A League of Their Own (1992)

David Strathairn: Ira Lowenstein

Photos 

Quotes 

• Ira Lowenstein : Great game, Jimmy. I especially liked that move in the seventh inning when you scratched your balls for an hour.

  Jimmy Dugan : Well, anything worth doing is worth doing right.

  [spits] 

• Ira Lowenstein : Until you did that, I couldn't tell if you were... drunk or dead.

  Jimmy Dugan : It was made very clear to me what I'm supposed to do here. I smile, wave my little hat... I did that, so when do I get paid?

  Ira Lowenstein : Now, Jimmy, you have some pretty good ballplayers here. You ought to give them a little bit of your...

  Jimmy Dugan : [interrupting]  Ballplayers. I don't have ballplayers, I've got girls. Girls are what you sleep with after the game, not, not what you coach during the game.

  [spits] 

  Ira Lowenstein : If we paid you a little bit more, Jimmy, do you think you could be just a little more disgusting?

  Jimmy Dugan : [brightly]  Well, I could certainly use the money.

• Ira Lowenstein : This is what it's going to be like in the factories, too, I suppose, isn't it? "The men are back, Rosie, turn in your rivets." We told them it was their patriotic duty to get out of the kitchen and go to work; and now, when the men come back, we'll send them back to the kitchen.

  Walter Harvey : What should we do - send the boys returning from WAR back to the kitchen?

• Ira Lowenstein : [When Harvey talks with Lowenstein about shutting down the league at the end of the year]  Do you realize how dedicated these players are? They play with sprained ankles, broken fingers. Sometimes they ride a bus all night to play a double-header the next morning!

  Walter Harvey : I'll make it up to them.

  Ira Lowenstein : What, with Harvey Bars?

• Ira Lowenstein : [after they watch the thrilling end to the World Series and seeing the large crowd cheering]  Well, Walter, what do you say?

  Walter Harvey : Alright, Ira. We'll stick with it.

• Ira Lowenstein : Mr. Harvey, I would like your executive approval for me to take over the league.

  Walter Harvey : What? Ira, aren't you listening to me? All the owners are backing out, there's no point to it anymore. Just let them finish the season, and that's it!

  Ira Lowenstein : I sold you a product when there was no product. This is a product!

  Walter Harvey : There is no room for girls baseball in this country once the war is over.

  Ira Lowenstein : Well, I think you're wrong.

  [Harvey walks away] 

  Ira Lowenstein : And I'm going to prove it to you, Mr. Harvey!

• Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : Okay, come on. We got a lot to do, let's settle down. You are the first...

  [Sees Shirley Baker over at the lists] 

  Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : Honey, are you supposed to be here or are you on the cut list?

  [Shirley doesn't respond] 

  Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : Look, I'm sorry, but if you're cut, you have to leave the field.

  Shirley Baker : [Almost in tears]  Mm-hmm

  Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : Well, are you cut? Oh, just look on the list. It's either Rockford, Racine, Kenosha, or South Bend.

  [Shirtley turns to the lists, starting cry, as Helen Haley approaches her] 

  Helen Haley : Hi.

  Shirley Baker : Hi.

  Helen Haley : Um, can you read, honey?

  Helen Haley : Alright. What's your name?

  Shirley Baker : Shirley Baker.

  Helen Haley : Shirley Baker. Let's have a look.

  [She looks at the Rockford Peaches list first and spots Shirley's name] 

  Helen Haley : This is you.

  [Shirley laughs happily] 

  Helen Haley : You're with us. You're a Rockford Peach.

  Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : [Smiling]  Go join your team.

  [Shirley joins the Rockford Peaches, sitting down next to Marla] 

  Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : Now, you are the first girls in the All American Girls Profession Baseball League. My name is Charlie Collins. I'll be managing the Racine team when the season begins.

  [Racine team cheers] 

  Charlie Collins, Racine Coach : Now, at the end of practice today, you're all gonna be fitted for your uniforms and this is what they're gonna look like. Pretty darned nifty if you ask me.

  [Model walks up on the platform in a wool uniform complete with a miniskirt] 

  Unnamed Ball Player #1 : You can't slide in that!

  Doris Murphy : Hey, that's a dress!

  Mae Mordabito : It's half a dress! Excuse me, but that's not a baseball uniform!

  Doris Murphy : Yeah, what do you think we are? Baseball players or ballerinas?

  Kit Keller : [to Dottie]  It's awfully short.

  Dottie Hinson : Short? I'm gonna have to squat in that thing.

  Unnamed Ball Player #2 : I can't wear that. My husband'll kill me.

  [Ira Lowenstein approaches] 

  Helen Haley : Excuse me, sir.

  Ira Lowenstein : Ladies...

  Shirley Baker : Excuse me.

  Ira Lowenstein : If you can't play ball in this, you can't play ball with us. Now, there are 38 girls on a train ride home, who'll play in a bathing suit, if I ask them.

  Mae Mordabito : Yeah, well, there are no pockets for my cigarettes.

  [Doris laughs] 

  Ira Lowenstein : Ah, there is no smoking. There is also no drinking and no men.

  [Mae gets up, angry, ready to leave, but Doris pulls Mae back down against her will, with Mae sitting back down, frustrated] 

  Ira Lowenstein : . All of your activities will be approved through your chaperones. And you will also be taking regular classes at Charm and Beauty school.

  Doris Murphy : For what?

  Ira Lowenstein : Every girl in this league is going to be a lady.

  [Marla looks scared] 

• Ira Lowenstein : [about the team]  Jimmy, you have a bunch of great players here. If you just give them a chance...

  Jimmy Dugan : [interrupting]  . I don't have ball players! I have *girls!*. Girls are what you sleep with *after* the game not coach *during* the game!