You Gotta Believe (2024) Movie Script

1
Come on, Walker!
Let's go, buddy!
Nice one, Jack.
Oh!
Aw, man, the popcorn.
Really poppin' throw, bro.
Dude, I know!
Is that a forced error?
His old man forced him
to play ball.
Just mark it down
as an error, Patton.
Hey, Jon,
can we at least finish up
the season
with a shred of dignity?
-That is, if you're
not too busy. -Sorry,
I gotta finish all this up
by Monday.
Besides, I'd say we're looking
pretty good and
whupped here, right?
What are you talking about?
-We still got a chance.
-Really?
Look at the score.
-I'm just being realistic.
-Come on!
You don't understand
numbers, Bobby.
Hey, you know I'm dyslexic.
That's true.
I mean, it's statistically
impossible to win this game,
especially with this lineup.
Peter!
No sleeping in the dugout.
Gotta stay awake, Pete.
Hey, what do you want me to do?
Conjure up miracles out here?
Remember what you said to me
at the beginning of the season?
That I was Yogi Berra
to your Sparky Anderson.
No, I don't.
You ever feel
like you're in prison?
Ump, time!
Time? They don't
even have signals.
And they're having
a meeting on the mound.
Why're you calling time-out,
Scooter? It's nine to nothing.
Because, you're not throwing
the pitches I'm calling.
We don't have pitches.
I'm trying to get it
across the dang plate.
Listen, just nick that batter
where it counts, all right?
We'll get out the inning
on a run limit,
and if he charges the mound,
I'll take him out like
a black cur on a wild pig.
Real smart, Mitchell.
How'd that work out for you
last time?
Well, coming from someone
who's scared of the dang ball,
I don't think I have to answer
that condescending question.
Now, I want you to throw one
right at his nugget.
No, dude, you'll be
thrown out of the game.
That might be a good thing.
Then you can go sit
with Caroline.
I swear, Mark,
I'll cram a french fry
in your earhole if you even try.
How you two came
from the same parents
should be on Unsolved Mysteries.
-Focus, guys.
-Hey!
This ain't helping.
Get back out in the field.
Wrap it up, guys.
Yeah, that's enough
with the... come on!
Your pitcher throws like
a string bean flicking a booger.
-Play ball!
-Come on, Walker!
Come on, Walker!
-Oh...
-You, you're gone!
-It was an accident.
-That's the inning.
-That was your third and final
warning. -What happened?
He said Walker beaned the guy.
Aren't you gonna say something
to the ump, Dad?
I didn't mean it!
All right, well, I didn't...
I don't know. G-Go sit
over there with your mom.
-We'll get you a snack soon.
-All right, guys.
Patton, you're up.
Mark, you're on deck.
-I think it's the other way.
-Mark's up. I'm on deck.
That's what I said, son.
Let's go.
That's what he said.
Come on, guys.
-Strike!
-Good eye, Mark. Good eye.
What's he doing?
What's he looking at?
-Caroline.
-Who's Carol Anne?
-Scooter's sister.
-Scooter's sister?
She helping him
with his batting?
-Dang it!
-Strike two!
He didn't even swing at it.
-What's he looking at?
-I think Caroline.
Oh.
Look at the pitcher.
Strike three! You're out!
It's all right, Mark.
Talk to her after the game,
meet up at the mall
or at the hamburger stand,
whatever.
Don't do it in the middle of the
game, doesn't make any sense.
Okay, Patton. Come on, big dog.
You got it.
You're out!
Mm. I like that bunt, though.
-Lousy bunt.
-Hey. Shh.
Come on, Chris.
Let's go! Let's go!
There you go!
Ha-ha!
You can bring him home.
Just get in there,
wait for your pitch, all right?
You got it.
-Come on, Robert! Get a hit!
-Go, Robert!
I've been holding
this rabbit's foot all season.
I'm starting to
lose confidence in it.
It's okay.
Look, he's gonna
get a hit right now.
Come on, Robert.
You got two more.
You got this.
Ah!
Man, is he slow.
Good game!
Stupid foot.
Next time,
you might want to take
the concrete out of this cleats
before the game, Mom.
-Hey.
-It's okay, guys.
Next time.
All right, boys.
Good game, good game.
It's all right, baby!
Let's go, baby! Let's go!
Tough season.
Sorry I wasn't around more,
especially considering
I talked you into it.
Next season'll be different.
All right?
-Deal. We'll get 'em next year.
-That's the fun.
Need a ride home, Rivera?
I don't think my barrio
is on your way home.
I don't mind for my star player.
Star player?
You got plenty of good players,
you just don't know
how to coach 'em, Coach.
Coach. Hey.
-You got a sec?
-Klifford Young.
I already paid
all my Little League dues
including those late fees
you tacked on.
Last game of the season.
What could you possibly need
from me now?
-I got a proposition for you.
-Uh-huh.
How about you manage
the All-Stars,
and make a run in the
Little League World Series?
Yeah, you can even
take your own team.
Okay? I talked to the board.
It's your decision, being
it's so last-minute and all.
Come on, what do you say?
I would say that would defy
all reasonable logic
to the game.
You have a good afternoon.
No, I'm serious, Jon.
Kliff, what's wrong with you?
You get hit by
a foul ball today?
I manage the worst team
in the league.
I can't mess around with this.
I got work up to my eyeballs.
I got mouths to feed.
Yeah, sure,
there's better teams, but--
hey, not better managers, huh?
I'm a lawyer by trade, Kliff.
So I deal with professional
liars day in and day out.
With all due respect,
you're not one of them.
Look, nobody wants to play
against select ball clubs.
To keep our sponsors,
I got to send a team
to the tournament.
Come on. I'm desperate, Jon.
Hey, just call it
a glorified practice.
Boys could use it.
I appreciate the offer.
I do.
My boys have
lost enough for one season.
What did Kliff want?
He's trying to sell me
some fancy socks
at the end of a losing season.
What kind of a dang fool
does he take me for?
All right. Well,
I don't know about you two,
but I'm hungry.
-Mm-hmm.
-Walker, you want enchiladas?
-Whatever.
-Love it. Let's do it.
How's he doing, Peanut?
Robert! You getting hot yet?
I just don't like that
he's walking over the bridge
-by himself.
-No, he'll be fine.
He's got that
whole sidewalk over there.
Downtown looks nice.
Mom, did you see
the size of that longhorn turd?
-It was enormous.
-Come on, Peanut.
Let's go, Robert.
Let's get home, I'm starving.
Chill out, Peanut!
-What's this?
-Is that Robert?
What is he doing?
Little late
for batting practice.
Needs to work on his running.
It'd take a big ol' rocket
to get that boy to first base.
Keep it up, Rocket!
Peanut has a whole outfit
for the barbecue.
Got an outfit?
What, like some special trunks?
A Hawaiian robe and sunglasses.
A Hawaiian robe?
-You know, he wanted it.
-Seriously?
Hey, don't be too hard on him.
He asked for my help,
and I'm proud
that he wants to get better.
I mean, most kids, they just
want to play video games
and pout after
a whupping like that.
Have I told you how pretty
you look today?
-No, you haven't.
-It's crazy.
Patti Jean, you are the
prettiest woman in all of Texas.
You know that?
Ugh. I'm going to be
scarred for life.
You know,
you got an uncanny ability
to be in the wrong place
and say the wrong thing.
That's what I do, Dad.
You know why I had you do that?
'Cause his batting ain't
worth one of them
crusty longhorn turds?
-Watch your mouth, Peanut.
-He's not wrong.
I really do suck.
You don't suck, Robert.
Stand up.
Let me see your swing.
I'll say it until
I'm blue in the face.
You got to step into the pitch.
Understand? You step into it
and then drive through the ball.
I'm going to give you
a real pitch here. You ready?
Strike one!
Why you think you missed that?
Because I took
my eye off the ball?
Yeah, son, you got
to keep your eyes open.
I mean, a game, it can change
with just one hit.
You understand that?
I just...
I see you and I get nervous,
and every time you come back,
you just expect me
to be some great player,
and I'm just not.
Listen to me.
As long as you give it
everything you got,
there's nothing
that either one of you
could ever do
that'd disappoint me.
All right? You understand that?
All right.
And remember, boys.
Never half-ass anything in life,
because that's bullshit.
Sorry about the language.
Man, I'm hot.
Real pitch.
Coming up.
You ready?
Whoa!
Dad, Dad, Dad!
Go get Mom, go get Mom!
Mom, Mom, help!
Bobby!
Bobby? Bobby!
Bobby!
So, I think I was
just kind of overheated,
and I was also dehydrated,
and I hadn't eaten.
Your episode was caused
by a cutoff of blood flow
to your brain.
That doesn't sound good.
No, it isn't.
Robert.
I'm afraid that you've got
an advanced form of melanoma,
which is causing this tumor
to form here
on the back of your brain.
Are you talking about cancer?
Yeah.
Well, that doesn't
make any sense.
Bobby's healthy.
H-How could it just
come out of nowhere?
All right,
when you say advanced,
I mean, how far along
are we talking? I mean--
Could be a few months,
maybe more.
Depends how hard
you choose to fight.
I'll be right outside.
Why is this happening to me?
I don't know.
What am I gonna tell the boys?
Huh?
Hey, look at me.
You're going to tell them
that you're going to beat this.
Because you are.
It's that simple.
Hey, boys.
Robert, climb on down.
Peanut, have a seat.
Now, you boys know how much
I love you both, right?
Yeah.
Good.
Um...
I'm sick.
You got the flu?
I have a type of cancer.
Are you gonna die?
No, I'm not gonna die.
But, my body's gonna
go through some changes.
Like puberty?
I've heard all about it,
and I'm definitely not
looking forward to it.
No, it's not
like puberty, Peanut.
The cancer's hurting my body.
And it's making me weak.
You know, I won't be able
to do a lot of the things
that I was able to do before.
So you aren't gonna
be able to coach us?
I just don't know.
But I'll be able to
watch you play.
And there's nothing
in the entire world
that makes me feel better
than watching you all play ball.
Well, that makes one of us.
Now, look.
I'm gonna need your help.
-We got to be a real team
here, okay? -Okay.
Mm-hmm.
-Can I count on you?
Yes, sir.
Good.
-Will you give me a hug?
-Yeah.
-We love you.
-Love you, guys.
It's gonna be okay.
-Okay?
-Okay.
Bet that tea ain't as sweet
as you, Caroline.
You are not old enough
to talk like that.
You're only 12.
You're too young
to be this uptight.
See, the thing about the Yankees
is they've won 26 titles.
1923, 1927, '28, '32, '36,
'37, '38, '39, '41,
'43, '47, '49,
'50, '51, '52,
'53, '56, '58, '61, '62, '77,
'78, '96, '98, '99 and 2000.
That's a hell of a run, guys.
And he says
I'm not good with numbers!
All right, then who's the
greatest player ever, Coach?
Mm, Jose Canseco.
Jose is one of the best today,
that's for sure.
But the greatest of all time?
Satchel Paige.
-I mean,
he played for over five decades.
He could pitch, hit,
play infield, outfield,
didn't matter.
Also, Satchel had one of
my favorite quotes of all time.
He said, "There's no man
"can avoid being born average,
but no man's got to be common."
I relate to that.
Because there ain't nothing
-common about me.
-That's right.
You're the only first baseman
scared of a baseball.
Fear can be good
if you use it
to change and get better.
I mean, you can all
lead amazing, uncommon lives
if you just make that choice--
Well, what I do know is,
life's short
and the time,
it's always now.
Catch up with you guys later.
Looking good.
I like that Hawaiian shirt.
Hit it, Peanut!
Peanut!
Hi there.
What are you, daydreaming about
-fly fishing in Patagonia?
-Uh, no.
I'm about as far away from those
gin-clear streams
as man could be.
We had a lot of pressure
back then, right?
Yep.
How many trout
we were going to catch,
getting our motorcycles
back to Tierra del Fuego,
-remember that?
-Uh-huh.
Now all I do is worry
about billable hours, Bobby.
So I can buy Walker's latest
PlayStation 2 obsession.
Really, are you going to,
um, let me in on your secret?
My secret?
-Bobby.
-Yeah?
How do you keep these guys
in line?
I swear I can't do it.
They won't listen to me.
You want the harsh truth
or you want the
blowin' sunshine answer?
I'll take the blowin'
sunshine answer.
I got Kathy for the other.
They need their confidence
built up, Jon.
You got to lead by example.
You're not even there
when you're there.
You're sitting in the dugout.
You got your nose buried
in legal documents and
that ain't very inspirational
for a ballplayer.
Hey, you asked, man.
I like a little water
with my whiskey, Coach.
And the harsh truth is, well,
I'm just a much more
dynamic individual
than you are.
Babies love me,
little old ladies, puppies.
Yeah.
I don't know what happened,
honestly.
The older I get,
the more disconnected I feel.
I don't even enjoy
the fun stuff anymore.
Like baseball.
Which is why I want you
to take over
managing the team next year.
You're an absolute natural,
Bobby.
I need you to do
a favor for me, Jon.
Yes, sir.
I need you to
draw up a will for me.
You're turning 50.
I think you're
overreacting a bit.
I wish I was.
Look at that.
Even in paradise,
couldn't relax.
Well, it's never
too late to change.
Contrary to the old dog
theory, right?
Did I do enough, Kathy?
I think everyone
had a good time.
No, I don't mean in the
barbecue, I just mean in life.
You know, if I died tomorrow,
would people say
Jon Kelly, corporate attorney,
followed rules well?
I wanted to be
a defense attorney.
Can't even win a baseball game.
Sweetheart, you'll be remembered
for being a loving husband
and father.
-Yeah?
-And a man of integrity.
Where is all this coming from?
Bobby's dying.
He's got cancer.
Oh, my God.
Poor Patti and the boys.
Made me promise
to keep coaching,
said that his greatest joy is
watching Robert play baseball.
Oh, my God, there's got to be
something else I can do for him.
There is something
you can do for him.
Take Kliff up on his offer.
You heard my conversation
with Kliff?
I'm your wife, Jon.
-I hear everything.
-Well, that's eavesdropping.
You got to be willing to do
whatever it takes
to coach those boys.
For you. And for Bobby
and-and for the whole team.
And then if you lose,
I mean, at least you've
given Bobby one last time
to see his son play.
That's a win
well worth taking a risk for.
Then you've done all you could.
I really appreciate
you doing this for me, huh?
I'm not doing it for you, Kliff.
Yeah. Yeah.
You got ten days to
whip these boys into shape,
until you face a stout
University Prep team.
Get through that,
and you're on to district,
then sectionals,
then regionals.
Where I guarantee
you will face Weatherford,
and the most recruited pitcher
ever to come out
of Little League.
Hunter Dixon.
Strike!
They say he's the next
Nolan Ryan.
Get through all that, and
it's on to Williamsport, huh?
-Whoo!
-Yeah, sounds simple enough.
Yeah, simple isn't
really the word
I would use to describe it,
but, hey, really glad to see
your confidence is improving.
That's what we're going for.
Okay. Hey, we're good.
Yeah. Go, team!
What are we doing
out here, Walker?
Beats me.
Dad just said
get our butts to the field.
That it was double-dog
important.
You all ready
for some conditioning?
Conditioning? For what, Coach?
Our season ended last week.
Your season is
just about to begin, Rand.
You boys have been selected
to represent
the Westside All-Stars,
-Little League World Series,
Williamsport. -Pennsylvania.
That's right. That's right.
Guys, that's the dream
of every red-blooded
American boy who's
ever played baseball.
-Darn right.
-The All-Star team?
-Yeah.
-Yep.
It has been pure magic,
the kind that Little Leaguers
from around the world
dream about all summer.
But we're awful.
-Huh?
-Man, shut up.
-We're just kind of awful.
-We're playing one stupid game
because Robert's dad is dying.
He's not dying.
He just has cancer.
Hey, Walker, I'll deal
with you later, all right?
I apologize.
Everybody eavesdrops
in my house.
You're going to croak,
Mr. Ratliff?
We all croak.
Dad says the only sure thing
in life is death and taxes.
What do you mean, taxes?
It's money the politicians steal
to fly on private jets to Vegas,
and party with mobsters.
-Where do they get this stuff?
-I have no idea. Guys--
Maybe I should
consider politics.
-What's a mobster?
-Just zip it, all right?
Don't worry about it, Scooter.
Tell them, Dad,
you're not dying.
The truth is,
I don't know.
But I am starting treatment
to get better.
And that's what you all
need to do, too.
Get better. But...
on the field.
You got a real chance here
to play in the Little League
World Series.
I mean, that's a dream
Coach Kelly and I have had
-since we were your age.
-Kids.
You got a chance to prove
to everyone that
you're All-Stars
and you can compete
against anybody.
What do we need to do, Coach?
Don't look at me.
Talk to Coach Kelly.
Coach Kelly,
what do we need to do?
Listen, Coach Ratliff is
going to go get himself better,
so he's not going to
be around much.
Aw, come on.
I know I haven't been
a hundred percent focused
on this ball club.
Things are different now.
We're just all going to
have to work together.
We're going to
have to build some trust
because in ten days
we're playing those guys
over at University Prep.
You know those guys,
they all wear
new socks to every game,
put mousse in their hair.
They style their hair.
You seen their hair
over there? Come on.
And if we want
to beat these guys,
we're going to do it
through conditioning.
What?
What do you know
about conditioning?
No body-shaming, Mitchell.
All right?
That's right. We celebrate
all shapes and sizes,
fat dudes and skinny dudes.
We love them all.
Anyway, it's your dad
who's going to do it.
You all know Master Sergeant
Belew, don't you?
All right,
let's get our rears in gear.
Get those cleats laced up
as if you were
heading into battle,
because you are.
If you want to outplay,
outrun and crush the enemies,
then this is what
you will have to do.
Get those little matchsticks
you call legs in shape
so that you ride like the wild
mustangs across the prairie.
All right, everybody,
line up, line up.
Everybody line up.
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
-Let's go, boys!
-Move it, move it!
All right, gentlemen.
On my go, we are going to run
foul pole to foul pole
in under 40 seconds.
One of us fails, we all fail
and we'll do it again.
Go!
Where was that speed all season?
Well, Rand never got a hit,
nor was he on base.
-So we never saw him run.
-Go, go, go, go, go!
Come on, Mitchell!
Second place is first loser.
-Let's go!
-I don't get it.
I'm fast.
You're fast, right?
-Yeah.
-How's he so slow?
-Oh, it's your mom.
-You look like a bunch of
geriatrics running from
the funeral home. Pick it up!
The retirement home!
-You have all weekend, Coach?
-I don't!
He does not have all weekend.
Let's go!
Let's go! Move it!
Come on, Rocket!
-Come on, Rocket.
-Let's go, guys!
Robert, come on, you can do it!
And, time!
39.8.
Way to go, Robert!
Not bad. Right?
All we got to do now
is learn how to hit,
catch and throw and I'd say
we're looking
pretty good, Coach.
Well, we're a tiered program
here, Coach.
Yeah.
Brings tears to my eyes.
Sorry Walker
put you on the spot.
It's all right.
Needed to be said.
Finish that thing I needed?
-Yep.
-Thanks.
You're not going to need it.
Well, better to have it
and not need it.
Well, no need to have it
if you're not going to need it.
Can I get this from you?
Thank you.
Made sure your fly rod
stayed in the best of hands.
Just focus on getting better.
I am.
Hey, Rocket.
Good job there tonight.
Dad, why is everyone
calling me Rocket?
I think it's called sarcasm.
It's a compliment, son.
Rockets are cool.
Stop, turd!
Hey, stop, enough!
-Fart face.
-Log muncher.
Hey, Stat Master.
You ever thought about
using some of that
infamous statistical analysis
from your gambling days
on your own players?
Ever thought about that?
See you, Jon.
Last will, huh?
Yeah, I mean, it's obviously got
a lot of legal talk
in there, but--
We're using our savings
for treatment.
End of story.
Good night.
As the one-year anniversary
of September 11th approaches,
it has been a year of trying
to get back to normal.
Please, God, don't take me
away from my family.
Why would God
take you away, Dad?
Robert, what are you doing up?
Can't sleep. Too sore,
and Peanut's snoring
like a woodchipper again.
Come here.
Well...
Why would God
let you be taken away, Dad?
You didn't do anything wrong.
I don't know why, Robert,
but I do know that,
well, in life,
you have good luck and bad.
And me getting sick...
it's just bad luck.
What happens when you die?
Well...
I hope I get to go to Heaven.
What do you think happens?
I don't know.
You can't see Heaven.
Well...
But, I think we just have to
trust that there's something
really beautiful and peaceful
on the other side
of all of this.
Like, I believe I can
actually hit the baseball?
That's right, my man.
And you can hit a baseball.
I've seen you do it.
I see you getting better at it.
What are you doing?
I know what you're going
through with Peanut.
I went through the same thing
with your uncle.
You know,
it's like trying to sleep
in the pit of a NASCAR race.
I get it.
What you're gonna
want to do is take these,
you twist them up,
jam them in.
Yeah, like that.
Twist it. Got it?
-Can you still hear me?
-Kinda.
All right, well,
push them in further.
I'd eventually just
go sleep on the porch.
Or, you know,
I'd think about maybe
moving down the street,
staying with the neighbors.
-Really?
-It's up to you.
Come on, Mikey.
Don't be afraid of it.
Let's try it again.
You know, you're supposed
to open your glove
to catch the dad-gum ball!
Easier to put a fried egg
in a flapjack!
She ain't gonna, what?
Eat my chimichangas, Scooter!
At least you got pads on!
Hey. Actually,
I'll tell you what, come here.
There we go, sorry. Glasses.
What in the name of Baby Ruth
are you doing, Coach?
Baby Ruth's a candy bar.
Babe Ruth's a pitcher.
That's a position
you would not excel at.
I'll tell you what, we're gonna
put you out at first base.
All right, Scooter?
Off you go.
Mikey!
Come on, Mikey, let's go!
-You ready?
-Yeah.
All right, son.
Just watch the ball.
Stay with me.
There you go. Hey,
try one with your eyes open.
Hey, Mikey. You're a natural!
Ain't no man
gotta be common, Coach.
Especially with pads.
-We got a catcher!
-All right, Mikey!
Thanks.
Because we have to
attack it so aggressively,
side effects are going
to be pretty powerful.
Okay.
-Yeah.
-Thanks.
Will you still love me
if I'm not all...
you know, ripped up
and muscular like I am?
What? I didn't marry you
for your physique.
What?
I married you for your money.
Oh, right.
Come on, Scooter Booter!
Try it again, Mitch.
Scooter, is it that hard?
Shortstop!
All right, shortstop to first!
All right, Rocket!
Scooter, Scooter, Scooter.
-Scooter!
-Bring it in, boys!
-Come on in here.
-What in the name of Willie Mays
are you doing now, Coach?
I love Willie Mays.
Listen, buddy boy, I'm about
to give you a promotion.
All right?
You're gonna play, uh...
Actually, go to thir--
No, no, no.
Uh, tell you what.
Go take a break in the dugout.
Hey, don't look at me like that.
Got a Baby Ruth bar
in there for you.
Robert! First base, buddy!
Hum baby, here we go!
Nice!
Nice catch there, Rocket!
All right, Patton!
Go, go, go!
Robbie, coming to you now!
That's it!
Yes! Let's go.
Dang, Coach.
That infield's
looking as solid
as a beaver dam.
Well done.
Give the outfield a shot?
Fire away.
Here we go, outfield!
Whoever misses one drops
and gives me 25.
Let's go. Here we go!
Oh, shoot.
You good, Jack?
Oh, God.
Jack. Jack, you all right?
J-Just sit there.
Is he all right?
How many fingers
am I holding up?
One. Two.
-Yeah, he's all right.
-Technically,
he didn't drop it.
It dropped him.
I'm going!
Bottom of the sixth.
He readies the pitch.
Throws.
Pop fly to right field and--
Well, that was impressive.
What are you doing
in the hood, Coach?
I'm taking a stroll.
-Really?
-Well...
Might be doing
a little recruiting.
I'm done playing for you.
I don't want anything to do
with you and your All-Stars.
Hey, don't waste your talent,
Chris.
You're one of the best
ballplayers
I've ever had the pleasure
of coaching.
I'm working now,
saving money for college.
I'm not wasting nothing.
Hey, you got something
every one of those boys
would give every penny
they got for.
You got a gift.
Get you a full ride to college.
And what you said
last week about me
not knowing how to coach,
I didn't see the talent
I have standing right
in front of me. I do now.
You might want
to wash that apple.
Mark Grace,
what are you doing, young man?
Quit fussing with
that muskrat on your head
and get up there and hit.
This is batting practice,
not a beauty contest.
Let's go. Yeah?
Mark, come here.
What do you think a girl
is looking for in a boy?
Good looks. Charm and humor.
Some of the most
beautiful women in the world
are with some of
the ugliest sons of guns
you've ever seen.
You know why?
Because they're successful.
If you can just sacrifice
a few seconds
out of your day to focus,
you might
just get yourself some.
Let's go.
Heads up!
Mark, you jerk!
That didn't work
very well, Coach.
At least she knows my name.
That pop fly out's
gonna cost you.
-How you doing, Mikey?
-Let's go, Scooter.
Damn it.
Shut up.
I feel like
I'm right on it, Coach.
A blind man could have hit
that baseball, son.
Let's go, Scooter.
Hey, Scooter,
take your glasses off.
But I won't be able to see.
You're not seeing anything now.
Hold my glasses, Coach.
All right. Good luck.
Here we go.
-Oh, yeah!
-Whoo, Scooter!
Nice work!
Nice one, Scooter!
Well done.
You guys, not so much.
Keep those glasses off.
Anybody but Robbie would have
caught that.
Easy out, Scooter Booter.
Says the guy who looks like
he's taking a crap at bat.
Scooter,
you want your glasses?
Keep 'em!
Rand.
I've told you a hundred times,
you got to stand up.
Not good. Good.
And your right hand,
your strong hand,
goes over your left hand.
What? My right hand
isn't my strongest.
-My left is.
-But you throw right.
-I'm ambidextrous!
-Okay, okay.
-Ambi-what?
-Means you don't eat.
That's why he's so dang skinny.
That's anorexic, you pinhead.
Well, since you're so smart,
Eisenhower,
why can't you learn
how to throw the dang ball?
All right.
All right. Stand tall now.
Hey, hey, hey. That's good.
Not bad, Rand. Come on, now.
Now, just loosen your hands
a little bit, all right?
Loosen the grip.
Whoa!
Coach, I'm sorry.
-It's all right.
-All right.
That's enough hitting today.
Dad, are you okay?
Boys.
His medicine makes him nauseous.
As long as he keeps taking it,
he's going to be fine. Okay?
He's going to be okay.
I mean,
with all due respect, Mitchell,
I think your dad's
a complete jerk.
Man, what do you mean?
He's just strict.
...Caroline in the stands.
Of course he's not gonna
be nice to you.
She's not even looking at you.
-Oh, that's cool.
-Wait, what did you do?
Are you excited
about the game on Friday?
'Cause I'm really worried.
Man, that Duke guy, I just want
to punch him in the face.
What cards you guys looking for?
Uh, Alex Rodriguez.
Barry Bonds.
You know who I really want?
I'm not giving it to you.
What did you say
you were looking for?
Well, well, well.
If it ain't Peter Pan
and the B-League Loser Boys.
You mean
the C-League Dingleberries?
Hey, I didn't know
the King Turds of Crap Island
were allowed
on this side of the track.
What, did your nanny
drop you off?
Nah, she's at home with
your mom cleaning our toilets.
And Robert's mom was sewing
holes in my underwear.
You want to know
what's about to happen, Dukey?
You're about to get
my skid-marked underwear
-crammed down your throat!
-Mitchell, stop!
They're not worth it!
Listen to your handler,
hillbilly.
Unless you want
to lose more teeth.
You know what? I'll fart
in your general direction,
thank you.
Well, I'll fart
in your Cap'n Crunch.
I bet you don't even have
a Ricky Mantle card.
Are you an idiot?
It's Mickey Mantle.
Oh, yeah. Him, too.
-God, you're dumb.
-Get ready for
a beatdown Friday.
Best get home to Mr. Rogers.
If Mr. Rogers was their
neighbor, I bet he'd move.
Idiots.
That's the weirdest bike
I've ever seen!
Coming through!
Where are the old ones, guys?
Good to see someone still cares
about the spirit of baseball.
What else in life is there, Sam?
Well, these sons of guns
are about to cancel
a whole dang season
'cause they want more money.
What? No baseball?
Only games I'll be watching
this year will be y'all's.
A run at
the Little League World Series.
You're better off
watching two monkeys
ride a football, Sam.
You ever shut up, Peanut?
You ever throw strikes,
or just walks?
-Walker.
-Guys!
-Stop.
-Hey, hey, hey. Boys.
Having issues on the bump, son?
If controlling where the ball
goes is what you mean by issues,
then he's cataclysmic.
Okay, season's that bad.
We finished last.
But we've been reborn, Sam.
We're the
Westside All-Stars now.
And we got a game against
those pinches from University
on Friday.
I ain't think none of us
got a good feeling about it.
Okay, well, listen,
every baseball player
and every team
goes through slumps.
Y'all got to think about
why are you playing baseball
anyhow? Is it to win?
Ain't done much of that this
year, but you keep playing,
so it's got to be
something else.
Because it's fun?
Because it's fun. That's right.
Come on.
This is Little League baseball.
It should be fun.
You can't always
count on winning.
But you can always
count on one another.
Y'all are a team now.
And that makes you brothers.
You know what y'all need?
Y'all need something
to rally behind as a team.
Something you care about.
A goal,
a-a war cry, a battle song.
I don't know, something...
Something that
lights a fire in you.
-I think he's right.
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
-I know I'm right.
-Now who wants to buy something?
-Alex Rodriguez.
Because if you don't,
you got to leave.
Aw, man.
Where'd the bubblegum go?
-Not bad, but not great.
-That's not bad.
Still no Ichiro rookie?
This is like my 300th pack.
I've given up it even exists.
Why do you like Ichiro anyway?
He's the fastest around.
I got an Alex Rodriguez.
-Really?
-Yeah.
My Ichiro. But he hits homers.
-Best in the game.
-Mexico,
DR, Puerto Rico?
The best baseball players
are always Latino.
But that guy's from New York.
But the Latino part.
So what happened to you, Valdez?
Well, you're one to talk,
Peter Pan.
Jack's been on base
more than you.
Guess I'm in a slump.
Man, we're all in a slump.
It's like Sam said,
need something to rally around,
you know, and I ain't talking
about no sweet Caroline.
Shut up, man.
Rally around your grandma.
I got something to rally behind.
My dad. Well, our dad.
We have a chance to give him
his dream and ours.
We get to go to
the Little League World Series.
That's a good reason, isn't it?
And watching us play
is the only thing
that makes him feel better.
It's true.
No matter how bad y'all suck,
he still loves watching.
And if we could just win,
win for him,
I know he could get better
and he can
actually beat this, guys.
Bobby's always
been there for us.
Now it's time
we're there for him.
Come on, boys. I got an idea.
How dumb do you have to be
to put the wrong year
on all the contracts?
You know, that's embarrassing.
The client caught it
before it was filed in court.
-I understand, Dan. I--
-Jesus.
I am sorry. Okay?
It was a clerical error.
I've just,
I've had a lot on my mind.
I just overlooked
the damn thing.
Oh, yeah? Have you?
Well, apparently,
who's playing outfield
is mighty important.
I've given 20 years of my life
to this place.
-I've given everything here.
-If this is everything,
Jon, you can forget about
ever making partner here.
I mean...
it's laughable.
What?
Mr. Kelly, your son is here.
I didn't know it was
"bring your kid to work" day.
Well, your father
never found fault with that.
My daddy founded this firm,
but I'm the head honcho now.
You want to run
with the big dogs,
you can't pee-pee like a puppy!
I guess he's as crappy a lawyer
as he is a coach.
Why do you let him
talk to you like that, Dad?
How can I help you, son?
We have an idea
for the game on Friday.
We want to talk to you about it.
Come on in.
That's it, that's it. Come on.
-Whoa.
-Heads up, Mitch.
Seems like we might
want something stronger out
there in center field, right?
-Rand's got some wheels on him.
-I think Rand
will be okay in center.
It's not really him
I'm worried about.
Focus!
-Yo, what was that?
-What are you doing, man?
My bad. Sorry.
Just say it, Coach.
-It's Walker.
-Yeah?
I mean, he-he's got a good arm.
-Yes, he does.
-There's no doubt about it.
It's his control.
Not so much, you know?
-Geez, Walker!
-Gotta be more careful.
You're gonna hurt somebody.
Sam Knight.
He pitched in
the big leagues, you know.
-I know.
-See, the trick is how
to get a batter to swing
at a nasty pitch like that.
What are you doing here, Sam?
Thought I might have
some tricks to show you still.
If you're interested, that is.
Do rat farts smell like cheese?
Well, I guess they might.
Let's work on that delivery.
Go, Robert!
-Get a hit Robert, let's go!
-Sam Knight is gonna coach him?
Come on, let's go, Robert!
You got this!
Dang.
-What was that?
-Well, that was a heater.
But I need you to stop
focusing on the batter.
Start honing in
on the catcher's glove.
I can't aim, Sam.
Son, you've been given
a golden arm.
You just don't have
your fundamentals down.
Your landing foot is out
and your balance is off,
which is why
you look like a monkey
trying to ride a football.
Heh. That's what I told him.
I like how you've been
pitching from the stretch.
But I want you
to pick your pocket,
lift your leg,
and drive through the plate.
See how everything was in sync,
from my landing foot
to my follow-through,
all one motion.
You just got to breathe
and stay calm.
I mean, hey, what's the worst
thing that could happen?
I give up a hit or a home run.
Oh, kid, every pitcher
gives up a homer.
Lord knows
I gave up my fair share.
You got to shake it off.
Focus on what the next pitch
is going to be.
I only have one pitch, Sam.
Well, then, I'll tell you what.
You get this,
I'll teach you a pitch so nasty
it'll make a batter
spin out of his cleats.
Maybe we should call you Rocket.
That's what I'm talking about.
Here.
Thanks.
I'm all right.
Trust me, not much
more can come out.
Okay?
-You're all right?
-Yeah.
-Hi.
-Kathy.
I can come back.
No, come on in.
-Oh, you sure?
-Yeah.
I imagine what's in the box
needs to be sewed?
Yeah, it's-it's for the boys.
Well, it's already
been embroidered.
Well, they have, but...
Jon and I thought it'd be nice
if we put Bobby's name
on the side of the hat,
you know, dedicate this...
this final game to him.
It's not going to be
his last game.
We don't need you
or anyone coming by
with food or gifts or hats
like we're a damn charity case.
Oh, uh, I didn't mean
his last game ever, Patti.
I... Oh.
Yeah, it was a stupid idea.
Um...
Sorry I brought it up.
Kathy, wait.
I'm sorry.
It's been a roller-coaster week.
Sweetheart.
Listen, not many people
know this, but...
a couple of years ago,
I was diagnosed
with breast cancer,
and I had a mastectomy,
and even though they got it all,
I have lived with
really debilitating fear
that it'd come back every day.
I'm so sorry. I had no idea.
You remember that last-minute
trip we took to London?
We were in Houston,
at MD Anderson.
I've had to live with that fib
and these damn socks
in my bra for years now.
You're not alone in this fight.
How'd you get through it, Kathy?
I realized every day was a gift.
This nutty old world
is unpredictable, darlin'.
And that's why
you got to carpe diem.
You know? Just like that Ethan,
hunk of a boy, said
in that whatever
poetry movie it was,
and laugh.
See, you got to laugh.
Laughter is like Prozac,
without the side effects.
And he may not want to
at first,
but you got to keep him
on a regular schedule.
-Oh.
-You know what I mean?
No, releasing tension
works wonders.
She does have
a point there, honey.
-Oh, Bobby.
-Hi, Kathy.
-How're you doing?
-I'm all right, sweetheart.
-How are you?
-Good. What's in the box?
-Hats.
-Perfect timing.
Keep that good advice coming.
You know I will.
You got a drink?
You went to Paschal,
right, Larry?
You know I did.
Panthers all the way.
-You had a Corvette.
-Coach.
That's right.
-Hey, Coach.
-Hey.
-Coach.
-Hey.
You must be
the guy that's dying.
I was so moved
when I saw the hats.
Real bummer, man.
You might want to rub
that sunscreen in.
You might scare the kids.
-Do I have sunscreen on my face?
-Uh, you look great.
He's not dying, Mack.
Ooh-hoo-hoo! What a relief.
I'm just glad
it's regular cancer.
Live strong, amigo.
Hey, when you pull
your socks that high,
why not just wear pants?
I told you, I got
spider veins on my calves,
and I like the wind on my knees.
Yeah, Coach Hamilton,
perhaps I can get
your lineup now
so we can actually
play some ball.
That'd be nice.
It's hard enough
with only 14 elite players.
I do not know how I would manage
if I only had 11 bean poles.
Make that 12 bean poles.
That's Rivera, our center.
Rivera!
Sorry I missed
training camp, boys.
Had to renegotiate my contract.
He's going to bat last,
Ravnaas moves out to left.
We playing musical chairs?
Why don't we get
this scrimmage going?
You do realize this is
an official game, right?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I-I know it is, for us.
But for y'all,
it's like a scrimmage.
You know what I mean?
One and done.
Just having fun.
Good luck, Coach.
It's like everything
he said rhymed.
I do not like him.
I liked him.
-Coach, Coach, good luck.
-Okay.
Hey, thanks, Jon.
I mean, I can't tell you
how much this means.
Don't thank me,
it was their idea.
Boys, gather round.
Coach Ratliff's got
something to say.
Welcome back.
Good to see you guys.
I realize I've known most of you
since you're about that tall
chasing T-balls around.
But I think of you as more
than just Robert's friends.
I think of you
as part of our family.
I'd do anything for my family.
And I know you want to win
this game for me,
but I want you to play to win
for each other.
When I was your age,
I didn't have much.
But as I grew a little older,
I realized the most
important thing I got
is what I give.
So give it your all. Focus.
Anticipate,
communicate with each other.
That's a team.
So let's get out there.
Let's keep the dream alive.
-All right, guys? Come on.
-Come on, guys.
-Bring it in here.
-Come on, boys.
Yeah! Bobby on three!
One, two, three, Bobby!
Mitchell, you're up. Jack,
you're on deck. Let's go, boys!
Hey, Shirley Temple.
You ready to get bombed
and buried
like your friend's sickly dad
over there?
Down!
Look at him!
Shut up, Mitchell! Stop!
Play ball!
You deaf? Let's play ball.
Is that my fart?
Or you that smells
like hot dog water, Dukey boy?
-Shut up.
-What an idiot.
Go, Mitchell!
Hey! What was that?
-You're out of here!
-What?
-What?!
-Throw him out!
You are clearly
playing favorites!
He ain't even warmed up yet,
you fat, blind mole!
One more word!
Mother scratcher!
-You're out of here!
-What?!
You can't be serious!
I am serious, Mack!
It must be a real bummer!
-Don't you walk away from me!
-Hey!
Off of my field!
Still don't get it
with the socks.
Get off my field now!
You can't even see the field!
Someone help this guy
find his car in the parking lot!
You tell me,
how did a big, fat, blind mole
get full of so much bull crap?
You need another pitcher
out here to warm up
and definitely a new coach!
Good job, Mitchell.
You all right?
I'm fine, Dad. I'm fine.
Want to see my new strategy
getting on base?
You get on base,
and I'll buy you a milkshake
with a french fry on top.
You got yourself a deal, man.
Let's bring a batter up here!
Let's go!
Get on the ball, Jack!
All right,
look for a good pitch.
What's going on?
Good eye!
One more, one more.
Ball.
Hey, milkshake
well deserved, Jack!
The Jack Attack is back!
Here we go, all right!
Maybe I should get braces.
Chicks don't dig braces.
They dig guys who hit bombs.
Come on, Mark!
Oh, oh-oh!
You're out!
That was more like a grenade.
And keep your eyes
off my sister.
Here we go, Scooter.
Come on, Scoots. Come on.
Run, Scooter! Run!
Chin up, up, up,
up, up, up, up, up!
Right there. Right there.
Good job.
-Dang it!
-Nice try there, Scooter.
Thanks.
We got two out now.
Hey, Robert, step into it.
Step into it.
Come on, now!
Go, Robert! Get a hit!
Come on, Robert!
You're going on anything, Jack!
Two out!
All right, Robert! Let's go!
Come on, get a hit!
Strike!
Strike two!
Home run!
-Go!
-Go, Robert! Run!
I told you the only one getting
buried today was you, Dukey!
Rocket! Rocket! Rocket!
Dukey.
-Hey, Doc.
-Bobby.
When will we know if the chemo
knocked it all out?
Get our test results back
next week,
and then we'll know what
direction to go in, if any.
-Great.
-In the meantime,
you two enjoy your weekend.
And good luck against
Hunter Dixon.
Oh, yeah. Kid throws some heat.
Even Doc knows about
this Hunter Dixon.
-Hey.
-Hey.
-What you doing?
-I'm just cleaning the pool.
I can see that.
So what's wrong?
What makes you think
something's wrong?
Sweetheart, you haven't
cleaned the pool in 15 years.
Well, I'm going to start.
The pool guy leaves
all this crap
-in here--
-Jon.
Just to be so close, you know?
And then you throw in
Bobby's health issues,
and the whole thing's
just gut-wrenching.
We haven't even played
Weatherford yet.
And you're preparing to lose?
I'm not doing this, Kathy.
All right? I'm-I'm a realist.
What? We've had
a remarkable run, okay?
We have.
I'm proud of these kids,
but we don't have a team
that can face this pitcher.
I'm so sorry, Jon.
Thank you.
I mean,
you might as well give up now.
I mean, why waste your energy
on the game at all?
I know. I mean, I--
We have to play the game
Saturday, obviously, but--
Hey!
What-- What on earth
are you doing?
Letting you drown
in your sorrows.
Don't talk to me
about being a realist.
You've already done
the unimaginable
with this team, Jon.
The unexpected can happen.
And even you can't predict that.
Kind of nice in here!
-Good luck, Coach.
-You, too.
Hey, you...
You don't have Hunter Dixon
listed on here.
Yeah, that's because he decided
he was too good
for Little League.
Yeah. Signed with the, uh,
Junior Selects yesterday.
Yeah, said he needed to spend
more time on his endorsements.
Endorsements.
He's 12 frickin' years old.
What's he going
to endorse, Legos?
So you, you don't--
What?
What is... Does Jon feel okay?
I think he's finally
lost his mind.
Good luck, Coach!
Mm!
What was that?
Boys. Good news and bad news.
Bad news is,
I don't think I should've eaten
that shrimp po' boy
extra spicy for lunch.
But the good news is,
you all aren't facing
Hunter Dixon today.
Why, Coach?
'Cause you boys
scared the britches out of him.
Instead, we are going to face
Plymouth Harold Shankman
-the Third.
-Third?
-There's three?
-That's right.
Oh!
Strike!
Strike three, you're out!
We're going to the World Series!
Hey there, handsome.
I've looked forward to this day
for a long time.
Why?
'Cause you're in the dumb paper?
Oh, Dan.
You really are impossible
to underestimate.
I think you're just
a nepotistic old fool
who rules out of fear
and a perpetual ignorance.
But honestly now, I don't think
you should worry about it.
I just think it's genetic.
Now, I am leaving
this firm today
and I'm bringing Helen with me.
She thinks you're a dork, too.
But I want to say, good luck.
Here. In all your misery.
-Adios.
-Oh, yeah?
Let me ask you something.
What are you going to do
when your ego comes
crashing back down to Earth
after baseball season, huh?
Don't come crawling back here
asking me to hire you again,
all right?
'Cause I will fire you!
Fire this golf club.
"Major League Baseball
might be in shambles.
"One team that's not is the
Little Leaguers from Fort Worth
that have given baseball fans
a new lease on life."
"This gritty group of 12 players
"rolled into
the Little League World Series
for the first time in 42 years."
We're officially famous.
What else does it day, Scooter?
"This team is motivated by more
"than just a desire to win.
"The boys have a name
"embroidered on the side
of their rally caps.
"Bobby, the first baseman
Robert Ratliff's father,
Bobby Ratliff, who has..."
Just read it, Scooter.
"...who has terminal melanoma."
First rule
about being a celebrity.
You can't ever trust the press.
How would you know, Mark?
Well, Valdez, this ain't
my first dance with fame.
When were you ever famous?
Last year's science fair,
when the news came
to interview me.
Mark, what do you mean?
They interviewed Edgar, who won.
Volcanoes have been done
millions of times before,
and I thought
to do something new.
This one night,
I seen it in my dreams
with plates and friction.
Thank you so much.
-You're welcome.
-You was just standing
behind him like a chucklehead.
You noticed me.
And so did everyone else.
Probably even Caroline.
I swear, Mark,
I will cram that french fry
in your earhole.
Okay, look, look.
He's right, Rocket.
It's just a story.
Don't listen to them.
They don't know
how good your dad's doing.
Can I get your autograph?
Sure.
What? Second rule of fame.
You never sign
anything for free.
He'd be happy to sign.
You got any more
of that, um, bubblegum?
-Yeah, sure.
-Awesome.
-You can keep it.
-Here you go.
-Thank you.
-Works like a charm.
Hey, give me some of that.
Keep it down.
Coach Belew's a jerk.
Okay, I got us on the first
flight out in the morning.
Gets us in at 9:00,
boys play Massachusetts
at 12:00,
so that gives us time
to get there
and then get to the field.
That's great.
Thank you, darling.
Bobby!
I'm just checking your vitals.
Hey, I know what I'm doing.
Hey, Doc.
I hear congrats are in order.
Your son's team's
all over the news.
You must be very proud.
I feel great.
I feel like
I'm finally starting to,
you know, kind of turn a corner.
Yeah, his energy
and his spirits are up.
That's great,
'cause I'm going to need you
to keep that energy up.
Your tests showed that
the chemo prevented the tumors
from getting any larger,
which is fantastic.
Good.
But it didn't prevent
the cancer from spreading.
So where do we go from here?
Well, three options.
We do surgery,
attempt to remove the tumors
from around the lymph nodes
and continue
with another round of chemo.
Or there's radiation.
Eliminate all that we can.
And the third?
You spend as much time
as you can with your family.
-When would we do the surgery?
-Immediately.
I'd admit you today
and we'd prep for it
first thing in the morning.
I'm not going to miss the game.
-Bobby.
-Yes?
Why don't I give you two
a minute to discuss this?
I don't want to be sitting
in some hospital bed
racking up debt for you,
hoping for the best,
when it would mean more
to Robert that I'm there.
And besides that,
I mean, I'm the team mascot.
I'm their good luck charm.
It's just a game, Bobby.
But...
Patti, it's more than that.
It's the Little League
World Series.
It's the most important thing
that's ever happened
to these boys. It's unbelievable
what they've done.
If they can beat the odds...
so can I.
These are odds
that you can't beat.
You won't get another pitch
to even swing at
if you don't do this.
The sun is shining brightly
on Little Leaguers
around the world.
16 teams have traveled
to the Field of Dreams
in Pennsylvania,
where they will compete
in the 2002
Little League World Series.
Two pools of eight teams
will compete in pool play,
where winners of the national
and international brackets
will compete
in the Little League
World Series championship game.
They are travel weary,
but are quickly
caught up in the excitement
of realizing a dream.
For the next two weeks,
these boys will
call this place home.
Williamsport is ready.
Play ball!
Let's go, boys!
Welcome to Williamsport, boys.
Mitch Belew, Fort Worth, Texas.
-We're glad to be here.
-Glad to have you.
Let's go get you registered
and get your uniforms.
You'll be sharing a dorm room
with the world champions
from Japan.
-This is Coach Takahashi.
-Coach Tagashi.
-Takahashi.
-Oh.
-Tagashi.
-Takahashi.
Let's just do "Coach,"
how's that?
Latinos, of course.
-The best around.
-And those Harlem dudes
-sure are coordinated.
-And fast.
Can't imagine what
their pitcher can do.
Man, no pitching, speed,
nor agility can match
them corn-fed hillbillies.
You sure those are boys?
That guy has a mustache.
The Kentucky team's
full of Hunter Dixons.
No one's even scored
a run on them.
They don't lose.
-Good luck, Coach.
-Good luck to you, sir.
Here are your new uniforms
for your region. Good luck.
Let's take a look
at the yard, men. Come on.
Whoa, look at the grass.
Guys, have you ever
seen anything more
-beautiful than this?
-Yeah.
-Her name's Caroline.
-Shut up, Mark.
You're ruining the moment.
Holy cow.
Sunflowers?
You like it, don't you?
Great. Come on, now.
Perfect, man.
-Hello?
-Hey, Mom.
Oh, hey, honey.
How's it going over there?
Is it everything you imagined?
Yeah, it's pretty great.
You don't sound so enthused.
I'm just tired
from all the travel.
Is Dad there?
He's fine. He's resting.
He's excited to see you play.
So, Doc said the chemo worked?
He said that
everything's going to be fine.
Quit saying that word, Mom.
-What word?
-Fine.
"He's fine. I'm fine."
I'm not stupid.
When a woman
says everything's fine,
it means you're not fine.
It means you're in the doghouse.
Can you tell me
the truth for once?
Well...
The doctor said that
he had to do surgery, but
all he wants to do
is see you play.
You've given him hope
to keep going.
Is he going to be okay, Mom?
Honey, I love you.
I hate you!
I hate you!
Uh, do you have any idea
of our new departure time?
I'm not sure.
O... Okay. Are we talking,
like, 30 minutes or an hour
-or...
-I really don't know.
Are you sure of anything?
I'm not sure I understand
what you're asking me.
I have to be on a plane
in 90 minutes
or I'm gonna miss
my son's Little League game.
I'm sorry.
There's nothing I can do.
I'm sure there'll be more games.
-Oh, my God.
-I can't with her right now.
Can I have a, uh, piece of paper
and one of your pens?
You can rent it for
the low price of a Cinnabon.
A Cinnabon, huh?
Can't believe
you're charging me.
It's ridiculous.
Here's 20.
I want the change.
I'll see what I can do.
Okay, be careful.
And hurry back.
All right?
Hey, Coach.
-Got you a Twinkie.
-No, thank you.
-Really?
-Yeah.
Suit yourself.
Something troubling you, Jon?
Hmm? Oh, no, I...
Just a little worried
about this Massachusetts team.
Pitcher's got a mean curveball.
Oh, Coach.
These boys--
they are laser focused.
They got their eye on the prize.
That's the pitcher.
Oh, good Lord.
That does present a problem.
I see what you mean.
-I believe it does.
-I'm sure we'll, uh,
rise to the occasion.
Know what I mean?
Have a Twinkie.
-No, thank you.
-It's the Little League
-World Series. Have a Twinkie,
-Doesn't sound good.
-for God's sakes.
-All right,
-give me a Twinkie, come on.
-All right.
It is a pleasant afternoon
as Texas gets set
to take on Massachusetts
at the Little League
World Series.
Strike three!
I think I'm in love.
Strike three!
Wicked good pitch, eh?
Wicked!
Only thing wicked
is our hitting.
Come on, Robert.
Let's get this thing ignited!
Strike three!
Let's get excited out there.
Come on.
I want to be out
of this inning
and I want to be out quickly.
-Let's go.
-Come on!
Where's my dad, Coach?
He's a little bit delayed
at the airport. He'll be here.
Come on, let's go.
Boys are playing like
they're asleep on their feet.
Hey!
Oh!
-Shoot. No.
-Is he okay?
-My ankle.
-Okay, okay, okay, okay.
All right.
Easy, easy, easy, easy, easy.
Shoe off.
Okay.
Medic!
All right. Easy.
-Easy, easy.
-It hurts.
I know, I know, I know, I know.
You're okay.
We'll get you taken care of.
Chris, watch where
you're going next time.
You watch where you're going.
That was my ball.
Hey! What's going on?
Hey, sit down!
Break it up!
What's going on?
Have some respect.
-Get over here. Get your glove.
-What are you doing?
Go sit down.
No singing "Rawhide" today.
Banner gonna look pretty good
hanging up in your office,
cowboy.
I don't actually have an office.
Working out of, uh, my home.
Mostly my car.
Unfortunately, I think
that beautiful banner
is gonna be ending up in a barn
somewhere down in Kentucky.
Yeah, I saw that
they were the favorites.
Yeah.
-Good to see you.
-Hey.
They're a squad of giants,
Bobby. Just huge.
One of 'em's got a beard,
another one's
got a tattoo of a--
of a squirrel
or a cat or something.
Fangs.
How you feeling, partner?
Like a man on borrowed time.
And don't go getting
all down on me
about everything, all right?
'Cause the team's okay.
Well, I mean,
we still got a chance.
Lost an important one
in pool play.
We just got to win, and we need
some of their teams
to magically just lose.
You let them
lose their confidence.
Worse.
They lost their motivation.
Yeah.
Well, I mean...
they don't need
to be motivated by me.
They need to be motivated
by each other.
You know?
By what all this means.
And I don't mean just now.
I mean for the rest
of their lives.
I'll tell you something, Jon.
When you're at the end,
you know...
you'd think you just replay
all the happy memories you lived
and just kind of
go out real peaceful.
But...
...that ain't
what's happened to me.
All I've replayed are the...
moments I missed
and these regrets I have and...
things I should have done
but I didn't.
Don't make this
one of your regrets, Jon.
'Cause...
...you don't get to do it over.
Now I just got to find a way
to inspire those boys.
What would a parent
do to a kid...
I mean, what would Big Jim do
if he gave you a gift
and you didn't appreciate it?
-Take it away.
-Take it away.
Huh?
Come on.
Ichiro.
Never give up.
You keep.
Thank you.
All right, everyone from
the Fort Worth team, listen up!
Gather your things
and meet out in front
of the building in five minutes.
Any one of y'all are late,
we're gonna run foul poles
till the cows come home,
and I ain't lying.
Nani? Cows?
Hey, let's go! Move it!
I ain't kidding you.
Shake a leg, man.
-Come on!
-Hey, why the heck
-is everybody leaving?
-Your dad said it's time
to pack up.
We got to get going.
Don't leave without me.
Tell my dad I'll be a minute.
I got all this mousse
in my hair.
Should never have
tried this stuff out.
Maybe they're
moving us to the loser's dorm.
Where we going, Coach?
We're going home, Mikey.
What?
I said... we're going home.
Let's go.
-Hit the road, Bill.
-Wait, why? We're not out.
Dad. Stop the bus.
-Stop the bus!
-We can't go home.
We still got a game to play.
Give me one good reason why
we shouldn't go home right now.
I'll give you a reason.
'Cause we're a team.
Not at all. Played like
a bunch of individuals
out there.
Like you'd rather
fight with each other
than fight to win.
-We're a team.
-'Cause we're a family, Coach.
And sometimes families fight.
Because sometimes families
and teams get in slumps.
-And we're here to win, Coach.
-Because we are All-Stars.
And all-stars don't quit.
Ain't no man can avoid
being born average, Coach.
But ain't no man
got to be common.
Told you this would work.
Dad!
Oh, man, you almost
knocked me over.
Folks, it's a perfect evening
here in Williamsport.
As the 2002 Little League
World Series has been
nothing short of fireworks.
Kentucky has steamrolled through
the competition
to get to this point,
and the boys from Fort Worth
haven't been
too shabby either,
beating Missouri
and Hawaii, only losing
to a tough Massachusetts team.
Fort Worth pitcher Walker Kelly
has got a bit of a cold tonight.
Had a bit of a runny nose
before, bit of a cough.
But no, I don't think
it's gonna affect me.
Number 20, Robert Ratliff,
is on first base.
They call him Rocket.
My name is Robert Ratliff,
and my favorite player
is Ichiro Suzuki.
Fort Worth looks
to upset the number one seed
Kentucky team and advance to
the championship against Japan.
-Bobby!
-We've still got
a double no-hitter going into
the bottom of the sixth,
and any run will do it
for Fort Worth.
Come on, Rocket.
Come on, Rocket!
Come on, Robert, let's go.
Come on, you got this.
Let's see
if Rocket can get a hit
and blast these boys into orbit
and on to the finals.
Rocket!
Oh!
Dang!
Aw, dang. Okay.
It's a good try.
Good try, Rocket.
-It's okay.
-You'll get 'em next time.
Nice try, Robert.
He won't make it unless we win.
Don't worry.
We will.
It ain't over yet.
How you feeling?
-I can't breathe.
-Yeah.
My legs are shot.
And my arms feel like Jell-O.
But other than that, I'm good.
I'm incredibly proud of you,
all right?
Listen, first time Kentucky
hasn't scored a run in a game.
Don't let 'em
start now, all right?
-Let's go, guys, let's go.
-That's exactly
why we did
all that conditioning.
It pays off right now.
This has become
a battle of endurance,
all right, so let's go!
Okay, I know you're hurting.
I know you're tired.
Think about what
Bobby's going through
just to be here, all right?
That's real pain. If he can
give us everything he's got, we
can give it right back to him.
All right, let's go show
these Kentucky farmers
how we play baseball
down in Texas. Here we go!
-One, two, three.
-Bobby!
We've already broken
the strikeout record
for this evening,
so it's only fitting
that this epic battle
head into extra innings.
It's going to come down
to which pitcher
gives up that big hit.
That Walker kid's
got a great arm,
I just hope he isn't
snottin' up that ball.
-Come on, Walker!
-Come on, Walker!
Strike!
-Strike two!
-Whoo!
Strike three, you're out!
We are in uncharted waters
as Walker Kelly still has
a no-hitter going with two outs
at the top of the ninth.
But under Little League rules,
he cannot pitch
more than nine innings,
and he's
-well over 100 pitches.
-Hey, Coach,
we're gonna
have to get Mikey loose.
He's got to go in
and pitch next inning.
Come on, Walker!
You got this, Walker!
Just shake it off!
Attaway, Walker!
All right, buddy, get in here.
And that is nine.
Walker Kelly can now
take a well-deserved rest.
Let's go, guys.
Now let's finish this thing.
It is just remarkable,
the heart these boys
are playing with.
Yeah!
Strike! Strike three!
Strike three!
-That's okay, boys.
-All right, guys,
listen up, fellas.
We never expected
to be in this situation
but here we are, right?
It's the way the game goes.
Scooter,
you're moving back to catcher,
all right?
Get your gear on.
Mikey.
You're pitching, son.
Warm up that arm.
Let's go.
You're gonna be great.
Mikey, throw hard.
Make sure to keep
the ball over the strike zone
like we were doing.
They can't hit low.
-Come on, bud. We got it.
-You got it, Mikey!
The catcher
Mikey Valdez will take off
his catching equipment
and step in as his replacement.
He's got
some big shoes to fill.
Let's go, Mikey!
Let's go, Mikey!
Let's go!
I can't believe this.
Who are these guys?
Has a game
ever lasted this long?
You're outta here!
We move into the 11th inning.
This is now officially
the longest
Little League World Series
game in history.
You've got
the heart of Kentucky's team
coming up to bat.
And I just don't know
how much longer
Valdez can keep going
before he's so tired,
you start to lose focus.
Come on!
-Here we go, Mike!
-Focus!
Come on, Mikey!
It's okay, Mikey, it's okay.
Oh, no.
Stay in, ball, stay in, ball,
stay in, ball.
And that is home run
number two for Kentucky,
and that might very well
be the nail in the coffin
for the exhausted
Fort Worth dugout.
You want me to go talk to him?
No, just... just let him
think about it.
"There's no man
can avoid being born average,
but no man's got to be common."
Strike!
Strike two.
Strike three!
Yeah, Mikey!
Not over till it's over.
Bobby, you're up.
Don't need you
to get a home run.
Just get on base, all right?
Come on.
-I can get on base, Coach.
-Jack,
I appreciate your enthusiasm,
but with that arm,
I don't think you should
be swinging a bat, all right?
I said I can get on base.
Doesn't mean I have to swing.
Trust me, Coach.
I'm all right.
Okay.
Ball.
Ball. Ball.
-That's base.
-And there's a walk
for Jack Huckaby.
It looks like they're gonna
make a substitution
and Rand Ravnaas
is gonna run for him.
Works every time.
Let's go, guys!
Sacrifice bunt!
Rand heads to second
and Southwest
advances Rand Ravnaas
into scoring position.
Fort Worth
could be making a comeback here.
Robby, way to take one
for the team, all right?
-Get in there.
-It's okay, Robby.
Scooter, you're up.
Hey, listen, I just need you
to get on base.
Hey, where-where...
where are your glasses?
They're in my bag. Why?
Well, 'cause sometimes
a weakness can be a strength.
-Isn't that right, Jack?
-Yeah, Coach.
Go get your glasses.
It's okay, buddy.
Strike two!
Come on, Scooter!
Get a hit, Scooter!
Come on, Scooter.
Oh...
And there's Scooter Finley
into left field,
and that will be...
-caught.
-But Rand
tags up at second.
And he's safe.
Bottom of the 11th,
two outs, with Robert Ratliff
coming to the plate
with a chance
-to tie the game.
-Let's go, Rocket!
Strike!
Strike two!
Go!
Get on your horse, go! Go!
What a hit from Robert Ratliff.
And he brings home Rand Ravnaas.
And there's some life left
for Fort Worth.
Good job out there.
That's my big brother!
Baddest dude around.
That's the way to do it!
Yes, Rocket, yes!
That's how you show 'em!
Hey, I'll let you take
my sister out for a milkshake
if you get a hit.
All right? That's a promise.
You got yourself
a deal, Scooter.
Rocket! Two out.
You got to score.
Crack of the bat,
you're running!
Come on, Mark. Come on, now!
Mark Grace gets up to bat,
and that's his fourth time
tonight. He's 0-3 so far.
You're not gonna be
smiling in a minute
when you strike out, pretty boy.
-Strike!
-Foul ball.
Come on, Mark!
Strike two!
This is it, right here.
Fort Worth
down to their last strike.
-Come on, Mark. -Come on, Mark.
-Get a hit, Mark.
Let's go. Come on!
Show me the ball.
Out!
Oh...
It's okay.
Good job, boys!
And that is it.
Louisville, Kentucky keeps
their undefeated streak alive
after barely squeaking by
Fort Worth, Texas.
Fort Worth
can keep their heads held high.
They put up an amazing,
amazing fight.
They certainly did.
Good hustle, Robert.
-Hey.
-Dad, I'm so sorry.
I'm s... I'm so sorry.
Kidding me?
I've never been so proud
in my whole life.
You understand that? Hey.
Proud of you.
You did great!
You did so great.
Did so great.
Hey, we're so proud of you.
I thought you were safe, man.
Yeah.
Come on.
Patti Jean.
Prettiest woman in all of Texas.
I love you.
Boys.
Please don't leave us, Dad.
I'm gonna miss you so much.
I love you, boys.
All right?
No.
The big secret
about fly fishing--
it's not about what you catch.
It's about what you see.
And we saw a lot.
Bobby and I,
we fished in Montana,
New Mexico.
We even made it all the way down
to Argentina one year.
Even in all that beauty,
there I was, just...
...yam-yammering on and on about
some law school
I didn't get into,
and Bobby just stopped me.
He said,
"Don't take life
so seriously, 'cause
you never get out of it alive."
I hope you boys
won't forget that.
I know I won't.
He was my best friend.
Taking off... Hey,
what's your favorite sport?
-Baseball.
-Baseball?
You want to hold my hand?
Oh... Whoa! Good swing.
Can you throw one here?
Let's see your fastball.
Oh!
Go, go, go! Go, go, go!
Here I come!
Go, go, go!
He's so fast he lost his helmet!
Oh!
Hey, Wyatt. Let's go over here
and sit down.
I want to read something
to you. Okay?
Here, come with me.
Hey, Wyatt.
I've been waiting a long time
to open this letter.
And, uh, I wanted to do it
with you.
Your grandfather-- my dad--
wrote this to me,
and I've never opened it.
But I'm gonna open it
right here with you,
and we're gonna
read it together. Okay?
"Dear Robert,
I want you to know
the love I have for you."
First baseman
for the Texas team,
going through what we can't
even imagine with his father.
Bobby is very ill at the moment.
Well, Dave,
Bobby Ratliff to my left.
It's been a tremendous,
tremendous ride.
Special, special.
All the families. All the kids.
It's really been...
really been neat.
But not only the team,
but Fort Worth, like you said.