Based on a story by Richard Conlin, the film is about a young woman reporter who blames the Pittsburgh Pirates' losing streak on their abusive manager, who begins hearing the voice of an angel promising to help the team if he changes his ways.

His abusive language toward players is publicized by local newspaper reporter and former "household hints" writer Jennifer Paige, who is thoroughly unimpressed with his style of management.

Guffy's fortune changes while wandering through Forbes Field in search of his good luck charm one night, where he is accosted by the voice of an angel, who hints at having been a ballplayer during his earthly life.

As the spokes-angel for the Heavenly Choir Nine, a celestial team of deceased ballplayers, he begins bestowing "miracles" upon the Pirates—but only on the condition that Guffy put a moratorium on swearing and fighting.

[7] When Gable chose instead to make Lone Star, MGM attempted unsuccessfully to borrow James Cagney from Warner Brothers before settling on Paul Douglas.

Although he had no background in baseball, Bruce Bennett (billed earlier in his career as "Herman Brix"), who portrays a veteran Pittsburgh pitcher, in real life had played football in the 1926 Rose Bowl and won a silver medal in the shot put at the 1928 Summer Olympics.

Well-used by film-makers of the era, the ballpark — home to the minor league Angels from 1925 to 1957 — was named for team owner William Wrigley, Jr. when the landmark Chicago stadium was still known as Cubs Park.

Some stock footage alleged to be the Polo Grounds in New York City was actually Comiskey Park in Chicago, as evidenced by a quick glimpse of an auxiliary scoreboard reading "Visitors" and "White Sox".

Since the Hays Code prohibited most profanity in films at the time, the "swearing" uttered by Guffy is audio gibberish, which was made by scrambling recordings of actor Paul Douglas's voice.