best baseball movie of all time

[D-Train35]

What do you think the greatest baseball movie of all time is? Personally, I like "The Sandlot". Some other good ones are: "The Rookie", "Eight Men Out", and "Major League".

[Archie Bunker]

i would have to go with 61.

[scootermojo]

eight men out

of all of the baseball movies (especially in the past 20 years) it is the most dramatic and rather accurate, historically speaking.

major league

the funniest baseball movie by far. the sequels suck, though.

61*

great movie. billy crystal really outdid himself on this one. barry pepper and thomas jane had me convinced they were roger marris and mickey mantle.

field of dreams. not bad.

bull durham. overated but still a very good movie.

the rookie. good mostly because it's a true story.

bang the drum

nobody ever seems to remember this one. it may not be the best but with robert deniro in it, it has some credibility. very sad, though, which may make it better.

the natural

i loved this when i was a kid but when i watch it now it seem rather lame. still like it because i'm lame.

never watched the sandlot. everybody says it's good.

worst baseball movie: the fan

[nomarwho]

The Sandlot is great brings back alot of childhood memories. The mean, but not so mean as it turns out old guy, the big scary dog....and the kid that wasn't good enough to play but we always needed him for rightfield so he got to play anyway great stuff. All very fond memories but The Sandlot is 2 or 3 on the list behind Eight Men Out and Field of Dreams (I love the idea). 61 was good as well so was Bull Durham (women get wooly). They're all great movies though tough choice really.

[D-Train35]

What was the point of Field of Dreams? I saw it many times but it really doesn't have a point. The guy builds a field. Dead players come. He goes to a couple cities. He comes back. I think it was a horrible movie.

As for the Sandlot, this was a great movie. This movie is what all baseball movies should be about. Baseball. Too many other baseball movies hardly even have baseball in them. It is a great movie.

[Captain Cold Nose]

What was the point of Field of Dreams? I saw it many times but it really doesn't have a point. The guy builds a field. Dead players come. He goes to a couple cities. He comes back. I think it was a horrible movie.
.

You really would have hated the book, then. The guy has a perfect relationship with his wife and his perfect daughter. But he sense something is missing in J.D. Salinger's (yes, the reclusive author of Catcher in the Rye) life, and goes to help him, and he also needs to reconcile Joe Jackson with his missed out opportunities. Basically, it's W.P. Kinsella's dream world.


The reason people like the movie so much is because it deals with the mythical and mystical powers of baseball. It holds the sport as sacred, which is something the fans of most other sports don't do, in the U.S., at least. It is about Baseball as America and a way of life. Which is how so many baseball fans feel.

[leecemark]

---I wouldn't go so far as to say "Field of Dreams" was a horrible movie, but I'd say it was the least of Costner's baseball films. "Bull Durham" amd the underrated "For the Love of the Game" were both better.
---"Major League" was hilarious, but as previously mentioned, the sequels were awfull.
---"Bang the Drum Slowly" was pretty good, but really feels like it was made on the cheap. Was it made for TV? The book was much better. If you haven't read Mark Harris "The Southpaw" series, of which Bang the Drum was a part, I highly recommend it.
--"Eight Men Out" is probably the best baseball drama ever. John Cusack as Buck Weaver is great.
--"The Sandlot" is also very good. Really captures what the game meant to me as a kid. Lots of laughs too.

---If I have to pick one, I'll go with "Bull Durham".

[tearforamariner]

Two Words: Mr. Baseball.

This movie is as much about baseball as it is an anthropological study of the Japanese Baseball culture.

[The Real McCoy]

I'm on record for "Eight Men Out" which was John Sayles' adaptation of a great book by Eliot Asinof.

The cast was excellent, even Charlie Sheen, who I've never been a big fan of, acquitted himself well. David Stratharin (Eddie Cicotte) and D B Sweeney (Joe Jackson) were outstanding.

The final scene ("Nah, all those guys are dead") is, in my opinion, the best baseball scene ever filmed.....Joe Jackson, playing in a New Jersey semi-pro game, running out a triple exactly the way he did in "the bigs".

[hanshintigers]

Mr. Baseball is an interesting choice...they really pulled actual stories and anecdotes from Whiting's books into the narrative...but I'd have to say that Bull Durham and the Natural are the best.

[Kroxquo]

Here's a couple of forgotten oldies which haven't been mentioned:

Damn Yankees - (whatever Gwen Verdon wants, she gets :crazy. Ray Walston as the Devil is priceless)

Stratton Story - (Jimmy Stewart as tragic, but heroic Sox pitcher)

Pride of the Yankees - (Gary Cooper great as Lou Gehrig)

The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings (Great look at the Negro Leagues)

and how could no one mention

The Bad News Bears (having both coached and umpired Little League, I can tell you that this film is not entertainmnet, it is a documentary)

[prof93]

61*
Eight Men Out
Mr. Baseball
Bull Durham
The Original Angels in the Outfield
Fear Strikes Out

[DoubleX]

Now I don't think this is the best baseball movie ever, but I think the movie Cobb is fairly good. Tommy Lee Jones is an entertaining and quirky Cobb and I really love the part when the casino nightclub singer brings an elderly Cobb up on stage and asks, "How well do you think you'd hit against today's players?" To which Cobb responds, "I figure against today's pitchers I'd only hit about .275." The singer then says, "That's amazing, considering your lifetime average is almost 100 points higher. Why do you think you'd only hit .275 against today's pitchers?" Then Cobb responds, "Because I'm 72 f***ing years old, that's why, God damnit!" - Classic :)

[Imapotato]

You really would have hated the book, then. The guy has a perfect relationship with his wife and his perfect daughter. But he sense something is missing in J.D. Salinger's (yes, the reclusive author of Catcher in the Rye) life, and goes to help him, and he also needs to reconcile Joe Jackson with his missed out opportunities. Basically, it's W.P. Kinsella's dream world.


The reason people like the movie so much is because it deals with the mythical and mystical powers of baseball. It holds the sport as sacred, which is something the fans of most other sports don't do, in the U.S., at least. It is about Baseball as America and a way of life. Which is how so many baseball fans feel.

I always thought it was much more simplistic...a torn relationship between father and son...and thats what gets most guys, because really, we all thought are Dads were uncool, rigid, militant, and BORING...then we become Dads ourselves and realize how much he meant to our way of life and its meaning.

and it was all told with no words except "Hey! Dad...you, wanna have a catch?"

Beautiful movie...but not really about Baseball

Pure baseball movie is 8 Men Out...John Cusack was excellent

[VTSoxFan]

You really would have hated the book, then. The guy has a perfect relationship with his wife and his perfect daughter. But he sense something is missing in J.D. Salinger's (yes, the reclusive author of Catcher in the Rye) life, and goes to help him, and he also needs to reconcile Joe Jackson with his missed out opportunities. Basically, it's W.P. Kinsella's dream world.


You forgot the part about the long-lost twin brother, and the part where Ray walked into a post in the Fenway concourse and got a scar on his noggin exactly like the scar his twin brother got in a fight with their father the night the brother ran away from home lo these many years ago... and how at the end the brother came back and they reconciled with each other and their father's memory, and teamed up to save the farm... good grief. Oh, and the old man who was a pitcher lo these many years ago and thought was pretty good, until he somehow metaphysically saw himself pitching on the Field, and ended up with an infinite ERA, and how it broke his heart. All of this is told with forced similies and gobs and gobs of purple prose. (And don't get me started on the part where Ray visits Vermont on his way to get Salinger. Gad!)

Honest to god, I don't know how I finished that book. The movie wrung out 99% of the drek and packaged what was left with soft light and soulful music. I like the movie -- I don't love it, but I enjoyed it. It's about the mystical way fans can connect with the Game, and how it binds generations together, but it is a little bit saccharine. I liked James Earl Jones as the reclusive author, who went along with Ray even though he thought he was a little bit off his rocker.

When I need a laugh, and want to see someone beat the Yanks (but when don't I want to see that? :p ), I watch "Major League." I love the bit where Taylor chases after his lady-love in the helmet-shaped bullpen car. How romantic! :laugh I saw "Major League 2" and thought it had its moments, too -- I like the Japanese center-fielder.

"Damn Yankees" is always a classic -- you gotta love Ray Walston, and the songs are great. Ya gotta have heart....

[The Mick]

61* or Pride of the Yankees for the accuracy
The Natural for the cinemetography
Major League for the laughs
Bang the Drum for the tears
When It Was A Game (Parts 1-3) for the emotion
Field of Dreams for a little of all the above

BTW: Mr. Baseball? Seriously? With Magnum PI? Who the heck would want to watch an "anthropological study of the Japanese Baseball culture" with the guy that dated Monica?

[The Dude]

BTW: Mr. Baseball? Seriously? With Magnum PI? Who the heck would want to watch an "anthropological study of the Japanese Baseball culture" with the guy that dated Monica?

Some of us like Friends. :(

Anywayyyyy,
61*
Sandlot
Field of Dreams

[PopTop]

The Bad News Bears (having both coached and umpired Little League, I can tell you that this film is not entertainmnet, it is a documentary)

:laugh True, so true Krux!

I also agree with you about Damn Yankees! being on the list. A solid movie and if you ever get the chance to see the stage production, do it! I saw it twice, once with Jerry Lewis in Walston's part as the devil (Lewis was great!) and once with Bebe Neuwirth (sp?) as Lola (WOW! That gal has some legs!).

But the best, hands down, no other baseball comedy even comes close is one I've mentioned here before: Long Gone! It preceded both Major League and Bull Durham but with far less studio hype so not many people saw it. Starred William Peterson (CSI fame), Virginia Madsen, Dermot Mulroney, Henry Gibson and the silent half of the Penn & Teller act, can never keep them straight. If you can find Long Gone!, do yourself a favor and watch it.

[yellowdog]

If you can find Long Gone!, do yourself a favor and watch it.

A great baseball movie with the added bonus of a great Hank Williams song as you watch the credits roll.

[4-Man_Rotation]

Before I saw For Love of the Game it was Bull Durham.

Now it's For Love of the Game....it is such a great story of perseverance and overcoming adversity....plus the chick is HOT....

Major League is pretty great and I really love A League of Their Own.

[4-Man_Rotation]

Again, it focused on the ups and downs of what was going on in the lives of The Mick and Roger Maris....alcoholism, death threats, GLORY...

Another great flick...

[4-Man_Rotation]

61* or Pride of the Yankees for the accuracy
The Natural for the cinemetography
Major League for the laughs
Bang the Drum for the tears
When It Was A Game (Parts 1-3) for the emotion
Field of Dreams for a little of all the above

BTW: Mr. Baseball? Seriously? With Magnum PI? Who the heck would want to watch an "anthropological study of the Japanese Baseball culture" with the guy that dated Monica?

Mick, those are some great emotional references.......The Pride of the Yankees with a cameo by The Babe is really a tear-jerker too......I haven't seen Bang the Drum though....I need to check that out.

RE: Mr. Baseball --- I LOVE THAT MOVIE!

I watched that movie everyday for months when it came out on tape....

(When Selleck hands out UpperDeck trading cards to Japanese businessmen) "Try not to sit on my face...."

"Gaijin strikezone is roughly the size of a Buick...."

It's a pretty good reference for Japanese Baseball too.....

[tmorss9]

I never saw Mr. Baseball until a few days ago when it was on USA. After reading "You gotta have WA" I thought it was actually a very thoughtful film. Plus Tom Selleck has a pretty good swing, which I heard him say that he refined to look like a home run hitter's swing just for that movie. I think I need to go pick up the DVD of this one. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I watch "Little Big League" every time it's on. Its just entertaining, and fairly accurate- except for the hidden ball trick at the end is actually a balk.

[dgarza]

What was the point of Field of Dreams? I saw it many times but it really doesn't have a point. The guy builds a field. Dead players come. He goes to a couple cities. He comes back.
What was the point? What do you mean? Do you mean what was the plot? Well, you already answered that? Do you mean what was the moral? What do you mean?

[Mariner DNA]

Sandlot
Field of Dreams
The Babe
A league of Their Own

[westsidegrounds]

61* - Outstanding (but there never was an asterisk)
Bad News Bears - funnier than Caddyshack
Bull Durham - Plus: Susan Sarandon; Minus: that guy from "the Postman" and "Waterworld".


:laugh True, so true Krux!
Bebe Neuwirth as Lola ](WOW! That gal has some legs
.

Mmmm.

[donzblock]

"The Sandlot": excellent performance by a mastiff and a surprise appearance by James Earl Jones, George's friend.

[iishoagie07]

what was the movie when the kid was the owner of the twins?

[riverhawk]

what was the movie when the kid was the owner of the twins?

Little Big League

[Oriolesfan1810]

61*
A League of their own
The Babe
Major League I, II, and III
Field of dreams

61* - I was much impressed with

[four tool]

Here's one no one has ever mentioned: It Happens Every Spring with Ray Milland. It's on my short list Along with 61* and Bull Durham

[pretorius]

I once made a list of my 500 favorite movies. My top baseball movies.

1) Field of Dreams......21 overall
2) The Natural.........58 overall
3) 8 Men out.....319
4) Bad News Bears.....343
5) League of their Own.....345
6) For the Love of the Game.....431
7) Soul of the Game........485
8) Major Leage...... 489
9) Bang the Drum Slowly.....N/R
10) Cobb..........N/R

[west coast orange and black]

i gotta go with 8 men out: although it did not tell the complete story, i appreciate the historical accuracy. (i cringe when i see ray liotta in field of dreams stick his index finger out of his mitt: nobody did that back then.)

four tool's it happens every spring with ray milland is funny: a baseball that repels wood. haha.

(if you want ray milland in something not funny, try the lost weekend. he truly deserved the academy award for this performance.)

[The Real McCoy]

Good point about "Eight Men Out". Additionally, John Sayles, the director, who also played the Ring Lardner-like reporter role, also took some editorial liberty with the chronology. The trial didn't happen right after the Series, it happened after the 1920 season; the "Black Sox" players all had a full year in 1920 (Cicotte had a 21 win year, Joe Jackson batted .382).

[west coast orange and black]

a tip of the cap to pop top: long gone is good: it tells a dirt-kicking story of a team in the minors in a we-gotta-get-on-the-bus-again kinda way.

besides, virginia madsen's bum - nicely curved and rightly tight - is fully displayed in one scene when she is lying on a bed, if memory serves.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

I didn't see a lot of movies you have mentioned, like Sandlots, Bang the drums slowly.

Here's a list of my favorites that I have seen.

1. Field of Dreams
2. Bull Durham
3. For love of the game
4. Major League
5. A league of their own
6. The natural

I have seen a couple more of which I can't remeber the title.

The Babe is the worst baseball movie I have seen. Bad acting, bad settings.

Actually it wasn't a baseball movie, but I liked the part in the baseball stadium in Naked Gun. Baseball isn't a big sport in the Netherlands, so I was the only one in the cinema who bursted out in laughter when Lesly Nielsen took the sandpaper and other things behind the pitchers back. Hilarious!!!

[janduscframe]

I'm not much on movies, but how about this one?

We see the young man pitching. Later he's maybe walking in a storm with a lunch pail. He is met on the road and he falls to his knees in tears as the storm gets worse... cut to the young man maybe pitching, we see him interact with his distillery workers. We watch him working on a railroad section gang. He joins the military. We see him pitch some more. He appears morose. What caused him to fall to his knees in that storm earlier? Later as a mid twenty year old he is sent to the majors to pay off an unpayable debt. We can follow his career with the Nats as he becomes an outfielder. People are still wondering about that opening scene. Later the attention shifts to the World Series.. Did he or didn't he make the catch? This guy can keep a secret.. Later he is showered with accolades by his team.
Later his wife sees something in the paper and confronts him with it... Cut back to the opening scene and we learn of the tornado that killed his first wife,two kids and parents. He has hidden another secret from of all people ,his wife....You could fill it in with other baseball stuff and of course it would end with the famous letter from the grave... Wouldn't a movie on Sam Rice's life be interesting? The tragedies, the catch, the letter from the grave?

[Bob Hannah]

I'm not much on movies, but how about this one?

We see the young man pitching. Later he's maybe walking in a storm with a lunch pail. He is met on the road and he falls to his knees in tears as the storm gets worse... cut to the young man maybe pitching, we see him interact with his distillery workers. We watch him working on a railroad section gang. He joins the military. We see him pitch some more. He appears morose. What caused him to fall to his knees in that storm earlier? Later as a mid twenty year old he is sent to the majors to pay off an unpayable debt. We can follow his career with the Nats as he becomes an outfielder. People are still wondering about that opening scene. Later the attention shifts to the World Series.. Did he or didn't he make the catch? This guy can keep a secret.. Later he is showered with accolades by his team.
Later his wife sees something in the paper and confronts him with it... Cut back to the opening scene and we learn of the tornado that killed his first wife,two kids and parents. He has hidden another secret from of all people ,his wife....You could fill it in with other baseball stuff and of course it would end with the famous letter from the grave... Wouldn't a movie on Sam Rice's life be interesting? The tragedies, the catch, the letter from the grave?

Thanks for letting others know of the not so oftern remembered tradgedythat befell Same Rice. As time passes, even the World Series catch made by Rice in '25 fades from baseball lore. Have you seen the letter on display at the Hall?

In a book (Damned Senators) written by the grandson of Rice's teammate, Joe Judge, Rice is portraited as an upstanding human being, though somewhat stiff in demeanor. Probably did so to protect emotion buried within.

[SaNdLoT-BoY]

The Sandlot lol

1

[Canadian Star]

A League of Their Own is by far the best.

Although, I do love "The Sandlot" "The Rookie" and "Field of Dreams". LOVE Baseball movies.

But "A League of Their Own" is just...just GOOD!

[shlevine42]

Here's another vote for A League of Their Own. And one for Eight Men Out.

I always found Field of Dreams and The Natural too maudlin and unrealistic. Same for Bang The Drum Slowly.

Hollywood has usually managed to capture the feel and smell of boxing, but they don't do baseball well.

[william lee]

No doubt, my vote is for "The Natural". Every scene in that movie is just amazing. I can remember seeing that movie as a kid and just being blown away. So many great quotes in this movie. "Why did you stand up when i was at bat?"-- Redford. Close--"Because i didn't want to see you fail". Redford telling the evil owner the only thing he wants to do in the game that he ( The evil owner) wants him to not play in is "Hit Away". And, of course the scene in the hospital bed, when Redford explains why he wants to play then in a moment of heisitation says, " God, i love Baseball ". This was the greatest baseball movie of ALLTIME (In my opinion)!! Eight Men Out was a good movie,Field of Dreams was another good one,Cobb was great only because Tommy Lee Jones was in it. The story was fiction in my opinion. The story of Cobb I believe if properly put together by a great director and with no hint of POLITICAL CORRECTNESS could be a blockbuster. Cobb is a truly fasinating character. The worst baseball movie i've ever scene was "The Babe". But i do think Ruths story could be made into a great movie if properly done. William Lee

[Charlie Hustle 8]

All of the Major League movies are really funny and i liked them alot. Field of dreams is a classic. I also enjoyed summer catch, the movie about the cape cod league. Also, one of the latest baseball movies to come out, Hustle, was very interesting and I liked watching it.

[Badfish]

I'd have to say Sandlot also just reminds me of a nice time in life. only differnce is we alway broke a window every year on the same lady, That was our spring to fall thing to do. I grew up in the city and we plyed in a parking lot of a closed down bank. so we played with a tennis ball most of the time bare handed thus forcing us to catch with two hands. Man our Kids are really missing something I drive by the field there are never any kids out to many freaks today for that plus now we have play dates , I remember the 1st time i heard that I didn't know what they were talking about. My feeling is anytime a movie can make you remincse on the best time in life it's gotta be worth something

[Rob M]

the point of field of dreams was that kevin costner wanted his dad to come back so he could see him and he plays catch with him at the end of the movie

you have to read the book before you see the natural, or you won't like the movie

my vote goes as follows:

1) 61*
2) Field of Dreams
3) The Natural
4) Major League
5) Sandlot

[ballparks]

No other movie has Babe Ruth playing HIMSELF. This is THE all-time classic about the ballplayer that most defines guts and integrity in America's game.

[Tim Brent]

Ones I liked include Alibi Ike, The Pride Of St Louis(about Dizzy Dean), Reagan's The Winning Team, and funnily enough The Babe Ruth Story.

If anyone is interested in hunting the book down, The Year The Yankees Lost the Pennant(the book Damn Yankees was based on) is much darker than the play or film, and gets more into the Faustian aspects of Joe Boyd's deal.

[Skeeters Fan]

The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings (Great look at the Negro Leagues)This gets my vote, with Bang the Drum Slowly in second. Both movies manage to come up with something more important than baseball to be about; it's not surprising that they also have interesting characters.

[tigergreg]

Here's one no one has ever mentioned: It Happens Every Spring with Ray Milland. It's on my short list Along with 61* and Bull Durham
Though kind of corny I love It Happens Every Spring has to be my favorite followed by:
Field Of Dreams
The Natural
Sand Lot
Eight Men Out

[Donnybrook @ Second base]

Bad News Bears
A League of their own
Field of Dreams
The Natural
Cobb

[1993phillies4ever]

Pride of the Yankees and Bull Durham (Surprise!) are both tied for me. As much as I loved "The Natural" the book was a lot better and the ending...different. But in "Durham" and "Pride" the speeches are what always gets me...obviously for different reasons lol.

[69Mets]

The one and only for me is "Pride of the Yankees"

[west coast orange and black]

...you have to read the book before you see the natural, or you won't like the movie
malamud's novella has enjoyed new readership because of the movie, but originally, the natural (1952) did not have the hollywood happy ending.

and i'm pretty certain that the great majority of posters who have included the natural with robert redford did not read malumud beforehand. in fact, i will bet my farm.

[Aa3rt]

Damn Yankees-anything with the Washington Senators in it is great in my book! ;)

I enjoyed "The Natural" and while I thought it was somewhat hokey, did appreciate the fact that it was filmed in Buffalo's old War Memorial Stadium. I thought the producers did a good job of depicting the era in which it was supposed to have taken place, although Joe Don Baker as "The Whammer", a thinly veiled Babe Ruth type, did strain the credibility a bit.

10-15 years ago, when AMC (American Movie Classics) did truly show classic movies, they used to show baseball movies at the start of the season. One I always liked, admittedly another hokey one, was the original "Kid from Left Field". It seems to me that Dan Daley appeared in a couple of baseball movies although that is the only one I can recall at the moment.

[bosoxyanks]

61*...........was a great movie.
Sandlot......good the first few times but lame after about 10 :rolleyes:
The rookie.........very good.
...hmm...one a few years back mayb 98 or so with kevin costner as a pitcher...not bad.



BY FAR THE BEST BASEBALL MOVIES EVER-the Major League series
..comedy and baseball together who can beat that?

[Professor]

Put me down for "The Natural."

Redford, Duvall, Basinger, Close, Wilford Brimley form a superior cast. The reactions of Brimley and his coaches when Hobbs steps in and takes his first cuts are a joy to watch.

[mp73b]

...hmm...one a few years back mayb 98 or so with kevin costner as a pitcher...not bad.
I think you're talking about "For Love of the Game"

[Skywalker76]

I really liked that Roy Campanella story. What did you think about that movie ?

Other than that it's hard to get baseball movies in Germany but the one's I got and like are:

1. 8 men out
2. The Rookie

[NShlain]

The Narural, staring Robert Redford, is the best baseball movie of all time. That is followed by 61*

[Yankee Pride]

Ok , comedy i will definately have to say Major League. and of course 61 for documentary.

[RBi]

1 - Eight Men Out
2 - Sandlot
3 - 61*
4 - League of their Own
5 - For the Love of the Game

[Skywalker76]

I just saw the Hank Greenberg story, although it's a reportage it's definatly worth watching.

[lovinbarrett08]

well i mean the sandlot has the ups and downs. It shows the great kid fun patrioctic side, but field of dreams, you dont even have to be a basefan to apperiate, but if you are you find a deeper meaning in it

[Northernclan]

Not necessarily in this order.

The Natural Great Cast
The Lou Gherig Story (Pride of the Yankees)w/ Gary Cooper Lot's of tears for a 10 yr old
Those Damn Yankees Ray Walston played a great devil.
Bad News Bears Walter Mattau and Vic Morrow
Bull Durham Har har! Great Cast
Field of Dreams Baseball Fields are magic!
The Jimmy Piersol Story (Title?) with what's his face? Ah yes.... Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden
And can't forget Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck and The Grover Cleveland Alexander Story (Title?) with Ronald Reagan (Remember that one?)

There was one I remember watching where a professor invented a substance that, when placed on a ball, made the ball jump over the bat. Kid's stuff but a lot of fun for a 10 yr old.

and need to watch For the Love of the Game and Bang the Drum Slowly

[stunlee]

i would have to go with 61.
61* on DVD is fantastic with Billy Cyrstal's narrating the extras!

[Staredge]

Isn't that awesome?!?!?!?!? He doesn't joke nearly as much as I figured he would. The love of the subject comes through the whole thing. 61* is probably my favorite baseball movie of all.


61* on DVD is fantastic with Billy Cyrstal's narrating the extras!

[Imapotato]

There was one I remember watching where a professor invented a substance that, when placed on a ball, made the ball jump over the bat. Kid's stuff but a lot of fun for a 10 yr old.



It happens Every Spring (or Summer) Great flick

Mr. 3000, just watched that...ugh!

I doubt there will ever be a good baseball movie again

[Captain Cold Nose]

It happens Every Spring (or Summer) Great flick

Mr. 3000, just watched that...ugh!

I doubt there will ever be a good baseball movie again

Well, they did make a sequel to The Sandlot, out on DVD shortly. I'll give it a chance, based on the first one.

In regards to Mr. 3000, yes, ugh!

[moviegeekjan]

Bull Durham is head and shoulders above all the rest (imho)... I wrote up an article a couple years or so ago about this topic (looking it up now) ...

It was 3 years ago, but wouldn't change much from this Top Ten Baseball Movies (http://www.toxicuniverse.com/review.php?aid=1000274) list.

[uthminsta]

I'll try for a top ten, although it sounds like several of the movies I haven't seen might rearrange this list considerably. But nothing can unseat number one:

1. 61*
2. Eight Men Out
3. The Rookie
4. For the Love of the Game
5. Field of Dreams
6. The Sandlot
7. Major League
8. Mr. 3000
9. The Babe Ruth Story (not The Babe)
10. A League of Their Own

I could watch 61* every day for the rest of my life. Actually, soon after I got my DVD player, my wife bought me Eight Men Out and I did watch it nearly every day for a couple weeks.

I guess I'm going to have to go against most of you when I say I didn't like Bull Durham. At all. It wasn't about baseball - it was about sex.

[moviegeekjan]

Have seen 61 and A League of Their Own since writing my list... I'd probably find a way to squeeze 61 into the top ten (though it's very formulaic). Another very worthy documentary that captures what it means to be a hard core baseball fan: Still We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie

[west coast orange and black]

has anyone else seen long gone, with william peterson, a young virginia madsen and a very young dermot mulroney? set in the 50s, it has a few very good glimpses into the daily drudgery of a bus-riding team trying to come out on top against the odds.

petersen is stud cantrell, manager of the stogies, a florida minor league team. mulroney is the hot-shot newbie. madsen is the love interest.

hollywood studio movie bull durham, outright stole quite a bit from this little 1987 release.

[moviegeekjan]

William Petersen does great work in everything he touches (Manhunter is THE definitive Hannibal Lecktor film, eg.)

Although eventually granted a decent budget and star power with Costner and Sarandan, Bull Durham is hardly a classic "Hollywood" formula movie. It began as a labor of love for writer/director Ron Shelton, who had played minor league ball. Shelton had participated on a couple of previous scripts, but this is his directoral debut.

[west coast orange and black]

William Petersen does great work in everything he touches (Manhunter is THE definitive Hannibal Lecktor film, eg.)

Although eventually granted a decent budget and star power with Costner and Sarandan, Bull Durham is hardly a classic "Hollywood" formula movie. It began as a labor of love for writer/director Ron Shelton, who had played minor league ball. Shelton had participated on a couple of previous scripts, but this is his directoral debut.
ahh... a michael mann fan.
it's just that i thought that durham was released by MGM, not that the script was hollywood formula.
i can not speak to the overall look of durham because i can barely stand to see costner on the big screen and have not seen durham.

however, i did make exceptions for field of dreams, jfk, no way out and the untouchables. the '87 no way out in no way compares to mankiewitz's (sp?) brilliant film, though, i believe.

[Captain Cold Nose]

William Petersen does great work in everything he touches (Manhunter is THE definitive Hannibal Lecktor film, eg.)

Although eventually granted a decent budget and star power with Costner and Sarandan, Bull Durham is hardly a classic "Hollywood" formula movie. It began as a labor of love for writer/director Ron Shelton, who had played minor league ball. Shelton had participated on a couple of previous scripts, but this is his directoral debut.

Even To Live and Die in LA ?

Maybe it was just the movie itself . . .

I liked Bull Durham, but not as much as Field of Dreams. Shelton has been trying to create the definitive sports film, and Bull Durham has been his closest to accomplishing that goal. I think his movies suffer a little in regards to being good sports movies because the side life stories detract from the sport too much.

[west coast orange and black]

has either of you seen long gone?

[moviegeekjan]

Haven't seen Long Gone. From the IMDB description, there's not that much in common with Bull Durham other than general broad strokes that are inherent in the subject matter and setting: taking place in the minor leagues and dealing with the maturing of a rookie.

It's not out on DVD, so no chance to rent from Netflix, and it's such an obscure HBO movie that it's doubtful any of the brick and mortar rental places have a copy. So... checked on eBay and have a bid in on a copy.

[west coast orange and black]

i am sure that you will enjoy long gone, jan. :dance

(and now i've got the "lo-o-o-ong go-o-o-one" twangy music stuck between my ears. :laugh)

[Captain Cold Nose]

I haven't seen it, either. I suppose it's worth a look, although I'm not particularly a fan of either Madsen or Mulroney.

[moviegeekjan]

i can not speak to the overall look of durham because i can barely stand to see costner on the big screen and have not seen durham.
I am NOT a Costner fan. Seeing his name attached to a project makes me automatically leery (think his "Lawrence of Dakota" Oscar winner is WAY overrated.... and I was living/working on the Navajo reservation at the time). I've seen a number of his films (especially hating For Love of the Game, Waterworld, and Dragonfly), and Bull Durham is the best thing he's ever done. That movie is readily available... decent chance you'd like this better than Field of Dreams.

[therealnod]

i can not speak to the overall look of durham because i can barely stand to see costner on the big screen and have not seen durham.

however, i did make exceptions for field of dreams, jfk, no way out and the untouchables. the '87 no way out in no way compares to mankiewitz's (sp?) brilliant film, though, i believe.

For shame, wcoab, for shame. You'll make an exception to watch those movies but not the best baseball movie ever made? Rectify this immediately!

Overall, Costner is horrible (Cary Elwes was a better Robin Hood--one of the worst acting performances I can recall.), but that's not worth missing out on Bull Durham.

[west coast orange and black]

...but that's not worth missing out on Bull Durham.
you couldn't pay me enough to hafta make me sit and watch costner... in a comedy, no less.

[moviegeekjan]

you couldn't pay me enough to hafta make me sit and watch costner... in a comedy, no less. Don't think of it AS a Costner film... This is Tim Robbins' and Susan Sarandan's film!

Simply NOT logical to deprive oneself of seeing THE best baseball movie of all time (and even if you don't think the best... almost everyone will cite it on the top 10 baseball flicks of all time) when you HAVE sat through far inferior flicks that had Costner in them... and you can NOT ever credibly state that Bull Durham has outright stolen from an obscure HBO film without having seen it!

[therealnod]

What he said^


I saw Long Gone a long time ago. Pretty forgettable flick, though I should watch it again.

[west coast orange and black]

well... maybe if i make some popcorn...

[therealnod]

That's better, wcoab. I have a feeling that you will wonder why you haven't watched it sooner.

[west coast orange and black]

If you drop your keys into a river of molten lava, let 'em go, because, man, they're gone. --Jack Handy
.................................................. ..
john madden tells this story of: ted "the stork" hendricks of past nfl days:
madden goes into the restroom and finds hendricks staring down into a toilet bowl in one of the stalls.

"whaddareya doin', stork?", asks madden.

"i dropped a five dollar bill in the toilet. i'd get it, but i already went in it."

"tough break."

at that, hendricks reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of bills. he flips them a bit and fishes out a twenty.
he then drops it into the toilet.

after a few seconds, he reaches down into the yellowed bowl and retrieves both the twenty and the fin.

madden, amazed at the sight, asks "why the hell didn't you just reach in for the five? what was the twenty all about?"

"you don't think i'm stickin' my hand in a pissed toilet for five bucks, do ya?"

madden swears that this is true.

[skeletor]

Yeah, have seen it..not a bad 'low budget' cable flick..William Petersen,
( live & die in LA -and CSI) plays a mgr, and pitcher..and a skirt chaser
in 1950's FL....overall, not bad...a bit cheezy in parts..Give it a 7 outta
10....tis' a shame that HBO,hasn't issued it on DVD yet..maybe some
comapny like Anchor Bay, or Goodtimes, will put it out..

As for baseball films...Bull Durham, or For Love of the Game..I know,
Costner is in both..but in most films, he's not a bad actor..of course,
when you have misfires like Robin Hood, waterworld, dragonfly, etc
people tend to come down on you-real hard......But those two baseball
flicks..are pretty good..I understand, he's doing another baseball type film,
about a former pitcher..

Other baseball flicks....Bang the drum,slowly...COBB..and of course, that horrible John Goodman 'BABE RUTH' film....

[BasEbaLlKnoItAll]

Well, they did make a sequel to The Sandlot, out on DVD shortly. I'll give it a chance, based on the first one.

I havent heard this, im kind of excited now :) ........do you know when it is supposed to be released?


My top 15

The Natural
Field of Dreams
The Sandlot
61*
Little Big League (always jealous of that kid)
Bull Durham
Eight Men Out
For Love of the Game (i know most disagree, but it kind of got me)
Mr. Baseball (just because i like Japanese baseball)
Mr. 3000 (lol, really because of the accuracy, with the Brewers in the AL in the beginning of the movie, and them making a note of that later in the movie, also the Jerseyswere accurate for the different time periods (early 90's in the beginning, and the 80's typoe hangin in his bar and house)
Eight Men Out
A Little Inside (low budget about a former yankee farmhand who is also a single dad who gets back into the game and how it effects his daughter)
Angels in the Outfield (Disney version)
Major League
The Scout (stupid movie filmed during the strike about a Yankee scout who was banished to Mexico and comes back with the best baseball player ever <happens to be an American BTW> but the player has the mind of a child)

[1993phillies4ever]

The writer of "Bull Durham" was a former minor leaguer, spending five years in the bus leagues which is why it's such a realistic film. The original script had more drama to it actually, and the studio cut a lot of stuff. There was a scene after Annie and Crash argue at his house, in which they go to a bar and she basically tells him her life story. She gets into some heavy stuff saying that she had several abortions and when her father died her life changed. It was after his funeral and across the street she heard some noise and walked over. It turned out to be a Yankee training camp and she saw Thurman Munson and fell in love with baseball. It is why there is a shrine to Thurman and is the last image you see in the movie.

The screenwriter Ron Shelton had so much experience to draw from,that I think is the reason the story was so pure and great. The characters to me are unforgettable. He is actually the guy who wrote "White Men Can't Jump."

[Staredge]

I would love to see an expanded director's cut of "Bull Durham." I was listening to the Costner/Robbins commentary track, and they were talking about a scene that was cut. It's on the road trip, and the two of them get to talking after hearing of Max Patkin's death. Costner said it's when Crash starts to treat Nuke like a human, and really sets up the naked dream scene afterwords.

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

What is the movie that came out a few years ago about the Bush Leagues? I think it was a comedy.

[DianasMoon82]

a short list, unranked as to a fave

Fear Strikes Out
Pride of the Yankees
This Old Cub
The Natural
The Bad News Bears
A Leauge of Their Own

Gads, you gotta love the game to be able to even rank any baseball movie, its all our passion, otherwise, you would not even be posting.

Diana

[Captain Cold Nose]

I havent heard this, im kind of excited now :) ........do you know when it is supposed to be released?


[)

According to Hollywood Video, April 12.

[PopTop]

Simply NOT logical to deprive oneself of seeing THE best baseball movie of all time (and even if you don't think the best... almost everyone will cite it on the top 10 baseball flicks of all time)... and you can NOT ever credibly state that Bull Durham has outright stolen from an obscure HBO film without having seen it!
I've seen 'em both, and there were several "similarities" that Bull Durham shared with Long Gone. Not going to say Durham "stole" anything, but some of the underlying stories in the two movies are close. Long Gone ranks as one of my favorite baseball comedies, well ahead of Bull Durham which would be nowhere close to making my top 10 of all time. That may put me in the minority, but then, I was in the minority having seen Long Gone when it first came out and then watching Bull Durham later. If it had been the other way, perhaps I'd feel differently.

[64Cards]

regarding "Fear Strikes Out" I caught this exchange between Harry Caray & Jim Piersall, during a dull moment of a Sox telecast

Harry-"Hey Jimmy, when I got back to the hotel last night after the bars closed, I turned on the tv and guess what was on the late show?"

Jimmy-"I don't have the slightest idea. I don't stay up that late."

Harry-"Fear Strikes Out. [pauses for a few seconds] I gotta ask you...did you really do all that crazy stuff, like running around the bases screaming or trying to climb the backstop behind homeplate?"

Jimmy-"Harry, that's Hollywood. They embellish those things."

Harry-"Well, I wanna know this. Why didn't you get someone to play you who looked like a ballplayer? Holy Cow...Anthony Perkins throws the ball like a girl!"

[Ogopogo]

The best baseball movie ever made is The Rookie. Anybody at that stage in their life can totally relate.

Eight Men Out was a gem, as well.

[64Cards]

I would nominate 2,
the 2nd worst being the Babe Ruth bio made in 48, starring William Bendix. Supposedly the Bambino was at the premiere, got up and left halfway through it. Must have been thinking, "Gehrig got this great movie made about him, starring Gary Cooper. I get this piece of crap starring Bill Bendix." Undoubtably contributed to the Babe's demise about a month later.

And the worst would be the John Goodman movie about Ruth. You would think they could have seen how bad the earlier flick was and came up with something better than that garbage. Why in the world did Hollywood decide to have the guy who was the most remarkable athlete of the 20th century portrayed by a couple of totally unathletic actors? Just because the Babe carried a spare tire around his waist?

I do like Goodman though. He'd be great starring in a bio about Jackie Gleason, whom Hollywood would have picked to play Babe if they had done a bio about him in the 60's.

[westsidegrounds]

regarding "Fear Strikes Out"
<...>
.Anthony Perkins throws the ball like a girl!"

Piersall himself made no secret of his, uh, dissatisfaction with Tony P's portrayal.

[64Cards]

ESPN Classic is going to be running the "Top 25 Sports Movies" in about .15 minutes, 8 eastern, 7 central, as they like to say.

Saw "Bull Durham" uncut last nite on HBO, they way it should be shown, with all the profanity left in. Funny movie. Costner was really good in "BD" and in "Tin Cup" another good sports flick. "For Love of the Game" stunk, really was more of a chick flick.

[64Cards]

I had forgotten, there was a made for tv movie about the Babe made in 91, called, surprisingly enough, "Babe Ruth." starred Stephen Lang, who played Stonewall Jackson in the incredibly long Civil War flick, "Gods and Generals."
It wasn't too bad, much better than the Bendix or Goodman versions. Historically, quite accurate.

[Yankees7]

61* was very well done in my opinion

[64Cards]

Agreed. Loved 61*. The guys who played M & M were terrific. Excellent authenticity. I liked the bit with the guys playing Mel Allen & Rizzuto in the booth. Plus the guy who played Houk, name escapes me, but was D-Day in "Animal House."

[bklynbartender]

For pure out & out funny, it's gotta be Major League.

For funny with a hint of the gruel of livin minor league ball we gotta go with Bull Durham.

For the emotional tear jerker it's Bang the Drum Slowly, I mean De Niro, come on.

I have seen a few of ya talkin' about Mr. Baseball w/ Tom Selleck, I haven't seen that in awhile, but I do remember enjoying it quite a bit.

There was one I saw a few years ago that I can't remember the name of w/ Joe Mantegna where he was a player/ Mgr. for Seattle then he hurts himself is out of the game and winds up in Russia tryin' to teach some non- baseball national athletes to learn the game, it was pretty good, I just cant remember the name.

I can go on with these forever, but my favorite all time movie, baseball or othewise has always been Pride of the Yankees, Gary Cooper, who couldn't even swing a bat before filming came of great, I mean he is Lou Gerhig to all of us who never got a chance to see him, By the way Teresa Wright, who played Ellie Gerhig just died last week, I think in her early eighties.

If anyone knows the name to that Joe Mantegna movie, Gimme a holler, would ya, Thanks.....

[bklynbartender]

Agreed. Loved 61*. The guys who played M & M were terrific. Excellent authenticity. I liked the bit with the guys playing Mel Allen & Rizzuto in the booth. Plus the guy who played Houk, name escapes me, but was D-Day in "Animal House."

Hey Cards- the guy who played Ralph Houk (D-day) is actor Bruce Mcgill.
And I thought 61* was great, I'll be damned if I wasn't watchin' Mantle & Maris.

[moviegeekjan]

If anyone knows the name to that Joe Mantegna movie, Gimme a holler, would ya, Thanks.....
Made for TV movie The Comrades of Summer

[Sweet Lou]

All the good ones have been listed, so I'll name a couple bad ones: Angels in the Outfield, and Rookie of the Year. (Not to be confused with The Rookie)

Are there any baseball movies we haven't listed? What are some good documentary films that you guys would recommend, besides Ken Burns Baseball, which goes without saying....;)

Sweet Lou

[Bluesteve32]

Don't think of it AS a Costner film... This is Tim Robbins' and Susan Sarandan's film!

That makes it even worse!

I think "Pride of the Yankees" is the best since it have several of the actual ballplayers playing themselves.

The worst would be any movie showing a high school baseball game in the ninth inning, since high school baseball plays only seven innings. "Max Dugan Returns" is one that comes to mind even though Charlie Lau has a cameo.

Special citation is to "Damn Yankees." Any movie that can have Ray Walston play his greatest role ever, aside from Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," has to be good. Who can forget Jeff Spiccoli (Sean Penn) calling Mr Hand, "You D!ck!"

"Naked Gun" also has that wonderful baseball scene with Reggie trying to kill the Queen.

Others:

61*
The Sandlot
A League of their Own.
Eight Men Out
Long Gone

[moviegeekjan]

Two documentaries that came out in 2004 are worth a look:

Still We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie -- told primarily from the view of long time, hard core Red Sox fans

This Old Cub -- Poignant film about Ron Santo and his lifelong struggle with diabetes (which he had and kept secret during his playing days)

[PopTop]

Thanks for the heads up on This Old Cub, geek. I loved/hated Santo and will have to check that out. Looking at Amazon I can't tell if the DVD is available to the public yet, anyone know?

[moviegeekjan]

I got a screener copy, but think there's a public place to get one somewhere... going to check some online sources

OK.. from the Official Site
This Old Cub (http://www.thisoldcub.com/)

[skeletor]

hmm, how about the life and times of HANK GREENBERG..
a film about the first jewish ballplayer for the Tigers ?

another film..Rhubarb..(1951 ) about a cat who owns a team..
and 'it happens every spring' (1949 ) a chem prof, invents some
liquid, that repels wood..and becomes a cy young type pitcher..

There was an HBO special..about the 1968 Tigers, and the effect of
the team had on the city of Detroit, after the previous year's nasty
race riot...Forgot the title..for the moment..

[moviegeekjan]

Definitely worth checking out the Hank Greenberg doc!!!

[64Cards]

"City on Fire" was the HBO documentary about 68 Tigers. Very good, as I mentioned in another thread, the only bad part was the way the 68 WS turned out. Beat us fair & square though, Cards can only blame themselves. Lolich was tough!

[Captain Cold Nose]

"Babe Ruth" still can be seen every so often on Encore and its various stations. It is well worth seeing, just to compare how much beter it is than the other Ruth pics. Lang also played Gen. George Pickett in the equally long (if not longer) Civil War movie "Gettysburg" as well as Ike Clanton in "Tombstone".

[santotohof]

Eight Men Out is not only the best baseball movie but is a terriffic movie on its own under any genre

[64Cards]

I agree that "8 Men Out" was terrific. Did it do very well at the b.o.? I would think that someone who doesn't know much about bb history would find it hard to follow. Also, doesn't really have a true protaganist that the audience finds itself rooting for. Perhaps Cusick as Doc Weaver.

"Tombstone" is a great western.

And Santo should have been in the HOF a long time ago.

[moviegeekjan]

Eight Men Out is a John Sayles movie. Sayles ranks among the best "indie" film directors, so his projects generally aren't constructed to do "super" box office... (checking IMDB to see if they have any figures)

According to the IMDB, the film was budgeted for an estimated $6 million and grossed $5.6 million. That "may" go up a bit with re-broadcasts and DVD sales, but that's fairly typical for "indie" films--the goal is to at least break even.

[fateagle]

Eight Men Out
61*
A League of their Own
Rookie Of the Year!!!!!!!!

Dont underestimate henry rolengardner!!!






"Pitchers got a big butt"

[stromey]

There are so many great one's out there: *61, The Sandlot, Cobb, Field of Dreams, eight men out

[chanceron]

61 is my choice for the best

Heres a few other ones

When it was a Game
Baseball documentary is loaded with footage previously thought to be lost to time. Incorporates action from 1925-71, full of magical moments for sports fans as well as heritage historians. (1992, 1993, 1998) Cast: Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Billy Crystal, Bob Costas
Runtime: 100 minutes

Wide Awake
Earnest, seriocomic coming-of-age tale details a nine-year-old's struggles with religious faith after his grandfather's death. Families may appreciate the film's sensitive, inspirational message, though some grown-ups find it cloyingly sentimental. (1998) Starring: Joseph Cross, Timothy Reifsnyd
Runtime: 87 minutes

A Winner Never Quits
A one-armed outfielder plays baseball for the St. Louis Browns during WWII and is idolized by a handicapped youngster. (1986) Starring: Keith Carradine, Mare Winningham
Runtime: 100 minutes

[yellowdog]

It wasn't a baseball movie per se, but the plot for Bad Lieutenant was woven around a fictional NLCS between the Mets and Dodgers. The Mets came from being down 3 games to none to win the series. A good movie with a very interesting baseball sub-plot.

[Eddie Ball Four]

While it's not really a movie, I would have to go with the Ken Burns / PBS documentary Baseball. For me, it really connected the history of baseball.
Movies I liked were 61* (Roger is looking pretty good these days), A League of Their Own, Cobb, and Field of Dreams. I was never a big fan of Bull Durham!

[Jennifer]

What was the point of Field of Dreams? I saw it many times but it really doesn't have a point. The guy builds a field. Dead players come. He goes to a couple cities. He comes back. I think it was a horrible movie.



The point is about the magic of the game. Not just the game we are watching but all oor memories of baseball in our past. For me it includes the uncle who brought me up and taught me to love the game, hiding under the covers late at night on a school night listening to a west coast game, the first sight of the field coming up the ramp at Cleveland Stadium, etc. To me that is the point of the movie. Who cares about the silly plot it is the following speech for which I love the movie:

Terence Mann: Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

The Bad News Bears!!!

Buttermaker, Kelley Leak, Engleberg, Loopus, Tanner, etc!! :clapping

[mobile eggroll]

i believe "damn yankees" has a song in it that had the words "cuz you gotta have heart, cuz even if you never win thats when the grin shoudl start" ahh that was a great baseball movie as we were forever singing that song in the dugout...
i believe about 2 years ago there came out a movie about a white guy taching 9 black kids in LA how to play baseball on a really crappy field...anyone remember the name?

[kuparstwn]

The Sandlot

[Jennifer]

Artist: Lyrics
Song: Heart Lyrics

[VAN BUREN]
You've gotta have heart
All you really need is heart
When the odds are sayin' you'll never win
That's when the grin should start
You've gotta have hope
Mustn't sit around and mope
Nothin's half as bad as it may appear
Wait'll next year and hope
When your luck is battin' zero
Get your chin up off the floor
Mister you can be a hero
You can open any door, there's nothin' to it but to do it
You've gotta have heart
Miles 'n miles n' miles of heart
Oh, it's fine to be a genius of course
But keep that old horse
Before the cart
First you've gotta have heart

Rest of the lyrics (http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/damnyankees/heart.htm)

[hbinways]

The Sandlot

none of the babe ruth movies!! Well, Ok, Goodman's flick was ok

[Say Hey]

I thought The Natural, Pride of the Yankees (even though that is more about Gehrig's life than baseball), and 61 were all good baseball movies

[HanksHomies33]

But it's gotta be the Natural. There isn't a time I can go to the Ballpark in Arlington (I won't acknoledge it as Ameriquest Field) and not think about that movie when someone hits a homer, because they play the music from it. Some of the movies get killed by actors/actresses I can't stand, i.e. Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham or Madonna in League of Their Own. The Sandlot, Major League, Angels in the Outfield, and Little Big League are among my other faves. Worst ones: Rookie of the Year, Bad News Bears go to Japan, For the Love of the Game.

[kuparstwn]

i believe "damn yankees" has a song in it that had the words "cuz you gotta have heart, cuz even if you never win thats when the grin shoudl start" ahh that was a great baseball movie as we were forever singing that song in the dugout...
i believe about 2 years ago there came out a movie about a white guy taching 9 black kids in LA how to play baseball on a really crappy field...anyone remember the name?

Hardball with Keanu Reeves? That's set in Chicago though, so maybe not.

[Staredge]

Some of the movies get killed by actors/actresses I can't stand, i.e. Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham or Madonna in League of Their Own.

Any other time, I'd agree with you (as they annoy me as well) but I'll make exceptions for these movies. Tom Hanks is INCREDIBLE in LOTO. Actually, I can almost stomach Madonna in this.....it's Rosie I can't stand.

[nolanryan5714]

The Natural gets my vote because of the mystique it amplifies when it comes to baseball.

[donzblock]

"The Rookie" is awfully good. Dennis Quaid throws like a real pitcher.

[PumpsieGreen]

Personally, I'll go with Bull Durham. It's the most realistic baseball film of all time. Number 2 for me would have to be The Bad News Bears, one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

[Big_Mac]

i liked teh rookie. i might hav eeven shed a tear, lol

my favorite has to be major league tho. i actually like back to the minors a bit but Bob Ucker is the best radio man on a movie ever

[MichealBarrettfan]

I love Baseball Movies.
Here are some of my favorites
1. A Leauge of there own.(Could watch it every day and still love it.)
2.For Love of the game.(loved how it portrayed a pitchers last game.)
3. The Rookie(loved how it showed how a mans dream finally came true.)
4.61*( really seemed like Mantle and Marris)
5. Angels in the outfield(watched this movie everyday as a kid.)
6.Major Leauge.( those movies are so funny)
7.Summer Catch(funny and showed a man try to make the minors leauges on his last chance)
8. Mr. 3000( Bernnie Mac is so funny)

[ADunn44]

1. Field of Dreams
2. For Love of the game
3. The Rookie
4. 61*
5. Sandlot
6. The Natural
7. Major League (strike this mother f**ker out)

[west coast orange and black]

The Natural gets my vote because of the mystique it amplifies when it comes to baseball.
as far as moments go: pretty tough to top #9's final at bat.

[Donnybrook @ Second base]

#1 Bad News Bears
#2 A league of their own
#3 8 men out
#4 Bull Durham
#5 Field of Dreams

[threebagger]

My list
1. Summer Catch
2. The Sandlot
3. Major Leauge
4. Field of Dreams
5. A Leauge of Their Own
6. Little Big Leauge
7. Talent for the Game
8. For Love of the Game
9. Angels in the Outfield
10. Rookie of the Year
11. The Rookie
12. Eight Men Out
13. For Love of the Game
14. Bull Durham
15. Mr. 3000

[Koufax Shoulda Been a Yankee]

I love A League of Their Own...."There's no crying in baseball!"

I loved Angels in the Outfield as a kid and like Major League now

[Clockwork]

I grew up on baseball movies like A league of their own, the sandlot, little big league, major league, field of dreams, and rookie of the year (anyone remember that? it was a kids movie about a 12 year old pitcher on the cubs).

From those, The Sandlot, A League of their own, and Field of Dreams have a lot of merit to them. Especially Field of Dreams, that movie means a lot to me even today. I should get it on dvd sometime. I haven't seen sandlot in a while but I remember most of it. A League of their Own I watch whenever its on, and its on a lot. great movie.

[mordeci]

I'm shocked at how many people list Major League. I always thought this movie was universally hated by real baseball fans. Old jokes, old stereotypes, the plot makes no sense at all. I truly, madly, deeply hate this movie.

Field of dreams was also awful. corny, manipulative drivel. a chick-flick pretending to be a baseball movie.

Most good baseball movies are biographical: "61", "eight men out" and those 'based on a true story' movies like "league of their own" and "bang the drum slowly". Someone said they could watch league of their own every day, I'll second that. Also like Bull Durham and the Rookie.

I liked the Bad News Bears movies, but those aren't so much baseball as modern day Our Gang/Little Rascals.

I'm ashamed to say I've never seen Fear Strikes Out. It's supposed to be truly awful. Jimmy Piersal played by Norman Bates.

Best baseball movie for me: League of their Own. It's not even close.

Kit Keller: We only make 30 at the dairy!
Ernie Capadino: Well then, this would be more, wouldn't it?

[ADunn44]

Field of Dreams- greatest baseball movie of all time, the book was awesome

The Sandlot- shows what baseball was and what it should be, FUN!!!!!!!

Major League- "I say f*ck you Jobo, I do it myself."

The Rookie
For love of the game- Kevin Costner rules, when it comes to baseball movies

worst: Hustle, worst f*cking baseball movie of all-time

[bonfig1]

Great topic. Too many good ones. Here's my top 10:

1. The Natural
2. Field of Dreams
3. For Love of the Game
4. Bull Durham
5. The Sandlot
6. Eight Men Out
7. The Bad News Bears
8. *61
9. Bang the Drum Slowly (DeNiro version)
10. A League of Their Own
Honorable mentions: The Rookie, Stealing Home, Long Gone

[west coast orange and black]

not much love for take me out to the ballgame, released in the 40s.

and it happens every spring is hilarious. a bat that repels wood is invented.

[538280]

The Sandlot? I saw that movie and didn't like it at all. I'd say the best baseball movie is Eight Men Out, for its historical accuracy.

[moviegeekjan]

With another thread just started about essentially the same subject, this one seems to need a bump.

[theAmazingMet]

I must say there are some great movies listed above and several would make my list. Like listed above "Eight Men Out" was a great historical piece on a very colorful time in baseball history during the deadball era when shoeless joe, nap lajoie and ty cobb all ruled the roost. "For love of the game" despite critical condemnation I thought was a good little film which sums up a fading stars greatest moments through flashbacks during the corse of a perfect game. "Bang the Drum Slowly" was a great melodrama about a dying star and young hotshot rookie, a tearjerker your girl could enjoy. "The Sluggers Wife" while essentially an overblown "chick-flick" was a close to accurate portrayal of early 80's baseball life, a definate must rent for true baseball fans. Of course we have the much discussed "Bull Durham" which I will not elaborate on further. With all these great movies however I must say that
"The Natural" is the best baseball movie ever.
Yes I know it deviates from the novel, yes I know it is more fairy tale than reality but I still love it none the less. It illustrates what baseball used to be, should be and what we all want it to be...a game with good battling evil, with people who play for love of the game not money, when baseball was innocent. It also depicts a very cool period of time, the late 30's. the deadball era was dead and the era of superstars was beginning. Baseball was still a sport more than a business. Baseball was the national pastime. Football was still an amatuer sport for the most part, hockey was still largely regional and more of a canadian sport and basketball was virtually non-existant (the good old days!). It truly was a golden age for baseball and I think the movie captures all of that beautifully.

[The Semi-Natural]

5. 61*
4. Bull Durham
3. The Rookie
2. Field of Dreams
1. The Natural

[ElCaminoSS]

Please please, no more best baseball movie threads. Theres already like 30.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Please please, no more best baseball movie threads. Theres already like 30.
We can keep this one going. If there are any new ones that pop up along the way, I'll merge them. There's so much out there that could go into this forum that we don't need to keep rehashing this one subject.

[Brian McKenna]

we need another good movie to come out - boxing just scored big with cinderella man and million dollar baby - two great movies

[64Cards]

we need another good movie to come out - boxing just scored big with cinderella man and million dollar baby - two great movies
I know "Cinderella Man" is coming out on DVD, looking foward to seeing it, I generally like Ron Howard flicks, I dunno why this died at the box office, maybe no one knows much about Jim Braddock and his rather amazing story. I saw "Million Dollar Baby" on an airline flight and I admit I have trouble paying attention to a movie on a plane, but I liked the 1st half, got bored with the 2nd part, maybe I'll give it another shot on DVD or cable.

There has been more good movies made about boxing than probably all the other sports, combined. Several reasons I think, a big one is that the set, a boxing ring, is limited and easy to duplicate, not like trying to re-create a baseball or football stadium. And in the fight scenes, you are just dealing with 2 participants, rather than 18 baseball players or 22 football players or trying to co-ordinate a lot of action on a basketball court or hockey rink. Not to mention there are some very interesting characters involved in the fight world.

[milladrive]

Figured I'd give this thread new breath, since I hadn't contributed to it.

My favorite "baseball movies" are, in order...

1. A League Of Their Own
2. Eight Men Out
3. Bad News Bears
4. 61*
5. Soul Of The Game
6. Cobb
7. Pride Of The Yankees
8. The Stratton Story
9. Fear Strikes Out
10. Field Of Dreams


I've heard good things about the upcoming movie, Chasing 3000. I've also heard that Moneyball is about to go into film production.

[steelcurtain76]

Pride of the Yankees. Teresa Wright was so hot! Seriously, I am just a big Lou Gehrig fan and I enjoy reading or watching anything I can about him.

[Havana Slim]

When it comes to baseball movies, I don't trust myself to evaluate. I love 'em all. In fact the only one that seems corny and just plain bad is The Natural and I love watching it anyway. I'd mention my favorite, but every time I start typing a name, I change my mind.

[MarinersFan51]

i dont know about you guys, but i hated bad news bears, i hate the fact that they were so bad, and there attitudes werent funny at all. No body was ever that bad, and i hope no kid ever emulates what they saw on that movie.

Sandlot is by far my favourite movie and i watch it a lot, i liked major league jo bu was awsome lol. there are lots i havnt seen yet, but i plan on picking them up, the natural, the rookie, i havnt seen them. i havnt seen eight men out. I also loved 61*

[MATHA531]

Best: Pride of the Yankees

Honourable Mention: Bang the Drum Slowly

Worst: Babe Ruth Story. A travesty of a movie which by itself might have killed the Babe.

2nd worst: Well trying to answer this reminds me of the story of how the America's Cup got its name. Back during the 19th Century, there was this race between an American boat called the America and several British boats. Queen Victoria went down to the finish line to congratulate the winning British vessel. Suddenly, one of the ships came into view. Queen Victoria asked which of our ships is it? The person replied the American ship. Okay then, which of our ships is 2nd. The person held up his binoculars and said, "Your majesty, there is no 2nd."