Everyone's Hero

***Everyone's Hero*** is a 2006 American computer-animated sports comedy film directed by Christopher Reeve (in his final directed film after his death in 2004), Daniel St. Pierre, and Colin Brady. Starring the voices of Jake T. Austin, Rob Reiner, William H. Macy, Raven-Symoné and Whoopi Goldberg, the film was produced by IDT Entertainment in Toronto with portions outsourced to Reel FX Creative Studios.

## Plot

In 1932 New York City during the Great Depression, Yankee Irving is a 10-year-old baseball fan but is picked on by the other kids for his poor skills. On that day, he finds a talking baseball he names Screwie, though other people cannot hear him. Yankee's father, Stanley, works as a custodian at Yankee Stadium. While the two are on the premises, a thief disguised as a security guard steals Babe Ruth's famous bat Darlin'. Stanley is falsely blamed for the crime and is temporarily dismissed until Darlin' can be found. He foolishly blames Yankee for being alone in the locker room and setting him up. After being grounded by his father and sent to his room, Yankee learns that the real thief is Lefty Maginnis, a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Lefty works for the Cubs' general manager Napoleon Cross, who desires to see the Cubs defeat the New York Yankees during the 1932 World Series.

Determined to reclaim the bat and save his family from being evicted and being out on the streets, Yankee goes to the train station and takes it from Lefty, but fails to get off before the train takes them to another stop. Darlin' the bat also has the ability to talk and urges Yankee to take her back to Babe Ruth in Chicago, where the next World Series game will be held. During the trip, Lefty attempts to steal the bat from Yankee during a wild chase. Yankee decides to return Darlin' to Babe Ruth and thereby clear his father's name and save his job. Meanwhile, Stanley (who is now regretting being too hard on him) and Emily (who is worried sick about her missing son) start searching for their son after discovering that he left home. Yankee meets others who help him in his quest such as hobos Andy, Louis, and Jack, a girl named Marti Brewster, her father, a Negro league pitcher named Lonnie Brewster, who helps him drive to Chicago and teaches Yankee to set his feet right while batting, and Babe Ruth himself. Lefty steals Darlin' and gives her to Cross, who kidnaps Yankee. During the game, Cross traps Yankee inside the office and reveals his plans to him.

After Yankee escapes the office, he evades several security guards and finally gives Darlin' back to Babe. Cross tries to talk Babe out of accepting the victory, saying that Yankee is too young to be a counting player. Despite this, Babe gives Yankee a confidence boost by telling him "it's not the bat, it's the batter." Yankee manages to hit Screwie after two strikes. While the numerous Cubs players tried to tag Yankee out, he dodges and trips them. Lefty tries to make his last attempt to tag him out, but Yankee manages to outsmart him by jumping over him (as payback for getting both him and his father in trouble) and landing on home plate, scoring a run. This restores the morale of the Yankees, who score seven more runs to take the lead and win the World Series.

The revelation of Darlin's theft leads to the arrest of Cross, who says that Yankee was a fan that cheated. When his involvement as an accomplice and as a cheater is also revealed, Lefty is kicked off the team and also arrested. Stanley apologizes to Yankee for being too hard on him early and congratulates him for being the best player, while his name is cleared and officially reinstated as the stadium's custodian. Yankee, his parents, and his new baseball friends, Screwie and Darlin', celebrate the Yankees' World Series win in a victory parade where he becomes an honorary player while Cross is handing out the Babe Ruth bobbleheads with Lefty sweeping the streets as part of their work release. Yankee happily plays catch with Screwie and the hobos' dog as the movie ends.