The boys of summer are back where they belong.
Spring Training began this week, a time when even the lowliest of teams can dream of playing meaningful baseball in September.
Except maybe the Cincinnati Reds.
It’s the perfect time to revisit “Major League,” the 1989 comedy starring Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen, and Charlie Sheen as Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn. The bawdy comedy not only nailed the game’s essentials but gave us plenty of memorable quotes.
Like, “Juuuuust a bit outside,” from legendary announcer Bob Uecker.
The movie spawned two inferior sequels, but the original’s luster has yet to fade. Who doesn’t love a big league comedy with attitude? Maybe those Social Justice Warriors. The SJW crowd would try to crush it if it came out today. Why? It’s politically incorrect in more than a few ways.
1. The Villain Is … Gasp … a Woman
Mrs. Phelps (Margaret Whitton) wants to move the Indians franchise to Miami. That’s blasphemous to any true sports fans, let alone those in blue-collar Cleveland. In this testosterone-laced comedy, making a woman the villain might inspire some unholy SJW tweets.
The cast is loaded with male stars, too, failing the Bechdel Test regarding the male/female cast ratio.
Plus, as an incentive to the team, whenever they win a game they peel a piece of clothing off Mrs. Phelps’ life-sized cardboard cutout. That’s sexist to the core, right?
2. Cultural Appropriation Run Amok
https://youtu.be/2fWNW92bjsM
The first time we see Tom Berenger he’s hung over and wearing a Mexican sombrero. Later, as the team’s Wild Thing’s reputation grows we see fans decked out in Native American headdresses. One fan wields a sign saying “Tribe Burn ’em.”
That’s cultural appropriation 101, the kind that would inspire an online petition to boycott the film in a hurry.
3. PETA, Watch Out!
Among the more interesting characters on the team is Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert), the slugger who relies on muscle and mysticism to help his batting average.
And, in one particular instance, he threatens to sacrifice a chicken to help his game. That simply wouldn’t do for PETA, which pounces on any hint of animal cruelty. Just recently the group boycotted “A Dog’s Purpose” based on some selective editing which made it appear that a dog on set was treated improperly. The group didn’t apologize after further review found the case was overblown.
4. Wrong Logo, Wrong Team
A more woke comedy would never have picked the Cleveland Indians to star in the film. Why? Look no further than Chief Wahoo, the team’s venerable mascot. Some Native American activists have argued for years that the logo is both discriminatory and offensive. A few have taken the matter to court, without success so far.
The “Indians” name itself is problematic, too, as is the name of the Atlanta Braves in select circles.
Yes, the Cleveland Indians lost … again last year despite nearly taking down the Chicago Cubs. That underdog status wouldn’t be enough to sway SJWs if the movie were to be remade today.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member