A League of Their Own commentary, part 2: ‘So we can make a buck…’

The next scene shows the sisters walking on the dirt road on their farm. The sibling rivalry is really established here. Although it’s not so much a rivalry from Dottie’s standpoint as it is for Kit. As the younger sister, it’s clear she’s been in Dottie’s shadow, and she’s sick of it. I mean, their baseball team just had a walk-off victory, and Kit is pissed about it. Dottie is much more casual, like her hit under pressure was just another day at the office for her.

It’s not all made up in Kit’s head either, because she hears it from other people, like the baseball fan and even their father. Kit does an impression of her father introducing the duo to people, changing the inflection in her voice to disdain when it comes to the Kit introduction. “’This is our other daughter, Dottie’s sister.’ They should’ve just had you and bought a dog.”

Jon Lovitz steals the show in the next scene, again. He enters the barn as Dottie and Kit are milking cows. Capadino asks if that hurts the cows, then says “well, it would bruise the hell out of me.” He brings the plot back to center sharing that he’s a scout helping to start the girls’ baseball league “so we can make a buck while the boys are overseas.”

Scout makes his pitch
I know times were totally different then, but it’s worth noting that it was the “girls” baseball league and not the “women’s” baseball league. Imagine the GNBA or NGHL today. Another sign of the times? The monetary differences. Capadino offered them $75 a week to play compared to the 30 bucks they were making at the dairy.

Then Capadino gets to the heart of the offer, too, as he approaches Dottie: “You’re kind of a dolly. That’s what we’re looking for.” That’s enough for the married Dottie to put the brakes on this discussion, noting that her husband is one of those men fighting overseas.

“Oh relax. I’m talking looky no touchy.”

OK, well as long as we’re clear on that, Capadino. That’s so much better. There are plenty of sexist elements in this movie, but it’s not anything out of left field. I think the main purpose is showing some realism with how men were treated versus women, but there is always creative movie license in films based on reality, too.

Kit makes her case
Kit jumps at the chance for a fresh start playing pro ball, which again shows her passion for the game while Dottie is dismissive of the opportunity. Capadino is blunt about saying he didn’t want Kit because of her failed at-bat. He wants Dottie because she hit the ball. Dottie jumps to her sister’s defense right away, which is nice to see, explaining that Kit is a pitcher.

“She just didn’t pitch today because she pitched the day before.”

“Well thanks for that extra-special glimpse into her life.” There’s Lovitz with the sarcastic delivery again.

Dottie tries, and yeah, kind of fails, to insult Capadino by saying he’s not nice. “Ooo, that one hurt,” Capadino shot back, clearly not stung by the weak comeback.

Kit tries again to convince the scout to give her the chance, wanting to show him some pitches. It is a little odd that he’s out there and didn’t stay for more than one game so he could see her pitch. He could have at least wanted to see her “throw a few.” Just because she was a disaster in one plate appearance doesn’t mean she’s a trash pitcher, too. But hey, it’s a movie (Get used to me saying that.).

In the middle of their conversation, there’s a loud cow “moo!” behind them, to which Capadino turns around and offers a “Will you shut up?” I thought I also read somewhere that this line was ad-libbed by Lovitz. It was a great choice if that was the case. He changes his mind on Kit when he pats her arm and feels how muscular it is, which seems to surprise him. So, he offers to let her come if she brings Dottie along.

For good measure, he tells Kit: “If you stink, it’ll only cost us a train ticket.”

I’m telling you, every line of his is just such a memorable zinger. He ends the scene trying to make he way around a cluster of chickens without stepping on them. “Get these wild animals away from me! Haven’t you ever heard of a leash?”

Sisters are a package deal
Kit makes her desperate pleas with Dottie as they’re later setting the table for dinner. I love how there’s a full loaf of bread that makes an appearance that doesn’t have a large plastic wrapper with a twist tie around it. I’m sure it was homemade bread, too. Their parents are in the other room listening to the radio, because this was before televisions. What a world.

Dottie still has no interest in joining the league, but Kit clearly wants to get out of her hometown because she’s “nothing here.” We all know Dottie’s going to change her mind, because then we wouldn’t have a movie, right?

A League of Their Own commentary, part 1: 'Mule!' 'Nag!'