History Film / RookieOfTheYear

-->'''Henry''': What the hell was he talking about?
-->'''Chet''': [[NotSoDifferent The hell was I talkin' about?]]

* IceCreamKoan: Chet delivers a long, rambling MotivationalSpeech to Henry during one of his first times on the mound, all about "The Have-To". As he heads back to the dugout...

* IceCreamKone: Chet delivers a long, rambling MotivationalSpeech to Henry during one of his first times on the mound, all about "The Have-To". As he heads back to the dugout...

** OlderThanTheyThink: It was an attempt to get back to the "nice guy" roles he had early in his career like BuddyHolly
* PrecisionFStrike: Mary and Chet get increasingly angry at what they perceive to be the Dodgers pitcher throwing at Henry (despite the fact he's basically outside the batter's box and is so skittish, he falls even if when it's not close to him).

* MyNameIsNotDurwood: The team's manager constantly misremembers Henry's last name.
--> "Gardenhoser!"
** YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: He finally gets his name right in the Division Championship after Steadman's arm gives out. This actually ''confuses'' Henry.
---> "What did he call me?"

** Like a similar goof-up in ''MajorLeague'', Heddo is the last batter Henry faces in the climactic game after setting down eight in a row. However, that would've meant Heddo should've been the last batter Steadman faced before leaving (even weirder, everyone acts surprised Heddo is even coming to bat, as if he just materialized into the game).

* InnocentInnuendo: When Brickman shows Henry all a baseball party has to offer, he stops in front of two gorgeous women.

* GameBreakingInjury: [[spoiler: Steadman's surgically repaired shoulder finally gives out in the final game of the film. Henry also resets his tendons accidentally after taking a fall similar to the one earlier in the film, and loses his superhuman velocity for the final inning.]]

-->'''Henry's doctor and his patient''': AHHHHHHHH!!!!

* GoshDangItToHeck: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sly8BbEZjGQ "Funky butt-lovin'..."]]

* [[IsThatWhatHeToldYou Is That What She Told You?]]: Mary told Henry stories of how his dad was a great baseball player. [[spoiler:She later admits that he walked out on them when Henry was young and was never a baseball player. However, Henry knew all along, his grandmother told him the truth years ago. He never said anything because he thought [[IJustWantMyBelovedToBeHappy his mom liked it when she tells him stories about how "great" his dad was]]. Near the end of his last game, he discovers that his mom was the great baseball player all along.]]

* LockedUpAndLeftBehind: Brickma accidentally gets stuck between the connecting doors of two hotel rooms and only gets rescued when housekeeping finds him. Then before the final game, he accidentally gets locked in his clubhouse locker and is stuck there the whole time.

* LockedUpAndLeftBehind: Brickma accidentally gets stuck between the connecting doors of two hotel rooms and only gets rescued when housekeeping finds him.

-->'''Henry's classmates''': AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

* TalkToTheFist: How Mary finally ends her relationship with Jack; it knocks him out the screen porch and down the front steps.

* ChekhovsSkill: Henry's mother's underhanded lobs

* HeyItsThatGuy: Three ''HomeAlone'' alums have supporting roles as various members of the Cubs organization. John Candy plays the team's play-by-play commentator, Eddie Bracken (the kindly store owner in the sequel) is the team's owner, and Daniel Stern (who also directed the film) plays the team's eccentric pitching coach.

* [[IsThatWhatHeToldYou Is That What She Told You?]]: Henry's mom told him stories of how his dad was a great baseball player. [[spoiler:She later admits that he walked out on them when Henry was young and was never a baseball player. However, Henry knew all along, his grandmother told him the truth years ago. He never said anything because he thought [[IJustWantMyBelovedToBeHappy his mom liked it when she tells him stories about how "great" his dad was]]. Near the end of his last game, he discovers that his mom was the great baseball player all along.]]

** Like a similar goof-up in ''MajorLeague'', Heddo is the last batter Henry faces in the climactic game after setting down eight in a row. However, that would've meant Heddo should've been the last batter Steadman faced before leaving (even weirder, everyone acts surprised Heddo is even coming to bat).

* GretzkyHasTheBall / AintNoRule derailed: In real life, the minimum allowed age for a Major Leaguer is sixteen.

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Why Henry decides to give up playing for the Cubs once the season is over.

* ShipperOnDeck: Henry for his mom and Chet Steadman

* PlayingAgainstType: Gary Busey is neither villainous nor crazy, like 99% of his resume.

->''The Chicago Cubs needed a miracle... they got Henry Rowengarter.''

After a startling demonstration of this newfound ability at Wrigley Field, he is signed on as the pitcher of the Chicago Cubs, where he learns that being a professional baseball player is a lot harder than it looks.