The perfet game

Better yet, he will throw a mix of the two to keep the batter guessing. He will paint the corners, he will lure him and get him to chase, he will move up and down in the zone, he will assert his dominance.

Baseball is at its purest when a fireballing pitcher stares down a red-hot slugger. The purity and simplicity of the fastball is off-set by the dirtiness and deception of the change-up. The change-up is a pretender, a mimic, a cheat. It wears the guise of a fastball—the same look, the same action, the same motion—but it travels at a very different pace. This makes it a risk.

So the wise pitcher first displays his fastball. He throws it once, twice, three times. Now the batter has the measure of it, he is ready for the next one. But right here the pitcher judges the change-up worth the risk and springs his little surprise.

Where the fastball zipped, this ball saunters, where the fastball stayed straight and true, this one falters and sinks. The batter is fooled, swinging long before the ball reaches the plate or perhaps finding himself stock still, tied in knots, helplessly watching as it chugs on by.

Nothing makes an experienced pro look more like a rank amateur than a change-up perfectly set-up and perfectly executed. The integrity of baseball depends upon 2 crucial measurements, each of which brings parity to an aspect of the game.

That perfect distance brings perfect parity between the man with the ball and the man with the stick. Any closer and a fastball would be unhittable—the batter would have too little time to read the pitch, to judge it, to take his swing. Any farther and the pitcher would have too far to throw—the advantage would swing to the batter. But 60 feet, 6 inches is just right, ensuring that only the best pitchers and hitters are able to survive, and only the best of the best are able to thrive.

If the first great measurement is 60 feet, 6 inches, the second is 90 feet, the distance between the bases. It, too, is perfect because it, too, sets the perfect parity—parity between offence and defence, between runners and fielders. Even the greatest base-stealer must choose his moments carefully lest he be unceremoniously cut down.

But even the greatest defense must be vigilant lest they be caught flat-footed and give up an easy base. At 85 feet defences would suffer and at 95 runners would have too far to go.

Watch a runner steal second base and see how close he comes to being tagged. Watch a batter leg out an infield single and see that with another 5 feet, or 2 feet for that, he would be an easy out.

It is the perfect distance to maintain the challenge just as it ought to be. Baseball depends upon precise measurements—60 feet, 6 inches from the pitcher to the plate, 90 feet from base to base—but it finds its character in imprecise ones. Beyond those few, precise measurements there are any number of ways the game is quirky and customized. Senora Ontiveros Ernie Lively Coach Sam Hicks Ren Trella Oralia Macias Sonya Eddy Rose Bell Chris Mulkey Lucky Haskins William Marquez Mexican Official 1 Gino Montesinos Mexican Official 2 Ismael 'East' Carlo Fundidora Supervisor Jon Baggio Umpire Louisville Steve Seagren Umpire Williamsport David Salzberg Dylan Texas Cowboy Maddy Curley Waitress as Maddy Curly Samantha Boscarino Gloria Jimenez William May Juan Zaraqosa Andrew Thacher McAllen Player 1 Mat Smith McAllen Player 2 Carlos Compean Umpire Fort Worth Dan Kelpine Fort Worth Spectator 1 Tom Hornof Fort Worth Spectator 2 Aaron Thompson Javier as Alejandro Chaban Gunner Wright Louis Player 1 Wiley M.

Biloxi Pitcher Drew Wicks Louisville Spectator 1 Gary Ballard Louisville Spectator 2 Ron Perkins Reporter 2 as Doug Debeech Ralph Mangum Game Announcer Rogelio T. Baseball Fan 1 uncredited Robert Blanche Bridgeport Coach uncredited David E. Umpire Bridgeport uncredited Roy Campanella Self archive footage uncredited Emilio Cast Pedro Macias uncredited Derek Easley Angry Relative uncredited Gregory George Frank Spectator 1 uncredited Gil Hodges Self archive footage uncredited Bruce Holman Newspaper reporter uncredited Dava Hulsey Spectator 2 uncredited Gregg Lee Baseball Fan 2 uncredited Rae Sunshine Lee Baseball Fan 3 uncredited Stan Musial Self archive footage uncredited Marc Musso Tommy uncredited Jackie Quinones Baseball Player uncredited Pee Wee Reese Self archive footage uncredited Jessica Lynn Sadowski Brooks Vidal Cantu DeVos Sr.

Eldridge Adolfo Franco Ham Chris Howard Richards Tony Riviera Scott Senechal Barrett Curtin Ferganchick Helane Freeman Austin Angel Macias as Angel Macias. Bruce McGill Mr. Tanner as Mr. Patricia Manterola Maria as Maria. Louis Gossett Jr. Frances Fisher Betty as Betty. William Dear. More like this. Watch options.

Storyline Edit. Based on a true story. In a rag-tag, shoeless, poor group of kids from Monterrey, Mexico shocked the world by winning 13 games in a row and the Little League World Series in the only perfect game ever pitched in the Championship. These kids, led by their priest and a down-and-out former major leaguer embark on a journey through the southern US and up into Williamsport, PA for the Championship game.

They encountered many adversities including nearly being deported and the bigotry that wouldn't allow them into certain restaurants or travel on certain buses. They never lost their faith and eventually captured the hearts of both nations. Dream for the fences. Comedy Drama Family Sport. Rated PG for some thematic elements. Add content advisory. Did you know Edit. Goofs At the final game, the American flag shown has 50 stars.

In when the film takes place , Alaska and Hawaii were not yet states. They were granted statehood in , so the flag shown should have had 48 stars. Quotes Frankie Stevens : You know, you say that one more time I will punch you in the nose. User reviews 35 Review. Top review. The film The Perfect Game is a great story of the underdog defeating adversity at home and in public. This young team of Mexicans band together against all odds to form a Little League team in Monterey to be entered into the competition against the powerhouses of year old baseball Americans.

Standing on its own, the story is quite the tale and intriguing at every turn. However, this is not a book, it is a visual medium and in that respect doesn't live up to the quality of its plot.

A made-for-TV movie at best, this film is very heavy-handed and way too feel-good for anyone with a brain hoping to find something that may stimulate a cell up there in his skull.