
| Release Date: | Apr 1976 |
|---|---|
| Genres: | Comedy / Family / Sport |
| Awards: | Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win |
| Cast: | Walter Matthau (Coach Morris Buttermaker), Chris Barnes (Tanner Boyle), Tatum O'Neal (Amanda Whurlitzer), Ben Piazza (Councilman Whitewood), Vic Morrow (Coach Roy Turner), Erin Blunt (Ahmad Abdul Rahim), Jackie Earle Haley (Kelly Leak), Gary Lee Cavagnaro (Engelberg), Joyce Van Patten (Cleveland), Jaime Escobedo (Jose Agilar), Scott Firestone (Regi Tower), George Gonzales (Miguel Agilar), Alfred Lutter III (Ogilvie), Brett Marx (Jimmy Feldman), David Pollock (Rudi Stein), Quinn Smith (Timmy Lupus), David Stambaugh (Toby Whitewood), Brandon Cruz (Joey Turner), Timothy Blake (Mrs. Lupus), Bill Sorrells (Mr. Tower), Shari Summers (Mrs. Turner), Joe Brooks (Umpire), George Wyner (White Sox Manager), David Lazarus (Yankee), Charles Matthau (Athletic), Maurice Marks (Announcer), Howard Culver (Newscaster (uncredited)), Maggie Munro (Kid (uncredited)), Ethan Tudor W. (Astros / Ballplayer (uncredited)) |
First of a trilogy of films takes an unflinching look at the underbelly of little league baseball in Southern California. Former minor leaguer Morris Buttermaker is a lazy, beer swilling swimming pool cleaner who takes money to coach the Bears, a bunch of disheveled misfits who have virtually no baseball talent. Realizing his dilemma, Coach Buttermaker brings aboard girl pitching ace Amanda Whurlizer, the daughter of a former girlfriend, and Kelly Leak, a motorcycle punk who happens to be the best player around. Brimming with confidence, the Bears look to sweep into the championship game and avenge an earlier loss to their nemesis, the Yankees.

