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Baseball has been America’s pastime for well over a century. There is something truly unique about the sport of baseball. It evokes emotions that not all sports can evoke (which is likely why it is America’s pastime and it’s not, say, football). These emotions are felt deeply by not only the players themselves but their fans as well.
While playing and watching baseball games is undeniably a unique and thrilling experience, these aren’t the only ways baseball has entertained us over the years: baseball films have as well.
There are countless cinematic masterpieces that are baseball-themed that have been enjoyed by families near and far for years. So, we have decided to make a list of the seven greatest baseball movies of all time! Put down our baseball bags, lounge on the couch, and grab some popcorn.
7. The Bad News Bears (1976)
Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau) is an ex-minor leaguer and alcoholic, who is forced to coach a little league team. In a haphazard manner, he creates a baseball team of misfit youth. The first game the team played was an immediate failure, as “The Bears” let 26 runs score and executed 0 outs!
Buttermaker then took on the tenacious yet talented Amanda Whurlitzer (Tatum O’Neal) as the team’s pitcher. Then, Buttermaker starts whipping the “Bad News Bears” into shape– and what ensues truly impressed all those in the league and its spectators.
6. Major League (1989)
The Cleveland Indians, which are in laughably low standings in the MLB, are handed over to a new owner, Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton). Phelps, however, has no intention of bettering the team because, if the team’s ticket sales plummet enough, she can move the team from Cleveland to sunny Miami. With her goal in mind, she purposefully hires low-caliber baseball players, like the wild, practically blind pitcher Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) and injury-prone catcher Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger).
However, the team bands its questionable collection of players together and miraculously gains momentum, despite Phelps’ every move to stop them– and some of them were downright “evil.” Hilarity ensues throughout this underdog story along with romance, camaraderie, and drama!
5. The Natural (1984)
“The Natural” is a film based on the novel by Barry Levinson of the same name. “The Natural” portrays the story of Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) who was a “natural” at playing baseball. Hobbs had been shot and injured while on the way to try out for the Chicago Cubs, which took him out of the game for a long time. After 16 years, Hobbs chooses to return to professional baseball. He winds up joining the New York Knights as a rookie, who are in last place in the League.
Pop Fisher (Wilford Brimley) is the manager of the team and wasn’t supportive of taking on Hobbs from the start, but Hobbs quickly proves himself against all odds and eventually becomes one of the best players in the league.
4. The Sandlot (1993)
“The Sandlot” tells the tale of a group of neighborhood children who play baseball on the neighborhood sandlot. Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) joins the crew after moving into the neighborhood. Throughout the film, the spirited children go on all kinds of adventures, the sandlot being the main setting of their debauchery.
The children improve their game and relationships, but the highlight of the film was when Smalls stole his father’s precious Babe Ruth-signed baseball to play with his friends, which leads the children to face off with a notoriously aggressive dog!
3. Moneyball (2011)
The Oakland A’s have been a down-and-out team for several seasons. Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is the general of the Oakland A’s and wants the best for his team, but can’t do much with a tight budget. Suddenly, he has an epiphany that the Major League has it all wrong: trading and acquiring players comes down to mathematics and nothing more.
Beane takes on Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) to assist him in stocking their roster with budget-friendly “flawed” players to create a dream team.
2. A League of Their Own (1992)
Professional baseball players were slim to none during WWII as most of them were fighting in the war. However, to keep morale high in the country and keep baseball thriving, an all-female baseball league sprouted up in the Midwest during that time.
“A League of Their Own” follows the Rockford Peaches in this league, who are managed by a grumpy, alcoholic Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks). The main characters are rivaled sisters Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty), among other charismatic notables, like Doris Murphy (Rosie O’Donnell) and Mae Mordabito (Madonna). Based on a true story, this film is enjoyable for all as it is heartfelt, thrilling, and hilarious.
1.Field of Dreams (1989)
“If you build it, he will come.” The classic film “Field of Dreams” easily slips into our number one baseball film of all time. Ray (Kevin Costner), a farmer in Iowa, hears that precise quote from a mysterious voice one evening, which then propels him to construct a baseball diamond. By doing such, he attracts some of the greatest baseball players’ ghosts to appear and play ball on his field, including “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.
Baseball can inspire us in more ways than playing and watching– baseball-themed movies can do so, too.
When you’re looking to enjoy your favorite game and inspire others with your own baseball story, be sure to equip yourself with the best baseball bags, bats, gloves, and other equipment to make it happen. Browse all of our baseball bags and other gear today and get one step closer to having a baseball film based on you!
