The Best Baseball Movies
Feb 27 '06
The Bottom Line Until opening day here are a few movies to help you get your baseball fix.
I am experiencing symptoms of withdrawal. Yes, pitchers and catchers reported last week to training camp and the World Baseball Classic starts this week, but I want real baseball. Until opening day I’ll have to settle for dusting off a few DVDs and “Yogi and a Movie” to get my fix. In honor of the nine men on the field here are my nine favorite baseball no movies in no particular order…
Major League
This is one of the best baseball comedy movies. Staring Charlie Sheen and Tom Berenger, this movie is about the hapless Cleveland Indians. During the off season the team was rebuilt around “has been” and “never been” baseball players. The plot is absolutely ridiculous but the jokes are funny. This movie is good for a few laughs.
A League of Their Own
It WWII and men’s baseball is in jeopardy so patriotic women step up to the plate to ensure America’s pastime continues during the war. Penny Marshall directs Tom Hanks and Geena Davis in this movie based on a true story. The movie follows the season of the Peaches and shoes the ups and downs of life on the road and the initial lackluster reception “girls” baseball received. And of course it reminds us that “there’s no crying in baseball.”
The Natural
A man and his bat. The Natural stars Robert Redford a rookie ball player with a mysterious past. This movie is about a lot more than baseball and has lots of great plot twists. Redford is a little old to be believable as a 30 something rookie, but as usual his performance is excellent.
Field of Dreams
“If you build it he will come.” Kevin Costner listens to the mysterious voice and builds a baseball diamond in the middle of is Iowa corn field. This is a great baseball fantasy movie where dreams do come true. If I have to pick, Field of Dreams is probably my favorite baseball movie.
The Bad News Bears
In the original movie Walter Matthau plays a beer guzzling little league coach of the worst team in the league. He coaches the stereotypical misfits - the brain, the punk and the fat kid are all represented. In the end the Bears learn that win or lose baseball is fun!
Pride of the Yankees
This drama stars Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig. The movie tells his life story from boyhood through his diagnosis with ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) to his emotional farewell speech. I dare you to watch this movie and not shed a tear.
Bang the Drum Slowly
A baseball chick-flick, can it get any better then that? The movie stars Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty. Moriarty plays a catcher diagnosed with cancer. DeNiro plays a pitcher who goes all out to assure that his roommate gets a chance to finish out his final season. This sappy but enjoyable movie is more about friendship than baseball.
Eight Men Out
This movie is a mostly accurate account of the 1919 Chicago White Sox who threw the World Series. When the team owner refuses to give the players their bonus for winner the American League Pennant the players conspire to bet against their own team and intentionally lose the games. The movie is a bit slow paced but the tale of the Chicago “Black” Sox is an interesting one.
Bull Durham
This romantic comedy starts Susan Sarandon as a baseball groupie, Tim Robbins as a hot-shot rookie pitcher and Kevin Costner as a veteran minor-leaguer. The three for a love triangle further complicated by the fact that Costner was brought to the team to not only catch for Robbins but to guide him as well. This is a fun look at minor league baseball.
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