The Winning Team

1952
Approved
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

Doris Day and Ronald Reagan in The Winning Team (1952)

Biography Drama Family Romance Sport

Nebraska farmboy Grover Cleveland Alexander achieves baseball stardom before war injuries and alcoholism derail his career, but through his wife's faithful efforts he gets a chance for a com... Read allNebraska farmboy Grover Cleveland Alexander achieves baseball stardom before war injuries and alcoholism derail his career, but through his wife's faithful efforts he gets a chance for a comeback and redemption.Nebraska farmboy Grover Cleveland Alexander achieves baseball stardom before war injuries and alcoholism derail his career, but through his wife's faithful efforts he gets a chance for a comeback and redemption.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
According to TMC, Ronald Reagan had lobbied hard to play the title role in "The Stratton Story" (1949) but Warner Bothers didn't want to take a chance on a baseball film and passed on the project. After "The Stratton Story" became a huge hit, the studio picked up the Grover Cleveland Alexander story about another player who made a comeback after being forced from professional baseball.

Goofs
The film ends with the 1926 World Series, and Grover Cleveland Alexander retired from baseball in 1930, yet he is seen with a number on the back of his jersey, a practice that did not begin until 1931. Because he never wore a number on his uniform, there was no number for teams to "retire" for this great player. Therefore the Philadelphia Phillies retired the block letter-style "P" from their 1915 uniforms to honor Alexander.

Quotes
Aimee Alexander: [while Grover is hospitalized, having been beaned by a baseball] What's the matter?
Grover Cleveland Alexander: Nothing, I'm twice as good as I ever was... I'm seeing two of everything.

Connections
Featured in Diamonds on the Silver Screen (1992)

Soundtracks
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
(uncredited)
Music by Albert von Tilzer
Lyrics by Jack Norworth
Played during the opening credits and sung by Doris Day

User reviews28

Review

Featured review

7/10

Old Baseball, love it

I am 52 and never had seen this gem before until today July 10, 2016. I am not much of a movie critic, just wanted to throw in my 2-cents. The real-life baseball footage from the 1911 to 1927 years really got me, it does not get any better. I truly enjoyed the early 20th century "raw" baseball film footage caught in this film.

The love story is a bit corny, the whole "Aimee gave him his strength", I feel that was Hollywood doing their thing, just as in the end showing Grover striking out the last batter, when in fact, Babe Ruth was thrown out at 2nd trying to steal 2nd base, typical Hollywood in making up what they want.

Overall though, I loved the movie, loved the real 1910-1927's baseball footage! If you are a baseball fanatic, you will love this one, except for the side story with his love life, but I tell ya what, Dorris day played it well, I actually loved her performance.

Sportsman Park, Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, and Forbes Field with the banners and the crowds really won me over in the movie, along with the old-time radio broadcasters. The raw footage is AWESOME!