A League of Their Own : Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

As you know, during the World Series game Kit hits a walk-off inside the park home run. I wondering why she would be batting. They're going to let a PITCHER hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth? Is there no pinch hitting in this league? Did they cover this?


It's a great movie by the way, I watch it every time I see it's on TV.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

yeah not to mention that she's a completely broken down emotional mess.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

With only 16 women per team, their may not have been anyone else left that they could put in. It's very possible that non-starters for that last game may have already been used or unable to play because of injuries (not likely on the injuries though because it is made clear that the ladies are incredibly tough). The other possibility may be that she was literally the only pitcher they had that could still pitch.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

It must have been very difficult playing professional baseball or softball with only sixteen players on a roster. Did they play nine inning games or only seven innings? I am pretty sure each team played a 108 game regular season. I think sometimes they played fewer games because of rain outs that couldn't be rescheduled.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

The leagues's site said that there were a total of 108 games from mid-May to the 1st of September. 2 teams would play each game, so each team would play in 54 games.

To fix IMDB's display https://secure.imdb.com/register-imdb/siteprefs last option (ref)

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

I'm not familiar with the rules of the AAGPBL, but, for what it's worth, in Major League Baseball, pitchers often bat during the World Series. The MLB is made up of two leagues -- the American League and the National League. The AL doesn't require its pitchers to bat during the regular season/play-offs, but the NL does. So when the team of each league meet up to play in the World Series, the rules of each respective league are bound to clash. They play a total of 7 games at most (or best 4 out of 7) and when they play at the field of the NL team, the AL team pitchers have to bat, too. Since the AL doesn't require their pitchers to bat during the regular season, they usually don't recruit pitchers who are also good hitters. But during the World Series they get around this by having a designated hitter, who bats for the pitcher. (God, I hope that wasn't too confusing.)

That said, it wasn't unusual that Kit or Ellen Sue batted in the world series. Actually, I think they all batted throughout the whole season, just like the NL teams do. However, I doubt the AAGPBL was divided into two leagues since they only had 4 teams that first year. The AL and NL each have 15 teams.

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Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

You are right but you made it more complicated than it has to be. It's simple, the AL has the DH Rule that allows them to have someone else hit for the pitcher. Since the pitcher is usually the worst hitter on a team, AL teams usually use them. In the World Series though, they use the rules from whatever league the home team is from to play that game. None of this is really pertinent to this discussion though because the DH didn't exist until the 70s.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

you missed the whole point -- it was the bottom of the ninth -- you usually pinch hit for the pitcher --- probably there was no one available or maybe Kit was a good hitter

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

i think it was implied that kit was both a good hitter and pitcher, which is very rare but possible, babe ruth was a pitcher early in his career.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

I doubt that the women's league was that specialized. Yes, in the major/minor leagues the pitcher is usually the weakest hitter, but that is due of years of foregoing batting to hone on the craft of pitching. In high school and below, the best players are pitchers, and they are usually the top hitter. When they're not pitching, they're playing another key defensive position. This theory is probably true here

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?


In high school and below, the best players are pitchers, and they are usually the top hitter.


Bingo.

These girls came from amateur leagues including softball. In the MLB, most pitchers reach the majors after many years of playing minor league ball and honing their pitching skills to the detriment of hitting.

Kit was probably one of the best hitters on the team (when she laid off the high ones that is).

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

Also, she pitched in the top of the 9th. Maybe you couldn't make a substitution after that.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

As I said in one of my posts. It's very possible that Kit may have been their only pitcher they had for that game. With only 16 players per team I would suspect that only 3 would be pitchers

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?


I doubt that the women's league was that specialized. Yes, in the major/minor leagues the pitcher is usually the weakest hitter, but that is due of years of foregoing batting to hone on the craft of pitching. In high school and below, the best players are pitchers, and they are usually the top hitter. When they're not pitching, they're playing another key defensive position. This theory is probably true here


Agree with this. Kit was probably one of Racine's better hitters, if not the best. Ellen Sue was Rockford's pitcher for Game 7, and I believe she was batting cleanup (she lined out to deep left following Dottie's hit in the 9th)

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

The real question is why did they pitch to Dottie in the last inning? With 1st base open and the best hitter up and 2 outs she would have been walked. Not sure how the writers (who did such a good job otherwise) missed that one.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

Sibling rivalry; she not only wanted to win; she wanted to beat her sister. And the hit only drove her harder, which is why she ran home.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

This isn't modern day baseball where the pitcher either can't hit or there is a DH. Back then, the pitcher batted like everyone else and they were decent hitters.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?


This isn't modern day baseball where the pitcher either can't hit or there is a DH. Back then, the pitcher batted like everyone else and they were decent hitters.
No, in the major leagues of that era, pitchers were usually weak hitters just like today, though there were occasional exceptions like Schoolboy Rowe and Red Lucas and Wes Ferrell.

The best explanation is the one mentioned above, that it was like high school where the best athletes are often the top pitcher and the top hitter all rolled into one. The women hadn't spent years honing their pitching skills exclusively, to the detriment of hitting. They likely were mostly multi-positional players.

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

It's a MOVIE, people!!! It's called dramatic effect! They don't have to follow baseball rules because they are filming a MOVIE!!

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

Everyone is foe getting that this is in 1943 and not present day. Back in those days pitchers in both leagues hit, NO IGNORANT DH RULE!!! Despite the fact that pitchers were not the best hitters by any stretch of the imagination. They did not like to be taken out of ball games, special the top pitchers. Unlike today when a pitcher is taken out of a game because his shoelace broke. It's the way the game was and should be now.

Besides, as shown in the MOVIE, Kit could actually hit so why take her out if she still has the arm to.

DW All Day

Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

Aside from all the (very valid) reasons given by other posters. I suspect the answer is a more practical one.

Dramatic effect.

Would people rather see Dottie and Kit facing off at home plate for the climax, or would people rather see Dottie and... someone else?

We all know the answer, even though some of us might deny that we want to see the two adversaries facing off in the climax.




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Re: Why was Kit batting at the end of movie?

A pitcher hitting in the 9th would of been nothing unusual in that era, if you think it is you know nothing of baseball history. Warren Spain ( at 42 years old ) and Juan Marichal once started a game and each pitched into the 16th inning.
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