Tiger Town

Alex and his father are devoted Detroit Tigers fans. When his father dies unexpectedly, he tells Alex to always believe and hold on to hope.

Motivated by his father's words, Alex decides to go to every Tigers home game. He believes Billy Young can deliver the big hits if he wishes hard enough.

Billy Young is aging and having a sub-par season. Whenever Alex closes his eyes and wishes, Young belts a home run, as if the wish itself revives his form.

Alex believes his absence at games causes losses and begins skipping school to watch them. He becomes the subject of ridicule from classmates who mock his loyalty and commitment.

Thanks to Young's rejuvenated play, the Tigers begin winning again and move up in the pennant race. The team feeds off the renewed energy and Alex's unwavering belief.

The final game of the season against the Baltimore Orioles would decide the pennant. Tension builds as both teams vie for the last remaining advantage.

Alex has his ticket and school lets out early, but a gang of bullies steals his ticket and money. The embarrassment and loss heighten the stakes of reaching the game.

Only when Alex gets his principal's attention is he released from the bullies' custody. He is then forced to run all the way to Tiger Stadium to catch the game.

Bribing a little girl for her bike and clinging to the back of a city bus, Alex makes a frantic dash to the stadium. He arrives just in time for the ninth inning and Billy Young is up to bat.

Young makes contact as Alex reaches the front of the stadium aisle; the bases clear and the Tigers seize the American League East title. The victory secures a chance to play in the AL Championship Series.

The Tigers clinch the pennant thanks to Young's heroics and Alex's unwavering belief. The team rides a late-season surge to secure postseason glory.

The film notes that in real life the Detroit Tigers won the World Series the following year, in 1984. This meta-detail places the fictional story in a broader baseball timeline.