With America at work and all of the baseball players leaving to fight overseas, a businessman (Garry Marshall) decides that women should have a shot. Thus, he and his right-hand man, Ira Lownstein (David Strathairn) form a baseball league for women.
In Oregon, Dottie is hand plucked by the scout, who likes his animals out of the way and his women beautiful (Jon Lovitz) but she doesn't want to go. Kit, on the other hand, isn't picked and is devastated. She is allowed to come but only if Dottie does. Dottie gives in. Along the way, before the try-outs in Chicago, they pick up the talented but largely unattractive Marla (Megan Cavanaugh). She isn't picked until Kit and Dottie nearly boycott.
In Chicago, they pick up the rest of the team among the many of girls who try-out. We have the boy friendly Mae (Madonna), the tough Doris (Rosie O'Donnell), the illiterate Shirley (Ann Cusack) and the mom Evelyn (Bitty Schram). They are managed by the alcoholic, burned out baseball player Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) who could care less about his job at first. Dottie is basically running the team for the first month. He is tough on the girls, but treats them similarly to men, which is interesting. He still can't believe that girls are playing baseball. But when one of the players gets word that her husband has been killed, Jimmy is rightfully sympathetic.
The season continues, and even Marla finds love in the form of a guy she met at a bar and leaves to get married though she promises to return the next season. Shirley even learns how to read, though Mae lets her read mostly sexual material. The girls experience things that they never have before. Life is changing though the threat of being shut down is always a reality. But after some much need publicly, not always the most appropriate kind, fans start turning out in droves.
But there is also some hostility which forms between the two sisters. Dottie is celebrated and praised while Kit is constantly overlooked and when Dottie asks to get traded, Kit is traded to Racine instead.
Fortunately, for Dottie, at least, Bob (Bill Pullman) returned, injured and they begin the drive to return to Oregon despite Jimmy's objections.
The World Series begins, between the Rockford Peaches (Dottie's team) and the Racine Belles (Kit's team). And it is all tied up. Dottie does return which is good as the back-up catcher, Alice (Renee Coleman) isn't nearly as popular. She did have baseball in her blood, and yes, it is more than just a game to her. She wants one last hurrah. And it comes down to Kit at bat. Kit has always liked high balls and Dottie uses that knowledge to her advantage but fortunately, Kit finally hits one and manages to slide into home as Dottie can't hang onto the ball.
Kit finally has her moment to shine. Dottie isn't that upset as she knows that the game was always more important to Kit than to her.
The film actually begins with Dottie's daughter begging her to go the reunion, as Dottie doesn't realize how important her story is. It was so vastly important, what she was a part of and it didn't mean that much to her. It ends with the new wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame commemorating them.
This film does truly tell an important story. The league continued until 1954 and then I guess America decided it couldn't handle two different leagues anymore which is a shame.
The acting is impecable though Hanks shouldn't have top billing, Geena Davis should. But I would have liked Lori Petty to have had more screen time, but the script overlooks her just as everyone else does, an interesting technique.
All-in-all, this film was put together well, with the scenery and costumes, transporting you back to 1943. Some husbands are supportive while others force their wives to take the kids with them on road trips because they can't be bothered to watch their own child properly. And yes, at first, the public isn't understanding about women playing baseball but soon, that goes away. Yet, all the players are white, nothing is discussed about color. I suppose that didn't fit into the story written. This film is a must-see for any film lover and baseball fan alike. Grade: A-
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