The boy in question is a young baseball fan named Yankee Irving, who lives in New York City during the Great Depression. One day, Yankee's father loses his job at Yankee Stadium, leaving the family struggling to make ends meet. Despite these hardships, Yankee remains hopeful and passionate about baseball, idolizing Babe Ruth as his hero.
However, one day, Babe Ruth's beloved bat "Darlin'" is stolen from Yankee Stadium. Without the bat, Babe is unable to perform at his best during the deciding game of the 1932 World Series. Desperate to help his hero and save the game, Yankee sets out on a daring adventure to retrieve the bat and return it in time for the game's conclusion.
Along the way, Yankee befriends a talking baseball named Screwie and a young girl named Marti, who helps him navigate the challenges of traveling cross-country and avoiding dangerous obstacles. Together, they encounter a band of thieves, a menacing train conductor, and other obstacles that threaten to derail their mission.
Despite these challenges, Yankee remains determined and never loses sight of his goal. Eventually, he is able to recover the bat and deliver it to Babe Ruth just in time for him to hit his iconic home run in the game's final inning.
The film is a heartwarming tale about the power of determination, friendship, and the magic of baseball. It features an all-star cast of voice actors, including Whoopi Goldberg, Rob Reiner, and Brian Dennehy, and was produced by Christopher Reeve before his untimely death in 2004.