She So Purposely Dropped That Ball
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kirkjacobs — 12 years ago(June 15, 2013 09:04 AM)
I'm with you, the movie's message seems to be crybabies win because someone will feel sorry them and give them a break. Also, it didn't seem fair to Dottie's teammates to throw the game just to make her kid sister feel good about herself. I would rather have seen Kit win it outright, rise above her whiny attitude. That's a better message.
There's no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it. -Hitchcock -
jillian.diamond — 13 years ago(December 26, 2012 11:23 AM)
Agreed, I never felt that Dottie dropped it on purpose. The fact that she held onto in on a previous occasion means nothing. In basketball I can make a tough 3 point shot and then miss an easy 2 pointer. It happens and I certainly did not do it intentionally. That other girl might have been bigger than Kit but Kit was extremely determined and on that day in that instance she prevailed.
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roshieifra — 11 years ago(March 30, 2015 09:11 AM)
She dropped it, no doubt. The fact that they're sisters makes it even more obvious. She GREW UP with that little, whiny, annoying person probably trying to knock her down her whole life. She would be more than prepared to take one more hit from her.
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mssumner — 13 years ago(July 27, 2012 12:10 PM)
That's true. It's a good thing she screwed over teammates so that her sister could feel rosy. Dottie's actions are similarly questionable when she immediately ditches her team after her husband shows up. I understand that her character was never really into it, but why quit so close to the end of the season? Are we supposed to believe that her husband would mind taking in a world series before heading back to Oregon? These two points are the main failings of a movie which should have portrayed its heroine and women as more serious athletes.
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danmankp37 — 13 years ago(May 08, 2012 10:35 PM)
Yes.. Dottie is far and away the best player in the league.. The look on Hanks face basically acknowledges it. She could do anything she wanted to on the field but her compassion for her sister took over in that moment..
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Mickyfinn — 15 years ago(December 03, 2010 11:28 AM)
As much as alot of people feel about "the love of a sister", which is a good sentiment, I think it is a real mistake to deny Kit's character the grit, determination, and accomplishment of finally becoming what she had wanted to since the first 2 minutes of the film.
Secondly, it is a rude departure from one other very important theme of the film, teammates and sportsmanship. If any of the Peaches thought that Dottie threw the game, she would be skewered. And if it was so obvious to you that she did, so it would be to those playing on her team. To add: Dropping the ball on purpose would also be analogous to her spitting on the rest of her teammates. There is no greater offence in a team sport. One of the many themes in the movie is integrity and sportsmanship. That doesn't work. She didn't drop it on purpose.
So what's the message?
A. Older sister, who happens to be a very good athlete and loves the game and competition, and who has been dealing with an (I think we all agree) generally unlikable character of her younger sister, throws the biggest game in her life and in effect stabs the hearts of her teammates minutes after instructing the pitcher exactly how to defeat her little sister, by intentionally dropping the ball in a completely unexpected, and it the case of Kit, ill advised showdown at home plate.
or
B. A younger sister, who has spent all her life living in the shadow of her older, more beautiful an more talented older sister, has one chance to erase all her fears (did you see the shot of her 'on deck' - "c'mon Kit, you have to bat next!") and through determination and 'heart' becomes the hero she always wanted to be. And ignoring the 'safe' route by recklessly running through the 'hold up' sign at 3rd base, and use that determination and pent up frustration to ultimately 'take' that win instead of having it given to her.
I like B.
You just have to be resigned-
You're crashing by design -
soggybottom — 15 years ago(January 09, 2011 10:01 AM)
At least you can admit it. Most people on these boards can't (although I can't see why whether or not you've met the person should matter when it comes to opening your mind a little bit and taking into consideration other people's ideas)
You're rightNot all things are directly left open to interpretation, but I think this one really is.
Here's a quote for you to think about
Throw her nothing but high ones. She can't hit 'em, and she can't lay off 'em
Why would they have put that in there if they wanted to make is SOOOO clear that she was going to throw the game for her sister? Remember that this was said just three pitches right before the big play. -
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soggybottom — 15 years ago(January 09, 2011 11:19 AM)
I can buy that explanation, but she sure changed her mind in a hurry.
But now can you at least say that it wasn't obvious as you thought? People see things differently, and that's what I like about coming to these boardsTo see ideas that I never thought of before.
The problem I have with these boards is that people are so determined to be right and are so determined that the opposing viewpoint just HAS to be wrong that they never take a second to say "Gee, I never thought of that" because all they want to do is WIN the argument
which is EXACTLY why I have a hard time accepting the fact that Dottie just threw the game. It's human nature to always win, and she was extremely competitive the entire movie.
But I gotta give it to ya MissCarsYou're A LOT better than most people on here. -
MissCars78 — 15 years ago(January 09, 2011 11:33 AM)
I do know what you mean. Forums are full of people so shy in real life that they become loud mouth monsters on the net to make them feel good about themselves. IMDB is full of them. They argue for arguements sake.
Back to the point in hand though - in this case I truly believe that whether it has now become a debate or not it wasn't intended to be by the writers.
Older Dottie at the beginning proves she learnt being competitive & winning wasn't her priority when she tells the older Grandson to let his little brother win the basketball game. It bookends the last bit where she throws the game for her sister.
I must admit I am not a competitive person in general so maybe I'm not the best example but if I knew a loved one could be happy, overcome their demons & enjoy life by me simply being a "loser" just once in my life I would do it in a heartbeat. -
soggybottom — 15 years ago(January 09, 2011 01:07 PM)
I don't know what the writer's intention was, but the way that the final product turned out, it left it wide open for debate.
Yeah, it's obvious that "older Dottie" learned a good lesson there, but did she learn it BEFORE or AFTER the big play?
I can see that you're a good-hearted person who probably wouldn't mind being a "loser" for the right reasons (and that's very admirable of you), but in that big of a game with so much on the line on that one play, I can't see anybody doing it (not even you).
Look at it this way: Had she held onto the ball, the score is STILL tied and game moves on. Kit would still have more opportunities to help her team win. It's not like the game ends right there with Kit being the big loser.
Besides, with how fast things happen in games, I really don't think Dottie had enough time to analyze all of this. In one split second, she going to go from doing everything she could to help her team win to "Oh, but if we win, then Kit's gonna hate me forever, and I'll have to deal with an annoying little sister for the rest of my life who is going to insist on holding a grudge against me and I'll never hear the end of it"
Anyway, I'm talked enough about this. I'm going to go ahead and declare myself the "loser" and you the "winner".
Hell, if it worked for Dottie, maybe it'll work for me. -
jejozi — 13 years ago(February 04, 2013 03:16 PM)
Old Dottie did NOT tell the older grandson, Jeffrey, to let his brother WIN. She told him to "give him a chance to shoot". (I just watched that scene on Netflix to confirm that direct quote.)
Regardless, she dropped the ball on purpose. The force of the collision proves she did. Watch the scene and you'll see Dottie knocked off her feet, but the ball just trickles a couple of inches away from her fingers after her hand hit the ground and laid there for a count. Had the ball been jarred loose because of the hit, it would have gone flying as soon as her hand hit the ground.
I am a competitive person and I couldn't throw a game, let alone a championship. I'm a middle child, between brothers, and we all wanted to beat each other.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.
