The Perfect Game

Have you ever had the fortune of picking the exact right movie at the exact right time?  That happened to me tonight.

I was browsing through Redbox, intending to get something for the boys to watch on our trip to East Texas, and I happened across a little movie titled "The Perfect Game".  Didn't remember it being in the theaters.  In fact, I didn't even recognize the cover of the movie or the description of it.  But, it promised to tell the story of a little league team from 1957.

Given that we are knee-deep in baseball for both Hoo and Babe right now, I thought this would be the perfect choice.  And, given that it was 50 cent weekend thanks to a Redbox email, I figured even if the movie was horrible with a capital H, there was no harm, no foul.  Pun intended.

Our day had been all about baseball, swimming, and finding out what happens when you light a small pile of dry sticks and leaves and a used Gatorade bottle on fire.  Yes, one of those seemingly doesn't belong, unless you are the mother of three active, curious boys.  In which case, you are shaking your head in agreement that these activities go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Our friend from Hoo's baseball team, one of the many sons I didn't give birth to but who fits our family like a glove, was over for the afternoon.  And when I mentioned the movie, his eyes lit up.  He was on fire to watch.  So we decided that the early Father's Day dinner of steak, potatoes, salad, broccoli and grapes should include some baseball and an extra plate.

Let's just say that this was a lesson on so many levels I am having a hard time encapsulating the best of the best:
1.  Faith is paramount.  All things are possible through Christ.
2.  Prayer should always precede anything.
3.  Racism is ugly.
4.  "White Only" signs in the fifties had a large range of colored skin in mind, not just black.
5.  Never, ever, ever give up.
6.  Quitting on your team is never an option.
7.  Never underestimate how much we Americans have in relation to the rest of the world.
8.  Never judge a book by its cover.
9.  The power of forgiveness is extraordinary.
10.  Big things can come from unknown places.
11.  Love blossoms in the strangest of circumstances.
12.  It is important to meet a girl's Daddy before you try to date the girl.
13.  Random acts of kindness are beautiful.
14.  Never take anything for granted.
15.  Family is the most important thing in life.


Ya'll.  Those are the few lessons I pulled out of my head and I could probably still be writing were I not pressed for time!  This movie exudes old-fashioned values, demonstrates Christian beliefs, values family, shows team work working, and causes you to remember how good people truly are.

There was not a single curse word in the movie.  There was no nudity.  There was no violence.

There were a few scenes of a father drinking to the point of drunkenness and the same for the coach of the team.  In the scheme of the movie, both made sense.  And, the Babe mentioned to all of us that drunkenness never makes you feel good or say nice things.  Lesson learned.

Other than that one minor criticism, which I view as a very teachable moment very well handled by the writers and director, get ready to laugh, cry, and cheer on this little team that could.  And, stay tuned until the bitter end for black stills of the kids in action.  This is one of the most charming points of the entire movie, in my mind.  Seeing what happened to the kids and the coach was breathtaking.

In a year where both our baseball teams have been led by Godly, inspiring men, this movie was just the cherry on top.  We've been fortunate to witness our boys and their teams growing exponentially under their leadership.  We probably won't ever take a team to Pennsylvania for the "big" game, but we already feel like we've won a championship having such great people leading our sons. Thanks, Coach Klie and Coach Hendricks!

Now, go grab some peanuts, a hot dog, and a cold drink and plug in "The Perfect Game".  I promise you won't be disappointed.