It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown

1992 animated television special

Justin Shenkarow
John Christian Graas
Marnette Patterson
Bill Melendez
Gregory Grudt
Travis Boles
Elisabeth Moss
Michael J. Sandler
Noley Thornton
Jessica Nwafor

ComposerJudy MunsenCountry of originUnited StatesProductionExecutive producerLee MendelsonProducerBill MelendezCamera setupNick VasuRunning time23:00Production companiesLee Mendelson Film Productions
Bill Melendez ProductionsOriginal releaseRelease1992 (unaired)
January 9, 1996 (1996-01-09) (VHS)Related

Snoopy's Reunion (1991)
It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)

It's Spring Training, Charlie Brown is the 35th prime-time animated television special based upon the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz.^[1] It was produced in 1992, but unlike previous specials, it was not shown on CBS. It remained unseen until Paramount released it on VHS on January 9, 1996 alongside 1966's Charlie Brown's All-Stars. The special was released by Warner Home Video on the DVD Happiness is ... Peanuts: Go Snoopy Go! on October 9, 2012.

The show's first television airing was on Nickelodeon on February 23, 1998.^[2]

Plot

The special follows the spring training of Charlie Brown's baseball team, which is having problems. A child named Leland joins the team. Lucy points out that they are the only team without uniforms, so Charlie Brown and his team train hard for the first game of the season. Thanks to Leland, Charlie Brown's team wins, 27 to 26, therefore getting their uniforms (A recurring plot line is that Leland is so short the other team's pitcher either constantly walks him or beans him in his batting helmet). However, the team loses their next game because Leland has to quit because their new uniforms are too big for him, with Charlie Brown saying at the end, "It's not how you look, it's how you play the game."

Voices

Justin Shenkarow as Charlie Brown
John Christian Graas as Linus van Pelt
Marnette Patterson as Lucy van Pelt
Gregory Grudt as Leland
Travis Boles as Schroeder
Elisabeth Moss as girl player
Jessica Nwafor as Franklin
Michael J. Sandler as Boy Player on Opposing Team
Noley Thornton as Leland’s sister
Bill Melendez as Snoopy/Woodstock

Notes

This special never aired during prime time, but was later shown on certain cable TV networks.
Appearances of Frieda and her little brother Leland who first appeared in It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown.
This is the fifth time Charlie Brown's team has won a ball game in animated specials. The other times are A Boy Named Charlie Brown, It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, the baseball segment of the "Snoopy's Cat Fight" episode of The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show (where Charlie Brown is too sick to play and Linus fills in), and the baseball segment in the "You Can't Win, Charlie Brown" episode of Charlie Brown and Snoopy (with Rerun on their team, but they had to forfeit the game because Rerun had gambled that his team would win).
This is the second time Mr. Hennessy offers Charlie Brown and his team uniforms (the first time being 1966's Charlie Brown's All-Stars), but this time they had to win a game to get the uniforms. Also, Hennessy is briefly seen onscreen, resembling animation producer Bill Melendez.
This is the last special to not have music written by Vince Guaraldi in it (It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown saw the return of Guaraldi's music). It is also the last special to be scored by Judy Munsen.

References

^ Solomon, Charles (2012). The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials. Chronicle Books. pp. 164, 170, 171. ISBN 978-1452110912.
^ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (3rd ed.). New York: Checkmark Books. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-8160-6600-1.