As passionate as we are for everyhting we cover here on Hypable, you might be surprised at how big of baseball fans some of us are. Tomorrow’s release of 42 has us very excited, and with that in mind, here’s our list of our top 10 baseball movies.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, baseball was the most widely played sport in America. Because of the long history and emotional connection Americans have with baseball, it’s been a popular subject in the film industry. Baseball films are all snapshots of America in each of the respective films’ time period – and when these many films are compared overall, viewers can easily see how American society has changed over time through the constant of baseball.
Although all of us at Hypable love our fandoms, TV shows, and superheroes, many of us are also avid baseball fans (the two collaborators on this piece – Louie Schuth and Kristin LeMunyon – are Twins and Nationals fans, respectively). The ranking of the films below were determined by vote from the Hypable writers and contributors – and we think the films below are the best baseball movies you should watch – or watch again!
10. ‘Eight Men Out’ (1988)
Centered around the earlier and one of the darker days of baseball, Eight Men Out focuses on the Black Sox Scandal of 1919.
Set in Post-World War I Chicago, the audience is taken back to a time where the country listened to games via the radio and baseball legends such as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson ruled the field (not to mention that, as stated in the film, the Civil War was fought only 60 years prior). When members (played by David Strathairn, Charlie Sheen, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Clifton James, and D. B. Sweeney) of the Chicago White Sox are upset by how much they’re underpaid right before the World Series, eight White Sox players agree to fix the Series in exchange for receiving $10,000 each – mind you, their salaries were about $6,000 in 1919.
Although all eight Sox players involved with the fix were found not guilty, they were all banned from the MLB for life, hence “eight men out.” With eight men not on the 1920 White Sox roster, the team fell to seventh place the following year and it wouldn’t be until 2005 that they’d win another World Series.
With a superb cast and an intriguing plot, Eight Men Out is a fantastic film that highlights politics in the early days of baseball.
9. ‘Bull Durham’ (1988)
In baseball films, it’s often the case that the romantic B-Plot is a distraction to the story you’re invested in, but in Bull Durham it sucks you in just as much.
Bull Durham is a movie that is as true to the spirit of baseball as any other. The story revolves around Crash Davis (Kevin Costner), a twelve-year minor league veteran catcher who gets sent to down the single-A (a lower division of minor league baseball) to teach “Nuke” LaLoosh, a young man who can throw as good as anyone, how to pitch. Davis and LaLoosh clearly don’t like each other, but the film shines when they get past their feelings and Davis gets through to LaLoosh. Davis’ varied and repetitive lessons are written with the strength that it’s easy to see that they’re infallible.
Bull Durham‘s strong B-Plot centers around Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon). Annie dates one Bulls player per season, and she decides the two most viable candidates are Davis and LaLoosh. Davis wants nothing to do with her, so she and LaLoosh get together, but as the movie goes on it is easy to see she and Davis are much more compatible.
Bull Durham is an accurate portrayal of the ups and downs – with more downs than ups – that minor league baseball is.
8. ‘The Rookie’ (2002)
Upon hearing The Rookie‘s plot, you’d never guess it’s a true story, but it is.
The Rookie is the story of Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid). The ultimate Cinderella story, Jim Morris fought the odds handed to him by his military family and made his way to becoming a professional baseball player before tearing up his shoulder and being forced to retire. Flash forward and Morris is a high school science teacher and coach of the Big Lake Owls. In an attempt to get the Owls to try to play better, Morris makes a deal with them that if they win the championship, he’ll go to a major league tryout – something they think he needs to do. He’s pitched to them and they think he has major league stuff, but he refuses to see it. The Owls do win the championship and Morris is forced to go to a nearby tryout. He throws twelve consecutive 98 MPH fastballs, and the team (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) is forced to sign him despite his age being laughable. Morris fights his way through the minor leagues with the grind almost breaking him before finally making it to the majors.
Dennis Quaid’s acting is the shining presence in this would-be formulaic tale. If it weren’t for the assurance of the true story, the bad team finally winning and old guy finally realizing his dreams cliche’s would seem to prevalent. Nevertheless, the tale is a true one, and that makes it moving.
7. ‘Major League’ (1989)
Major League may not be a good movie, but it’s a fun one.
You’d be hard pressed to find a character in Major League with any depth – they’re all cartoon characters. Major League knows this and plays it for all it’s worth. Rickie Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) is “Wild Thing,” a pitcher with no control until he gets glasses – then he’s an ace. Willie Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes) is fast, but he can’t hit. Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert) is a dangerous power hitter, but can’t hit a curveball. He also practices voodoo, which is surprisingly common among baseball movies regarding how doubtful it is that voodoo practicing baseball players actually exist. There are many similar examples, and these make the movie fun, not good. It’s like a Saturday morning cartoon if Saturday morning cartoons were ’80s R-rated comedies.
Major League suffers from a very forgettable B-Plot. Where Bull Durham makes you care about the romantic subplot, Major League assumes you do. It’s poorly contrived, boring, and a distraction. It adds nothing.
The highlight of the movie is perhaps real-life baseball announcer Bob Ueker as drunken play-by-play announcer Harry Doyle. Ueker’s one-liners are the movie’s most memorable elements. “Just a bit outside” (see video) is the movie’s most famous scene.
6. ‘Angels in the Outfield’ (1994)
A re-make of the 1951 film, the 1994 film Angels in the Outfield deserves a soft spot for any kid who watched this classic film growing up.
Clearly fictional, Angels in the Outfield centers around a kid in a foster home, Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who enjoys sneaking into Angels’ games with his buddy, J.P. (Milton Davis, Jr.). When Roger’s father, whom he has little contact with, tells him that they’d be able to live together again “when the Angels win the pennant,” Roger takes his father’s words quite literally and prays to God to help the Angels. The next game Roger watches, he sees “Angels in the outfield” helping the players to win. Led by the angel Al (Christopher Lloyd), the Angels suddendly have a surge of wins and climb the ladder quickly to the top of their division.
With rumors starting to fly about heavenly angels helping out the baseball team, fingers are pointed and manager George Knox (Danny Glover) almost loses his job. But, with the ball players having faith and supporting Knox, he’s able to keep his job – and work harder to win games without help from Al and his gang.
Angels in the Outfield is a feel-good film that highlights the “magic” of baseball, as well as how adorable Joseph Gordon-Levitt was as a child.
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