Rookie of the Year is a 1993 American sports comedy film starring Thomas Ian Nicholas and Gary Busey as players for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. The cast also includes Albert Hall, Dan Hedaya, Eddie Bracken, Amy Morton, Bruce Altman, John Gegenhuber, Neil Flynn, Daniel Stern (who also directed in his feature film directorial debut), and John Candy in an uncredited role.
Rookie of the Year was released in the United States on July 7, 1993, by 20th Century Fox. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $56.5 million.
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Plot
Henry Rowengartner, an unskilled Little Leaguer who dreams of playing in the Major Leagues, lives with his mother, Mary, who is dating sports agent Jack Bradfield. One day, Henry breaks his arm catching a fly ball. When the doctor removes the cast, he discovers that Henry's tendons have healed "a little too tight", enabling Henry to throw a ball with incredible force.
At Wrigley Field during a Chicago Cubs game, Henry's friends, George and Clark, get a home run ball hit by the visiting Montreal Expos. Observing the Wrigley Field tradition of throwing the ball back to the field following an opposing home run, Henry throws it so hard that it reaches home plate, 435 feet (133 m) away, on the fly. Desperate to save the club from declining attendance, general manager Larry Fisher looks to recruit Henry. Manager Sal Martinella visits Henry at home with a radar gun and discovers that Henry can pitch at over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), which is well beyond the normal range of a Little League player. For the remainder of the season, Henry juggles the culture shock of playing in the major leagues alongside one of his heroes, aging pitcher Chet "The Rocket" Steadman, being coached by the inept Phil Brickma, and socializing.
