A League of Their Own : The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

I'm in the 'didn't drop the ball on purpose' camp. I thought of these really well thought out reasons, and wanted to reiterate them in a self-proclaimed 'definitive' thread.

Here's why Dottie did NOT drop the ball on purpose:

1) She came back to play the last game of the championship. Why would Dottie come back just to lose on purpose?

2) In the top of the 9th Kit had pitched a shutout. When Dottie came to the plate there were 2 runners on base, and 2 out. If Dottie wanted to lose on purpose why not swing through 3 pitches? This would really make Kit the hero because she would have struck out one of the best batters in the league, and she would have pitched a shutout in the championship game. Instead Dottie hits a line drive, and scores two runners, helping the Peaches take the lead. Does that sound like someone who wants to lose on purpose?

3) In the bottom of the 9th, Dottie tells Ellen Sue to pitch high fastballs. Kit's biggest weakness, which up to this point, she has never been able to hit.

Finally, the question arises, how could Dottie drop the ball? She's too talented, she didn't drop it before. Well I'll tell you how. She was surprised, and not at all prepared to for this type of situation to happen. Being the older sister, and better at pretty much everything, she was never concerned about Kit. She never thought Kit would be on an opposing team, and she never thought Kit would be trying to run through her to score a run. In her entire life, Dottie never considered this situation, and was visibly surprised when it played out. Kit, on the other hand, always came in second to Dottie, so I can pretty much guarantee she played this situation over and over and over in her head for most of her life. She knew exactly what she was doing when she ran through third base. So Kit knocked the ball out of Dottie's hand because Dottie did not properly brace for the collosion, and the reason for that is she was extremely surprised by the situation. She never, ever, imagined Kit, her kid sister, would be trying to run her over at the plate.

Also, it's difficult to fully analysis the collosion at home plate, you have to remember, the director is shooting it for dramatic affect. If it looked like a normal full speed "Pete Rose type barreling into a catcher" clip, that wouldn't be nearly dramatic as a slow motion clip with both players hitting the ground and the shot of the ball rolling out of the catcher's hand. For all we know, Kit may of knocked Dottie unconscious for a split second, causing her to loosen her grip after she hit the ground.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

I think she let her sister win. The main reason I think that is that she was a hardcore catcher, did everything the way your supposed to. But in that play instead of holding the ball in her mitt, it was in her bare hand.Either way a great movie.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

You're hung up on the ball being in her bare hand instead of her mitt. Consider this, any catcher who wants to drop a ball, can do it equally easily with a mitt or a bare hand.

The ball being in her bare hand tells us she did not properly brace for the hit, it doesn't tell us one way or the other if the ball was dropped on purpose. So then the question becomes, "why didn't she properly brace for the hit?".

Your answer shouldn't be "because she wanted to let her sister win". Dottie could of gone through the motions on that play 100% correctly, and still choose to allow the ball to drop from her mitt.

Dottie is not the unstoppable God of Baseball. She is capable of making mistakes. Re-watch the scene, she is a deer in headlights, she looks nothing like a person with a decisive plan... Which is exactly what Kit looks like. I said it on my original post, and I’ll say it again. Dottie never, Ever, EVER imagined a play like this would formulate. Her kid sister on an opposing team? Her little sister playing against her for the championship? Her baby sister, barreling towards her with absolute determination in her eyes, looking like she’s going to run her over? Dottie never thought of these things, but Kit... I’m sure Kit thought about this opportunity all the time. This had to be one of her fantasies. The way this finally played out took Dottie completely by surprise, that's why she didn't properly brace for the hit, that's why she had the ball in her bare hand, that's why she looked frightened when they first made contact.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread


instead of holding the ball in her mitt, it was in her bare hand

With 1940s gloves (*especially* catcher's mitts), Dottie never would have had the ball just in the mitt; you didn't have a good enough hold on the ball that way, almost guaranteed to have the ball knocked loose. That's a both-hands-on-the-ball play, all the way. And that's how Dottie is holding the ball as she braces for contact.

And if, while holding the ball that way, you get blown up by a runner so that your hands come apart, the ball will almost always be in your bare hand longer than the mitt. The bare hand is the one that is more wrapped around the ball and has a better hold (again, *especially* with a 1940s catchers mitt).

Even today, the technique for a catcher applying a tag is still to go with both hands whenever possible because all of the extra padding in a catcher's mitt (compared to a fielder's glove) makes it so much more likely for the ball to get jarred loose. And modern catcher's mitts are much easier to manipulate than those of the 1940s.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread


3) In the bottom of the 9th, Dottie tells Ellen Sue to pitch high fastballs. Kit's biggest weakness, which up to this point, she has never been able to hit.

*This* is exactly why I think people who believe she dropped the ball "out of love" are out of their minds.

She could have given Kit the easy way out if she had wanted to. She didn't. Why? Because she knows that Kit needs to win for herself. She's been in her sister's shadow all her life. The most loving thing Dottie can do is let Kit prove to herself that she can win by doing her best and that she doesn't need her to help her win.

If she'd dropped the ball, she would risk Kit knowing that she did and it would only make her confidence issues worse. Dottie wouldn't have risked that.

Sure, she's a great player. She didn't make a mistake. She just dropped the ball because Kit ripped into her with the force of a hurricane. At that moment, she stepped out of her sister's shadow and she just wanted it more.

For every lie I unlearn I learn something new - Ani Difranco

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Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

I like to think this, too. I love my little sisters and they've always lived in my shadow, so I would gladly give up a few minutes of my popularity so they can feel great if I was in Dottie's shoes.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

My god I'm so tired of *this* reasoning, "I'm an older sibling, and I beat my younger sibling at everything, so when they win its because I let them win, ergo Dottie definitely/obviously dropped it on purpose".

You see when you are growing up, a slight age difference does make a big impact on athletic ability. But by the time both of you are in your 20's that age advantage goes away. Dottie was probably a better pitcher too, until Kit was around 16, or 17. And let's be clear, Kit was an absolute beast on the mound. She pitched and won games 1, 4, and 7 of the World Series.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

Kit looked absolutely the worst in the dugout after giving away the lead, Dottie saw this and still told Ellen Sue to throw high fastballs. There's no logical reason to believe she changed her entire outlook on life I'm the less then 30 seconds between Kit hitting the ball, and the collision happening at home. This was probably her thought process:
1) OMG she hit the ball
2) OMG it's going to be a home run
3) Phew, but Jesus Evelyn please hit the cut off man
4) What the Fark, she's rounding third?!?!?!
5) ball ball ball ball ball ball
6) She wants a collision!?!?!?! Seriously?!?!?!
7) *CRASH*(Kitstopyoudontknowwhatyourdoing)

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

I side with 'not on purpose' as well. However, once the fans cheered and Dottie saw Kits reaction, Dottie knew it was all good.

Either way Dottie won! Either winning the game, or making her sister feel good.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

The movie had many moments that proved Dottie did not drop the ball. They specifically showed her in the same situation with a different player and she held the ball. In the beginning old Dottie tells her older grandson to take it easy on his younger brother, but she tells the younger one to kick his butt. Now if anything that proves that that was what Dottie did for Kit at the end of the game.

Dottie was better, plain and simple. Kit knew it too with her " why do you have to be so good" comment. Why would the movie focus on Jimmy trying to get Dottie to see that she really was a ball player that loved the game? Just so it would create tension if she was going to show up for the last game? No, I don't think so.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

haha I love that there's a raging debate on this board regarding this question. So awesome. That's why writers write.

So. My take on it: why not a little bit of both? I think Dottie summed it all up when she said "you wanted it more than me." She probably could've tried a little harder at the very end to hold on but just decided to let it go last minute, like "F-it."

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

It can't be both, if she changed her mind at the last second, and said f- it I'm not going to try so hard, that's dropping it on purpose!

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

Sigh...

She did NOT drop the ball on purpose.

The reason so many folks think so is the because of the decision the director made in filming the scene.

What they should have done is simply have Kit mow down Dottie in real time and have the ball on the ground. The directors apparently thought that many in the audience (read that as female) wouldn't necessarily understand a bang-bang tag play (as opposed to a force) and fully understand what happened and why Kit was safe when the ball beat her home by 15 feet or more.

By showing the ball coming out of her hand in an isolated shot (so there'd be no mistake about Kit being safe), some folks think she dropped it on purpose.

If Dottie intended to drop the ball, she would NOT have carried it to the ground and have it roll lazily out of her hand in full view of everyone.


For all we know, Kit may of knocked Dottie unconscious for a split second, causing her to loosen her grip after she hit the ground.


If often wondered if a shot wasn't written that showed Dottie being knocked out by the collision and being helped up by Jimmy and the rest of the girls. In retrospect, they should have filmed just that. This way, they could keep the isolated shot of the ball rolling lazily off her fingers without controversy.






Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

But that's why the writers wrote it as such: so we can talk about it and dissect it. I think both sides have GREAT arguments, but I go with the one that Kit wanted it more. If she dropped it on purpose it was spur of the moment as Kit is rounding 3rd headed for home. Dottie is all about family, as evidence by her husband returning from the war and dottie leaving right then. She then realizes kit is also family, and needs this personal Victory more than anything in the world kit would tell that tale forever, while Dottie forgets the game the next day.


Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

Pasted because I don't want to type it again:

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

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

I don't think she did it on purpose either. She wanted to win. The look on her face when she hit the ball kind of said it, I thought. She really didn't expect her too. But she was happy for her when she won.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

dottie dropped the ball on purpose.

dottie wanted to win the series initially, but when kit landed that hit for the first time ever, dottie gave it to her. plus it meant more to kit than dottie.

look at dottie's beaming face when racine/kit won. that look is of genuine happiness for her little sister who finally stepped out of her shadow.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

Nah. That whole scene loses its meaning if she doesn't drop it on purpose. Her letting go of the ball was her letting go of baseball to move on with her life and be with George. Had she not dropped the ball it would have cost Kit far more than the game. She would have been dropped from the team and probably never picked up again for ignoring the 3rd base coach telling her to stop at 3rd and costing them the championship.
Seeing Kit's absolute determination combined with what was at stake for her(and knowing how much it all meant to Kit and how little it meant to her at this point), she made the decision to drop the ball. She "let go of [the]baseball" and moved on.
She wasn't going to let Kit win, but she felt at that point Kit had earned it and the alternative was something she would hate herself for.

Dropped it on purpose. 100%.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

Anyone who thinks she dropped the ball on purpose is purposefully being stupid. You have to remember this is fiction. If the writers never mentioned otherwise then it didn't happen.

You might as well do a write up of how Kit is really a flying dragon who masked herself to play womens baseball, just because.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread


Had she not dropped the ball it would have cost Kit far more than the game. She would have been dropped from the team and probably never picked up again for ignoring the 3rd base coach telling her to stop at 3rd and costing them the championship.
Seeing Kit's absolute determination combined with what was at stake for her(and knowing how much it all meant to Kit and how little it meant to her at this point), she made the decision to drop the ball.


So she was trying to ruin Kit's career and crush her dreams?

What a royal B!tch.

Re: The Definitive: She Did NOT Drop the ball on Purpose Thread

I'll take your silence as a 'yes'.

That certainly makes her a massive khunt. Way to ruin the characters...
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