Baseball fans can't help but enjoy this film. It's an old story, about a team of losers who make it into a pennant race, but unlike other variations on this theme, it's thoroughly believable. The team takes off when they acquire two new players - a youngster straight off the farm who's a terrific second baseman, and a gifted black catcher whose arrival stirs controversy in the Klan-influenced small town. There are the usual behind-the-scenes machinations one expects, but the film is great in presenting a lot of ballpark scenes, and the final game of the season is played with growing suspense and excitement. The actors are all great, especially Virginia Madsen as Dixie Lee, a woman who looks trashy but quickly shows she's got more guts and integrity than 50 "nice" girls put together. Another performance to note is that of Teller in an unusual speaking role as the sneaky Hale Buchman Jr.; he and Henry Gibson as his father do a great job as the proprietors of a seedy department store and owners of the local team - "sports moguls" as they see themselves. There is a lot to like in this little film.
