Illustration by Isabel Su
1993’s “Rookie of the Year” was partially shot in Evanston, featuring multiple scenes at Haven Middle School.
This article contains spoilers.
With filming locations in Wrigley Field, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Evanston, the 1993 movie “Rookie of the Year” reads as a love letter to Chicagoland.
The story follows 12-year-old Henry Rowengartner, an ambitious Little League benchwarmer played by Thomas Ian Nicholas. Henry, who lives in an unnamed Chicago suburb with his mother (the film’s best character), dreams of playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Evanston is the site of the best and worst scenes in the movie. The worst comes first, when Henry and his friends eat lunch in the school cafeteria.
During the scene, which features an establishing shot of Evanston’s Haven Middle School, Henry’s friend George speaks to him about Becky, a girl Henry has a crush on. Henry has some excruciating dialogue that is truly the film’s lowest point. However, after some of this dialogue, we’re treated to one of the movie’s most entertaining sequences, shot on a field on the southeast side of Haven Middle School.
As Henry leaves the cafeteria, the school bully throws a ball high in the air, yelling at Henry to catch it. In slow motion, Henry runs after the baseball while the camera repeatedly cuts between Henry, the ball in midair and another baseball, sitting idle on the ground. Eventually, Henry slips on the ball in the grass, flying high into the air and flailing wildly. It’s ridiculous, over-the-top and unrealistic. I love it.
Henry breaks his arm during the fall, leaving him in a cast for months. When the cast is finally off, his doctor gives him a questionable diagnosis, telling Henry his tendons have healed incorrectly. This gives him the ability to throw fastballs at over 100 miles per hour with his newly healed arm.
When Henry throws a ball from the stands during a Cubs game with his newfound superpower, the team recruits the 12-year-old as their new pitcher.
The Cubs’ current pitcher in the film, Chet “Rocket” Steadman, is a former star who’s just past his prime due to a shoulder injury. He’s initially gruff towards Henry but soon takes him under his wing. Though his storyline is predictable, Gary Busey’s portrayal of Steadman is charismatic and loveable. In fact, the three main actors — Busey, Nicholas and Amy Morton (who plays Henry’s mother) — are all extraordinarily likable.
Under Steadman’s mentorship, Henry plays for the Cubs until the National League Central division championship; Henry then decides to leave the team and return to his old life after one last game. The matchup is also Steadman’s last due to his arm finally giving out for good while he’s pitching.
While walking onto the field to take Steadman’s place, Henry once again slips on a baseball, flies into the air and lands on his shoulder. Somehow, his tendons are shocked back to normal, leaving him without his pitching prowess.
Still, Henry leads the Cubs as they strategize and scheme to win the game, moving on to the World Series.
The film’s ending leaves something to be desired. The Cubs anticlimactically win the World Series offscreen. Additionally, Henry never actually wins the Rookie of the Year award. In fact, it’s never mentioned in the movie.
While “Rookie of the Year” has its faults, it’s still an engaging, enjoyable watch with plenty of Chicagoland references to keep viewers happy.
Email: katepollot2024@u.northwestern.edu
X: @KPollot47452
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