There are many choices out there for favorite baseball movie. Some movies are more realistic as far as the baseball scenes. Some rely more on the storyline to carry the movie. And some are just outright oblivious to the true physics and strategies of the sport. (Updated)
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All baseball movies aren’t created equal. There are ones that strike a deeper chord for baseball fans like Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, and For Love of the Game (yes, all three starring Kevin Costner) for their ability to portray the game in a believable way. Of course Field of Dreams goes to another place entirely with its portrayal of old-time ballplayers coming back to play after they have left the earth. But it is still believable that a ballplayer wants to continue playing, even after death.
The other movies have a quality that gives you a sense of how it would be if you were on the field. Other movies that share that quality are Eight Men Out, The Battered Bastards of Baseball, and Million Dollar Arm.
Then there are those pictures that led with a lead character, and you got to see the game through their point of view. The Pride of the Yankees, 42, Sugar, The Jackie Robinson Story, The Pride of St Louis, The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, and Cobb are some of the movies that take the game from a specific player’s perspective.
Movies for children are also available with baseball at its core. Some of these are not for younger kids, but with parental guidance, and maybe knowing when a part may be too much for the child, you can watch with most kids at an age when they are starting to get interested in the game. Some of the favorites in this category are The Sandlot series, The Perfect Game, Angels in the Outfield (1994 or 1951 versions), Little Big League, Rookie of the Year, The Bad News Bears series (again parental guidance suggested), The Rookie, The Kid From Left Field, and Hardball.
Some baseball movies deal with the game from the inside. Movies like Long Gone, Moneyball, 61* and Trouble With the Curve give you an insight as far as what goes on behind the scenes as well as on the field.
There are also some very good comedies that have a baseball theme. Most are short on the realism that some of the other movies provide, but they are believable enough. The Major League series, Bingo Long Traveling All-Star & Motor Kings, Mr. 3000, A League of Their Own
Very serious movies were made as well. The Fan, Fear Strikes Out, Bang The Drum Slowly and Pastime were some of the more familiar ones.
And finally there are those that have a touch of romance with your dash of baseball. Mr. Baseball and Fever Pitch are ones that stand out.
Next: Prospect Watch-Phil Bickford
There are several more movies with baseball as its core storyline, but there aren’t enough choices on the poll question to have every single one. Below are ten choices to pick from, so what is your favorite baseball movie?