Rookie of the Year (film)
Encyclopedia
Rookie of the Year is a 1993 American film
comedy
with a baseball
theme starring Thomas Ian Nicholas
and Gary Busey
.
The cast also includes Albert Hall, Dan Hedaya
, Eddie Bracken
, Amy Morton
, Bruce Altman
, John Gegenhuber
, Neil Flynn
, Daniel Stern
(who also directed) and John Candy
.
), 13-year-old Little League
r, has dreams of playing in the major leagues.
One day, Henry breaks his arm trying to catch a fly ball and has to wrap it in a cast. Once the arm is healed, the doctor removes the cast and discovers Henry's tendons have healed "a little too tight," thus enabling Henry to cock his arm back and fire it forward with incredible force.
In celebration of the cast's removal, Henry's mom presents him and two friends with tickets to the day's Chicago Cubs
game. At the ballpark, Henry and his friends catch a home run hit by a player from the visiting team. To keep with the Wrigley Field
tradition, which states that when an opponent's home run ball is caught it should be thrown back onto the field, Henry launches it from the outfield bleachers all the way to the catcher standing at home plate, which is about 435 feet. Everybody in the stadium stares in astonishment at the throw.
Henry earns a tryout at his home, and his fastball is regularly clocked in excess of 100 MPH. The Cubs sign him, making him the youngest-ever major leaguer. Henry's mother's boyfriend, Jack (Bruce Altman
), whom Henry dislikes, signs on as Henry's agent. Henry is awestruck to be in the presence of some of his heroes, including his idol Chet "Rocket" Steadman (Gary Busey
), an irascible pitcher in the twilight of his career.
Henry's first appearance as a relief pitcher comes against the New York Mets
and it is almost a disaster. He gives up a home run on his first pitch to Alejandro "Butch" Heddo, who mocks the kid pitcher as he trots the bases. Henry hits the next batter, then throws a wild pitch, and yet somehow gets the game's final out when a runner tries unsuccessfully to advance to third base on the wild pitch, earning Henry the save despite his only strike being a home run.
Steadman gives him advice on becoming a better pitcher. Henry struggles with his control in another game, so Steadman goes to the mound and gives him a nonsensical pep talk, encouraging him to "use your have-to." Henry nods as Chet talks but doesn't understand him. Regardless, Henry saves the game. As the season progresses, Henry's control improves, the Cubs keep winning, and he keeps earning saves.
Henry endorses several products, including Diet Pepsi
, where he replaces Ray Charles
in the popular "You Got the Right One, Baby
" campaign. However, he and Jack have a falling out when Jack reveals a plot to sell his contract to the New York Yankees
. As a result, Henry fires him. Henry's mother also breaks up with Jack and throws him out of the house because he is more obsessed with making money off Henry than his well-being.
The final game of the season pits the Cubs against the Mets with a division title on the line. Henry announces to the Cubs' owner that it will be his final (and only) season with the team. He also tells of Jack's and General Manager Larry Fisher's scheme to sell him to the Yankees, and eventually Larry is demoted to hot dog vendor.
It also proves to be Steadman's last game. At first he pitches like he hasn't pitched in years. However, his arm is blown out on his last pitch of the sixth inning. Henry completes the seventh and eighth innings. However, as the boy walks out to the field in the ninth, he trips on a baseball and falls on his arm. He is all right, but he can no longer throw a 100-mile-per-hour fastball. His arm strength has essentially returned to that of a normal 12-year old.
After letting his teammates know what happened, Henry must rely on his wit and their help. He intentionally walks two consecutive Mets batters but gets the first runner out by doing a hidden ball trick
and the second by taunting the runner into trying to steal second and catching him by pretending to throw the ball up high in the air.
Henry finally must face "Butch" Heddo again. Henry can no longer throw fast, so his pitch is effectively an eephus pitch
. Heddo, expecting a much faster pitch, swings very early and misses for the first strike. Heddo is not fooled by Henry's next slow pitch and sends it skyrocketing toward the fence. It has enough distance, but barely curves foul, leaving Heddo with two strikes.
A rattled Henry bides his time and walks around on the mound. After pulling at some tape he discovers that his baseball glove belonged to his mother. She mouths to him from the stands: "Float it." Henry lobs a palm-down underhanded floater pitch. Everyone watches as the ball flies high in the air and then down toward home plate. Heddo is surprised, then swings wildly and misses for the final out, throwing a tantrum in frustration. The Cubs and their fans celebrate.
Henry tosses the game ball toward his mother's seat. We then see him winning a Little League
championship game, with his mother and Chet Steadman cheering him on. Henry flashes a ring with blue stones, the Cubs' team color. The inscription reads: WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.
scenes were filmed at U.S. Cellular Field
, then known as Comiskey Park.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
with a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
theme starring Thomas Ian Nicholas
Thomas Ian Nicholas
Thomas Ian Nicholas is an American film actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and writer. Nicholas is best known for playing Henry Rowengartner in Rookie of the Year and Kevin Myers in the American Pie film series....
and Gary Busey
Gary Busey
William Gary Busey , best known as Gary Busey, is an American film and stage actor and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage...
.
The cast also includes Albert Hall, Dan Hedaya
Dan Hedaya
Daniel G. “Dan” Hedaya is an American character actor. He often plays sleazy villains or uptight, wisecracking individuals; three of his best-known roles are as Italian Mafia boss Tony Costello in Wise Guys, a cuckolded husband in the Coen brothers' crime thriller Blood Simple, and the scheming...
, Eddie Bracken
Eddie Bracken
Edward Vincent "Eddie" Bracken was an American actor.-Life and career:Bracken was born in Astoria, New York, the son of Catherine and Joseph L. Bracken. Bracken performed in vaudeville at the age of nine and gained fame with the Broadway musical Too Many Girls in a role he reprised for the 1940...
, Amy Morton
Amy Morton
Amy Morton is an American actress best known for her work in theatre. A member of Steppenwolf Theater's core group of actors since 1997, Morton has spent most of her career working in the Chicago theater scene. She made her Broadway debut starring opposite Gary Sinise as Nurse Ratched in the Tony...
, Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
, John Gegenhuber
John Gegenhuber
John Gegenhuber is an American actor. He was raised in Palatine, Illinois and his earliest screen-acting credit was in the 1986 series Under the Biltmore Clock. He has starred in several series, as well as appeared as a guest or recurring character on numerous shows, including Seinfeld , Murphy...
, Neil Flynn
Neil Flynn
Neil Richard Flynn is an American actor and comedian, known for his role as Janitor in the medical comedy-drama Scrubs. He currently portrays Mike Heck in the ABC sitcom The Middle.-Early life:...
, Daniel Stern
Daniel Stern (actor)
Daniel Jacob Stern is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.-Early life:Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a...
(who also directed) and John Candy
John Candy
John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
.
Plot
Henry Rowengartner (NicholasThomas Ian Nicholas
Thomas Ian Nicholas is an American film actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and writer. Nicholas is best known for playing Henry Rowengartner in Rookie of the Year and Kevin Myers in the American Pie film series....
), 13-year-old 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...
r, has dreams of playing in the major leagues.
One day, Henry breaks his arm trying to catch a fly ball and has to wrap it in a cast. Once the arm is healed, the doctor removes the cast and discovers Henry's tendons have healed "a little too tight," thus enabling Henry to cock his arm back and fire it forward with incredible force.
In celebration of the cast's removal, Henry's mom presents him and two friends with tickets to the day's Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
game. At the ballpark, Henry and his friends catch a home run hit by a player from the visiting team. To keep with the Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
tradition, which states that when an opponent's home run ball is caught it should be thrown back onto the field, Henry launches it from the outfield bleachers all the way to the catcher standing at home plate, which is about 435 feet. Everybody in the stadium stares in astonishment at the throw.
Henry earns a tryout at his home, and his fastball is regularly clocked in excess of 100 MPH. The Cubs sign him, making him the youngest-ever major leaguer. Henry's mother's boyfriend, Jack (Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
), whom Henry dislikes, signs on as Henry's agent. Henry is awestruck to be in the presence of some of his heroes, including his idol Chet "Rocket" Steadman (Gary Busey
Gary Busey
William Gary Busey , best known as Gary Busey, is an American film and stage actor and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage...
), an irascible pitcher in the twilight of his career.
Henry's first appearance as a relief pitcher comes against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and it is almost a disaster. He gives up a home run on his first pitch to Alejandro "Butch" Heddo, who mocks the kid pitcher as he trots the bases. Henry hits the next batter, then throws a wild pitch, and yet somehow gets the game's final out when a runner tries unsuccessfully to advance to third base on the wild pitch, earning Henry the save despite his only strike being a home run.
Steadman gives him advice on becoming a better pitcher. Henry struggles with his control in another game, so Steadman goes to the mound and gives him a nonsensical pep talk, encouraging him to "use your have-to." Henry nods as Chet talks but doesn't understand him. Regardless, Henry saves the game. As the season progresses, Henry's control improves, the Cubs keep winning, and he keeps earning saves.
Henry endorses several products, including Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi is a no-calorie carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo, introduced in 1964 as a variant of Pepsi-Cola with no sugar. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola, it was re-branded as Diet Pepsi the following year, becoming the first diet cola to be distributed on a...
, where he replaces Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
in the popular "You Got the Right One, Baby
You Got the Right One, Baby
"You Got the Right One, Baby, Uh Huh" was a popular slogan for Pepsico's Diet Pepsi brand in the United States and Canada from 1990 to 1993. A series of television ads featured singer Ray Charles, surrounded by models, singing a song about Diet Pepsi, entitled "You Got the Right One Baby, Uh Huh"...
" campaign. However, he and Jack have a falling out when Jack reveals a plot to sell his contract to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. As a result, Henry fires him. Henry's mother also breaks up with Jack and throws him out of the house because he is more obsessed with making money off Henry than his well-being.
The final game of the season pits the Cubs against the Mets with a division title on the line. Henry announces to the Cubs' owner that it will be his final (and only) season with the team. He also tells of Jack's and General Manager Larry Fisher's scheme to sell him to the Yankees, and eventually Larry is demoted to hot dog vendor.
It also proves to be Steadman's last game. At first he pitches like he hasn't pitched in years. However, his arm is blown out on his last pitch of the sixth inning. Henry completes the seventh and eighth innings. However, as the boy walks out to the field in the ninth, he trips on a baseball and falls on his arm. He is all right, but he can no longer throw a 100-mile-per-hour fastball. His arm strength has essentially returned to that of a normal 12-year old.
After letting his teammates know what happened, Henry must rely on his wit and their help. He intentionally walks two consecutive Mets batters but gets the first runner out by doing a hidden ball trick
Hidden ball trick
In the game of baseball, the hidden ball trick is a play in which the runner is deceived about the location of the ball, in an effort to have him tagged out.-Execution:...
and the second by taunting the runner into trying to steal second and catching him by pretending to throw the ball up high in the air.
Henry finally must face "Butch" Heddo again. Henry can no longer throw fast, so his pitch is effectively an eephus pitch
Eephus pitch
An Eephus pitch in baseball is considered a junk pitch with very low speed. The delivery from the pitcher has very low velocity and usually catches the hitter off-guard. Its invention is attributed to Rip Sewell of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1940s. According to manager Frankie Frisch, the...
. Heddo, expecting a much faster pitch, swings very early and misses for the first strike. Heddo is not fooled by Henry's next slow pitch and sends it skyrocketing toward the fence. It has enough distance, but barely curves foul, leaving Heddo with two strikes.
A rattled Henry bides his time and walks around on the mound. After pulling at some tape he discovers that his baseball glove belonged to his mother. She mouths to him from the stands: "Float it." Henry lobs a palm-down underhanded floater pitch. Everyone watches as the ball flies high in the air and then down toward home plate. Heddo is surprised, then swings wildly and misses for the final out, throwing a tantrum in frustration. The Cubs and their fans celebrate.
Henry tosses the game ball toward his mother's seat. We then see him winning 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...
championship game, with his mother and Chet Steadman cheering him on. Henry flashes a ring with blue stones, the Cubs' team color. The inscription reads: WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.
Cast
- Thomas Ian NicholasThomas Ian NicholasThomas Ian Nicholas is an American film actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and writer. Nicholas is best known for playing Henry Rowengartner in Rookie of the Year and Kevin Myers in the American Pie film series....
as Henry Rowengartner - Gary BuseyGary BuseyWilliam Gary Busey , best known as Gary Busey, is an American film and stage actor and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage...
as Chet "Rocket" Steadman - Neil FlynnNeil FlynnNeil Richard Flynn is an American actor and comedian, known for his role as Janitor in the medical comedy-drama Scrubs. He currently portrays Mike Heck in the ABC sitcom The Middle.-Early life:...
as Okie - Daniel SternDaniel Stern (actor)Daniel Jacob Stern is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.-Early life:Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a...
as Phil Brickma - Dan HedayaDan HedayaDaniel G. “Dan” Hedaya is an American character actor. He often plays sleazy villains or uptight, wisecracking individuals; three of his best-known roles are as Italian Mafia boss Tony Costello in Wise Guys, a cuckolded husband in the Coen brothers' crime thriller Blood Simple, and the scheming...
as Larry "Fish" Fisher - Amy MortonAmy MortonAmy Morton is an American actress best known for her work in theatre. A member of Steppenwolf Theater's core group of actors since 1997, Morton has spent most of her career working in the Chicago theater scene. She made her Broadway debut starring opposite Gary Sinise as Nurse Ratched in the Tony...
as Mary Rowengartner - Albert Hall as Sal Martinella
- W. Earl BrownW. Earl BrownW. Earl Brown is an American character actor who has appeared in many mainstream film and television projects. He is perhaps best known as Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood...
as Frick - Ian GomezIan GomezIan Gomez is an American actor best known for his comedic TV work, the most notable of which are his series-regular stints as Javier on Felicity and Andy on Cougar Town.-Career:...
as Odd Bellman - Bruce AltmanBruce AltmanBruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
as Jack - John CandyJohn CandyJohn Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
(uncredited) as Cliff Murdoch
Location
The Dodger StadiumDodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
scenes were filmed at U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field is a baseball ballpark in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, it is the home of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball's American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park...
, then known as Comiskey Park.