During the Little League World Series championship game against La Mesa, real Monterrey player José "Pepe" Maiz and Angel Macias along with La Mesa player Joe McKirahan made cameo appearances as fans watching the game.
Clifton Collins, Jr. originally turned down the role of Cesar because he did not want to play another Latino character, for fear of being typecast. Another actor was hired, but the producers were dissatisfied with him, and approached Collins again with the part.
A lot of black and white footage used was from Los pequeños gigantes (1960) (The Little Giants). This was a documentary made in 1960 about the team.
Because of a funding problem, the film had to shut down just a couple of weeks into filming. When they were able to start up again three or four months later, some of the boys had experienced a growth spurt and all of the scenes with them had to be re-shot.
The original 1957 Monterrey Industrial Little League had fourteen players and two coaches, Cesar Faz and José Gonzales. The Monterrey Little League got their charter in 1955 with four teams. They also won the 1958 Little League world championship with fourteen different players.
William Dear: The irate man showing Padre Esteban (Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin) the potted flowers damaged by the boys' fire crackers during the opening credits is Director William Dear. Also, the man at the Monterrey chapel climbing a ladder with a loudspeaker for the championship game broadcast is Dear. In the DVD commentary, he noted that it otherwise would have been classified as a stunt.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
