I adore A League of Their Own. To my mind, it is one of Tom Hanks' best performances ever. Without question it is Geena Davis' best performance. Madonna's, Rosie O'Donnell's, John Lovitz'...well, you get the picture. I love baseball to begin with. And I love a baseball movie that gets it right. What Tom Hanks retrospective would be complete without this scene?
The relationship that develops between JImmy and his star player Dottie Hinson (Davis) works on every level. As their friendship develops, and they become close, they also earn each other's respect. You could see them getting down and dirty together... they never do, and they never come close. But the chemistry is there. Respect. It's a powerful thing the way Hanks' character, Jimmy, comes to see Dottie, as a true ballplayer. He get's it that she loves the game as much as he does. That is a rare thing in films. Jimmy doesn't distinguish her as a female ballplayer...just a ballplayer. Dottie is as tough as nails and never, ever makes an error. She's the catcher who holds on to the ball regardless of the charge she takes from a runner. She even chews tobacco with Jimmy.
Likewise, the relationships between the women on the team are also finely layered and believable. Each character is represented as a living breathing person, all with their own reasons for being there. But with all of them, the buck stops at Baseball. The love of the game. The only person playing on the team that seems to be there for other reasons, is Kit.
But, someone has the bright idea that this whole movie is really about the sister sister relationship, and that at the bottom of it all, Dottie is willing to throw the game so her sister can be the hero. Oh yes...you heard that right...so that whiney ass, big baby, shut the fuck up Kit can be the hero.
Hanks plays Jimmy Dugan...ex-baseball hero, and now reluctant coach of the Rockford Peaches. The Peaches are part of the newly formed Girls Professional Baseball League.
The relationship that develops between JImmy and his star player Dottie Hinson (Davis) works on every level. As their friendship develops, and they become close, they also earn each other's respect. You could see them getting down and dirty together... they never do, and they never come close. But the chemistry is there. Respect. It's a powerful thing the way Hanks' character, Jimmy, comes to see Dottie, as a true ballplayer. He get's it that she loves the game as much as he does. That is a rare thing in films. Jimmy doesn't distinguish her as a female ballplayer...just a ballplayer. Dottie is as tough as nails and never, ever makes an error. She's the catcher who holds on to the ball regardless of the charge she takes from a runner. She even chews tobacco with Jimmy.
Likewise, the relationships between the women on the team are also finely layered and believable. Each character is represented as a living breathing person, all with their own reasons for being there. But with all of them, the buck stops at Baseball. The love of the game. The only person playing on the team that seems to be there for other reasons, is Kit.
Kit is Dottie's little sister. She has apparently lived in Dottie's shadow her whole life becasue A. she is younger B. she is smaller and C. she just isn't as good an athlete as Dottie. Kit whines and mopes about how unfair this is through the entire film. Maybe, if Kit would shut up long enough, she would realize that she isn't as good as Dottie because the game has become a competition with her sister, instead of with herself.
When Kit is traded from Rockford to another team, Racine, she blames Dottie. Kit blames Dottie when she pulls her out of a game, even though Kit is walking player after player, and causing the Peaches to lose the game. Kit is a spoiled brat. After she yells at Dottie and blames her for all her problems, Dottie decides to leave the team. This is when Jimmy tells her, she loves it too much. She'll miss it. "It just got too hard." She tells him. "It's supposed to be hard." he replies. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." I have quoted this to my kids on many occasions. The hard is what makes it great. That could apply to anything in life worth doing. Dottie leaves and heads home to Oregon with her husband.
So now, Kit is playing with the Racine Belles, and Dottie has left Rockford. Rockford and Racine end up in the world series. Our Rockford team, that we have all grown to love, fights their way to a tied series. But, their catcher is worn out and battered. In walks Dottie, to finish the series out with her team. "We're gonna win!" Jimmy says. And I, as audience, am relieved too. They're gonna win.
But, someone has the bright idea that this whole movie is really about the sister sister relationship, and that at the bottom of it all, Dottie is willing to throw the game so her sister can be the hero. Oh yes...you heard that right...so that whiney ass, big baby, shut the fuck up Kit can be the hero.
If Kit had one iota of humility, or graciousness toward Dottie, I might have been okay with this choice. With Racine two runs down, Kit comes up to bat. This is it. The last out. All they have to do is finish off this last batter. Well, Kit hits the ball deep to center field. The tying run comes in, and the third base coach tells Kit to stop at third, but, as usual, she does what she wants to do, rounding third and coming home. The cut off man throws to Dottie, the catcher. Dottie catches the ball, braces herself and Kit charges into her at homeplate. And guess what? Dottie drops the ball, and Racine wins. What?! Racine wins.
Now, I don't always have to see my team win...but, in this case...my team should have won. I grew to love those women, and the mere fact that Dottie let her whole team down because of Kit, who needs to get a good spanking...well, that's just one ending that needs to be rewritten. But, until it is...I will continue to turn the movie off before it ends. I will simply live in denial.
Dottie never dropped that ball. And Kit finally learns to love the game, and continues to play eventually earning her glory. Dottie, goes home to her husband and never plays again, but still has her year of playing ball, and winning the world series for the Rockford Peaches. The end.
