of them was, yeah.
Is she out? Yeah.
Well, I think it's time for a drink.
Hang on, hang on, hang on.
Here. These really don't mix.
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)
(EXCLAIMS)
(SIGHS)
DOTTIE: Good, huh?
JIMMY: Yeah, that's great.
(GRUNTS)
UMPIRE: Fair ball!
Aw!
Time!
COMMENTATOR: Rockford manager Jimmy Dugan pops his head out of the dugout
and is on his way to the mound to talk to his hurler.
Kit Keller looks mighty tired.
Game's getting pretty exciting.
I'll finish it right here.
I'll strike this turkey out.
I got Betty Spaghetti all ready to come in.
Come on, Coach.
I've never been taken out before.
Ask Dottie.
I really want to finish this game, Jimmy.
Please?
What do you think?
Well, you know, she's...
She's battling.
What do you think?
She's done. She's throwing grapefruits up there.
Blue!
Oh! It looks like Keller is coming out of the ball game,
and she is not happy about it.
Great job, Kit.
Fans giving a hand for the Rockford ace.
Betty Horn sprints in from the left-field bullpen.
Look at this crowd. This is great.
They're jumping, they're hopping
they're cheering, and they paid to get in.
You did a fabulous job, Ira. I won't forget this.
Thank you, Mr. Harvey.
I appreciate it, coming from you.
But to be perfectly honest
the girls deserve most of the credit.
Oh, they're great.
Fortunately, we won't need them anymore.
Do you want a peanut?
No.
What do you mean?
What do you mean, what do I mean?
We're winning the war. Our situation changed.
I mean, Roosevelt himself said "Men's baseball won't be shut down."
So, we won't need the girls next year.
Bases loaded, bottom of the ninth
Rockford up 6 to 2, two men out.
No balls, two strikes...
(GRUNTS)
Strike three!
And that is the ball game.
Rockford is in the playoffs.
I love these girls. I don't need them, but I love them.
Come on. Let's go.
Aw, look at me. I'm full of peanuts.
I've got peanuts all over myself. Goddamned peanuts...
This is what it's going to be like in the factories too,
I suppose, isn't it?
"The men are back, Rosie. Turn in your rivets."
We told them it was their patriotic duty to get out of the kitchen.
Now we'll send them back to the kitchen.
What should we do?
Send the boys returning from war back to the kitchen?
Come on.
Excuse me. Do you know how dedicated these girls are?
They play with sprained ankles, broken fingers.
They ride a bus all night to play a double-header the next morning.
I'll make it up to them.
What, with Harvey bars?
I'm getting tired of listening to you, Ira.
Mr. Harvey, I'd like your permission to take over the league.
What?
Ira, do you understand? All the owners are getting out.
There's no point to it anymore.
Let them finish the season, and that's it.
I sold your product when there was no product.
This is a product.
There is no room for girls' baseball in this country,
once the war is over.
They're through.
I think you're wrong.
And I'm going to prove it to you, Mr. Harvey.
Hi. My name is Mae and that's more than a name. That's an attitude.
This is my friend, Doris.
Best player on the team.
Thank you, Mae. You're the best.
It was an important game. It put us in the playoffs.
I could've finished.
The way you were pitching, Stilwell could have hit off of you.
What's the matter, Kit? You too big to finish your own games now?
Hey.
Don't start with me, Kit.
Don't you start with me. Don't start.
DOTTIE: Kit, cut it out.
(SCREAMS)
What are you doing?
DORIS: Get off of me now!
Cut it out! What's going on?
Jimmy, stop it.
Doris! Get off of her.
Get your sister off of her.
Stay out of it, Mae. You stay out of it.
Doris!
Let go of my hair, Kit.
Get off of me.
(LAUGHING)
KIT: You just wait, Doris.
Let me go!
You stupid...
Put me down!
Ow!
(SCREAMING)
You stay down there and you cool off.
I don't know what she did it for.
You provoked her.
Why don't you shut up, Helen, all right?
You're just making her more upset, okay?
Really!
I don't need it from Helen too, Mae.
Go take a shower. Leave me alone.
She reminds me of my husband.
DOTTIE: Save some hot water for me, you guys.
You okay?
My rear end hurts where Jimmy dropped me.
You acted like a baby.
You treat me like a baby.
I treated you like a pitcher who'd lost her stuff.
When Betty is in trouble, you're out there every pitch backing her up.
You know, I seem to remember, last week,
somebody throwing a bag in my face
and telling me to get my fat ass back behind the plate.
Was that you or the umpire?
All I know is you could have backed me up today
instead of holding me back.
I hold you back?
It's like at home.
It's like if you're here, then I'm not here.
What does that mean?
I don't know. I don't know what I mean. I know I'm wrong.
I know you're right and I'm wrong.
I know that, I just, you...
I just get so mad.
Why do you got to be so good? Huh?
Hey, Kit?
Kit?
Oh, Dottie, here you are. You weren't on the bus.
Could I speak to you for a minute?
I have to leave.
Oh, don't worry.
The bus wouldn't leave without you. No.
I'm going home. I'm leaving the team.
What? Why?
I have to go home.
Home? You can't go home now.
This couldn't come at a worse time.
We're in a little bit of a crisis,
and I have to try to pull something off
and it's just not a good time to lose our most popular player.
What's the problem?
Maybe I can help. I don't want to talk about it.
It's personal?
It's one of the girls, isn't it?
It's Mae, right?
Shit. That's it.
I've noticed there's some friction there, but that's fine.
That's no problem. Doesn't mean you have to quit the league.
I can arrange a trade, like Racine, Kenosha, South Bend...
Trade me or whatever,
but figure it out by tomorrow or I'm going home.
Tomorrow? Tomorrow?
All right.
I'll work everything out by tomorrow.
You really gave me a scare there.
(CAR HORN HONKING)
Does anybody have any extra hose?
Does anybody have any hose?
Mae, your date's here.
How do I look?
Where did you get that dress? I borrowed it.
It don't fit you, Mae. It's too tight.
I don't plan on wearing it that long.
(GASPS)
DORIS: I don't know why you get dressed at all.
Where's Dottie?
In there.
Do you want to go to the movies?
(GLASS SHATTERING)
You bitch!
What?
I've been traded to Racine.
(GIRLS GASPING)
You? I told him to trade me.
Oh, yeah. They'd really trade you.
Miss Star. Miss Perfect.
You knew exactly what would happen.
I didn't.
HELEN: This'll be better than the movies.
I'll quit, okay? Is that what you want me to do?
Sure. Then everybody will blame me for you quitting.
What do you want me to do? I'll do it.
Stay away from me.
Just leave me alone. That's what I want you to do.
Kit, listen to me. It was all a mistake, okay?
It was a big mistake.
I was getting too good, wasn't I?
You won't listen...
I knew if I did too good, you'd do something to push me down.
Hey, Kit, blow it out your rear end.
I'm so sick of being blamed for everything that's bothering you.
I got you into this league, goddamn it.
(WHISPERING) She got her into the league.
I didn't even want to be here.
Then why are you still here?
(WHISPERING) Kit wants to know why she's still playing.
My train leaves at 8:00. I got 10 minutes to pack.
Well, if you have any trouble, you know who to blame.
KIT: I'll see you in the World Series.
DOTTIE: Yeah, you bet you will.
Don't look at her.
Has anyone seen my new red hat?
Oh, piss on your hat.
Well, that seemed uncalled for.
STILWELL: Mommy.
Oh, God. Just keep it down, okay?
DORIS: Kit's off our team. She is not.
Yes, she is. What, are you deaf?
Kit?
Kit, you need any help in there?
Don't act like this.
You're still in the league.
You're just on another team, that's all.
ELLEN SUE: * Batter up
* Hear that call?
* The time has come for one and all
* To play ball
ALL: * For we're the members
* Of the All-American League
* We come from cities near and far
* We've got Canadians, Irish ones, and Swedes
* We're all for one, we're one for all
* We're All-American
* Each girl stands, her head so proudly high
* Her motto "do or die"
* She's not the one to use or need an alibi
* Our chaperons are not too soft
* They're not too tough
* Our managers are on the ball
* We've got a president
Now, Miss Cuthbert...
Oh!
You gorgeous stack of pancakes, you.
* We're All-American...
Man on the floor. Ah!
Already dressed.
(WOMEN CHEERING)
Get Stilwell away from there.
I don't know what he's doing, but get that kid away from the tape.
Stilwell!
EVELYN: Stilwell, angel, come here now.
All right.
All right, everybody. Let's listen up. Now, listen up.
Something important has just happened.
I was in the toilet reading my contract
and it turns out I get a bonus
when we get to the World Series. So let's play hard.
Let's play smart. Use your heads.
That's that lump three feet above our ass, right, Jimmy?
Some more prominent than others, Doris.
(KNOCKING)
Come in.
Excuse me.
Excuse me!
I've got a telegram for one of you ladies from the War Department.
Let's see... Boy, I hate these.
These are the worst.
The least the army could do is send someone personally
to tell you your husband is dead.
Darn, I had the name right here...
Well, now I got to go back and get this straightened out.
Sorry. Hey.
Why don't you just give me the telegram?
I can't. I don't have a name on the checklist.
Just give me the telegram.
Hey, this is official.
This is from the War Department!
Come on.
That's official business.
I'm coming back.
Miss Cuthbert... Miss Cuthbert?
I'm sorry, Betty.
No, it's George...
All right, okay.
Okay. Okay.
BETTY: (SOBBING) No, no, no!
It's okay.
Jimmy, will you take her? All right.
It's okay. It's okay.
BETTY: George...
It's okay.
George...
No. No...
All right. Come on.
We still got a game to play.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Come in.
Hiya, cutie.
Bob?
How...
How did you...
Oh, Bob. Oh, God.
Bob, what happened?
Oh, I'm fine. What is it?
It was a sniper.
I was lucky, though.
He got seven of us before we got him.
Oh, sweetie.
It's all right.
I made it.
I missed you so much.
I've been discharged.
I didn't think I'd ever see you again.
Shh. It's all over.
I'm here, baby.
Yeah. Okay.
Well, listen.
You have to sit down here for a minute.
I'll clear all this stuff off.
I almost forgot how beautiful you are.
Oh, no. I look terrible.
You look beautiful.
You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
I love you.
Can we just hold each other for the rest of our lives?
That's my plan.
Why am I the only person on this bus?
What are we waiting for?
Are you physically unable to show up on time?
Coming, Jimmy!
If you think you could do without the batting practice, think again.
Not with the way you've been hitting.
Oh, let's not go to the World Series without Stilwell's toys.
Alice, what time is it where you live?
Jimmy, don't yell at me before a game. It's bad luck.
Mr. Dugan? Yeah?
Will you sign my baseball? Sure.
There.
Wow. "Avoid the clap, Jimmy Dugan."
Wow!
That's good advice.
Dottie, write to us. We'll miss you.
We will. Thanks.
Good luck in the World Series.
Bye... Bye, Fern.
Taking a little day trip?
No. Bob and I are driving home.
To Oregon.
You know, I really thought you were a ballplayer.
Well, you were wrong.
Was I?
Yeah.
It is only a game, Jimmy.
It's only a game, and I don't need this.
I have Bob. I don't need this. I don't.
I gave away five years at the end of my career, drinking.
Five years.
And now there isn't anything I wouldn't give to get back one day of it.
Well, we're different.
This is chickenshit, Dottie.
You want to go back home to Oregon and make 100 babies, great.
I'm in no position to tell anyone how to live.
But sneaking out like this... Quitting.
You'll regret it for the rest of your life.
Baseball is what gets inside of you.
It's what lights you up.
You can't deny that.
It just got too hard.
It's supposed to be hard.
If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.
The hard is what makes it great.
Everything all right?
Yeah, fine. Fine.
DOTTIE: Bye, Jimmy.
First game of the first-ever Women's Baseball World Series.
This is history in the making, folks.
History in the making.
Hi. This is for you.
We brought you these, also.
For me?
Thank them.
(PEOPLE CHEERING)
DORIS: Come on, come on!
(PEOPLE CHEERING)
Way to go, way to go.
Yes!
Aw, cut it out! I'm sorry.
UMPIRE: You're out!
Safe!
(CROWD CHEERING)
UMPIRE: Safe!
Get in!
I got two box seats on the third base line.
Anybody want them? I got two box seats.
I'll take one of them.
Ten bucks. That's my daughter in there.
She's the third-baseman. Doris Murphy. Best one they got.
Where you from?
Staten Island. I'm gonna surprise her.
After the game I'm gonna take her out for a steak dinner.
All right, all right, all right!
Time for the song and dance.
What is that smell?
Alice thinks it's bad luck to change her socks.
So we all have to suffer?
Get away!
Outfielders,
I want you to play deep a couple steps.
I don't want to give up anything long.
Alice! If the lead-off hitter gets on, they're going to bunt.
Be ready!
Now, I'd like to...
I'd like to lead you all in a little prayer.
A prayer? Come on.
(GROANING)
How lovely. Is he serious?
Come on, come on!
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost...
Okay, good.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Uh, Lord.
Hallowed be thy name.
May our feet be swift.
May our bats be mighty.
And may our balls be plentiful.
And, Lord, I'd just like to thank you
for that waitress in South Bend.
You know who she is. She kept calling your name.
And, God,
these are good girls, and they work hard.
Just help them see it all the way through.
Okay, that's it. Let's go.
ALL: Amen.
Okay.
WOMEN: Go Peaches!
(WOMEN CHEERING)
DORIS: Last game! Now or never, ladies.
We're gonna win out there.
We gonna win!
Alice, you're killing me. I... I'm...
You're killing me, Alice!
You're goddamned killing me!
* And the rockets' red glare
* The bombs bursting in air
* Gave proof through the night
* That our flag was still there
* O say does that
* Star-spangled banner yet wave
* O'er the land of the free
* And the home of the brave?
COMMENTATOR: This is it, folks.
One game for the whole ball of string.
There is no tomorrow.
Someone will walk out of here today champions of the league,
and someone else will just walk out.
(IN SINGSONG) You're gonna lose.
You're gonna lose...
Stilwell!
Evelyn!
You keep that kid away from me for just one game.
How's it looking, Ellen Sue?
Good, Coach.
You feel real good? You're looking real good. Nice and warm?
Warm. Real good.
Alice, if Ellen Sue doesn't have anything
you don't keep it a secret, you understand me?
You tell me right away.
You understand me? Do you hear me?
Yeah, you're screaming. I hear you.
Where did you come from?
We got as far as Yellowstone Park and turned back.
You have trouble with bears, did you?
I was fine until that scout walked into our barn.
Besides, I'm no quitter.
Wait a minute! Hold it!
Who said you could play?
Alice has been catching for us the last six games.
She looks pretty good.
You don't want me to play?
Well, you're already dressed
and, hell, if you want to play
I don't care.
You can play.
Well, then, I'll play.
Okay.
Good.
Fine. Fine, go play.
Hey, Jimmy?
You look like shit. Don't you ever shave?
STILWELL: (IN SINGSONG) You're gonna lose.
We're going to win. You're gonna lose.
We're going to win!
You're gonna lose.
You stink!
You're gonna lose.
You...
Got him!
Blue, lineup change.
It's okay. He's okay.
Stilwell, you going to stay out here
or are you going to come in the dugout?
Okay, let's go, let's go.
Strike!
You're out!
All right!
Come on! Come on, Evelyn!
Three, blonde girl. Three!
Strike!
You're out!
You're out, Brenda. You are out.
Go, go, go!
That's it! That's it!
Yes!
Good, Mae. Good catch. Thank goodness.
All right! Two down, two down!
(PLAYER CHATTERING)
COMMENTATOR: Base hit! Right field.
Gardner's up with it.
(SCREAMING)
Whoa! Gardner's throw is way off line.
Evelyn! What are you...
Go, go, go!
All the way!
I'm sorry! Shoot!
Wallace scampers home and the Belles take the lead
one to nothing.
They're dancing in the aisles here in Racine.
Yeah!
BOTH: Whoo, whoo!
Go Peaches! Go Peaches!
Evelyn!
I know... I know it was...
You're still missing the cut-off man.
Now, that's something I would like you to work on
before next season.
Okay.
All right. Thanks.
Thank you, Mr. Dugan. Thanks.
All right, let's get this one.
All right, come on.
We need some runs out there.
Come on, we need some runs. Make something happen, Mae.
CROWD: All the way, Mae.
DORIS: They love her.
JIMMY: Come on, now. Let's go, let's go.
Oh, very cute. Thanks.
DORIS: Move them in, Mae.
Safe!
She's safe.
Way to play.
Way to make something happen.
Come on. Come on, Doris!
Safe!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Come on, Kit!
Get a hit. I'll baby-sit the little porker.
Come on.
You're out!
Bring me home, Helen. Bring me home.
Yes.
COMMENTATOR: The Peaches are down to their final out
but with tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position
and big Dottie Hinson striding to the plate.
Okay! Let's get out of this inning. Come on.
Let's go...
Blow smoke, Kit. Blow smoke.
COMMENTATOR: Here's the pitch.
Oh! Bite me on the butt and call me an apple.
She nearly took her head off.
Lay it in! Mordabito scores.
Come on! Come on!
Murphy, she will score.
Hey, throw it.
Rockford has taken the lead 2 to 1.
(ANNOUNCER EXCLAIMING)
That's my wife.
BELLES PLAYER: Okay, Kit. It's okay.
It's not going to hurt.
One more.
Keep it going.
Put it past the little queen.
Put it past her. Right past her.
Swings! There's a fly ball to left field.
Goldie on her horse.
She'll have to go for this one.
The final out to retire the side
but the damage has been done.
Right here in Racine, Rockford leads our Belles 2 to 1
as we go to the bottom of the ninth.
Come on, it's okay. You've got to bat now. Relax.
Kit, one run and we are back in this ball game.
Shake it off. You got to hit.
It's okay, Kit.
CHARLIE: Okay, come on now.
Make them pitch to you. Let's go. Get in there.
All right, come on. Strike her out!
Come on, get at them.
Come on!
COMMENTATOR: She swings at the first pitch.
She belts it to deep center.
Mordabito goes back to the wall... And makes the catch.
(EXCLAIMS)
Beautiful catch.
Beautiful, eh?
COMMENTATOR: Gotlander's pitch, and it is...
...in the dirt. Ball one.
DORIS: Ellen Sue. Ellen Sue.
That looked good to me. That looked good to me.
Shake that one off, now. Shake that one off.
That ain't nothing.
COMMENTATOR: Gotlander. She delivers and...
Hindberg swings!
And it's a ground ball between first and second.
Hindberg, aboard at first with a base hit.
That's all right. One down.
We got one down. Let's go.
Foul ball! Hinson on her horse.
She's chasing after it.
That's it! That's it! That's it!
She got it! She got it!
Well, there's no question who the star of this game has been.
Dottie Hinson has her team one out from the title.
There you go, Dot, there you go.
CHARLIE: Come on, Kit. Now you're up.
You're the hitter now. Let's go.
You can do it! You can do it! Bring her home.
Hey, Kit! Come on. Get a hit! Come on.
The last batter standing in Rockford's way is Kit Keller.
Kit is one for three today.
Hey, Kit!
Can I have timeout? Time!
High fastballs.
She can't hit them, and she can't lay off of them.
All right.
If we just hold them now, we got it.
Come on! Come on, Ellen Sue.
One, two, three! One, two, three!
Play ball!
Strike! Swing and a miss. Strike one.
Oh, yes. Yes! Thank you, God.
Lay off the high ones.
Here's the pitch.
Swing and a miss. Strike two.
Ellen Sue! One more!
Here's the pitch.
Keller swings, and it's a long fly ball.
Back, back, back...
It falls in there.
No one will get to this ball.
This should tie it up.
Hendricks is rounding third.
She will score.
Keller is heading for third.
Gardner hits the relay man with a frozen rope.
The coach is giving Keller the stop sign...
BELLES PLAYER: Hold up! Hold up!
But, no, she is not stopping!
Keller is running through the stop sign at third.
She ran right through the sign.
Here comes the throw.
It should be in time, and...
Safe!
(CROWD ROARING)
Safe! She is safe!
I can't believe it!
Hinson dropped the ball!
The ball game is over.
Racine has won the game, 3 to 2, and the World Series.
Take me home, mama, and put me to bed!
I have seen enough to know I have seen too much.
(CROWD CHEERING)
CROWD: (CHANTING) Kit! Kit! Kit!
Kit! Kit! Kit!
Come on. You played a good game.
Thank you! Thank you!
Well, Walter, what do you say?
All right, Ira.
We'll stick with it.
My mother always used to say...
Shut up, Helen. "If at first you don't succeed..."
That's easy for you to say.
You don't have to spend the next six months in Saskatchewan.
Alice, you told me it's lovely.
ALICE: Yeah, if you like ice.
Mae, I always wait for you.
You know, I thought we were gonna win, I swear I did.
Well, we didn't.
Right up to that last inning we had it.
I'm so depressed I could eat a cow.
Hey, Dottie. It's all right, you know?
You did good.
Get dressed. See you on the bus.
Thanks, Mae.
Here. Thanks.
You want to be a ballplayer when you get big?
Yeah.
What's your name? Angelina.
KIT: Angelina?
KIT: Here you go.
You got to practice really hard.
What's your name?
How much are these? Oh, help yourself.
Thank you.
KIT: You all like hitting better?
What's your name? Mary.
Mary?
Who were you rooting for? CHILDREN: Racine!
That's what I thought you said.
Here. Okay, you guys be good.
Get dirty.
CHILDREN: Bye, Kit! Bye!
Oh...
Dottie?
Look...
I'm sorry I knocked you over.
No, you're not.
You were blocking the entire plate. How do you expect me...
Look, that's the way the game is played. You did what you had to do.
You just beat me. You wanted it more than me.
I think I jammed my shoulder if it makes you feel any better.
A little.
I'm going back to the hotel and then Bob and I are driving back to Oregon.
You're welcome to come with us.
No. You two should be alone.
I'd just be in the way.
When do you think you'll be coming home?
Some of the girls have been talking about staying here
and getting jobs.
I really like it here.
Christmas?
Um...
(STUTTERS) I don't know...
But you're coming back next year, right?
No. I want to have kids.
We want to have kids.
Dottie, you got plenty of time to have kids.
You couldn't give this up. You'd miss this too much.
Miss it?
Miss putting on all this gear?
Catching a double-header in 100 degree heat?
Pushing the bus through the mud?
Getting slammed into every other day by a base runner?
You think I'll miss that?
Yeah.
I'll tell you what I'll miss. What?
I'll miss the girls.
I'll miss you, Kit.
Me?
Yeah. How many sisters do you think I have?
I love you, Kit.
Really? Yeah.
Just when I want you to stay, you're leaving.
Well, thank you for getting me into the league, Dottie.
You got yourself in the league.
I got you on the train.
Play great.
Like you.
Stay in touch, you hear?
Come home every once in a while.
If you don't I'll come back here
and hit line drives at your head, okay?
Go on.
I love you.
And you are going to miss this.
I don't care what you say.
Yeah.
JIMMY: There's the winner.
Good game, Jimmy. Good game didn't make it.
Jimmy Dugan.
Hi. I'm a big fan of yours.
I'm Dottie's husband.
Oh. Hey, hey. Well, then I'm a big fan of yours.
Hi. Yeah.
Well, I...
Old man Harvey just offered me a job
managing next year in Wichita.
Wow. Triple-A? That's great. Good luck.
I turned him down.
Why?
What do you mean, why?
I already got a job.
Well, I'll see you.
All right. Okay.
Miss Cuthbert! Save me my special seat now, cutie.
Meet you at the hotel.
(PLAYERS CHATTERING)
Did you see Mae's catch, dad?
I'd rather see you playing ball
than that other stuff you used to do.
Why did you say that?
You'll make her feel bad.
All right, steak dinner on you. I'll see you later.
BELLES PLAYER: Kit, over here. Come on, let's go.
Kit, come on, let's get going!
Bye!
Good-bye, sweetie!
That was Bob, huh?
Yeah. Nice guy.
Yeah.
Well...
Hey, Kit!
Lay off of those high ones.
I like the high ones.
Mule!
Nag!
(ENGINE STARTING)
* We're the members of the All-American League
* We come from cities
* Near and far
* We've got Canadians, Irish ones, and Swedes
* We're all for one, we're one for all
* We're All-American
(LADIES CHATTERING)
DORIS: Hey, Mae. MAE: What?
Come here.
What do you want? Will you come here?
Come here, come here.
What is it? Look at her.
Hey...
Dottie?
It's Dottie.
Hey, Doris.
Dottie!
Mae? "All the way" Mae?
No one's called me that since... Last night.
Come on, I'm married now.
Yeah, about eight times.
MAE: Hey, girls, look who's here!
Shirley? Oh, Shirley!
Dottie!
Helen Haley, oh...
It's Dr. Haley now. I'm a doctor.
I always knew you would be.
Who's that? That's Dottie Hinson.
Betty Spaghetti?
Best darn ballplayer in the league.
I don't remember her. That's 'cause she only played one year.
Oh, Ellen Sue! Oh!
Hi!
You haven't changed one bit.
Dottie, I married a plastic surgeon.
Dottie, having you here is good luck.
Thanks, Alice.
Dottie?
Hmm?
Marla.
Oh, Marla! Dottie!
I'm so glad you're here.
How is...
Nelson? He's good.
He's retired.
Our son runs the business.
Oh.
How's Bob?
Oh, he... He's...
When?
Just this winter.
I'm sorry.
Oh, Shirley, I'm so excited.
I've got butterflies in my stomach.
Hey, look, they've got the "Women in Baseball" thing up there.
Isn't it neat?
Baseball Hall of Fame.
I'm shaking.
Wait a minute here.
Dottie, guess who that is.
Who?
Hi, Dottie.
You remember?
* You're gonna lose
(GASPS)
Stilwell, angel.
My goodness.
Where's your mom?
Mom died.
Couple years ago.
Oh, I'm sorry.
She was a real nice lady
and a damn fine ballplayer.
Yeah.
When I heard about this, I...
Just felt like I owed it to her to be here.
She always said it was the best time she ever had in her whole life.
WOMAN: Stilwell?
Come here.
You recognize yourself?
(LAUGHING)
Can I get one of those? Sure. Of course.
Ladies...
Ladies!
It's a pleasure to welcome you here today.
It's taken many years
but you are the first women ever to be inducted
into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
And now...
WOMAN: Wait!
Wait a minute.
This really isn't right.
Mr. Lowenstein, since you kept the league going
all those years... Well...
You do it.
There you go, Ira. Thank you, Bob.
Ladies...
It's my honor.
Mr. Capadino, look!
That's when you changed my life, honey.
Oh, that's great.
WOMAN: Stilwell, angel, smile.
* Batter up
* Hear that call
* The time has come
* For one and all
ALL: * To play ball
* We're the members of the All-American League
* We come from cities near and far
* We've got Canadians
* Irish ones, and Swedes
* We're all for one, we're one for all
* We're All-American
Gookie...
* Each girl stands... Is that you, grandma?
* Her head so proudly high
* Her motto "do or die"
* She's not the one
* To use or need an alibi
Oh, Kit! Oh...
I'm so glad you came.
Hi, Aunt Dottie.
KIT: Little Dottie, take a picture.
Let's take a picture of the whole team, the original Peaches!
Come on, get in.
Okay.
(THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND PLAYING)
* This used to be my playground
* This used to be my childhood dream
* This used to be the place I ran to
* Whenever I was in need
* Of a friend
* Why did it have to end?
* And why do they always say
* "Don't look back"?
* Keep your head held high
* Don't ask them why
* Because life is short
* And before you know, you're feeling old
* And your heart is breaking
* Don't hold onto the past
* Well, that's too much to ask
* This used to be my playground
* Used to be
* This used to be my childhood dream
* This used to be the place I ran to
* Whenever I was in need
* Of a friend
* Why did it have to end?
* And why do they always say
* "Live and learn"?
* Well, the years, they flew
* And we never knew
* We were foolish then
* We were never tired
* And that little old fire
* Is still alive in me
* It will never go away
* Can't say goodbye to yesterday
* Can't say goodbye
* This used to be my playground
* Used to be
* This used to be my childhood dream
* This used to be the place I ran to
* Whenever I was in need
* Of a friend
* Why did it have to end?
* And why do they always say
* "No regrets"?
* But I wish that you were here with me
* Well, then, there's hope yet
* I can see your face in our secret place
* You're not just a memory
* Say goodbye to yesterday
That ball was clear inside.
It was clear inside three times...
It's my opinion it was...
Three times...
Listen, yesterday that might have been a ball
tomorrow it might be a ball
but today it was a strike!
* This used to be our playground
* Used to be
* This used to be our pride and joy
* This used to be the place we ran to
* That no one in the world could dare destroy
* This used to be our playground
* Used to be
* This used to be our childhood dream
* This used to be the place we ran to
* I wish you were standing here with me
* This used to be our playground
* Used to be
* This used to be our great escape
* This used to be the place we ran to
* This used to be our secret hiding place
* This used to be our playground
* Used to be
* This used to be our childhood dream
* This used to be the place we ran to
* The best things in life are always
* Free
* Wishing you were here
* With me