Where could he find the motivation to play a destitute Major League team made up of questionable players? They have an owner waiting to sell the team, who leases buses for away games and offers the team an outboard motor in a metal tub for a spa. Welcome to Cleveland, where the Indians haven’t won a World Series since 1948.
Major League is a fictional, motivational, comedic story about the Cleveland Indians in decline, or so the new owner thought. Las Vegas showgirl Rachel Phelps inherited the franchise from her late husband. She hated northern winters. In her quest to move the team to sunny Miami, she went to great lengths to ensure the franchise posted the lowest attendance on record, triggering a clause that would legally allow her to move the team south. Phelps recruited the worst collection of players. She thought this group of rag tag players would be exactly what she needed for this self-demolition job.
The team was led by catcher Jake Taylor. Despite his injured knee, his biggest asset was finding motivation for the team. There was Rick Vaughn, a convicted felon who was serving time in jail when he was drafted. Vaugh had a heat-seeking fastball. Unfortunately, his missiles mostly deflected away from home plate. There’s Willie Hayes, who’s faster than a bullet. The only problem for him was getting a hit. Cuban Pedro Cerrano was a power hitter who could hit anything but curveballs. His opponents soon found out. Finally, there was Roger Dorn, a capable third baseman who refused to risk his body. He was preserving his status for a big trade sometime after the season. This rag crew was led by Lou Brown, a former tire salesman.
Since the beginning of the season, Phelps had made his intention known to Brown. She didn’t hide her distaste for the team. Initially, Brown decided not to tell his players about Phelps’ scheme. By doing so, she hoped the team would be able to maintain some motivation. That resulted in a poor start to the season. Vaughn was supposed to be the leader in the rotation, but his inaccuracy off the mound resulted in loss after loss as his effectiveness increased. Fans began to nickname him ‘Wild Thing’. Brown soon discovered that his ace pitcher couldn’t really see well. After dressing him up in a pair of fancy glasses, ‘Wild Thing’ began to show off his skills and the team began to win a few games.
At this point, Phelps cut further privileges from the team. The scene that summed it all up was when carpet tape had to be used to fix a broken propeller on the plane that was supposed to take the team from city to city for their away games. Brown had enough. He quickly gathered his team in the locker room and told everyone about Phelps’ plan to break up the team. Taylor suggests that since they had nothing to lose, the team should get back at Phelps by winning the pennant. Brown gave the team additional motivation by removing a portion of a dress in a cardboard cutout model of Phelps taken during her days as a showgirl for every win the team achieves. The team played very well down the stretch of the season, eventually achieving a tie in the division by beating the Chicago White Sox in the final game of the season.
That earned the Indians an unlikely one-game playoff with their boogie team, the New York Yankees. His motivation was on a different level now. The winner would go on to win the Division and advance to the American League Championship series. As events would conspire, Vaughn would retire the Yankees’ leadoff hitter with three strikes out of the corral. That kept the game alive as Pedro Cerrano finally hit a tying homer off a curveball with a bit of voodoo rebellion. On the final play of the game, Taylor would fake a home run that he aimed from the stands, allowing Hayes to steal home for the game-winning run. The Indians secured the Division and quickly left Phelps agonizing over his failed plans to move south.
Major League was everything a motivational movie was supposed to be. Once again, the theme of team unity above all else was key to its success. It doesn’t matter what kind of players you had. As long as they have a common goal and desire, impossible obstacles can be overcome. Unlikely results could be achieved. Even in the city of boogie baseball where the World Series hadn’t been won since 1948, hope could occasionally arise to bring the city closer together. Enjoy this outstanding comedy and motivational movie.
Starring Tom Berenger (Jake Taylor), Charlie Sheen (Rick Vaughn), and Wesley Snipes (Willie Hayes).