"[TV news show theme music]" "(announcer over TV) Fans here at Sportsman's are glued to their seats as the Cardinals and Dodgers are even at two apiece." "Sal Maglie takes the sign from Campanella." "He winds up." "Here's the pitch!" "Whammo!" "Musial's bat cracks off at his fist as he sizzles one to Gil Hodges," "Musial is two for two!" "Does anyone want a slightly used bat?" "[Reporter's voice begins to fade]" "(Cesar) I..." "I was promised." "Promised?" "By who?" "By Eddie Stanky." "Stanky's gone." "Mr. Tanner," "I've been working on this shot for years." "You'll get other shots, but this is the Majors, and we need to bring in somebody who's..." "Who's what?" "Not Mexican?" "Look here, when Stanky found you you were a batboy in San Antonio." "Hornsby hired you." "I didn't." "It's my team now, and you'll do what you're told." "That's all, we're done." "(Cesar) I didn't get it." "Where you going?" "(Cesar) Monterrey, Mexico." "(man) Why?" "That's where my folks are from." "You don't know anyone there." "Yeah, well I thought I knew people here." "Cesar!" "[Soft guitar, Mexican music]" "[Man shouting, horns honking]" "[Mexican soft guitar music intensifies]" "[Explosion sound]" "By the end of the shift," "I want all of this removed." "(Umberto) Hey you!" "Boss needs this slag cleared." "Sounds good." "Why don't you get it done?" "Why don't you go back to America?" "(Suarez) I hear he can't." "(Villareal) Maybe he killed somebody." "You think you're better than us, Mr. Baseball Man?" "Look where it got you." "You'll never know what it is to have anything 'cause you'll never have anything to lose." "Cesar!" "A few months ago, his oldest boy was playing at the Church of the Dead." "All of our boys did, but his slipped and fell." "(Father Esteban) Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name." "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." "Amen." "Today, we command the spirit of Pedro Macias into Your hands." "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost." "Pedro was a good boy, a very good boy." "By the end of the shift." "(Cesar) You want someone?" "Take me." "These children have nothing." "How can I give them hope?" "Thank you." "[Sad music]" "[Turns on radio]" "[Tuning]" "(reporter over radio) And that's two outs!" "Brooklyn Dodger fans are on their feet for the rookie, Sandy Koufax." "The poor lanky kid who rose from the streets of Brooklyn to the Major Leagues." "Koufax, studies the sign... [soft epic music]" "(reporter over radio) He winds up." "And here's the pitch." "Strike three!" "He's done it!" "Koufax has just pitched his first shutout, allowing Cincinnati only two hits!" "What a performance, this kid has champion written all over him!" "Koufax studies the sign." "(Father) Ugh." "Mario!" "It's a Holy Day, not a time for games." "If God didn't want us to play games, he wouldn't have made them so much fun!" "Right?" "[Chuckling]" "[Boy singing]" "Will you shut him up?" "I'm trying to sleep!" "He has to practice for choir." "[Singing continues]" "Choir?" "You're turning him into a woman." "You shut him up, or I'll do it myself." "Why did you stop?" "It's all right, Mama." "I'm finished." "Your Father's not an evil man." "He just... can't feel anymore." "(Angel) Is he ever gonna get better?" "(mother) I don't know." "Father Esteban says anything's possible with the help of God." "[Boys' choir singing]" "(Angel) Ha!" "You're out!" "(Enrique) I tipped it!" "(Father Esteban) Boys." "It's time." "Come." "(Enrique) Did so tip it." "(reporter over radio) Gil Hodges steps up to the plate... (Angel) Do you think we have a chance?" "(Enrique) Two outs, down by three in the bottom of the 9th!" "Enrique, I meant this season." "You know the beautiful thing about opening day is today, every team is in first place." "Yankees got lucky last year." "Lucky?" "You call Don Larson's perfect game, lucky?" "What's a perfect game?" "(Mario) No runs, no hits, no walks." "No one gets to first." "Yeah." "[Sighs] To me, baseball is always perfect." "I imagine when you look out from home plate, the field has no end." "And until the final out, you can, you can play forever." "[Soft music]" "And only God can make something infinite and eternal." "Si." "(radio) Snider hits a deep fly ball!" "Back to the wall, [all exclaim]" "(Father) Our Dodgers have spirit." "And Duke Snider." "(radio) And that's why Yogi Berra says, 'lt ain't over 'till it's over'" "[soft music continues]" "You're late." "The game went into extra innings." "No." "You're not on time for dinner, you don't eat." "You got chores to do." "Tonight you can clean out the corral." "It's too filthy, even for a pig." "Umberto." "When I was his age, I had to help put food on the table." "Go!" "[Soft music]" "[Oinking]" "(mother) You're not going to find answers in there." "(Umberto) Where then?" "God." "(Umberto) God took my son." "(mother) He sacrificed his only son!" "We have Angel!" "(Umberto) Angel will never be the son that Pedro was." "Never." "Angel?" "[Oinking]" "[Soft music continues]" "[Panting]" "[Coyote howling]" "[Boy's echoing voice] Pedro!" "Pedro!" "[Screaming] Pedro!" "[Birds chirping]" "[Music becomes more cheerful]" "[Sharp thud]" "What are you doing?" "I'm Sandy Koufax." "The pitcher." "[Musical chord]" "[Sharp thud]" "Well, Koufax, you just ruined my siesta." "Koufax is a lefty." "[Sharp thud]" "And Jewish." "Yes." "Yes." "I'm Jew..." "I'm Ju..." "Je... [sighs] Whatever you said." "Well, it hasn't improved your aim any." "What do you know?" "Hey." "[Sharp thud]" "(Cesar) Hey, where'd you get this?" "It..." "It's from God." "You best take care of that." "(Norberto) Can I touch it?" "(Father) Yes, of course you can touch it." "[Panting] It's heavier than I thought." "Let me see." "Whoa." "It's like a woman's skin." "(Mario) Father." "What does it mean?" "It means God wants us to play baseball." "Angel." "That's what I think it means." "Me, too." "What happens when we lose this one?" "Is God going to drop another one from the sky?" "(Angel) He's God." "He can do anything." "Father, what does it say?" "It says it belonged to a saint." "(kids) Wow." "Angel, maybe next time you can ask him to give us a bat!" "[All chuckle]" "[Rooster]" "You again." "Want to have a catch?" "(Cesar) No." "Okay, I guess I'll just have to practice everyday by myself." "Every single day, right here!" "Everyday!" "[Sharp thuds]" "[Soft guitar music]" "All right." "Just this once." "Then you have to promise me you're going to pitch somewhere else, agreed?" "Wow." "Who taught you to pitch?" "Cardinals." "In the Basilica?" "Saint Louis." "The Saint Louis Cardinals?" "That's right." "You played in the Majors?" "Well, sorta, I..." "I coached." "I'm a Dodger fan." "Yeah, you're Sandy Koufax." "[Man shouting and horn]" "[Chatter]" "Quiet!" "There she is!" "My girlfriend." "(Ricardo) Oh yeah?" "Then go talk to her." "Yeah." "I have to wait for the right moment." "How about now?" "Enrique, catch!" "Oops." "A little help, please!" "Hi, Gloria, such a surprise!" "What is this?" "I-I-lt's a baseball." "(Norberto) A real one!" "Are these your friends?" "(Ricardo) We are his teammates!" "Yeah, we're a real baseball team." "Best in Monterrey!" "[Soft Mexican music]" "You know, they told me Monterrey had the most beautiful girls in Mexico." "Too bad for you, we're on our way to America." "Yeah, too bad." "So Gloria, I was thinking, I could, walk you home or something?" "!" "Sorry, my father picks me up." "Ooh!" "Popped up to the catcher." "How embarrassing." "Who do you think you are?" "We're the Mexico City All Stars." "Can you read?" "Sons of gringo businessmen!" "Why don't you play with Mexicans?" "With babies, like you?" "(Mario) Who are you calling 'babies'?" "Dummy." "Come on, guys." "[Horn honking]" "I'll never get Gloria." "(boy) You're not worth getting dirty over." "We're going to America." "America." "Father." "Sorry, but we need to make the team now." "Angel, what is the hurry?" "We're 12." "See, we can't play in the league next year." "Hmm." "I see." "Well then, you'll need a coach." "You could be our coach!" "No, not me." "Please." "You need somebody who knows the game, not just stick ball." "I don't know anybody like that in Monterrey." "I do." "(Cesar) What now?" "(Angel) We are making a Little League team!" "Who's we?" "My friends and Father Esteban." "You can meet him tomorrow at Mass." "(Cesar) Church?" "I don't think so kid." "[Soft sweet music]" "Do you like her?" "Who?" "I think you are in love." "(Cesar) Nah, there's plenty of fish in the sea." "[Horns honking]" "Not like that mermaid." "You know her?" "(Angel) No, but I know where she'll be tomorrow morning." "Where?" "[Bells tolling]" "[Soft guitar music]" "(Father) Mea culpa Mea culpa Mea maxima culpa" "[Father continues Mass in Latin]" "(Angel) Father Esteban, this is Cesar Faz." "Ah, yes." "Good morning, Father." "Angel tells me you used to coach in the Major League Baseball." "Yeah, yeah, I did." "Well, it must have been something." "It was something." "(Father) Yes, well, they would like to have that same feeling, you know?" "In the American Little League." "(Angel) Mr. Faz, will you be our coach?" "Will you take us to America?" "It would take a miracle to make these kids into a real team." "Sometimes, God gives us the ability to make them." "Teams?" "Miracles." "These kids don't even have a field." "Sorry, kid." "[Cheerful music]" "(Enrique) Couldn't pick a place with more rocks, huh?" "Nope." " We did it." " Si." "(Enrique) Yeah, the infield." "What about the outfield?" "[Sharp thud]" "Angel." "Angel!" "(Angel) Mr. Faz!" "[Sharp thud]" "Want to have a catch?" "!" "Angel." "[Dogs barking]" "Angel." "[Soft guitar music]" "(Angel) Well, we have a field." "Yeah." "You got a field." "Lucky." "It's Cesar." "Cesar?" "How the heck are you?" "You still got your contacts in Williamsport?" "I need you to pull some strings, and help me get Monterrey a Little League franchise." "Little League?" "I thought you didn't like kids." "Well, you going to lecture me or you going to help me?" "You know that's a pretty tall order this late in the game." "I watched you deck a shore patrolman and then sweet-talk him into driving you back to your ship." "I know what you can do on a one-day leave." "Oh, good, I didn't know I had a whole day." "[Chuckling] Holler when you're hurting." "Oh, I'm hollering." "(Cesar) Five skills in baseball." "Running, catching, throwing, hitting, [thump and all exclaim]" "And hitting harder." "[Thump]" "(Father) They already know how to do all these things." "They just need you to tell them when to do them." "(Cesar) Wow." "Um, thank you." "Oops." "Oh, uh." "You shouldn't hold that so tightly." "You'll bruise the delicate fruit inside." "You were in church on Sunday, right?" "Yes, yes I was in church on Sunday." "That was me." "I'm Maria." "I'm Cesar Faz." "You, uh... you buy food here?" "[Chuckling] Yes, Cesar Faz, it's a food market." "Right." "And what do you do here?" "I'm here scouting for the team." "Oh, what kind of team?" "Little League baseball!" "Here?" "In Monterrey?" "First time for everything, right?" "Like Cesar Faz coming to my church." "That's right." "Yeah." "Well, that's all I came for." "Yeah, we, you and I, uh, should go out?" "(Maria) Um, would you like to join my family for dinner, tonight?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Tonight?" "Mm-hm." "Yeah." "That sounds real nice." "7 o'clock then?" "7 o'clock." "Bye." "Father." "[Sighs] What are you guys doing here?" "Recruiting, remember?" "I think Mr. Faz has been recruiting." "Okay, okay, who do we got?" "[Man shouting, horns honking]" "(Angel) That's Fidel Ruiz." "[Man continues shouting]" "Man, that kid can run." "Tell him it's a sin to steal." "Unless it's bases." "He's in." "How about that kid that murdered that cardboard decoration?" "(both) Baltazar!" "He's the strongest kid in town." "He's in." "Okay." "Angel, Enrique, Ricardo, Fidel." "What about Mario?" "(Angel) Yes, yes, Mario's important." "[Chatting]" "He's pretty small." "Is he a great hitter?" "Um, not so much." "Fantastic fielder?" "Uh, not so much." "(Cesar) Mario." "You got a great arm, right?" "Not so much." "Mr. Faz." "(Cesar) Why's he so special?" "Because he knows all the girls." "[All chuckle]" "Mario." "You got a glove?" "Yeah!" "[All chuckling] Mario, you're in." "(Cesar) Okay, I want you on the field in an hour." "What about the flowers?" "Flowers?" "For what?" "For Maria." "Maybe you didn't hear that beauty, just invite me to her house for dinner." "Really?" "Where does she live?" "Diego Martin number 5." "And don't forget the flowers." "(Father) Dear Lord, bless these boys and the field on which they play for your greater honor and glory." "Father." "Son." "Holy Ghost." "Amen." "Does anybody know the Holy Trinity of baseball?" "(Norberto) The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost." "Close." "Home runs, RBI's, and batting averages." "And they all revolve around this." "[Horn honking]" "[Cheerful music]" "Looking good, Pepe." "Who are you?" "I'm Pepe Maiz Garcia." "I play left field." "But coach hasn't made positions yet." "Well we'll see." "Boys, meet your new left fielder." "[Boys exclaim]" "(Enrique) You think your Dad can buy your way onto the team?" "Money isn't everything." "Yeah, well, you don't have any." "And you never will." "At least I'll always be able to kick your butt." "(Cesar) All right everybody!" "Heads up!" "Runner on first." "One out, play to second." "Ready?" "Fidel." "(Fidel) What runner Mr. Faz?" "There's no one on the base." "Pretend." "(Norberto) Yogi Berra said 90% of the game is half mental." "Well I must be 100% mental to think that I could teach you kids baseball in four weeks." "Baltazar!" "What happened?" "You said Baltazar." "The unexpected play at the unexpected time." "That's what we're training for!" "Nice play, girl." "Come on, you kids." "Keep it together." "Ugh." "[Kids exclaim]" "(Cesar) Hey!" "Hey!" "There's two kinds of players." "Those who can play as a team and those who won't be on this team!" "You got that!" "Alright." "Everybody, five laps." "It was their fight, we shouldn't all have to run five laps!" "Norberto's right." "Everybody, ten laps!" "Move it!" "[Boys complain]" "You all rise and fall together!" "[Cheerful music]" "What am I doing?" "Again!" "(Cesar) Again!" "Make sure you get it!" "Grounder!" "What are you doing?" "Mr. Faz, you have a date!" "Get back to your position!" "Go!" "Again!" "[Sad love song over radio]" "[Rooster and cheerful Mexican music]" "(Cesar) Anyone jogging's going to make the whole team run an extra five laps, and I know you don't want that." "You want to be a champ, you got to run like a champ." "[Music continues]" "Come on, keep up, Ricardo." "(Cesar) Way to go, Norberto." "(Maria) I don't know what men do in America, but in Mexico, they treat a woman with more respect." "Sorry." "Practice ran late, and running the boys..." "Perhaps you just forgot." "Mr. Faz, here are the flowers you got for the lady yesterday." "Flowers?" "You got this for me?" "I..." "I know you told me to put them in water, they're a little wilted." "They're beautiful." "[Clears throat]" "Um, Mario." "Your laps." "Oh!" "Because I didn't put the flowers in the water, right!" "It's okay." "[Father, speaking in Latin, Gregorian chant]" "[Cheerful pop music]" "♫ Take me out To the Ballgame ♫" "♫ Take me out to the crowd ♫" "♫ Buy me some peanuts ♫" "♫ And cracker jack ♫" "♫ I don't care If I never get back ♫" "♫ Let me root, root, root For the home team ♫" "♫And if they don't win it's a shame ♫" "♫For it's one ♫" "♫ Two ♫" "♫ Three strikes, you're out ♫" "♫ At the old ball game ♫" "♫ Yeah ♫" "♫ Let me root, root, root For the home team ♫" "♫ And if they don't win ♫" "♫ It's a shame ♫" "♫ For it's one ♫" "♫ Two ♫" "♫ Three strikes, you're out ♫" "♫ At the old ball game ♫" "Now I have some announcements to make, thanks to your continuing prayers," "Mrs. Montez's boils have finally healed." "[All chuckle and applaud]" "And Senora Santana, has given birth to triplets!" "(Father) And lastly," "Monterrey, has just been awarded its very first Little League franchise!" "[Cheerful music, boys exclaim and applause] ♫ For it's one, two ♫" "♫♫ Three strikes, You're out ♫" "♫♫ At the old ball game ♫♫" "[groaning]" "They're limping." "I made them wear their baseball shoes for the past few days." "But their feet will blister." "Better now than at the field." "You're treating them like you're still a manager in that magic league in St. Louis." "It's Major League, Maria, Major." "Still, it seems mean to me." "What's mean you is you not going out to dinner with me." "Not until you meet my Father, it's only proper." "We come back from Texas on Wednesday, tell him I'll meet him that night, I promise." "Okay." "(Cesar) Are they praying?" "(Father) No, they're watching that hummingbird." "(Cesar) Why?" "(Father) I told them when they see his wings they can hit any pitch." "You don't really believe that, do you Father?" "They do." "On the field!" "Five minutes!" "Nine of you boys showed up but only one team is going to McAllen." "[Boys exclaim, inspiring music]" "(boy) I got fourteen!" "[Horn]" "(Cesar) I'll make up the two shifts next weekend." "Two shifts?" "And you'll be back next weekend?" "I will be back." "[Walla and metallic clanking]" "(Umberto) Stop filling Angel's head with crazy ideas." "Like what?" "Like going to Texas to play baseball." "He needs to know his place." "Like where, here?" "Working the furnaces at Fundidora?" "Fundidora feeds my family." "My Father and Grandfather worked here, and so will Angel." "Well maybe Angel's got his own dreams, you ever think about that?" "Dreams don't build cities." "Men and iron do." "(mother) You make a very handsome baseball star." "Umberto." "[Soft Mexican music]" "Where does he think he's going?" "To Texas with the team, remember?" "I don't remember saying you can go." "Umberto." "Papa, I'm going." "Why not?" "One less mouth to feed for a few days." "Come on, we're late for the bus." "Si." "[Soft guitar music]" "(border guard) Purpose of your visit to the United States?" "Baseball game in McAllen." "That's over ten miles away." "There's no bus stop here." "They're used to walking." "Hey, empty those out!" "[Cesar speaking Spanish]" "(border guard) One pair of underwear, that's all they brought?" "They only got one game." "See that you don't leave no one behind." "[Soft pop music] ♫ To the miracle of the light ♫" "♫ From the darkness Of the night ♫" "♫ When you see forever ♫" "♫ In everything you do ♫" "(Enrique) Pepe, use mine." "♫ No matter what you dream It is waiting there for you ♫" "(guard) Good luck." "Friends." "(border guard) Don't forget, it's only a three-day visa." "[Inspiring pop music] ♫ Open your eyes ♫" "♫ Awake and realize ♫" "♫ That the journey You must take ♫" "♫ Is the miracle you make ♫ [announcer over speakers]" "Listen up, y'all." "Here's the field where we're going to kick some butt." "(coach assistant) That's right!" "What the... [boys shouting and laughing]" "They've never seen mowed grass before." "[Laughing] Oh." "Well, if that don't beat all." "[Laughing and chattering]" "We going to play baseball with them?" "Or use them as fertilizer?" "They'll never get past the first game." "Let's go." "[Announcer over speakers]" "Angel, Enrique, I want you to line up right here." "[Coach speaking Spanish] Look at who we're playing." "It will be a good warm up for the tournament." "[Chuckling]" "Now listen, you both worked really hard, but only one of you can start." "You decide." "(Mexico City player) Hey, babies, where's your pretty girl now?" "[Mexico City players laughing]" "You know what?" "You start." "For Gloria." "(Father) Come here, boys." "Everybody join hands." "Holy cow, they're holding hands." "They're saying a prayer." "(Father) Lord, bless these boys, let them come out victorious and get a lot of hits, okay?" "They need to." "(announcer) Enrique Suarez, delivers, and Donowitz swings, hits a high fly ball," "Pepe Maiz is under it and makes the catch!" "[Boys exclaim]" "[Boys shouting and soft Mexican music]" "Yeah." "[Thud and shouting]" "Hey, coach!" "Might want to remind your boys there's more than one out in a baseball game." "It's their first rodeo." "They'll catch on." "Laughing and shouting]" "Yeah!" "(announcer) Bottom of the fifth, and Veragosa digs in." "(crowd) Oh!" "(Coach) Time!" "What are you kids doing?" "Take the base." "(announcer) Monterrey's Coach Faz is coming out to the mound." "We're playing a great game." "We're only losing by two runs." "The only word I heard in that sentence was "losing."" "They're bigger than us." "Everybody's bigger than us." "We walked 12 miles and played five innings of baseball." "Lucky for you there is six innings." "(Mario) But Mr. Faz, they're the Mexico City All Stars!" "[Suspenseful music]" "Wrong." "They're the Yankees." "And you're the mighty Brooklyn Dodgers." "The mighty who?" "You heard me!" "Gil Hodges, get back to first base." "Duke Snider, center field." "Roy Campanella, behind the plate." "Don Newcombe, take the mound." "Pee Wee Reese?" "Third base." "[Suspenseful music continues]" "[Boys exclaiming]" "Strike!" "Strike Two!" "Strike Three!" "Side is out." "(announcer) Top of the sixth, Monterrey still down by two." "Three more outs, and Monterrey Industrials will be going home." "Safe!" "[Suspenseful music continues]" "(announcer) Boy have the tables turned, three more outs and it'll be the Mexico City All Stars going home." "Hey!" "You're out!" "(announcer) Two outs, and Veragosa is Mexico City's last hope, he swings, he hits a high pop up." "No." "I got it." "(announcer) And Monterrey Industrial wins their first game by 7 runs!" "Now we play for Mexico." "We'll make your team proud." "[Boys exclaiming]" "(Mexico City player) Okay, then do it." "[Applause and cheering]" "(boys) Mexico All Stars!" "We are the Monterrey Industrials!" "Viva Mexico!" "(announcer) It's a good thing they're celebrating today, because tomorrow they're gonna face our Texas boys, for some real American baseball." "Alright, we got a big game tomorrow." "I want you boys to rest up, get plenty of sleep." "[Groaning]" "Oh, when did this happen?" "Last Saturday." "On the field, I stepped on a glass." "(Fidel) Oh!" "Does it hurt?" "(Norberto) Yes." "Why didn't you tell anybody?" "I was afraid you wouldn't let me come." "You're not going to be able to play on this foot." "Then I will play on the other." "[Soft music] You'll play on the other." "(Fidel) It's okay, Norberto." "You'll be all right." "(Cesar) In case you wondered what those things are that I lugged from Monterrey, they're called bats." "And if you want to put numbers on that scoreboard, these are your tools." "Time for some hitting drills." "Mr. Faz, the game is in one hour." "Well what a perfect time then." "Come on." "[Soft music]" "Batting practice?" "Who do y'all think you're messing with here, huh?" "(Mac) Disinterested." "No opinion." "Don't care." "[Typing] Request denied." "Denied." "One more sec." "Mac." "May provoke a nuclear arms race in space." "Arms race in space?" "Come on, Frankie." "What's next?" "Men on the moon?" "It's good stuff, Mac." "Besides, it's my day off." "Yeah about that, I need you to cover a Little League game." "Our team's got a chance at the tournament." "A kid's baseball game?" "No." "Riley's your sports writer." "His wife's expecting any minute." "Well what about Hayne?" "Got him working on the Governor Daniels story." "Well, you got plenty of other men on your staff, don't you?" "I hear you know more about the game than any of them." "Ain't you named after a ballplayer?" "I hate baseball." "What are you, some kind of communist?" "Yeah, you got me, that's why I work here for next to nothing." "Hm." "[Sighs] Fine." "What's so important about this game?" "We got some boys come up from Mexico thought we'd play the invasion angle, you know, our boys defending what their Granddaddy's fought for." "And what if the Mexicans win?" "5 will get you 20 those boys ain't gonna to score a single run." "I did not study journalism to get stuck on this back page assignment." "I'm not doing it, and that's final." "That's fine, not everybody is cut out for the Gazette." "Why don't you run out and get yourself an apron, maybe, find a husband." "You know, you say that one more time, I will punch you in the nose." "It's been awhile since I fought a woman." "We're not in the same weight class, I don't think." "3 o'clock." "McAllen field!" "I take that as a yes?" "[Boys shouting]" "Well, at least we know they didn't bring any ringers." "Heck, they don't look but nine or ten." "Hey guys, see this thing!" "Hey, come on, Jake, give it back." "What do you care?" "(coach) There now, boys." "Sportsmanship." "Come on." "Come on, get in there." "(coach assistant) Let's go." "[Applause]" "Remember, you're the pitcher." "Birds and sky, the waters and rivers, even the sun is going to wait, 'till you're ready, understand?" "Okay, Mr. Faz." "You can do this, Koufax." "(announcer) We're ready to get started here on field one as Bobby Lampkin will lead things off for McAllen against Monterrey's Angel Macias." "(man) Come on there, Billy!" "Strike!" "That's all right." "That's only one strike." "(coach) Let's go, Billy!" "[Soft lively Mexican music]" "(umpire) Strike three!" "That's only one out." "Strike three!" "Strike three!" "Side out." "That's all right!" "That's only one inning boys!" "Come on boys, let's get this one!" "Let's go!" "(coach) Come on, boys." "[Music continues]" "They scored a run." "They scored again." "(announcer) Well I'll tell you, these Mexicans may have rolled all over the grass, but they sure ain't rolling over on the field." "Oh, tell me they're going to stop scoring runs." "Don't worry." "Ain't no Mexican team gonna take our flag!" "That's right!" "[Thump]" "You can't be serious letting a bunch of wetbacks get the better of you!" "We're doing the best we can." "Well maybe that just ain't enough." "Hey boy!" "I'm talking to you!" "Dad, I'm on deck!" "Remember, boys!" "It ain't over 'till it's over!" "Strike three!" "That's game." "No no no!" "It ain't over!" "This ain't over!" "It's over." "(Frankie) A combination of clutch hitting, and impermeable defense led Monterrey Industrial to an improbable 7 to 1 victory." "So there's your article." "I'm going home." "(Mac) No, you're going to stay with this story." "But the home team's out." "So?" "The wetbacks winning sells more papers." "Can't be long, just cover them 'till they lose." "Frankie Stevens, McAllen Gazette." "No thanks." "I'm not selling them." "I'm a reporter." "Cesar Faz." "What are you gawking at?" "I didn't know there were female sports reporters." "You must be pretty unwelcome in the locker room." "And beating the home team makes you about as popular as a skunk at a lawn party." "Well I'd rather smell than lose." "Maybe you can do both tomorrow." "You mind if I ask them a few questions?" "They don't speak English." "How come the kids keep saying 'Gil Hodges'?" "And he just told those girls that he's Duke Snider." "That's their secret weapon." "What is?" "But... [chatter]" "Everybody gather round." "(Fidel) We're tired, Mr. Faz." "(Baltazar) Can we sleep?" "Well, if you lose tomorrow you'll get plenty of sleep on the bus home, now gather round." "[Boys grumble]" "Now base hits to the right, shortstop covers second base." "Mario." "[Triumphant music]" "Again!" "He's out." "Man!" "Come on." "[Crowd complains]" "Jesus." "(announcer) Texas just can't get it going here." "Strike three, that's game." "Are you kidding me?" "(announcer) That's 3 straight wins for Monterrey." "I don't envy West Waco who'll try to stop them tomorrow." "Why the long face?" "Our visas have expired." "Oh my gosh, it's Wednesday." "Yeah." "(Cesar) She's gonna kill me." "[Sighs]" "'The Little Giants.' Nice touch." "'The little giants from Monterrey beat West Waco 'and Brownsville by the scores of 13-1, and 6-1, 'giving them five straight victories." "Now it's off to Corpus for these Mexican baseballers.'" "For someone who hates baseball you sure have a way with it." "You got your story, Mac, now leave me alone." "(Mac) Hm." "[Music chord]" "Why are you looking at me like that?" "Corpus Christie, huh?" "No!" "That's where I draw the line!" "Just 'till they lose." "You said that four games ago!" "They're not cooperating." "People are glued to the sports page." "You know, if it's so good, why don't you cover it?" "I sign your check." "Remember." "Me editor." "You writer." "Consider that a bonus." "Don't spend it all in one place." "Umberto." "Listen to this." "Steel won't wait." "Let's go." "Let's go." "'Corpus Christie, Texas." "August 6th." "'The pitching duet of Enrique Suarez and Angel Macias 'continued its winning streak." "' Laredo was the first to fall in a 5-0 shut out," "'West Columbia fared even worse, shut out by six runs!" "'" "(Suarez) To America they go!" "[All cheer]" "(clerk) Can I help you?" "Eleven tickets to Forth Worth, please." "(clerk) I got reservations here under the name 'West Columbia. '" "Trust me, they won't be coming." "[Angel, knocking] Mr. Faz!" "Me and Berto have to go to the toilet!" "I might get the restroom key, please?" "There's one about a half mile up the road." "You're kidding." "Well, what about that restroom out there!" "Can't your boys read?" "(Angel) Hello?" "Come on." "We'll find another one." "There's only this one." "It's not working." "We saw a man come out." "Come on, just go." "This for white people only." "How does the toilet know?" "[Camera shutter clicks]" "[Cheerful twist music] ♫ If you wanna live it up And drive a limousine ♫" "♫ Have plenty money In your blue jeans ♫" "♫ And lot of pretty women Hangin' on your wing ♫" "♫ Pay attention man, You will get just What I mean ♫" "♫You gotta dig boy, Dig boy dig-dig boy ♫" "♫ Dig boy, dig dig boy ♫" "♫ Dig boy, dig boy, dig boy To get ahead in the world ♫" "♫ Gotta stretch All your nickles, Dimes and pennies too ♫" "♫ Ole mother nature 'll get the best of you ♫" "♫ A time to change, You better get wise ♫" "♫ Or you'll Find yourself a-slippin' Like a lot of other guys ♫" "♫♫ If you don't dig boy ♫♫ [music stops]" "(Betty) Enjoy." "Enjoy." "(Lil Betty) You sure you don't want the chicken?" "It's my mom's specialty." "I'll stick with the cheeseburger." "Maybe Cleon wants the fried chicken." "Like the Mexican kids we're gonna whoop tomorrow." "(Lil Betty) So that will be cheeseburgers, Coke, and a side of humble pie." "(Betty) Hey, you're killing my chicken." "They're, uh, making mole." "It's a Mexican chocolate sauce." "Mole, schmole, I ain't letting them make sundaes out of my chicken." "Hey, Father." "Why is that kid sitting alone?" "Well, Enrique, some people don't believe that we are all His children." "What?" "Mr. Faz." "Go ask the coach if the boy can sit with us." "(Cesar) In this town, it ain't happening." "Sorry, Angel." "[Epic music]" "[Speaking Spanish]" "What is your name?" "Cleon." "(Angel) Cleon, this is Mario and Norberto," "Ricardo and Fidel." "Milk." "Milk. "Leche"." ""Leche." Yes." "Yes. "Leche."" "One moment." "[Boys chuckling]" "(Cleon) It's okay, here." "[Cheerful rock music]" "Keep it, coach." "It's gonna cost you money." "I can't." "Don't worry about it." "I'm planning on charging that Houston coach double." "Holy Mole!" "This ain't bad." "Thank you, now." "[Intense rock music]" "Come on, boys!" "♫ Well, I may be little, And I sure ain't rich ♫" "Safe!" "♫ But like a Louisville slugger ♫" "♫ Well, rockin', rockin' Across the Rio Grande ♫" "♫ Yeah, rockin' across Texas, Rockin' to the promised land ♫" "♫ Yeah!" "♫" "Houston, What happened?" "(announcer) Well ladies and gentlemen, not since the Alamo have the Texans suffered such a defeat at the hands of the Mexicans." "Pitchers Suarez and Macias cut a swath of victory through the Lone Star State." "Most recently besting Houston 6-4, and bulldozing Waco 13-1, for their 8th and 9th straight victories." "Next up, the Southern Regional Tournament." "The Yellow Rose of Texas is smelling a little sweeter south of the border tonight." "[Horns honking, man shouting] Senora Macias!" "Angel won again!" "[Laughing]" "Now they're going to Louisville, Kentucky!" "That's so far away." "My son Enrique scored three goals!" "[All laugh]" "Runs, Senora Suarez, runs not goals." "Ah, runs, goals, they still count!" "[Electrical saw loud sound]" "(Cesar) Okay boys, pick a bunk and gather round." "(Mario) What's that?" "It's a telegram." "What's a telegram?" "It's a special written message and it's delivered to your door, no matter where you are." "What does it say Mr. Faz?" "(Cesar) Well, look at this." "It's a special invitation." "We're gonna to get a tour of the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory!" "[Sounds from machines]" "(guide) Our largest bat ever, was made just for, Mr. Babe Ruth." "It all started... [translates into Spanish]" "(guide) Our founder turned a bat in his carpentry shop, and the rest, is history." "I have a very special surprise." "[Translating into Spanish]" "(guide) We have two Major League players here to sign their bats!" "Would you boys like to meet them?" "(boys) Yes!" "Great!" "They're with the Saint Louis Cardinals!" "Maybe you coached them." "[Soft suspenseful music]" "(player) Hey, guys." "(player) It's the Mexican." "[Laughing] Hey!" "Bring us some towels." "And while you are at it, my jock strap needs a washing." "Take these boys to the gym." "But the tour's not over yet." "No, the tour's over." "[Sad music]" "[Policeman, groaning] Let's go." "Last stop." "That's Faz with a Z, right?" "That's a Mexican name." "As in coach Faz of that Mexican team." "Spike, get on that radio." "I think it's time to play ball." "Hey, Madge." "(Fidel) Father, tell us a story." "[Soft music]" "A story?" "(boys) Yes." "A good one!" "(Father) A story!" "And a good one huh?" "Okay, well which good one do you want to hear?" "(boy) The miracle of Guadalupe." "Ah, that's a very good story." "Well, shortly after Montezuma's empire fell, a young Aztec peasant name Juan Diego was baptized in Lake Texcoco." "And one day, Juan Diego was crossing a hill and the Dark Virgin, appeared to him and said, "I am truly your Merciful Mother."" "(Cesar) Ah, I've heard that story before, Father." "It was the peasant who became a saint!" "I've heard that fairy tale many times." "Let me tell you something boys, it's, it's all a lie." "No, you're the lie." "Angel." "Cesar is your coach." "Coach, Father?" "Coach?" "I never asked to be their coach." "That's enough Cesar." "Let's go take a walk, get some fresh air, okay?" "I never asked to be these kid's coach!" "It's okay, boys." "(Father) Why you mock Juan Diego?" "In front of the boys!" "I guess I just don't believe the meek win because they're pious, Father." "What really happened in Saint Louis?" "I was the clubhouse attendant." "For years I bit my tongue picking up their soiled towels, jock straps." "Having to sleep on the bus because they wouldn't let me sleep in the same hotel as them." "[Soft music continues]" "And I even took it when they called me the Mexican." "(policeman) Okay." "Story checks out." "But what about your friend and the boys in there?" "They're with me." "I'm asking about their paperwork." "It's expired." "Then they's going home." "These boys, uh, boys are playing in the Southern Regionals in the next two days." "Isn't that right, Father?" "Yes." "Two days." "Without their visas Hope they're fixing to play it in Mexico." "We'll be back." "'Till then, they under house arrest!" "Don't try and hide them." "Hide a Mexican baseball team in Kentucky!" "Thank you!" "First thing in the morning," "I'll call the embassy in Mexico City." "They're not going to care Father." "Well you have to have a little faith." "Maybe it's better this way, then, we just go home undefeated." "What makes you think they are going to lose?" "All dreams come to an end." "Yeah yeah." "Go say goodnight to the boys." "All right?" "And try not to throw up." "[Suspenseful music]" "Give me five minutes to say goodbye to the Mexicans." "You're gonna be Biloxi's most valuable player." "[Both chuckle]" "The stick!" "(Madge) Captain Slater come in." "Hey, Madge." "(Madge) Let the Mexicans go." "What?" "Hold... (Madge) I just got a wire." "(cop) Hey, Captain Slater, got to let them go." "Are you kidding me?" "I'm the police chief of this here county, who is gonna tell me what to do?" "Secretary of State, Washington DC." "(Cesar) Visas extended for 9 players and only one coach, this is ridiculous." "I have a flock to tend to back in Monterrey," "I can do more good for the team back there." "What am I gonna do?" "You're their coach." "Coach them!" "I must say my goodbyes to them." "Don't, uh, don't tell them about me and Saint Louis." "I won't tell them." "Thanks." "Because you will." "(Father) Boys, come, gather round." "Whoa, hold it boy." "You got a tell." "Tell who what?" "A tell, you're giving your pitches away." "(grounds keeper) Fastball!" "(Biloxi coach) Hey, hey, what don't you mind your own business, huh?" "Last thing I need is my boys taking baseball advice from some old grounds-keeper." "All right, throw the ball like I told you!" "Curveball." "(announcer) We're about to kick off the Southern Regional here in Louisville." "(umpire) Play ball!" "[Cesar gives directions]" "Monterrey!" "Where's your lead off hitter?" "(Biloxi coach) Hey, what the blazes is going on here ump?" "Monterrey Coach, come here." "(Biloxi coach) You know I don't know how y'all start a game down there in Mexico, never been there, never wanted to go, [chuckles]" "But I'll tell you what, we just got us two words here, 'play' and 'ball' and he's already said them." "I don't suppose, you have a priest?" "Why, somebody dying?" "[Chuckles]" "They won't play without their blessing." "(Biloxi coach) Hell, ain't that something?" "[Chuckles]" "Your fixing to forfeit." "Look, um, why don't you just go talk some reason into them." "Reason with these guys?" "See what you can do." "(Cesar) No foolin', boys, you want to lose and go home," "I'm not going to argue with you." "You lost our priest, you fix it." "They won't budge." "Well, there you have it, rule 12 paragraph nine, forfeit." "(grounds-keeper) I got a nephew that's a minister, does that count?" "Doesn't look to me like you got a kid on this team, grounds-keeper." "(Biloxi coach) Now this is a steaming pile, ump." "Now this is baseball, this is America's game, not some church service." "Coach, what's your name?" "Hicks, Sam Hicks." "'Today in Louisville," "'Coach Sam Hicks 'declares baseball bigger than God." "I did not say that, you know dad-gam well I didn't say that, but rule 12, paragraph 9, must field at least 8 players or forfeit!" "Now I demand that you..." "You ain't demanding nothing on my field!" "Now you take a time out!" "Now." "I'm demanding." "Go get that nephew of yours." "Let's try and have ourselves a ball game." "Hey, so what happened to the priest you were traveling with?" "I told him not to drink the water here." "(minister) Any particular blessing?" "108th Psalm." "108, 108, 108," "'You're loving kindness, is great above the heavens, with God, we will gain the victory and he will trample down our enemies.'" "(boy) Come on." "Come on." "Coach, were your boys really going to forfeit this game?" "Oh, yeah." "Whoo whee!" "Now that's what I call a dedicated flock." "[Cheering]" "[Trying to speak Spanish]" "(umpire) Strike three!" "Fastball!" "[Trying to speak Spanish]" "Thank you." "Okay." "[Mumbles something]" "[Trying to say "Fastball" in Spanish]" "[Crowd cheering]" "[Boys counting down in Spanish]" "Biloxi, go, Biloxi!" "[Mexican boys cheering]" "We would have won this game if it wouldn't have been for that nosy colored guy." "He wasn't the one who scored 13 runs against us." "[Slow cheerful Mexican music]" "[Door opens]" "[Soft music]" "Pedro, my son." "Angel." "What have I done?" "Ugh!" "[Shattered glass]" "(Father) You have given your hearts and your prayers and now I must ask you to give even more so that our boys can continue." "Whatever you can spare will make a difference." "Thank you." "(Cesar) With runners on first and second, who takes the cut off to home?" "(Clarence) Good to see you again, Cesar." "Good to see you, Clarence" "I'd like for you to meet my wife, Mrs. Rose Bell." "Pleasure, Misses Rose Bell." "(Rose) Likewise." "Why don't you have them bring me their uniforms and I'll take them home and wash them." "[Cesar speaking Spanish]" "(Rosa) I have 7 brothers, and I done raised 5 boys of my own, y'all ain't got nothing I haven't seen before." "Don't make me count to three up here." "[Starts counting in Spanish]" "[Rose, chuckling] That's right now." "[Soft cheerful music]" "Come on now." "Okay, that's right!" "Bring me these dirty clothes so I can take them home for you." "There you go." "Okay now." "I'm going to take these home and I'm going to wash them for you." "Get that for me baby." "[In Spanish] Thank you." "[Rose, in Spanish] You're welcome, baby." "Now, can anybody tell me who takes the cutoff to home with runners both on first and second?" "At least he can't make us go outside and run laps." "[All laugh]" "[Soft cheerful Mexican music]" "Play ball." "Don't try and win the game with one swing." "The goal is to make the rally last as long as possible, you got that." "Like kissing a girl." "Except, don't close your eyes." "[Soft sweet music]" "You think you know a lot about women, huh?" "I know that you have to try harder to win Maria." "Strike one." "I stood her up twice, it's..." "It's over." "Strike two." "That's two strikes, you get three." "Love ain't like baseball." "Yes, it is!" "[Suspenseful music]" "(all) Oh!" "(announcer) Suarez sure got a hold of that one." "(all) Oh!" "Go Enrique!" "Safe!" "Strike." "Strike!" "[Cheering]" "(announcer) It all comes down to clean up hitter" "Clyde Conner, with two outs in the last inning." "Clyde's a switch hitter, he's been highly effective batting lefty against right-handed pitchers." "(fan 1) Well, I'll be darned, that there kid is one of those amphibians." "(fan 2) You mean abydocktrias, stupid." "(fan 1) Well, Clyde hits just as good from either side." "Come on Clyde, get it done." "[Epic music]" "Batter, pick a side." "Yes, sir." "[People cheering, epic music]" "(announcer) Monterrey's going to the World Series!" "(Cesar) Pepe, you didn't make your cut off in the sixth." "But the run didn't score." "Yeah, but it could've." "And Enrique, you back up your plays to the plate." "Berto you make sure you cover Ricardo." "You mean I got to run with the batter to first base?" "You know, Berto just gave me an idea." "Let me guess, ten laps." "Ten laps and an hour of fielding!" "Go on!" "Move it!" "Go on, Ricardo." "[Boys complain]" "Looks like you boys are on the way to Williamsport." "I meant to thank you for working with my boys yesterday." "You must learn a lot about baseball working here." "My uncle is Cool Papa Bell." "He played for the Monarchs in the Negro Leagues." "The fastest man in baseball." "He coached Jackie Robinson." "He coached Jackie Robinson?" "Yeah, we roomed together when we was on the road." "Jackie said my uncle was so fast, when he turned off the light," "Cool Papa was in the bed before it got dark." "You know, this is the best-coached team I've seen since the Monarchs." "This is for you." "What's this?" "(Cool) We took up a collection in the church, that's for you and the boys." "Why are you doing this?" "Well lets just say that, uh, you and I both know what it means to be underdogs." "[Boys shouting]" "(Frankie) My Grandmother always told me that God works his miracles through the meek, not the mighty." "The Monterrey Industrials are proving her right." "But you won't see me in church praying this week, you'll see me at Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series." "You got that Mac?" "I got it." "Great job, kid." "Riley'll take it from here." "No." "What?" "We must have a bad connection." "I said no, Mac." "You're out of your league." "Maybe but this is my story." "Riley is a sports writer, you hate baseball, remember?" "Well you tell Riley to just stay home and enjoy his newborn." "How bout' you tell him yourself when you get back to the office?" "!" "(Cesar) Clarence, where you going in that old thing?" "I heard there was a team that needed a lift to Williamsport." "That's so nice of you, I don't know if we'd be able to pay you." "Well, you just keep your boys from throwing up on my bus and we'll call it even." "(Mac) Williamsport, Pennsylvania." "You ain't going on my dime." "Oh, I'll find a way." "Mighty long walk in heels." "I was, uh, thinking of taking a bus." "Bus?" "What bus... [boys singing]" "(Cesar) Now I don't mind you getting beat here, okay?" "But don't lose up here." "Got it?" "(all) Yes." "Pepper time!" "Ricardo!" "Ugh." "What..." "The unexpected play at the unexpected time!" "(Norberto) Uh-oh." "At least he can't make us run laps on a bus!" "[Laughing]" "[Cheerful rock music]" "♫ Now, if you love me, Let's please don't tease ♫" "♫ If I can hold you Then let me squeeze ♫" "♫ My heart Goes round and round ♫" "♫ You leave me ♫ [singer sighs]" "♫♫ Breathless ♫♫ [music stops]" "(Angel) American are so rich." "They throw away their money." "(Cesar) It's wishing well." "You throw in money, and you make a wish." "It's silly." "What do you think she's wishing for?" "(Cesar) Oh, I don't know, health, kids, could be a bunch of things." "Love!" "Perhaps." "Maybe you could wish for Maria." "Look you're not going to get something just cause you wish for it." "But it doesn't hurt to try." "(Cesar) What are these for?" "All the teams have to wear the uniform representing their region, there are no exceptions." "I think they're going to prefer the ones they came in." "(Ricardo) Mr. Faz, look at this." "(man) Yeah, all right, they can wear the one they came in." "(LL official) Gentlemen, take your seats please." "If you want to get settled in, we'll begin." "This has truly become an international series, and we'd like to welcome the gentlemen representing the Mexican delegation." "Alrighty then, any questions, gentlemen?" "Did the teams pass their physicals?" "Dr. Archer has finished his examinations and given them all a clean bill of health." "(reporter 1) Even the Mexican team?" "Well they do weigh about 35 pounds less, and stand about six inches shorter, but in every other way, they're are the same as the American kids." "Coach Faz, are your boys concerned about how much larger the American kids are?" "Well, let me ask them." "[Speaking Spanish]" "Cesar) He says, 'We're only here to play them, not carry them. '" "(LL official) Now as you guessed, today's game is postponed, but our local weatherman has assured us a good day for baseball tomorrow." "Now the semi finals, will be played in a double-header, the new schedule, you'll find it inside your programs." "Is it possible to switch the games, my boys can't play at 2:30." "Well, why not?" "It's their siesta time." "[All laugh]" "(LL official) Any more questions?" "Yes, sir." "Everybody knows what time Mexicans take their siestas!" "They just trying..." "I heard all that stuff in there, too." "You just got to let that go." "You know my best friend Jose was killed in lwo Jima." "Saved an entire platoon, but it wasn't good enough." "They buried him in his hometown cemetery because he wasn't white." "My daddy was lynched." "You can't run away from that Cesar." "But also, you can't pick a fight every time somebody calls you a name." "Now you and your boys are making a difference." "Yeah, for a few parents at home." "Even to the white folks." "(Frankie) It was a pleasure gentlemen." "Leaving so early, Ms. Frankie?" "Got a story to work on, it's about Jim Crow and baseball." "That'll ruffle a few feathers." "I bet the editors will have something to say about that." "Already has." "I told him he prints this story, or I'll see to it somebody else does." "Good luck with that story Miss Frankie." "Don't even say it." "Cesar, you should start Angel tomorrow." "He's the stronger pitcher." "Yeah, well it's Enrique's turn." "Cesar, no foreign team has every made it to the finals." "If he wins, they'll make history." "You'll be guaranteed a trophy." "Angel is your best chance." "Yeah, well, we've been doing pretty good on this rotation." "Thanks." "Maybe we didn't make ourselves clear." "We're not asking you." "[Thunder]" "[Soft music]" "I'm thinking about starting Angel." "Why, Mr. Faz?" "Well, no foreign team has ever made it to the final, so I just, uh, want to give it our..." "Best?" "Look this is my team, and you'll do what I tell you to do." "This is isn't about feelings Enrique!" "It's all about feelings." "Don't tell me you, too." "[Thunder]" "(Cardinals player) My jock strap needs a washing." "(Tanner) It's not about feelings." "(Angel) It's all about feelings." "(Cardinal player) Hey, Chico, bring us some towels." "(Tanner) You don't like picking up towels?" "Maybe you'd be more comfortable picking lettuce out of a field." "[Panting]" "[TV news show theme music]" "(announcer over TV) Welcome to Williamsport and the home of Little League baseball, where the opening game of the 1957 World Series between Monterrey Industrials and the Power House Sluggers from Bridgeport, Connecticut." "(Cesar) Baltazar right field." "Pepe left field." "Mario second base." "Angel shortstop." "Enrique." "Well what are you looking at?" "Get out there and start warming up." "Yes, Mr. Faz." "I'm pitching!" "I'm pitching!" "Cesar, I thought we told you..." "When I die and you're coach, you get to make the line up." "You put in Angel or we will..." "You'll what?" "You'll get me fired?" "Too late." "Or we will tell them the truth." "Yeah, we know about Saint Louis." "Cesar, think of the children, huh?" "I see." "So you better go tell the umpire there's been a change." "[Soft music]" "Hey, ump." "What are those fans doing on the field?" "(umpire) Hey, anybody not in uniform clear the field immediately." "You don't understand, we are with the Mexican delegation." "[Chuckles] Well, I don't care if you are with Elvis Presley." "Clear my field!" "(Tanner) They're right, you know." "You should pitch Angel today." "You!" "Always go with your best." "What are you doing here?" "It's baseball." "It's a World Series, only in America." "Well, I'd say it's good to see you, but it isn't." "Oh, come on, Cesar, its water under the bridge." "Some things never change." "You took everything too personally, pro baseball is business." "Really?" "What business got you here?" "You." "No, I'm here to scout you." "You're causing quite a stir and boys upstairs figured anybody could bring these kids this far might deserve a second look." "And?" "And we'll see if you can win a big game." "Go get'em, firecracker." "(Cesar) All right everybody, inside the dug out." "Everybody, gather round." "I got a confession I want to make you boys." "In Saint Louis, I, uh, in Saint Louis I, I wasn't exactly, uh, a coach." "I uh, wasn't even an assistant coach." "I was, uh, I was a towel boy." "We knew." "[Boys chuckle softly]" "[Chuckles] You knew?" "(all boys) Yeah." "Can we play baseball now?" "Yeah." "Let's play some baseball." "Balt." "Grab your bat!" "[Cheerful Mexican music]" "(announcer) Top of the sixth and it's deadlocked 1 to 1." "Baltazar slaps one into right." "Ruiz rounds second." "Coach Faz tries to hold him but Ruiz takes off for the plate." "[Grumbling]" "Safe!" "[Crowd cheering]" "Who told you to do that?" "You did." "No, I didn't." "Yes, you did." "The unexpected play at the unexpected time." "(announcer) Monterrey, struggling to hold on to a one run lead in the last inning." "With a runner in scoring position, a hit here could win it for Bridgeport." "Enrique winds up, and here's... (Suarez) Why'd you turn off the radio?" "We're working!" "It's the World Series!" "In America!" "My boy is pitching!" "I don't care." "Get back to work." "(announcer) Jimmy Carterola steps in with two outs with runners on second and third." "He's two for two with a double and a monster home run in the third." "(Cesar) Time!" "Walk him?" "Not a chance." "Did you see his last two bats?" "Yeah, I saw them, and he can sure hit." "But he's thinking something that everybody else is thinking, the intentional walk." "[Chuckles] Poor batter." "(announcer) With first base open," "Cesar Faz will definitely have Enrique walk Carterola." "He's not going to pitch to him with an open base?" "He's insane." "(announcer) Enrique Suarez digs in." "A hit or an out will send one of these teams to the finals." "Enrique, pauses on the mound." "He gets the sign from Norberto." "Here's the wind up." "Strike one!" "That's a bonehead move right there." "(announcer) It's as if Enrique is saying, if you're going to beat me, beat my best pitch." "You know if I was their coach," "I never would have pitched Enrique today, and I certainly would've walked Bridgeport's biggest slugger with an open base that's textbook stuff." "Lucky for Monterrey, I wasn't their coach." "You were." "What are the odds of Carterola lining one up the middle?" "That decision took guts, but hey, it paid off." "Yes, it did." "Yes, it did." "You really impressed the brass." "Let's talk next week." "(Angel) Who was that man?" "(Cesar) He's with the Saint Louis Cardinals" "So you're leaving us?" "Of course not." "Not right now." "Why?" "After all they've done to you?" "It's what I've always wanted Angel." "A job?" "No." "Respect." "We gave you that before we were winning!" "Let's go!" "[Cheerful rock music]" "[Clinking of coins]" "[Knocking]" "[Chatter]" "Whoa Whoa Whoa?" "[Speaking Spanish]" "A telegram?" "[Epic music]" "Amen." "I always been meaning to ask, why the 108th Psalm?" "108 stitches." "[Chuckles]" "(Clarence) I think they want a pre-game pep talk." "I..." "Padre Esteban sent you boys a message of encouragement." "I got his words, right here." "He wrote this in Louisville and asked me to read it to you all if you reached the finals, so, here it goes." "Father Esteban here boys, when you take to the field today, think of Juan Diego, and remember after the Bishop threatened him, he ran away, lost his woman, and hid in a bottle." "It was the bottom of the ninth with two outs, and even though Juan Diego tried to blame the ump, and stall the big game, he crossed that hill, and scored the winning run." "Became a hero." "And like him, if you keep your faith in God," "He will help you show La Mesa what you all are made of." "How did Father know we were going to play La Mesa?" "He's a man of God, stupid, he knows!" "He's a man of God." "(Cesar) Alright!" "Let's go get them!" "That Father of yours sure has a way with words." "(announcer) The team from Monterrey, south of the border is the youngest, lightest, and smallest team to ever play in the annual Williamsport classic." "Like David and Goliath, the two captains shake hands at home plate as their teammates take their final warm ups." "Papa." "That's him, that's Cesar Faz." "He looks so small." "He looked taller in church." "[Speaking Spanish]" "Everyone's at the field, to hear the game, please!" "One day!" "You're this close to being fired, now get back to work!" "How you feeling?" "I've never pitched in front of so many people in my life." "What people?" "All I see is you and me having a catch." "Get 'em." "Mr. Faz." "I just arrived from Mexico this morning," "I'm here to broadcast the game in Spanish." "I have something for you." "Thanks." "You're welcome." "That's from Father Esteban." "By the way, you're doing a great job." "Thanks." "You're welcome." "[Soft music]" "[Overlapping Spanish and English reporters]" "(English reporter) The umpire signals for the last warm up pitch, nearly 16,000 fans in attendance at Williamsport for the World Series between La Mesa California and that surprising team from Monterrey, Mexico." "[Speaking Spanish]" "(English reporter) La Mesa has crushed every challenger in its path, and in today's final showdown, you know they'll be ready to go to war." "They're eager to end Monterrey's improbable journey." "[US National Anthem]" "(announcer) Now, please remain standing for the Mexican National Anthem." "[Music jumps]" "[Thump]" "[Music is back to normal]" "Play ball!" "(announcer) Louis Riley, La Mesa's pitcher, steps into the batter's box, at five nine and half, he'll be the tallest pitcher Monterrey has ever seen." "Angel Macias studies the sign, winds up and delivers the first pitch of the 1957 Championship." "Riley takes ball one." "Angel back to pitch again, here's Angel's second delivery." "Riley swings, he hits one sharply towards right field, it's caught!" "That ball would have surely gone to the wall for extra bases, what a start to today's game." "(Suarez) This is not right boss!" "It's the final game!" "It's for the championship!" "[Loud thump]" "Macias!" "Where are you going?" "I'm going to a ball game!" "You get back to your station now!" "Or you're fired!" "Our sons, are playing baseball!" "Yeah." "[Epic music]" "(announcer) Toby fouls that one back leaving the count at 1-2." "Angel, back to pitch again, here is his delivery." "Toby swings and misses, that is strike three." "Curveball completely fooled him and La Mesa batters go down in order here in the first inning." "Did you save me a seat?" "What are you doing here?" "I wouldn't miss this for the world." "You're going to lose your job." "Not today." "[Epic music]" "[Horn]" "Come on." "Strike three!" "(announcer) Quite the pitchers duel here this afternoon." "As Louis Riley and Angel Macias, neither one of those pitchers giving the batters much to hit." "[Epic music]" "(Announcer) A scoreless game so far, but amazing," "Angel Macias and his band of pint sized giant killers haven't allowed a single La Mesa batter to reach first base." "By hook or crook, by hit, walk or error." "(announcer) Bottom of the fifth here at original Little League field." "The game is still deadlocked as Ricardo Trevino will lead things off for Monterrey." "Go get 'em." "(announcer) Ricardo steps into the batter's box," "Riley readies to pitch, as Ricardo squares to bunt, he's hit by the pitch!" "Ricardo falls to the ground after taking a fastball right in the back." "Ricardo!" "(announcer) He's up, he seems to be okay." "[Speaking Spanish]" "(announcer) Rico, walks slowly to first, so far, Monterrey is the only team to get runners on base." "But they haven't been able to capitalize on those chances yet." "That will bring up Baltazar Charles." "You need to bunt the ball perfectly so Ricardo can get to second base." "(announcer) Baltazar is one of Monterrey's best power hitters." "Riley pitches and Baltazar lays down a perfect bunt." "Riley fires to second but not in time to catch a hard sliding Ricardo." "Okay here's the plan, hit the ball, hit it hard." "One of you is going to win this." "(announcer) Angel Macias steps in with a runner in scoring position." "Angel hits a deep fly ball." "Back, back, back, oh!" "Oh, he makes a fantastic catch, over his shoulder, and the runners will have to hold." "Pepe Maiz is next for Monterrey." "Takes a called strike one." "Riley delivers high for a ball." "Pepe swings he sends one sharply into left center for a base hit, Ricardo is rounding third." "(Cesar) Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "(announcer) The throw comes in from left, it's a perfect throw." "You're out!" "(announcer) He's nailed at the plate." "What a throw!" "That play could have just saved the game for La Mesa!" "What a missed opportunity for Monterrey." "Mario chops one to third, keeps Baltazar from scoring" "Monterrey has loaded the bases." "Lou Riley is still one batter from pitching himself out of this jam." "[Suspenseful music]" "Enrique Suarez is in a slump." "Hitless in his last five at bats." "Strike one!" "Strike two!" "A mighty cut but just misses it for strike two." "La Mesa's outfield isn't taking any chances." "Riley will be coming in with the heat." "(Father) When you can see the wings of the hummingbird, you can hit any pitch." "[Epic music and cheering]" "(announcer) Enrique Suarez has just taken a Lou Riley fastball into downtown Williamsport." "A monster grand slam." "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "(announcer) One by one, his teammates cross home plate." "[Epic music continues]" "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "(announcer) We are truly witnessing baseball's version of David and Goliath here this afternoon." "That's my son!" "(announcer) Monterrey Industrial has beaten incredible odds just to get here, so many times they've faced elimination, now with one swing, Enrique Suarez has brought them to the brink of the greatest upset in Little League history." "Fidel pops out to finally retire the side." "The fate of the game now rests on the pitching arm of Angel Macias." "Come on boys, last inning, let's make it happen." "Keep focused." "(announcer) An amazing turn of events in the fifth inning, it's Monterrey who takes the field ahead, 4-0." "Angel!" "You're pitching a perfect..." "Shh." "The other team hasn't gotten anyone to first base, that's a perfect..." "Shh." "Listen, nobody says a single word to him about this, nobody." "Everybody got that?" "Alright, come on, let's make it happen." "(announcer) Monterrey's defense can win this if they can hold on, but an even more amazing story is unfolding here at Williamsport." "Sixty feet to first base, that's all that separates Angel Macias from history." "You realize Angel is pitching a perf... (announcer) If any La Mesa player can make it to first base safely, they'll ruin it for Angel Macias's bid for baseball immortality." "Who will be the spoiler?" "The first hitter swings at Angel's first pitch, it's a towering pop up." "Enrique Suarez makes the catch and fires the ball back into the infield." "[Cheering wildly]" "[Intense suspenseful music]" "(announcer) Fred Shweir will be pinch hitting for Bobby Brown," "Okay." "Shweir, hits a weak infield grounder." "No one is covering first base!" "There goes the perfect game!" "Wait!" "Norberto came out of nowhere to make the tag!" "Alright!" "Yeah!" "Norberto!" "Alright!" "(umpire) Runner is out!" "I have never seen a Little League catcher trail a runner down to first!" "Now that is great coaching right there!" "That is great coaching!" "(Cesar) Unbelievable Berto!" "You saved the day!" "I just didn't want to run any more laps, Mr. Faz." "[Cheering wildly]" "[Laughing and speaking some Spanish] One more round." "[Soft Mexican music]" "I don't remember saying you could go." "Papa, I'm going." "Ball one." "Ball two." "Ball three." "Time!" "(announcer) What pressure this young boy must be feeling." "The weight of a World Series Championship, and the chance for perfection." "Are you gonna take me out?" "We didn't come this far to quit on each other, did we?" "What does it matter?" "You're leaving us anyway?" "Everybody's counting on you." "No, no, [sighs] Not everyone." "Oh yeah, name one person." "[Sobbing]" "My papa, he's ashamed of me." "No." "Hey," "I forgot to give this to you." "[Soft sweet music]" "Where did you get this?" "Your father sent it," "and he's very proud of you." "(man) Let's play ball!" "(umpire) Coach, I don't mean to interrupt your little chat, but there's 16,000 and one of us, who think there is a baseball game going on here." "Play ball!" "[Epic music]" "You can do this, Koufax." "I'm not Sandy Koufax," "I'm Angel Macias." "(announcer) It's 3-0, and there's no room for error." "Macias winds up, he splits the plate for strike one." "Angel's teammates get set, they know what's at stake." "Strike two!" "[Cheering]" "[Phone ringing]" "(crowd) Angel!" "Angel!" "Come on!" "[Cheering]" "Angel!" "Angel!" "[Cheering fades out, silence]" "[Wild cheering]" "Strike three!" "[Epic Mexican music]" "That's it!" "We won!" "[Screaming]" "[Ringing bell]" "(Cesar) We did it!" "We did it!" "Who took my cigars?" "!" "(Cesar) You still looking for that angle?" "Always." "Well here it is, you don't win the game out there, you win it right in here." "That's not the only game played there." "You take care, Cesar." "Excuse me." "(Maria) Mr. Faz." "I believe I got something to say to you." "I feel the same way." "You do?" "At first, I was angry, but then, my father got your telegram, and he said, we were going to Williamsport" "Telegram." "(Maria) Yeah." "[Chuckles]" "(both) The unexpected play." "At the unexpected time!" "Telegram, yeah!" "Okay." "Finally, Mr. Faz, I'm honored to meet you." "It's an honor to meet you." "[Both chuckle]" "[TV news show theme music]" "(announcer over TV) Monterrey's Angel Macias pitched his team to victory setting down 18 batters in a row." "A perfect game." "The little tykes from Mexico are the first foreign team ever to win Little League's highest honor." "Four weeks ago these kids walked across the desert, but now that they're champions, they're not going to have to walk home." "First stop, Ebbets Field, as the guests of the Brooklyn Dodgers, where they rubbed shoulders with the real Roy Campanella, and Duke Snider." "Even Stan the Man Musial takes a pitching type from Angel Macias." "[Music continues]" "If meeting the Brooklyn Dodgers wasn't enough, the boys were invited to the home of the biggest baseball fan in the free world," "Mr. President Eisenhower." "Even lke wanted to pose for a photo in front of that huge trophy." "Just wait 'till they tell their friends back home about this." "What was the best part for you guys?" "All those beautiful girls in New York City." "Going to the White House and meeting President Eisenhower." "(Fidel) I took one of his pens." "[Boys chuckle]" "(Norberto) I think Mr. Faz has finally got his siesta." "[Soft music]" "Papa, [sighs] I'm sorry for missing my chores for so long." "Chores can wait for a champion." "For Pedro's shrine." "No, my son." "It's for you." "[Umberto growls lovingly and chuckles]" "Come, Monterrey wants to see its heroes." "[Soft pop music] ♫ Open your eyes ♫" "♫ Open your eyes ♫" "♫ To the miracle of the light ♫" "♫ From the darkness Of the night ♫" "♫ When you see forever ♫" "♫ Everything you do ♫" "♫ No matter what you dream ♫" "♫ It is waiting There for you ♫" "♫ There for you ♫" "♫ Open your eyes ♫" "♫ Awake and realize ♫" "♫ That the journey You must take ♫" "♫ Is the miracles you make ♫" "♫ When you see forever ♫" "♫ In everything you do ♫" "♫ No matter what you dream ♫" "♫ It is waiting There for you ♫" "♫ When you can see forever ♫" "♫ In everything you do ♫" "♫ Then you will make Your every dream ♫" "♫ Come true ♫" "♫ You've got The power inside ♫" "♫ So make your dreams Come alive ♫" "♫ You can do anything When you see it through ♫" "♫ In your heart ♫" "♫ You can move mountains And be better than ♫" "♫ You thought You ever could ♫" "♫ When you believe ♫" "♫ In you ♫" "♫ Open your eyes ♫" "♫ Awake and realize ♫" "♫ That the journey You must take ♫" "♫ Is the miracle you make ♫" "♫ When you see forever ♫" "♫ In everything you do ♫" "♫ No matter what you dream ♫" "♫ It is waiting There for you ♫" "♫ When you can see forever♫" "♫ In everything you do ♫" "♫ And you will make Your every dream ♫" "♫ Come true ♫" "♫ You've got The power inside ♫" "♫ So make your dreams Come alive ♫" "♫ You can do anything When you see it through ♫" "♫ In your heart ♫" "♫ You can move mountains And be better than ♫" "♫ You thought You ever could ♫" "♫ When you can see forever ♫" "♫ In you ♫" "[rock and roll music] ♫ I got a new step ♫" "♫ Some brand new shoes ♫" "♫ I'm saying goodbye ♫" "♫ To the barefoot blues ♫" "♫ I'm rocking, Rocking across The Rio Grande ♫" "♫ Rocking across Texas Rocking to the promised land ♫" "♫ I got an old yellow bus Four tires, no spare ♫" "♫ I ain't sure how But I'm gonna get there ♫" "♫ I'm rocking, Rocking across The Rio Grande ♫" "♫ Rocking across Texas Rocking to the promised land ♫" "♫ We'll roll on driving From town to town ♫" "♫ May get close So don't slow down ♫" "♫ Lordy, Lordy It's in our hands ♫" "♫ We won't stop 'Till the promised land ♫" "♫ I'm rocking ♫" "♫♫ Yeah!" "Get down!" "♫♫ [music fades]"