The Benchwarmers
The Benchwarmers film poster
Directed by	Dennis Dugan
Produced by	Adam Sandler Jack Giarraputo
Written by	Allen Covert Nick Swardson
Starring	David Spade Rob Schneider Jon Heder Jon Lovitz
Music by	Waddy Wachtel
Cinematography	Thomas Ackerman
Editing by	Peck Prior Sandy Solowitz
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release date(s)	April 7, 2006 (USA)
Running time	85 minutes
Language	English
IMDb profile

The Benchwarmers is a 2006 comedy film that was released on April 7, 2006. It stars David Spade, Rob Schneider and Jon Heder and is directed by Dennis Dugan. It is produced by Happy Madison Productions and distributed by Sony Pictures. Image File history File links Benchwarmers_poster. ... Dennis Dugan (born September 5, 1946 in Wheaton, Illinois) is an American actor and film director. ... Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, musician, screenwriter, and film producer. ... Jack Giarraputo is a prolific film producer have been involved in the creation of more than 30 films in a little over a decade. ... Allen Covert (born October 13, 1964, Palm Beach County, Florida) is an American comedian and actor. ... Nick Swardson Nicholas Swardson is an American actor and stand-up comedian from Minneapolis, MN. He was asked to write then wrote the original screenplay for Malibus Most Wanted after being noticed by Jamie Kennedy. ... David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an Emmy-Award and Golden Globe-nominated American actor, comedian, television personality who gained fame in the 1990s as a castmember on Saturday Night Live. ... This article is about the American actor/comedian. ... Jonathan Michael Heder (born October 16, 1977[1]) is an American actor and filmmaker. ... Jonathan Lovitz (born July 21, 1957 in Tarzana, California) is an American actor and comedian perhaps best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live and for his show The Critic. ... Robert Waddy Wachtel (born May 24, 1947 in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City) is a Los Angeles session musician and producer, most notable for his guitar work. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Comedy film is genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humor. ... “Moving picture” redirects here. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an Emmy-Award and Golden Globe-nominated American actor, comedian, television personality who gained fame in the 1990s as a castmember on Saturday Night Live. ... This article is about the American actor/comedian. ... Jonathan Michael Heder (born October 16, 1977[1]) is an American actor and filmmaker. ... Dennis Dugan (born September 5, 1946 in Wheaton, Illinois) is an American actor and film director. ... Happy Madison logo used in film opening sequences. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Synopsis

Richie Goodman (David Spade), Gus Matthews (Rob Schneider) and Clark Reedy (Jon Heder) are three grown men and neighborhood friends. Clark and Richie were also the unpopular kids who were constantly bullied by jocks and always benched at the little league baseball games, because of their less-than-stellar athletic abilities and Clark's mental problems. When a nerdy boy named Nelson (Max Prado) and his friends are kicked off a nearby baseball diamond by a team of bullies, Gus and Clark chase the bullies away. When Gus and Clark return with Richie to play again and get back their feel for the game, the bullies return and demand that they leave. Gus challenges the bullies to play them for the field, and the three friends win. Later, Nelson's father Mel (Jon Lovitz) - a billionaire nerd sympathizer tells the trio that he's impressed with their win, and explains his plan to hold a round-robin with all the little league teams in the county, plus their team. The winners will be given access to a new multi-million dollar baseball park that he's built. Wanting to capture the spirit and fun they never had when they were kids, the three decide to form the Benchwarmers and join the tournament. They prepare to compete with all the other teams, despite the fact that they're three adults squaring off against nine kids per team. David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an Emmy-Award and Golden Globe-nominated American actor, comedian, television personality who gained fame in the 1990s as a castmember on Saturday Night Live. ... This article is about the American actor/comedian. ... Jonathan Michael Heder (born October 16, 1977[1]) is an American actor and filmmaker. ... The term jock is a classic American stereotype of an athlete. ... Little League Baseball - Logo Little League pitcher in Winesburg, Ohio Little League, Wayne, Michigan Little League Baseball is the name of a non-profit organization in the United States which organizes local childrens leagues of baseball and softball throughout the USA and the rest of the world. ... This article is about the sport. ... Bullying is the tormenting of others through verbal harassment, physical assault, or other more subtle methods of coercion such as manipulation. ... Jonathan Lovitz (born July 21, 1957 in Tarzana, California) is an American actor and comedian perhaps best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live and for his show The Critic. ... A round-robin tournament or all-play-all tournament is a type of group tournament in which each participant plays every other participant an equal number of times. ... Busch Stadium, opened in 2006, is currently the newest ballpark in Major League Baseball. ...

Near the end of the story, Gus, the star of his team, an excellent pitcher and a huge home run hitter, is exposed for being a brutal bully as a child, not a victim of bullies. He had bullied one child so bad that the kid, a "little person" named Marcus, had to be sent to an institution. At his wife's suggestion, Gus apologizes to Marcus who becomes the Benchwarmers' third-base coach. At the end of the story, Gus, Clark, and Richie do not play; rather, they let a team of Nelson and other nerdy kids play in the final game, to give them a chance to compete. The final game is played against a team with a heartless jock coach, Jerry (Craig Kilborn), who practically torments his players. In the bottom of the 6th inning, the Benchwarmers are losing, 42-0, when Jerry's team throws Nelson of the Benchwarmers a "fat" pitch down the middle. When Nelson hits the ball, Jerry's team lets him score a run while Jerry goes crazy. In the end, all of the kids, as well as Gus, Richie, Clark, Marcus, and every other adult appearing in the movie (except Jerry) have a party when they learn Gus is going to be a dad. A psychiatric hospital (also called a mental hospital or asylum) is a hospital specializing in the treatment of persons with mental illness. ... Craig Kilborn (born August 24, 1962) (Death September 19, 2004 is an American comedian and former talk show host. ...

Also appearing in the movie for a few scenes is former New York Yankees superstar Reggie Jackson who plays himself as Mel's childhood friend, and helps the Benchwarmers train. Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Reggie Jacksons number 44 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1993 Reggie Jacksons number 9 was retired by the Oakland Athletics in 2004 Reginald Martinez Reggie Jackson (born May 18, 1946), nicknamed Mr. ...

Cast

• Rob Schneider as Gus Matthews
• David Spade as Richie Goodman
• Jon Heder as Clark Reedy
• Jon Lovitz as Mel
• Craig Kilborn as Jerry McDowell
• Molly Sims as Liz Matthews
• Tim Meadows as Wayne
• Nick Swardson as Howie Goodman
• Erinn Bartlett as Sarah the Salad Girl
• Amaury Nolasco as Carlos
• Bill Romanowski as Karl
• Sean Salisbury as Brad
• Matt Weinberg as Kyle
• John Farley as Swimmer Boy
• Reggie Jackson as Himself
• Tony Falcone as Himself
• Max Prado as Nelson
• Joe Gnoffo as Marcus Elwood
• Mary Jo Catlett as Marcus' Mom
• James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader

This article is about the American actor/comedian. ... David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an Emmy-Award and Golden Globe-nominated American actor, comedian, television personality who gained fame in the 1990s as a castmember on Saturday Night Live. ... Jonathan Michael Heder (born October 16, 1977[1]) is an American actor and filmmaker. ... Jonathan Lovitz (born July 21, 1957 in Tarzana, California) is an American actor and comedian perhaps best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live and for his show The Critic. ... Craig Kilborn (born August 24, 1962) (Death September 19, 2004 is an American comedian and former talk show host. ... Molly Sims (born May 25, 1973 in Murray, Kentucky) is an American model and actress. ... Tim Meadows (born February 5, 1961 in Highland Park, Michigan) is an American actor. ... Nick Swardson Nicholas Swardson is an American actor and stand-up comedian from Minneapolis, MN. He was asked to write then wrote the original screenplay for Malibus Most Wanted after being noticed by Jamie Kennedy. ... Erinn Bartlett (born on 26 February 1973 in Longmeadow, Massachusetts) is an American actress. ... Amaury Nolasco (born December 24, 1970 in Puerto Rico) is an Puerto Rican actor, best known for the role of Fernando Sucre on the television series Prison Break where he played a worried Dad-To-Be and was a convincing actor. ... Roid poppin dirtbag, and you fuckers want to hang barry bonds? at least bonds doesnt take dirty shots at every single player he faces. ... Richard Sean Salisbury (born March 9, 1963 in Long Beach, California) is an ESPN football analyst and former NFL quarterback. ... Matthew Phillip Weinberg (born July 13, 1990) is an American actor. ... John P. Farley is an American actor and comedian. ... Reggie Jacksons number 44 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1993 Reggie Jacksons number 9 was retired by the Oakland Athletics in 2004 Reginald Martinez Reggie Jackson (born May 18, 1946), nicknamed Mr. ... Mary Jo Catlett (b. ... James Earl Jones (b. ... Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ...

Music

1. Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
2. Hey Boy - Teddybears STHLM
3. Jerk It Out - Caesars
4. Never Known - O'Doyle Rules
5. Theme from Knight Rider
6. Cobrastyle - Teddybears STHLM
7. Walk of Life - Dire Straits
8. Hit or Miss - New Found Glory
9. Alright - Supergrass
10. Life is Good - Junk
11. That's Good - Devo
12. Stand Up and Win - Spymob
13. Gasolina - Daddy Yankee
14. Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
15. I Got You - The Waking Hours
16. Good - Black Lab
17. Times Like These - Foo Fighters (Song used in the trailer)

This article is about the band. ... Teddybears STHLM Teddybears STHLM (Teddybears Stockholm) is a Swedish rock band that formed in 1991. ... Caesars is the name of a Swedish alternative rock band. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... New Found Glory (formerly A New Found Glory) is an American pop punk band, that formed in 1997 in Coral Springs, Florida and is currently based in California. ... For the witnesses who betray information about associated criminals, see Supergrass (informer). ... Junk may refer to: Junk (ship), sailing vessel of Chinese origin Junk (Transformers), fictional planet in the Transformers universe Junk (novel), by Melvin Burgess Junk (film), 2000 Japanese zombie film Waste, as in worthless material Hard drugs, junk being a slang term for that junk, slang for male genitals junk... Devo (pronounced DEE-vo or dee-VO, often spelled DEVO or DEV-O) is an American New Wave group formed in Akron, Ohio in 1972. ... Raymond Ayala (born on December 12, 1977 in Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico), known artistically as Daddy Yankee is a successful Latin Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican reggaeton recording artist. ... Black Lab is an alternative rock band from Berkeley, California. ... This article is about the band. ... Movie trailers are film advertisements for films that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema, on whose screen they are shown; they are commonly known as previews of coming attractions. ...

Trivia

• This is Adam Sandler's twelfth film as a producer, with friend and frequent co-star Rob Schneider, following The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, Little Nicky, The Animal, Mr. Deeds, Eight Crazy Nights, The Hot Chick, The Longest Yard, 50 First Dates, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo and 2006's Grandma's Boy. This is also Sandler's sixth production with other friend David Spade, following Joe Dirt, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, Grandma's Boy and an Untitled David Spade Christmas Comedy.
• The film was heavily promoted by MLB.com.
• The Benchwarmers also contains numerous references to Sony—whose Columbia Pictures division released the film—through frequent placement of Sony products (i.e. Sony VAIO laptops and computers, Sony Cybershot camcorders, Sony Playstation 2, etc.).
• Rob Schneider will play a landscaper again in his next film The Last Guy on Earth.
• David Spade played a video store clerk in the film Loser.
• Adam Sandler's wife Jackie and his nephew Jared are in the movie. Jackie plays the female customer in the beginning of the movie.
• Sandler was going to play the role of "Marcus" but turned it down because the original actor "did a better job".
• ESPN Sportscaster Dan Patrick makes a cameo appearance in the movie; he's seen playing poker.
• Mel has the KITT car from Knight Rider and the original Batmobile. He also has a Toyota Tundra NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Racing Truck. In the scene where he is driving the Toyota, Mel yells "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Let's Go Racing!" which is a reference to former NASCAR Driver and current FOX Sports Commentator Darrell Waltrip's catch phrase at the start of each race. Waltrip is also affiliated with Toyota, helping them with their NASCAR Truck Racing Program and doing television commercials for Toyota.
• Mel's house is the 501st on its street—a reference to the 501st Legion, a Star Wars Clone Trooper Unit.
• Reggie Jackson's anger management issues are a reference to the side effects of steroids.
• The line, "If you build it, nerds will come," is a reference to the baseball-themed movie Field of Dreams.
• During one of the games, we see five men with their shirts off and their chests painted to spell "NERDS." The "N" of the group is musician Jack Anthony.
• The construction workers running into the clearing to build the ballpark is a reference to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
• The mock Philip Glass music and time-lapse filming during the actual construction of the ballpark is a strangely out-of-place reference to Koyaanisqatsi.
• In the outtakes shown during the credits, Jon Lovitz's line "...And I'm reaping all the benefits" is a reference to Lovitz's character in The Wedding Singer.
• The Dominican baseball player, who lies about his age so he can play with the little kids against the Benchwarmers, is a reference to Danny Almonte in the Little League World Series saying he was 12 when he was actually 14.
• The Swimmer Boy is played by John Farley, Chris Farley's brother.
• In the film, Jon Heder plays a character very similar to his character in Napoleon Dynamite.
• Marcus, the boy that Gus teases, is wearing a Fonzie shirt.
• The Jock Kid in Game #3, who gets hit by an egg when Schneider pitches, is Arnold Schwarzenegger's son, Patrick Schwarzenegger.
• Lochlyn Munro makes a cameo appearance, conversing with Mel at the construction site.
• The game played by David Spade in the scene where the team is on the team bus is the Playstation 2 game Jet Li: Rise to Honor.
• Rachel Hunter makes a cameo as Clark's first kiss.

Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, musician, screenwriter, and film producer. ... This article is about the American actor/comedian. ... The Waterboy is a movie starring Adam Sandler, released in 1998. ... Big Daddy can refer to: Comic character in Buster (comic) Illustrator and Kustom Kulture pioneer Ed Big Daddy Roth. ... Little Nicky (2000) is a comedy film written, produced and starring Adam Sandler, Rhys Ifans, Tom Tiny Lister, Jr. ... The Animal is a 2001 comedy film, directed by Luke Greenfield. ... Mr. ... Eight Crazy Nights is a 2002 animated musical comedy movie with Adam Sandler about the magic of the holidays. ... The Hot Chick is a 2002 comedy film starring Rob Schneider as the title character — a criminal who mysteriously switches bodies with a popular teenager. ... The Longest Yard is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name. ... 50 First Dates is a 2004 romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore and directed by Peter Segal. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Grandmas Boy is an American comedy film produced by Adam Sandlers production company Happy Madison in 2006. ... David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an Emmy-Award and Golden Globe-nominated American actor, comedian, television personality who gained fame in the 1990s as a castmember on Saturday Night Live. ... Joe Dirt is a 2001 comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan and Kid Rock. ... Grandmas Boy is an American comedy film produced by Adam Sandlers production company Happy Madison in 2006. ... The Columbia Pictures logo from 1993 to the present Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. ... The Last Guy on Earth is a 2006 movie which is a romantic comedy that stars Rob Schneider and includes Yasmine Bleeth and many other famous actresses. ... Loser is a 2000 romantic comedy film starring Jason Biggs, Mena Suvari and Greg Kinnear. ... Jackie Sandler Jackie Sandler is an American actress. ... Sandler at Cannes 2002 Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, producer, and musician (he sings, and plays the guitar). ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ... American Sportscasters A sportscaster, sports announcer, or sports commentator is a type of journalist on radio or television who specializes in reporting or commenting on sports events. ... Daniel Patrick Pugh (born May 15, 1956), better known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster from Mason, Ohio. ... KITT on display at Universal Studios. ... Knight Rider was a popular American television series that ran between September 26, 1982, and August 8, 1986. ... It has been suggested that Batmissile, Bat-Humvee, Batmobile (Batman Forever) and Batmobile (Batman Begins) be merged into this article or section. ... The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck sold by Toyota, replacing the Toyota T100. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a popular NASCAR racing series that features modified pickup trucks. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is a three-time former NASCAR Winston Cup champion, the 1989 Daytona 500 winner, and current television race commentator with Fox Broadcasting Company. ... From the earliest days of the medium, television has been used as a vehicle for advertising in some countries. ... The Legion stands guard at movie premiers and charity events. ... Reggie Jacksons number 44 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1993 Reggie Jacksons number 9 was retired by the Oakland Athletics in 2004 Reginald Martinez Reggie Jackson (born May 18, 1946), nicknamed Mr. ... In chemistry and biology, Steroids are a type of lipid, characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long or excessively detailed compared to the rest of the article. ... Jack Anthony is a pop/rock/punk/powerpop artist/group from San Pedro, CA, that is named after the lead singer, whose solo project slowly evolved into the full band that it is today. ... Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is an ABC reality television series that began broadcasting in 2003 in which a familys house, including all rooms, exterior and landscaping, is made over by a team of builders and designers in seven days. ... Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of Balance is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by minimalist composer Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke. ... The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci that stars Adam Sandler as Robbie Hart, a wedding singer, and Drew Barrymore as Julia Sullivan, the object of his affections. ... Danny Almonte Rojas (born April 7, 1987 in Moca, Dominican Republic) is a former Little League baseball pitcher, the subject of a media circus in 2001. ... A Little League World Series game at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. ... John P. Farley is an American actor and comedian. ... Christopher Crosby Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an American actor and comedian. ... Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 independent film co-written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and directed by Jared Hess. ... Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German pronunciation (IPA): ) (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, and politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of the U.S. state of California. ... Image:LMunro. ... “PS2” redirects here. ... Rachel Hunter (born September 9, 1969 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a fashion model, actress and reality TV show host. ...

Allusions

• A stadium in the film is said to have elements of all the greatest ballparks in America. As depicted in the movie, it has the legendary facade from Yankee Stadium, the Ivy and Brick wall from Wrigley Field, and a swimming pool, which may be based on Chase Field. It also features a Green Monster to replicate the one at Boston's Fenway Park.

West facade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) (Pronounced fa-sa-de) is generally the exterior of a building — especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ... Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. ... Chase Field, also known as The BOB (after its original name, Bank One Ballpark), is a stadium located in Phoenix, Arizona across the street from the US Airways Center, which is used by many local teams including the NBAs Phoenix Suns. ... The Green Monster in 2006, showing the manual scoreboard and Green Monster seating, and more recent additions, including charity advertisements along the top, billboards above the Green Monster seating, and the American League East standings. ... “Fenway” redirects here. ...

Box Office

In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $20.5 million, ranking a strong second in the United States box office. The term box office can refer to either: A place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue The amount of business a particular production, such as a movie or theatre show, does. ...

As of June 7, 2006, the film has grossed over $57 million in the United States box office. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Official website
• The Benchwarmers at the Internet Movie Database
• The Benchwarmers at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Benchwarmers at Box Office Mojo
• The Benchwarmers at Yahoo Movies
• The Benchwarmers at AOL movies
• David Spade interview for Benchwarmers