few film have stay with me like the bad news bear . i first saw it when it be release in 1976 and and at the time and i play little league ( well and the canadian equivalent ) . it be easy to cheer for this gang of misfit back then . the surprising this be and i always find myself tune in to catch it whenever it appear on tv . it remain a surprisingly accurate portrait of young ball player and snobby league official and overbear parent . walter matthau be buttermaker and the coach assign to lead this motley crew of talentless kid . their fortune change somewhat when matthau convince the daughter of an old girlfriend ( tatum oneal and just come off a shocking oscar win for paper moon ) to pitch for the team . buttermaker teach her to throw a mean curveball prior to divorce her mother . the bear go from loser to winner when the local juvenile delinquent and kelly leak and join the team . he a virtual one man team and swat home run and catch everything in sight . the bear end up go all the way to the championship game against the hated yankee . the cast be excellent . matthau be completely believable a a wash up ex pro ball player who drink too much . oneal be convince a the star hurler and and jackie earl haley ( break away ) make a strong impression a leak . ironically and this be one of the few movie where haley be one of the big kid . in late role and he would always be the short guy in the group . vic morrow be perfectly smug a the yankee coach who can not stand to see the bear succeed . it set up a classic battle in the championship game . the bad news bear be the forerunner and of sort and of the mighty duck . the main difference be that the bad news bear get the baseball detail right and whereas few american film have portray hockey in a realistic way . i still cringe at the thought of youngblood . it also set the stage for two vastly inferior sequel ( without matthau or oneal ) . no and the bad news bear be a cut above most sport film because it help you understand what it like to compete at that age . it also make great use of music from bizet carmen . after see this film and you will immediately think of the bear when you hear the march of the torreodors .