And now, 29 years after becoming one of the most iconic baseball outfits in history, the Bad News Bears are headed to ... Brockton, Mass.
Two of them, anyway.
As part of a promotion to benefit Easter Seals on Monday, four-eyed fastballer Rudi Stein (played by David Pollock) and portly catcher Mike Engelberg(Gary Lee Cavagnaro), two stars of the 1976 movie classic, will make special appearances while sporting replica Bears jerseys for the Brockton Rox, an independent minor-league team.
The plan actually calls for them to start.
"Any time I can do this and have a lot of fun while raising money for charity, it's a no-brainer," Cavagnaro said in a phone interview. "I'm getting calls from all over the country. I hope I don't embarrass myself."
Team president Jim Lucas gets credit for the idea, which started as a joke and escalated.
"We thought it would be funny to have them go from the Little Leagues to the professionals," said Andrea Thrubis, director of promotions.
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
According to a report in Radar Online, die-hard Lakers fan Jack Nicholson banned all Celtics merchandise from the premises during the recent filming of a movie in Boston. In response, Celtics fans have demanded Nicholson give full refunds to anyone who managed to sit through Anger Management.
WEEKLY MEMO
To bike racing: Been swell knowing ya.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO
Albert Belle
Orange golf balls
The war on drugs
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now that super-agent Drew Rosenhaus has saved a little boy's life, are any of you having a difficult time hating him?
