History Film / AngelsInTheOutfield

* ParentalSubstitute: Maggie is this to J.P. and Roger, and as is committed a mother figure to the boys as any real mom would be. [[spoiler: The boys are eventually adopted by Knox, meaning they will soon leave Maggie but she assures them that she will be fine as other children come into her care.]]

* {{Bowdlerize}}: In the remake, George Knox accuses his players of having their "heads up [their] butts." TV airings change this to "screwed on backwards."

* MissingMom: We are never told what happened to Bridget's parents, only that she's lived at the Home her entire life.

The 1951 film was directed by Clarence Brown and stars Paul Douglas and Creator/JanetLeigh. It's about [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball Pittsburgh Pirates]] manager Duffy [=McGovern=] (Douglas) being visited by invisible angels who will give his team miracles, as long as he stops swearing and controls his violent temper. A girl from the local Catholic orphanage can see the angels, and a woman reporter, Jennifer Paige (Leigh) who's been covering the Pirates prints the story. [=McGovern's=] bête noire is Fred Bayles (Creator/KeenanWynn), a snarky sportscaster who wants to get something on him. When the manager is beaned by a fastball he lets slip about "talking to angels", and a sanity hearing ensues. Meanwhile, the angels let [=McGovern=] know that his veteran pitcher Saul Hellman (Bruce Bennett) is about to be "signed up" in Heaven, and [=McGovern resolves=] to give Hellman one more turn on the mound. Naturally, the Pirates eventually take the NL pennant, and the reporter and [=McGovern=] ultimately get together and adopt the little girl.

* ArbitrarySkepticism: In the original film, the ''nuns'' discount angelic assistance on the ballfield and Sister Edwitha loudly denies it to the press, insisting that Bridget had "been out in the sun too long." She later has the child hospitalized and brings in a psychiatrist. Bridget is completely cognizant of what's going on: "Sure. You want to find out if I'm wacky."

* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The angels fit the standard good-guys-with-wings image, who work mostly by influencing the players' and manager's intuition. They also don't influence every play of every game, as noted when one says that "You've been on your own a lot of times this season without knowing it."

----> '''Umpire.''' Fair!
----> '''Guffy.''' (''stalking out onto the field'') Fair? Fair? Fair ball? Why, thou knave, thou dolt! Thou hast eyes but seest not!
----> '''Umpire 2.''' You heard him, he said fair.
----> '''Guffy.''' Fie, fie upon you and a pox upon you too. Thou art blind, thou black-livered bat!

--->'''Knox''': I can't substitute my WORST hitter for my BEST hitter!

---> '''George Knox''': One more loss! One more loss which could've been a win! And you call yourselves ''professionals''. I have never, ever seen a worse group of twenty-five players! You don't think as a team, you don't play as a team, you don't even ''LOSE'' as a team! You've all got your heads so far up your ''butts'', you can't even see the light of day! One more loss and I'll...and I'll do this... (throws a chair at a rack of bats) to each and every one of you! (...) I want you ''here'' in uniform at nine tomorrow! We're going back to practicing ''fundamentals''!

--> '''Ranch Wilder''': You leave Cincinnati after ten years of winning ball clubs -- although the really big one always seemed to be just out of reach - and you come out here to manage our Angels. Now, expectations were high that you could turn this team around. But that just doesn't seem to be happening.

* WritersCannotDoMath: In the climactic game against Chicago, after the Angels score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth on a suicide squeeze, Messmer immediately follows with a pop-up to end the inning. But for that to work, Knox would have had to call a suicide squeeze with two out in a 2-2 game in the eighth inning, which is strategical malpractice (as a force play at first would also mean no runs score). Had Knox done so in such an important game and it failed, it would have been grounds to fire him on the spot once the game ended, so it's most likely the writers just forgot how many outs there were.

* YoureNotMyFather: Roger [[spoiler:seemingly accepts that his birth father has given him up and would never reunite with him. [[FamilyOfChoice He accepts George as a real father to him]] when he adopts him and J.P..]]

!!''Angels in the Outfield'' provides examples of:

* AdrenalineTime: "Some moments in sports you remember in slow motion, and Hemmerling's infield ground ball was one of them...because the ball was actually traveling in slow motion."
* AndStarring: Christopher Lloyd in the 1994 version is credited with this.
* {{Angrish}}:
** Duffy's foul, filthy mouth is depicted by cutting the audio to pieces, sticking it back together at random and playing it backwards.
** Knox in the remake is said to be profane, but to keep the rating appropriate for small children the audience just hears Knox muffled and from a distance. Roger covers up JP's ears and then suggests to Knox that the angels might not like to hear so much cussing.
* AllBikersAreHellsAngels: Roger's dad in the remake downplays this trope. Despite being a biker who happens to be a sleazy single parent and a LowerClassLout who gave up full custody of his son without warning, he's more deadbeat than huge and scary.

** In the remake, the team owner is outraged with Knox's "hogwash" story about real angels helping the team, which is how anyone would respond--except that the entire country has been watching miracles occur on the field hundreds of times over the course of the season. Now, granted, ''angels'' are still a far-fetched explanation, but is it all ''that'' crazy an explanation?
** The whole "Real Angels" deal being rejected might seem ludicrous since this is set in the USA, where the overwhelming majority of people are Christians. Christians not believing in heavenly help might just look silly, but many actually do not believe in that level of direct intervention and certainly not in sports as opposed to, say, natural disasters where people inexplicably survive. In the original film, the ''nuns'' discount angelic assistance on the ballfield and Sister Edwitha loudly denies it to the press, insisting that Bridget had "been out in the sun too long." She later has the child hospitalized and brings in a psychiatrist. Bridget is completely cognizant of what's going on: "Sure. You want to find out if I'm wacky."
** The arbitrary distinction is lampshaded by Maggie at the press conference before the final game.

* ArtisticLicenseSports: In the remake. In 1993, the American League was divided into two divisions of seven teams each. The Angels would still have to go through another seven-game series against the Eastern champion to win the pennant.[[note]]The American League realigned into three divisions in 1994, the year of the film's release, so had the 1994 alignment been used in the film the Angels would have to win two playoff series instead of one.[[/note]]
* BigBrotherBully: Miguel is a light, foster version of this to JP, such as telling him that "you could drop dead after dinner" because of poisoned Jello.

* BittersweetEnding: Downplayed in the 1994 version. [[spoiler: Roger doesn't reunite with his birth father as he wanted despite the Angels turning things around and Roger is informed that Mel will die in six months due to his smoking habits. However, the Angels manage to win the finals on their own and take the World Series. Knox finally eases up and learns to coach his team better and, in the end, he adopts Roger and JP finally allowing the three to become an official family.]]
* {{Bookends}}: Early in the 1994 movie, Knox gives his team TheReasonYouSuckSpeech for losing yet another game. Near the end, he gives them a RousingSpeech about [[SoProudOfYou how proud he is of them]].
* BrickJoke: The "prison photo" quip.

* CassandraTruth: First Roger, then Knox when trying to convince people about the angels in the 1994 remake. It nearly costs Knox his job.
* CatchPhrase: JP's "It could happen!"
* ChildrenRaiseYou:
** Duffy learns a lot from Bridget and becomes more of a ReasonableAuthorityFigure as he begins to ease into a fatherly role.
** Knox in the sequel, by surrogate parenting Roger and JP.
* CloudCuckoolander: Pitcher Whitt Bass. The announcers even run down several crazy things they've seen him do during the season. This also makes him the butt of jokes by the team; the Latino players trick him into thinking "The Star-Spangled Banner" is about a guy named Jose.
* CrazyEnoughToWork: You never see the angels in the original film. It's all done subtly and explained as the angels inspiring Duffy and his players to make better decisions on the field. At one point Duffy tells the batting coach "Tell him to bunt -- No. Let him hit away." The batter socks it over the left field fence and the coach asks how he knew, since this man isn't much of a longball hitter. Duffy says he just "had a feeling", but his hat is knocked off seconds later and we're to understand one of the angels did it in affection.
** In the remake, when an angel shows up besides a player, Roger has to convince Knox to use him even if it goes against all common sense. For instance, Roger suggests that Knox have his light-hitting bench player pinch-hit for his cleanup hitter in the bottom of the 9th because of an angel presence.

* CrazyPrepared: David becomes this after the boys ruin the first of his many linen suits.

-->'''JP''': Look, it's God's thumbnail!
-->'''Roger''': [[MoodWhiplash That's just the moon, JP. No God up there]]. (''Roger's throw misses his glove and the ball rolls away from the porch.'')

* CueTheFlyingPigs: Roger's dad's quip of him and Roger getting back to becoming a family again "maybe when the Angels win the pennant" was meant to be the equivalent of "when pigs fly", seeing as how at the All-Star Break (a little after the mid-point of the season) the Angels were dead last and mired in a 15-game losing streak[[labelnote:note]]For reference, the all-time longest losing streak in the AL is owned by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who started their season 0-21[[/labelnote]]. Roger [[InnocentInaccurate thought he was being literal]] and prayed to God for this to happen. [[spoiler:Subverted when Roger's dad officially gives up custody and walks out of the courtroom just as Roger enters despite the Angels' sudden turnaround in the standings. Then DoubleSubverted when, after the Angels win the pennant, Roger ''does'' get adopted by Knox (along with JP).]]

* DespairEventHorizon: Roger after the aforementioned happens, causing him to lose faith in the angels. Knox is hit with this too as the rumors about the angels leaves him on the brink of being fired as his own manager believes he is losing his grip on reality. Finally the Angels themselves, after losing the second-to-last game of the season after an awe-inspiring winning streak and facing the imminent firing of their manager.
* DisappearedDad: In the remake, Roger’s dad chooses to become this (see above), while J.P.’s died before the start of the film.
* DivingSave: In the last play, [[spoiler:Mel gives one last pitch to win the pennant. The hitter whacks it...but it's a grounder and Mel makes spectacular leap to catch it. He's shocked, as is the stadium, before they proceed to cheer]].
* DownToTheLastPlay: Both versions have the Bottom of the Ninth version.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: By the end of the remake, the California Angels have finally won the pennant. Not only does Knox keep his job as the team's manager, but he even adopts [[spoiler:JP and Roger]].

** The wish Roger makes in the 1994 version ultimately gets resolved this way. [[spoiler:Roger prayed to God for a family. And he got one. But Roger never mentioned his biological father being a part of the family. In the end, when Roger's dad gives up custody but the Angels ''have'' won the pennant, Knox calls child services about adopting Roger. And he's even willing to adopt JP to boot, meaning that Roger gets both a father and a brother.]]

** In the 1994 version, Knox organizes a baseball game for the kids in Roger's neighborhood. At one point he yells at a runner on third base, a little tyke who's never played, to "run home". Which is exactly what the kid does, running off of third base towards his own house.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Ranch Wilder appears to be a cheerful and friendly newscaster especially when he meets JP in the locker room. Too bad about his plot to ruin George's career.

* GameOfNerds: In the 1994 version, Roger has a whole ''team'' full. Understandable since they're all ten years old or younger.

** Duffy has a "good-luck piece" he loses, and it's when he goes out on the deserted infield to find it that he first hears the angel (whose first words to him are "Oh, shut up!"). When the angel departs, a feather floats down onto third base; he finds his good-luck piece there.
** Knox doesn't believe in the angels, but the team is winning when Roger and JP are there, so he has it arranged so they'll be at every home game to keep the winning ways going.

* GuardianAngel: Al, and it's implied the unnamed angel who talks to [=McGovern=] in the original is his guardian angel.
* GodIsGood:
** All the orphans and the nuns are huge Pirates fans and Bridget's been praying for the team ever since they hit the slump. Her prayers are answered by angels descending from Heaven to help TheTeam.
** In the remake, Roger prays for a miracle (The Angels team winning the pennant), although his motivation is different.
* GoodParents: Maggie is one awesome foster mother. She's fiercely protective of her charges and thrilled when they either get adopted or reunited with their parents. When she finds out that Knox's job is in danger, she brings Roger and JP to the hearing and speaks in his defense because of how happy he's made her kids and that she knows he's a good person. [[spoiler:When Knox adopts Roger and JP, Maggie reassures them that she'll be fine, because there are always kids that she can mother]].

* HappilyAdopted:
** [[spoiler: Bridget ends up adopted by Duffy and Jennifer.]]
** [[spoiler: Knox adopts Roger and JP in the ending and they are all ecstatic.]]
* HeartwarmingOrphan: Bridget White, eight years old. She has lived in the orphanage all her life.
** Both Roger and JP but especially JP because he's also TheCutie.
* HelpingWouldBeKillstealing: After half a season of helping the Angels win their games, Al tells Roger that they're on their own for the final game.

* IHeardThat: Rare positive variant in the ending of the 1994 version: [[spoiler: Roger has just learned that someone contacted social services about giving him a permanent home, upsetting J.P., who runs off crying because this means they'll be separated. Then Knox tells Roger that ''he's'' the one who called social services and wants to be Roger's dad. Roger, however, says he can't leave J.P.; Knox promptly informs him that he could never leave J.P. either and is adopting both boys. Cue J.P.'s very happy "I heard that!"]]
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Seems to be a prerequisite for seeing angels. Only the innocent children can do it. Duffy never sees the angels even after he completely reforms. Out of all the children, only Bridget sees them, reasoning that it's because she's been praying for the team. [[spoiler:Knox can see Al at the very end of the movie when he completes his CharacterDevelopment.]]

* IronicEcho: "Less is more!"

** Duffy, obviously.

** [=McGovern=] starts out as one, and Bayles isn't much better.
** Ranch Wilder. It's heavily implied that he as a then-JerkJock slid spikes up into George Knox's knee which caused the injury that ended his career. Not only does he all but gloat to him about it on the air (prompting a well deserved punch to the face), but he presses assault charges and takes every opportunity to smear Knox to the Angels faithful. He also manipulates the naive and distraught JP into spilling the beans on the assistance from on high, resulting very nearly in Knox's termination as manager. This eventually comes back to haunt him when [[spoiler:Murphy hears him insult the Angels over the radio and terminates him not long after the Angels win the pennant]].

%%* LargeHam: Ranch Wilder, especially after [[spoiler: his richly-deserved firing]].

* LiteralMinded

** Also, Mervin, one of the kid players, is told by Knox to "run home" after one of his teammates gets a hit. So he runs off the field and down the street.

** In the original, the angels tell [=McGovern=] they're withdrawing their aid before the final game, since he lost his temper during a sanity hearing. But they say, "You've been on your own a lot of times this season without knowing it."
** In the remake, the whole crowd at an Angels baseball game makes wing flapping gestures to help their pitcher make an out, without the divine intervention they've been relying on these past few months.
*** After [[spoiler:Mel makes a DivingSave and wins them the game by catching the ball, he shouts at Knox that he felt the angels helping him. Knox tells him that it wasn't an angel, it was all him. Mel is shocked before he proceeds to cheer.]].
*** There was also a point in the movie during the montage of amazing plays the Angels perform on their late-season climb where the divine intervention didn't show. Knox sees an amazing play made, and starts making the Angel Sign happily... only for Roger to shrug, meaning that wasn't an angel's doing. Knox is understandably shocked.

** Duffy starts off as this. [[DefrostingIceQueen He gets better though]].
** George Knox likewise.

* MissingMom: In the Disney version, we learn in ''the second line of the movie'' that Roger’s mother is dead. In the original, we are never told what happened to Bridget's parents, only that she's lived at the Home her entire life.

* MotivationalLie:
** When Knox goes out to give Clark a pep talk at the end of the climactic game, a clearly fatigued Clark says he doesn't have anything left. Although he knows they won't show up, Roger begins to make the angel motion and the rest of the dugout and the stadium follows suit. Knox re-instills confidence in Clark by telling him that's the signal that Clark has an angel with him. Since Knox believes that angels and faith are ultimately the same thing, it could be MetaphoricallyTrue.
** None of this happens in the original film; instead, Hellman is clearly tiring, Duffy wants to take him out but he says he wants to continue.

* NoAntagonist: Only in the Original. In the Disney remake, Ranch Wilder, whose only involvement with the team is calling their games and subsequently interviewing the players and coach, has {{Jerkass}} written all over him.
* NoIndoorVoice: Duffy [=McGovern=] and George Knox both have loud and exuberant voices to match their personalities.
* OhCrap: Knox in the remake when he realizes that he's going to be fired for saying that there are real angels.
* OrphanageOfLove:
** In the original film, St. Gabriel's Home for Orphan Girls is this and it's run by pleasant, practical-minded HollywoodNuns.
** Maggie's house in the Disney version isn't a bad place to be, either. Maggie is an ApronMatron that serves Jello.
* OurAngelsAreDifferent: The angels fit the standard good-guys-with-wings image, as befits a feel-good kids' movie. They are repelled by foul language, being pure and ethical in all respects. The one who originally exhorts Duffy to change his ways is a pretty tough but clean talker and hints he and the other angels (the "Heavenly Choir Nine") are former ballplayers.
** At one point, Al intervenes to interrupt Knox's argument with an umpire. He makes Knox pleasantly agree with the umpire instead.
*** This happens to Duffy, and he reminds his angel that he has to be able to argue with the umpires; the angel tells him there's plenty of clean language he can use. He begins by reading Shakespeare and using FloweryElizabethanEnglish epithets:
----> '''Umpire.''' Fair!
----> '''Duffy.''' (''stalking out onto the field'') Fair? Fair? Fair ball? Why, thou knave, thou dolt! Thou hast eyes but seest not!
----> '''Umpire 2.''' You heard him, he said fair.
----> '''Duffy.''' Fie, fie upon you and a pox upon you too. Thou art blind, thou black-livered bat!
** In the original, they work mostly by influencing the players' and manager's intuition.
** In all fairness, the new version just had them lending a hand, so to speak. In both pictures, they don't influence every play of every game and explicitly don't help out at all during the championship (in the remake, Al pops up next to Roger in the audience, but tells him it's a rule that "Championships have to be won on their own.").

* ParentalSubstitute: Maggie is this to JP and Roger, and as is committed a mother figure to the boys as any real mom would be. [[spoiler: The boys are eventually adopted by Knox, meaning they will soon leave Maggie but she assures them that she will be fine as other children come into her care.]]
* PluckyComicRelief: Al and JP are about humor; Al for the oddball humor and JP for more ComicallyMissingThePoint.
* PrivacyByDistraction: Roger, JP, and Knox do this to David every time they need to shoo him away and talk about the angels.

* PutMeInCoach: In both versions, Hellman in the original and Clark in the remake -- only there's a minor variation. It was the manager's idea, not the player's.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Hank Murphy, the owner of the Angels.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Knox gives one in the 1994 film when the Angels lose a game due to their ineptitude. Even though it had to only be composed of language that could fit in a kids' movie, it's a ''scathing'' rant.

** In the original they don't get this explicit. "I would like to say a few words about today's endeavour with the Cincinnatis. '''OF ALL THE'''..." [the rest is gibberish, but Jennifer's shocked expression tells us what he's saying]
* RousingSpeech: At Knox's press conference in the Disney version, Maggie gives one of these about the angels helping the team win, which inspires the entire team to profess their faith in Knox and allow him to keep his job.

* SandInMyEyes: PlayedForLaughs in the remake. One of the ball players tries to share an optimistic moment with Coach Knox for shedding a tear during the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner" before a game. Knox shrugs it off as sunscreen getting in his eye.

* SecretlyDying:
** Hellman, and he probably knows it.
** In the remake, [[spoiler: Mel Clark. Even he doesn't know he has terminal lung cancer.]]

* SmokingIsNotCool: Mel smokes a lot in the remake. So [[spoiler: it's not surprising when Roger is informed by Al that he's dying from lung cancer to this. The sad thing is that Mel doesn't even know it yet and it's too far along for anyone to treat.]]

* VolleyingInsults: In the 1994 film:
--> '''Ranch Wilder''': You leave Cincinnati after ten years of winning ball clubs - although the really big one always seemed to be just out of reach - and you come out here to manage our Angels. Now, expectations were high that you could turn this team around. But that just doesn't seem to be happening.

* WhamLine: In both versions, the reveal from the lead angel [[spoiler: that one player (Saul Hellman in the original, Mel Clark in the remake) is dying]]:
** [[spoiler: "That won't make any difference, he won't be around next season. We're signing him up in the spring."]]
** [[spoiler: "I came to check up on Mel. He's coming up soon. He's going to be one of us."]]

* WideEyedIdealist: JP counts because his CatchPhrase is "It could happen!" No matter what "it" is.

* YoureNotMyFather: In the 1994 film, Roger [[spoiler:seemingly accepts that his birth father has given him up and would never reunite with him. [[FamilyOfChoice He accepts George as a real father to him]] when he adopts him and JP.]]

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: Roger asks his dad when they'll be a family again. Roger's dad quips "when the Angels win the pennant". He was in SarcasmMode, as the Angels were so far behind that catching up was all but impossible. Roger thought he was being literal, and prayed to God for a miracle. And even though the Angels start winning, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome his dad doesn't come back, giving up custody of Roger to the state]].

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Considering the kind of "feel-good movie" this is, the most dramatic scene of the [=1990s=] film doesn't sugarcoat a key plot point. [[spoiler:Roger asks his dad when they'll be a family again. Roger's dad quips "when the Angels win the pennant". He was in SarcasmMode, but [[DramaticallyMissingThePoint Roger thought he was being literal]]. And even though the Angels start winning with divine intervention, Roger's dad doesn't come back, giving up custody of Roger to the state, as he feels that it's in Roger's best interest. Roger is thus quite heartbroken when he realizes what his dad was actually saying, and breaks down into tears.]]

The 1951 film was directed by Clarence Brown and stars Paul Douglas and Creator/JanetLeigh. It's about Pittsburgh Pirates manager Duffy [=McGovern=] (Douglas) being visited by invisible angels who will give his team miracles, as long as he stops swearing and controls his violent temper. A girl from the local Catholic orphanage can see the angels, and a woman reporter, Jennifer Paige (Leigh) who's been covering the Pirates prints the story. [=McGovern's=] bête noire is Fred Bayles (Creator/KeenanWynn), a snarky sportscaster who wants to get something on him. When the manager is beaned by a fastball he lets slip about "talking to angels", and a sanity hearing ensues. Meanwhile, the angels let [=McGovern=] know that his veteran pitcher Saul Hellman (Bruce Bennett) is about to be "signed up" in Heaven, and [=McGovern resolves=] to give Hellman one more turn on the mound. Naturally, the Pirates eventually take the NL pennant, and the reporter and [=McGovern=] ultimately get together and adopt the little girl.

* WhamLine:
** "That won't make any difference, he won't be around next season. We're signing him up in the spring."

** The wish Roger makes ultimately gets resolved this way. [[spoiler: Roger never mentioned his father being a part of the family in any manner, although that was his intention when he makes his prayer in the beginning. In the end, when Roger's dad gives up custody but the Angels ''have'' won the pennant, we find out that, of all people, ''Knox'' calls child services about adopting Roger. And he's even willing to adopt JP to boot!]]

** In the 1994 version, Knox organizes a baseball game for the kids in Roger's neighborhood. At one point he yells at a runner on third base, a little tyke who's never played, to ''run home''. Which is exactly what the kid does, running off of third base towards his own house.

** Actually averted. Ranch Wilder mentions, at the start of the final game in the movie, that the game would determine the Western Division Champion, meaning the AL West Pennant.

* ExactWords: [[spoiler: Roger never mentioned his father being a part of the family in any manner, although that was his intention when he makes his prayer in the beginning. In the end, when Roger's dad gives up custody but the Angels ''have'' won the pennant, we find out that, of all people, ''Knox'' calls child services about adopting Roger. And he's even willing to adopt JP to boot!]]
-->"God... If there is a God... if you're a man or a woman... if you're listening, I'd really, really like a family. My dad says that will only happen if the Angels win the pennant. The baseball team, I mean. So, maybe you can help them win a little."
** In the 1994 version, Knox organizes a baseball game for the kids in Roger's neighborhood. At one point he yells at a runner on third base, a little tyke who's never played, to ''run home''. Which is exactly what the kid does.

* SaveOurTeam: From being the one that ''sucks'' the most to World Series champions.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: Considering the kind of "feel-good movie" this is, the most dramatic scene of the [=1990s=] film doesn't sugarcoat a key plot point. [[spoiler:Roger asks his dad when they'll be a family again. Roger's dad quips "when the Angels win the pennant". He was in SarcasmMode, but [[DramaticallyMissingThePoint Roger thought he was being literal]]. And even though the Angels start winning with divine intervention, Roger's dad doesn't come back, giving up custody of Roger to the state, as he feels that it's in Roger's best interest.]]

* ButtMonkey: David exists so funny things happen to him and the audience can laugh at his reaction.

The 1994 Creator/{{Disney}} remake, directed by William Dear and starring Creator/DannyGlover, Creator/TonyDanza, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt and Creator/ChristopherLloyd, is about a boy praying that the California Angels will win the pennant, mistakenly believing that if they do, he will reunite with his DisappearedDad. Roger Bomman (Gordon-Levitt), currently in foster care, had asked his dad (Creator/DermotMulroney) when they will be a family again, to which his father replied sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words to heart, Roger prays for God to help the hapless, last-place Angels win. After he prays, a star unseen by Roger twinkles in the sky. Then, in a game attended by Roger and his foster brother JP (Milton Davis Jr.), Roger sees a group of angels led by boss angel Al (Lloyd) helping the team. Although Roger can see the angels quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads the Angel's skeptical manager, George Knox (Glover), to keep Roger around as a good luck charm/consultant. Due to the much needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division, led by the angel-aided resurgence of washed-up pitcher Mel Clark (Danza).

The 1994 Creator/{{Disney}} remake, directed by William Dear and starring Creator/DannyGlover, Creator/TonyDanza, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt and Creator/ChristopherLloyd, is about a boy praying that the California Angels will win the pennant, mistakenly believing that if they do, he will reunite with his DisappearedDad. Roger Bomman (Gordon-Levitt), currently in foster care, had asked his dad (Dermot Mulroney) when they will be a family again, to which his father replied sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words to heart, Roger prays for God to help the hapless, last-place Angels win. After he prays, a star unseen by Roger twinkles in the sky. Then, in a game attended by Roger and his foster brother JP (Milton Davis Jr.), Roger sees a group of angels led by boss angel Al (Lloyd) helping the team. Although Roger can see the angels quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads the Angel's skeptical manager, George Knox (Glover), to keep Roger around as a good luck charm/consultant. Due to the much needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division, led by the angel-aided resurgence of washed-up pitcher Mel Clark (Danza).

* {{Mondegreen}}: Whit Bass hears "Oh Say Can You See?" but thinks it's "Oh, José, Can You See?"

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Gates, the pitcher George jumps for being insubordinate is seemingly out of sight for the rest of the season. Considering his conduct, it's not unreasonable to assume he was sidelined or even let go as a consequence of it.

The 1994 Creator/{{Disney}} remake, directed by William Dear and starring Creator/DannyGlover, Creator/TonyDanza, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt and Creator/ChristopherLloyd, is about a boy praying that the California Angels will win the pennant, mistakenly believing that if they do, he will reunite with his DisappearedDad (Dermot Mulroney). Roger Bomman (Gordon-Levitt), currently in foster care, had asked his dad when they will be a family again, to which his father replied sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words to heart, Roger prays for God to help the hapless, last-place Angels win. After he prays, a star unseen by Roger twinkles in the sky. Then, in a game attended by Roger and his foster brother JP (Milton Davis Jr.), Roger sees a group of angels led by boss angel Al (Lloyd) helping the team. Although Roger can see the angels quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads the Angel's skeptical manager, George Knox (Glover), to keep Roger around as a good luck charm/consultant. Due to the much needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division, led by the angel-aided resurgence of washed-up pitcher Mel Clark (Danza).

The 1994 Creator/{{Disney}} remake, directed by William Dear and starring Creator/DannyGlover, Creator/TonyDanza, Creator/JosephGordonLevitt and Creator/ChristopherLloyd, is about a boy praying that the California Angels will win the pennant, mistakenly believing that if they do, he will reunite with his DisappearedDad. Roger Bomman (Gordon-Levitt), currently in foster care, had asked his dad when they will be a family again, to which his father replied sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words to heart, Roger prays for God to help the hapless, last-place Angels win. After he prays, a star unseen by Roger twinkles in the sky. Then, in a game attended by Roger and his foster brother JP, Roger sees a group of angels led by boss angel Al (Lloyd) helping the team. Although Roger can see the angels quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads the Angel's skeptical manager, George Knox (Glover), to keep Roger around as a good luck charm/consultant. Due to the much needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division, led by the angel-aided resurgence of washed-up pitcher Mel Clark (Danza).