Little Big League
Encyclopedia
Little Big League is a 1994
family film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager
of the Minnesota Twins
baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards
, Timothy Busfield
and Dennis Farina
.
) is preteen son to a widowed single mom, Jenny (Ashley Crow
), and a Little League
baseball player. Billy's grandfather is Thomas Heywood (Jason Robards
), owner of the Minnesota Twins
.
They are a last-place team, but Billy and his grandfather love each other, the Twins, and the game of baseball. When the grandfather dies, it is revealed that he wants Billy to inherit the franchise. He has specified that if Billy is still a minor, Thomas Heywood's aides are to help him along until Billy is old enough to run the team by himself.
Billy quickly runs afoul of the team's manager, George O'Farell (Dennis Farina
). Billy believes he is too hard on the players. O'Farrell despises the idea of working for a kid. After he insults Billy and tells him to butt out of the team's business, Billy fires him.
There is considerable difficulty finding a professional manager to replace O'Farrell, since no one particularly wants to work for a kid. Billy therefore decides to name himself the new manager after one of his friends points out, "It's the American League
! They have the DH
! How hard can it be?" (In real life, for conflict of interest
reasons, MLB does not allow team owners to make themselves their team's manager.)
The players are very skeptical, but Billy promises that if he does not improve the team's position in the standings within a few weeks, he will resign. The team quickly moves up to division race contention. Unfortunately, not all is going smoothly for Billy, as his friend and star first baseman
Lou Collins (Timothy Busfield
) takes a romantic interest in Billy's mother.
Billy picks up bad habits on the road, and is even ejected from a game and given a one game "suspension" by his mother for swearing at an umpire
. He also must release his personal favorite Twins player, Jerry Johnson (Duane Davis
), who is clearly in the twilight of his career. He ends up making Jerry feel even worse when Billy immaturely tries to illustrate his own distress by pointing out he owns Jerry's baseball card
and wouldn't give it up for a Wade Boggs
and a Sammy Sosa
.
The pressures of managing the team while also fulfilling his other responsibilities, such as schoolwork, wear him down and consume his free time. Billy's friends do not like how Billy's managerial responsibilities are keeping him away from being with them. Even when he's physically present (as opposed to on the road with the team), he is typically distracted by team business.
Lou goes into a slump and the jealous Billy benches him, sending the Twins into a losing skid. Billy later tells his mom that he's tired of being a "grown-up" and decides to quit as manager after the end of the season, even reinstating Lou to starter on first base.
The final game of the season is against Ken Griffey, Jr.
and the Seattle Mariners
, with the American League
Wild Card playoff spot on the line. With two outs in the bottom of the twelfth inning, losing by a run with a man on base, Lou tells Billy he asked his mom to marry him. He says her reply was to ask Billy. Billy says if Lou hits a homer, he will give the marriage his OK.
It appears it's as good as done, but the Twins lose the big game thanks to Griffey taking away Lou's home run by way of a spectacular catch. Billy officially tells the players he is stepping down as manager, with pitching coach Mac Macnally (John Ashton
) taking his place as well as bringing back Jerry to be the new hitting coach.
Billy relents and gives Lou his blessing to marry his mom. Billy reassures all the players that he will still be the owner, and says that he might come back as manager if junior high doesn't work out. He and the rest of the team then receive a standing ovation from everyone in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
.
1994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
family film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards
Lucas Daniel "Luke" Edwards is an American actor. He began taking acting lessons for fun on his mother's suggestion and landed his first television role in 1988 on an ABC Afterschool Special episode...
, Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing...
and Dennis Farina
Dennis Farina
Dennis Farina is an American actor of film and television and former Chicago police officer. He is a character actor, often typecast as a mobster or police officer. His most known film roles are those of mobster Jimmy Serrano in the comedy Midnight Run and Ray "Bones" Barboni in Get Shorty...
.
Plot
Billy Heywood (Luke EdwardsLuke Edwards
Lucas Daniel "Luke" Edwards is an American actor. He began taking acting lessons for fun on his mother's suggestion and landed his first television role in 1988 on an ABC Afterschool Special episode...
) is preteen son to a widowed single mom, Jenny (Ashley Crow
Ashley Crow
Ashley Diane Crow is an American actress. She is most known for her role of Sandra Bennet on the television show Heroes.-Life and career:...
), and a Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
baseball player. Billy's grandfather is Thomas Heywood (Jason Robards
Jason Robards
Jason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
), owner of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
They are a last-place team, but Billy and his grandfather love each other, the Twins, and the game of baseball. When the grandfather dies, it is revealed that he wants Billy to inherit the franchise. He has specified that if Billy is still a minor, Thomas Heywood's aides are to help him along until Billy is old enough to run the team by himself.
Billy quickly runs afoul of the team's manager, George O'Farell (Dennis Farina
Dennis Farina
Dennis Farina is an American actor of film and television and former Chicago police officer. He is a character actor, often typecast as a mobster or police officer. His most known film roles are those of mobster Jimmy Serrano in the comedy Midnight Run and Ray "Bones" Barboni in Get Shorty...
). Billy believes he is too hard on the players. O'Farrell despises the idea of working for a kid. After he insults Billy and tells him to butt out of the team's business, Billy fires him.
There is considerable difficulty finding a professional manager to replace O'Farrell, since no one particularly wants to work for a kid. Billy therefore decides to name himself the new manager after one of his friends points out, "It's the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
! They have the DH
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
! How hard can it be?" (In real life, for conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
reasons, MLB does not allow team owners to make themselves their team's manager.)
The players are very skeptical, but Billy promises that if he does not improve the team's position in the standings within a few weeks, he will resign. The team quickly moves up to division race contention. Unfortunately, not all is going smoothly for Billy, as his friend and star first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Lou Collins (Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield
Timothy "Timmy B" Busfield is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing...
) takes a romantic interest in Billy's mother.
Billy picks up bad habits on the road, and is even ejected from a game and given a one game "suspension" by his mother for swearing at an umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
. He also must release his personal favorite Twins player, Jerry Johnson (Duane Davis
Duane Davis
Duane Davis, the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis, is an American actor who has been in such films as Ghosts of Mars and Paparazzi. He played Joe Louis in a made-for-TV movie about Rocky Marciano, James "Buster" Douglas in the HBO original movie Tyson and as ESU football star...
), who is clearly in the twilight of his career. He ends up making Jerry feel even worse when Billy immaturely tries to illustrate his own distress by pointing out he owns Jerry's baseball card
Baseball card
A baseball card is a type of trading card relating to baseball, usually printed on some type of paper stock or card stock. A card will usually feature one or more baseball players or other baseball-related sports figures...
and wouldn't give it up for a Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs
Wade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
and a Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
.
The pressures of managing the team while also fulfilling his other responsibilities, such as schoolwork, wear him down and consume his free time. Billy's friends do not like how Billy's managerial responsibilities are keeping him away from being with them. Even when he's physically present (as opposed to on the road with the team), he is typically distracted by team business.
Lou goes into a slump and the jealous Billy benches him, sending the Twins into a losing skid. Billy later tells his mom that he's tired of being a "grown-up" and decides to quit as manager after the end of the season, even reinstating Lou to starter on first base.
The final game of the season is against Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
and the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, with the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Wild Card playoff spot on the line. With two outs in the bottom of the twelfth inning, losing by a run with a man on base, Lou tells Billy he asked his mom to marry him. He says her reply was to ask Billy. Billy says if Lou hits a homer, he will give the marriage his OK.
It appears it's as good as done, but the Twins lose the big game thanks to Griffey taking away Lou's home run by way of a spectacular catch. Billy officially tells the players he is stepping down as manager, with pitching coach Mac Macnally (John Ashton
John Ashton (actor)
John David Ashton is an American actor born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Theatre.John Ashton attended Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut....
) taking his place as well as bringing back Jerry to be the new hitting coach.
Billy relents and gives Lou his blessing to marry his mom. Billy reassures all the players that he will still be the owner, and says that he might come back as manager if junior high doesn't work out. He and the rest of the team then receive a standing ovation from everyone in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
.
Cast
- Luke EdwardsLuke EdwardsLucas Daniel "Luke" Edwards is an American actor. He began taking acting lessons for fun on his mother's suggestion and landed his first television role in 1988 on an ABC Afterschool Special episode...
as Billy Heywood - Timothy BusfieldTimothy BusfieldTimothy "Timmy B" Busfield is an American actor and director best known for his role as Eliot Weston on the television series Thirtysomething and his recurring role as Danny Concannon on the television series The West Wing...
as Lou Collins - John AshtonJohn Ashton (actor)John David Ashton is an American actor born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Theatre.John Ashton attended Enfield High School in Enfield, Connecticut....
as Mac Macnally - Ashley CrowAshley CrowAshley Diane Crow is an American actress. She is most known for her role of Sandra Bennet on the television show Heroes.-Life and career:...
as Jenny Heywood - Kevin DunnKevin DunnKevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
as Arthur Goslin - Billy L. SullivanBilly L. SullivanBilly L. Sullivan in New York, USA) is an American actor. He is the brother of Michael Sullivan and sometimes credited as Billy Sullivan.-Selected filmography:*Light of Day ... Benji Rasnick...
as Chuck - Miles Feulner as Joey
- Jonathan SilvermanJonathan Silverman-Personal life:Silverman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Devora and Hillel Emanuel Silverman, a rabbi. He is the grandson of famous Conservative Rabbi Morris Silverman. David Schwimmer was his best friend in high school. He is married to actress Jennifer Finnigan who he briefly co...
as Jim Bowers - Dennis FarinaDennis FarinaDennis Farina is an American actor of film and television and former Chicago police officer. He is a character actor, often typecast as a mobster or police officer. His most known film roles are those of mobster Jimmy Serrano in the comedy Midnight Run and Ray "Bones" Barboni in Get Shorty...
as George O'Farrell - Jason RobardsJason RobardsJason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
as Thomas Heywood - Wolfgang BodisonWolfgang BodisonWolfgang Bodison is an American actor, best known for playing Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson in the drama A Few Good Men....
as Spencer Hamilton - Duane DavisDuane DavisDuane Davis, the son of NFL Hall of Fame defensive end Willie Davis, is an American actor who has been in such films as Ghosts of Mars and Paparazzi. He played Joe Louis in a made-for-TV movie about Rocky Marciano, James "Buster" Douglas in the HBO original movie Tyson and as ESU football star...
as Jerry Johnson - Leon DurhamLeon DurhamLeon "Bull" Durham is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 10 seasons. Durham played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Chicago Cubs , and Cincinnati Reds...
as Leon Alexander - Kevin ElsterKevin ElsterKevin Daniel Elster is a retired Major League Baseball shortstop.Elster played for six different ballclubs during his career: the New York Mets , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies , Texas Rangers , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Los Angeles Dodgers...
as Pat Corning - Eric Gendreau as Himself
- Joseph Latimore as Lonnie Ritter
- Bradley Jay LesleyBrad LesleyBradley Jay Lesley is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers from 1982 to 1985. Lesley, who was nicknamed "The Animal", was known for his aggressive style to motivate himself. He later became a television personality in Japan after playing 2 seasons for...
as John 'Blackout' Gatling - John Minch as Mark Hodges
- Michael PapajohnMichael PapajohnMichael Papajohn is an American actor, stuntman and former college baseball player for the LSU Tigers baseball team.-Early life:...
as Tucker Kain - Scott PattersonScott Patterson (actor)Scott Gordon Patterson is an American actor. He is known for his role as Luke Danes in Gilmore Girls and Agent Strahm in Saw IV, Saw V and Saw VI...
as Mike McGrevey - Troy Startoni as Larry Hilbert
- Antonio Lewis Todd as Mickey Scales
- Real-life Twins announcer John GordonJohn Gordon (baseball)John "Gordo" Gordon is a Major League Baseball radio broadcaster who is best known as the play by play announcer for the Minnesota Twins on the Twins Radio Network and their Metro Affiliate KSTP 1500 AM...
as announcer Wally Holland - Paul O'Neill as Himself
- Ken Griffey, Jr as Himself
- Randy JohnsonRandy JohnsonRandall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....
as Himself - Lou PiniellaLou PiniellaLouis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
as Himself - Rafael PalmeiroRafael PalmeiroRafael Palmeiro Corrales is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985...
as Himself - Ivan RodriguezIván RodríguezIván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
as Himself - Wally JoynerWally JoynerWallace Keith "Wally" Joyner is a former first baseman and hitting coach in Major League Baseball. He played for four major league teams during a 16-year career, most notably for the California Angels, for whom he was an All-Star...
as Himself - Mickey TettletonMickey TettletonMickey Lee Tettleton , is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers...
as Himself - Chris Berman as Himself