10 - Rookie of the Year. A bit of a sentimental choice, as I showed up for the extra call at Wrigley Field when they filmed this. I was also at the doubleheader when they did some shooting between games for some scenes where they needed a full stadium. It was a fun experience. And the film itself? Well, it’s kind of a kid’s movie, really, but a pretty well-done kid’s movie.
9 - Eight Men Out. I might have ranked it higher if it didn’t take itself so seriously. But still, it’s a good historical account of the 1919 “Black Sox” scandal, filled with terrific performances.
8 - The Bad News Bears (original). I was 12 years old when this came out, the perfect age to enjoy all the booger jokes and the dirty-but-not-really language, and still get caught up in the underdogs-overcome story line. I admit I haven’t seen this film in many years, and I’m not sure how well it would stand up through adult eyes, but fond memories from my childhood have earned it a spot on the list.
7 - 61*. I really enjoyed this made-for-HBO story of the 1961 home run race between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Mantle was the fan favorite who was supposed to break Babe Ruth’s record, but Maris had the nerve to challenge the record as well. Lots of believable interactions between the players and some real tension.
6 - Cobb. Tommy Lee Jones’s performance is what makes this movie, about the biggest son-of-a-bitch in Baseball history. You end up really caring about him, even as you can’t stand the guy. Brilliant.
5 - A League of Their Own. “There’s no crying in Baseball!” is one of the greatest lines in movie history. Tom Hanks almost steals the show, but the terrific chemistry between Geena Davis and Lori Petty as sisters and teammates is the true heart of the film. You can really buy the on-field scenes too. And don’t worry about Madonna and Rosie. They don’t ruin it too much.
4 - The Natural. I know, I criticized Eight Men Out for taking itself too seriously, and The Natural is guilty of that several times over. But it’s also a big, sweeping epic of a Baseball film, and if you let it, it will take you for a grand and moving ride. The final scene, with the exploding lights and the fireworks, is so over-the-top you can’t help but get sucked in.
3 - Major League. Predictable? Sure. Silly? At times. It’s a comedy about a ragtag bunch of losers and has-beens who overcome adversity to – here it comes – win. But maybe the best thing about it is that it never tries to be anything more than it is. It’s a raucous good time at the movies that actually manages to feel a little like a raucous good time at the ball park. …And you gotta love Charlie Sheen and that haircut!
2 - Field of Dreams. “If you build it, he will come.” Everybody in the world knows that line (or perhaps a mis-quoted version of it). This does lay the sap on a little thick, but there’s enough humor to balance it out. And Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, and James Earl Jones – especially James Earl Jones – really manage to sell it. You’re not really a Baseball fan if Jones’s final speech doesn’t stir something in you. (Side note: the Field in Dyersville, Iowa is still open to the public; it surely won’t be forever. Get there if you can. You won’t be sorry.)
1 - Bull Durham. I once heard somebody say that Bull Durham is a chick flick disguised as a Baseball movie. Bull, I say. The most interesting relationship in this film is the one between the two guys. Tim Robbins and Kevin Costner knock it out of the park (sorry) as the kid on his way up and the veteran on his way out. Every note of their growing and grudging friendship rings perfectly true. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to throw a hot Susan Sarandon into the mix too. The Baseball scenes, though sometimes exaggerated, feel right on the money. The supporting cast is a hoot, especially Robert Wuhl as Larry the harried coach, and there are plenty of real laugh-out-loud moments in here. It’s a comedy, and a good one, but it runs a good deal deeper than it first appears.
(Yeah, I did already happen to have that list at the ready: http://baseballtrips.net/jan_2009.htm)
