A League of Their Own commentary, part 9: ‘You play like you love it’

With Dottie behind the plate during the game, she happens to look over at the very bored Life Magazine reporter and photographer. Conveniently, Dottie has a chance to wow them with a foul-ball catch. It’s an easy pop-up for her, but at the last second, she decides to drop down into the splits to catch it.

The photographer captures the image perfectly for something that was supposed to be routine, because of course he does. I thought I read in some article within the past couple years that it wasn’t a stunt double doing the splits either; it was actually Geena Davis. However, Davis wasn’t able to get up from the splits on camera. Editing!

The reactions on this were great, too. PA man shouts into the mic “Uncle Elmore’s socks! What did she do?!” Then the opposing catcher in the Racine dugout leans over to her manager and says “I can’t do that.” He exclaims back “Who can?!”

Back in the Rockford dugout, Dugan demands to know what the hell it was that Dottie just did. She thinks it could help the league, plain and simple. He walks away, calling this a “goddamn circus.” But again, he’s still sober here. So there’s that.

Montage time to show the league getting popular
Next up, we get a musical montage interspersed with short clips of scenes at the ballpark – including that Life cover with Dottie down in the splits – taking us quickly through most of the season. Plenty of things to take in here. One thing that stands out throughout the movie is a lot of service uniforms in the stands of these games. When the stands are still sparse, Dugan remarks to his players that “dozens of people” are waiting for the game to start. In another sexist moment, one of the in-game promotions (long before the awful Kiss Cam and proposals) had fans get a kiss from a player if they catch a foul ball. OK, moving on.

Dugan still doesn’t know his players though. He calls Beverly “tall girl” and has to ask for her name twice. The montage also included a bunch of newspaper clippings running across the screen, too, which is a nice touch, even if they’re fictional for the movie. Dugan also offers Dottie some good ol’ tobacco in the dugout, telling her a lot of ballplayers use it. While it’s nice that he considers her a ballplayer, I’m not a fan of the tobacco part. Doris also catches a foul ball by diving into the stands, and she comes back up with a hot dog in her mouth. Chalk one up for the “fat girl” narrative again.

In a bit of foreshadowing, Dottie makes a play at the plate against Racine, holding onto the baseball as a runner plows into her. But Dottie got the out. Hang onto that for later. Dottie and Kit also bicker out on the mound during another game during the montage. A dynamic we figured was a possibility but didn’t see until then.

Marla and Nelson are definitely a thing
As for Marla, she has quite an eventful montage. Remember Nelson, the fella she was drunkenly singing to in the bar? Well, she checks the mail and receives a letter from him. It’s probably like getting a text in our time, right? Hey, I remember letters, don’t get me wrong. A few clips later, and we see Marla and Nelson walking out of a church as newlyweds. Her teammates stand on the church steps as bridesmaids, holding up baseball bats on each side to make an arch for the couple. Then they all throw baseballs, not rice, at their “just married” car as they drive away.

We don’t know what point this is during the season or even how long the season lasts, but first of all, that had to be a quick courtship and engagement to head to the alter that fast. Before departing, Marla says (for the audience’s benefit) that she’ll be back next season. So, we’re down a Peach. Remember that for later.

Riding the bus

Back to regular movie scenes, we land on the team bus at night once again. Dottie and Jimmy are talking about her husband, Bob, played by Bill Pullman, as we can see from the photo she provides. Pullman, Rosie O’Donnell and Tom Hanks were all in “Sleepless in Seattle” together. Fun fact.

Dottie says she’ll leave the league when Bob comes back from serving his country in the war. This is really the first indication we have that she can just give up so easily, even though she’s tried to play it casual throughout the movie that baseball is just a game. Dugan reads our minds, telling her “you play like you love it.” She disagrees and then he has to inform her that she’s the best player in the league. She’s too modest to acknowledge it.

As Jimmy reaches for his flask, Dottie swaps it out for a glass Coke bottle. So, I guess he hasn’t quit drinking entirely. He just seems to have it more under control now. Or something.

A League of Their Own commentary, part 1: 'Mule!' 'Nag!'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 2: 'So we can make a buck...'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 3: 'Go where things happen'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 4: 'OK, some of them are goin' home'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 5: 'Still a fall-down drunk?'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 6: 'What a hitter'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 7: 'It had to be you'
A League of Their Own commentary, part 8: 'There's no crying in baseball!'