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“A League of Their Own” Review A very funny and entertaining comedy that tells the story of the Women’s baseball League. The League was set up during WWII, a time when most of baseball’s greatest players went off to fight in the War. In an attempt to save the sport, several owners formed the All-American Girls Baseball League. Among the great female players that came out of the league were Dottie Hinson ( Geena Davis), her kid sister Kit (Lori Petty), Mae Mordabito (Madonna) and Doris Murphy (Rosie O’Donnell). Coaching the women was the job of former baseball player Jimmy Dugan ( Tom Hanks), a recovering alcoholic who seemed to be a better drinker than a coach. He is the one that says, “there’s no crying in baseball”. At first, he has absolutely no interest in the team, but after they show a sign of talent, he begins to coach the team. The movie starts with an old lady travelling back to Illinois for the Hall of Fame awards for the All-American Girls Baseball League. Harvey’s candybar company owner is greedy and wants to keep baseball, and his profits, alive. So he hires scouts to go out across America and find girls to play. One scout stumbles upon Dottie Hinson and Kit Keller. Dottie can hit and catch, while Kit can pitch a mean fastball. He also happens upon a tomboyish Marla Hooch who can hit both left and right handed. They arrive at the tryouts and meet other fellow would-be team members, such as Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell. The performances of the characters make the movie spectacular and entertaining. The variety of personalities makes the movie captivating. The turning point for the movie is when Kit is traded and she blames it on her sister Dottie. Dottie was a talented catcher but we learn that Dottie never took women’s baseball all that seriously. She was the best player of her time, and yet, in her mind, she was simply on hold until her husband came back from the war. Dugan, the coach, tells her she lights up when she plays baseball.
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