Top 5 List: Best Baseball Movies

April 27th, 2007 in Top 5 List

You won’t see Bull Durham or Field of Dreams on the list, sorry Kevin Costner fans.

Number 5: Bang the Drum Slowly: 1973 tearjerker that can bring a grown man to cry (of course not Frank the Tank). Stars Robert De Niro in what Al Pacino cites as his favorite movie. Interesting fact is that De Niro got the role after Pacino backed out of the film because he landed the part in what became his legendary ‘Godfather’ role Michael Corleone.

Number 4: The Pride of the Yankees: 1942 Biopic in which Gary Cooper plays legend Lou Gehrig. Was nominated for Ten Oscars. Voted #38 in the American Film Institute list of the 100 greatest movie quotes of all time. Yankee legend Babe Ruth has a small part as himself in the film. Another tearjerker.

Number 3: Eight Men Out: Great look at the 1919 Chicago White Sox and the gambling scandal that shook up the baseball world. The film was released in 1988 and stars, among others, John Cusack.

Number 2: The Bad News Bears: 1976 film in which Walter Matthau plays Morris Buttermaker an alcoholic ex professional player. Shows obsessed parents and their desire re-live their youths through their children. Great movie that in all its politically incorrectness in today’s day and age really still hits the mark.

Number 1: The Natural: As cheesy as the movie is, and yes it is cheesy, the movie delivers on so many levels. The epic score throughout the movie and Robert Redford’s portrayal of Roy Hobbs are truly memorable. What I think really makes this movie is that Redford really looks like a baseball player and can swing a bat. The movie, originally in the theaters in 1984, was reissued this month on DVD with bonus scenes and goodies like a New York Knights cap. I recommend the Collectors Edition if you are a fan of this movie.

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