When Forbes Field was mentioned, they spelled Pittsburgh incorrectly. They left out the last letter.That being said, we have a very solid movie here with a marvelous performance by future President Ronald Reagan as Grover Cleveland Alexander. Unfortunately, Doris Day would need another 3 years to develop as a dramatic actress and that would come in her brilliantly breakout performance in "Love Me or Leave Me."It's really a shame that there were some distortions in the film. I read that Amy Alexander divorced her husband twice and remarried him for a 3rd time. It's also ridiculous that the script never mentioned that Alexander suffered from epilepsy. After all, talking about his dizzy spells through us all of somewhat.The picture itself is a heartbreak. From humble beginnings, Alexander became a star baseball pitcher only to suffer a beaning and epilepsy, the latter being confused with alcoholism; although, it was shown that he was hitting the bottle as well as a way out of his frustration.The film succeeds because of his triumph and amazing comeback.Reagan totally captured the essence of Grover Cleveland Alexander. Miss Day did not. Jeanne Crain would have been better suited for the part.

Nebraska farmer Ronald Reagan (as Grover Cleveland Alexander) wants to be a baseball player so bad he drops the ball on dating pretty Doris Day (as Aimee Arrants), for the big games. This makes father Frank Ferguson (as Sam) reluctant to approve the wedding, but Reagan and Ms. Day are quickly married, anyway. The big event occurs after Mr. Reagan gets hit in the head by a ball; he recovers, but with what the doctor calls "double vision." This on-again, off-again setback eventually drives Reagan to drink, threatening both his career and marriage. Can "The Winning Team" (their marriage) survive? In "Her Own Story", Day confirmed she and "Ronnie" had a brief, real-life romantic relationship, while they were both between marriages. Interestingly, Day states the future President had a lovely apartment, was a great dancer, and spoke enough to give her the impression he was "a very aggressive liberal Democrat." Their best scenes are with (later in the picture) each other, and with (earlier in the picture) movie family members Mr. Ferguson and young Russ "Rusty" Tamblyn (later residents of "Peyton Place")."This Is the True Story of Grover Cleveland Alexander," is the film's opening proclamation. It looks more like the studio shoved the early 1900s baseball player's life story into the typical formula film. As usual, the early scenes reveal a lead actor clearly too old for the part, as Reagan is playing a man half his age; this was something more convincingly done by Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart. Unfortunately, you spend the whole film wondering what Reagan's "double vision" problem is, exactly - and, don't expect the film to give you the answer. Day sings a very pretty Christmas song ("Ol' Saint Nicholas").**** The Winning Team (6/20/52) Lewis Seiler ~ Ronald Reagan, Doris Day, Frank Lovejoy, Frank Ferguson

Not a great film, but entertaining for baseball fans. Ronald Reagan plays Grover Cleveland Alexander, one of the greatest pitchers in big league history.Doris Day, a great actress, is outstanding as Aimee, his wife (this film is worth watching just because Doris is in it).The real life Alexander served in World War I and also was an alcoholic.The movie covers the baseball career of the great pitcher (who won 28 games as a rookie, 373 overall). The movies' biggest fault was it ends with Alexander's heroics in the 1926 World Series in St. Louis upset of the powerful Yankees. In 1928,the Yankees slaughtered the same Cardinals team in a four game sweep, with Alexander, still pitching at age 41, getting shelled in two starts.Actual baseball footage at the end of the film shows the great Babe Ruth inexplicably trying to steal second base, with the Yankees trailing, down to their last out in the series (he was thrown out).

Alexander saves the world series for the ST LOUIS CARDINALS against the New York Yankees, yet the fans at Yankee Stadium all cheer him....and a New York cab driver and policeman help Alexander's wife (Doris Day) get to Yankee Stadium in time to give Alexander much needed moral support.