Major League
Movie, 1989, The '80s, Set in The Cleveland Indians
Major League is #7 of 35 in release order and #7 of 35 in chronological order in the Sports Movies.
The story
When Rachel Phelps inherits the Cleveland Indians from her deceased husband, she's determined to move the team to a warmer climate—but only a losing season will make that possible, which should be easy given the misfits she's hired. Rachel is sure her dream will come true, but she underestimates their will to succeed.
Major League recap
Major League (1989) follows the Cleveland Indians after their new owner fills the roster with has-beens so the team will fail and she can move it. David S. Ward writes and directs the baseball comedy. Former showgirl Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton) inherits the team and wants attendance to drop low enough to break the stadium lease and move to Miami. She hires minor-league manager Lou Brown (James Gammon) and a set of players she expects to flop: catcher Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger) with bad knees, vain third baseman Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen), Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert), who cannot hit a curveball, the speedy Willie Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes), and Ricky Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), an ex-con with a 100-mph fastball and no control. Glasses turn Vaughn into "Wild Thing", and the team starts winning even as Phelps swaps their plane for a bus. Jake tries to win back his ex-girlfriend Lynn Wells (Rene Russo). Major League shares 1989 with Field of Dreams and precedes White Men Can't Jump.
Major League ending explained
Major League ends with Cleveland beating the Yankees 3 to 2 in a one-game playoff for the division. Once Brown tells the players Phelps's plan, they win 32 of their last 44 games to tie for first. Vaughn comes in to strike out Clu Haywood in the ninth, and Jake bunts so Hayes can score from second. Dorn punches Vaughn for sleeping with his wife, then celebrates with him, and Lynn shows Jake her ring finger is bare. An alternate ending, cut after test screenings, revealed Phelps was secretly trying to motivate the team. Two sequels followed in 1994 and 1998.
Post-credits scenes
No. Major League has no mid- or post-credits scene.
Where to watch Major League
Major League is streaming on YouTube TV in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube.
Ratings
IMDb 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 83%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Field of Dreams, before White Men Can't Jump.
- Chronological order: after Field of Dreams, before White Men Can't Jump.
Cast
- Tom Berenger as Jake Taylor
- Charlie Sheen as Rick Vaughn
- Corbin Bernsen as Roger Dorn
- Margaret Whitton as Rachel Phelps
- James Gammon as Lou Brown
- Rene Russo as Lynn Wells
- Wesley Snipes as Willie Mays Hayes
- Charles Cyphers as Charlie Donovan
- Chelcie Ross as Eddie Harris
- Dennis Haysbert as Pedro Cerrano
- Andy Romano as Pepper Leach
- Bob Uecker as Harry Doyle
Directed by David S. Ward.