Top Ten Must See Baseball Movies Before You…

This is my top ten list of the most important Baseball Movies you must watch before you…well you know. It didn’t take much for me to put this list together, just looked through the collections of my friends and myself and picked the top ten best sports movies of all-time.

Here’s the list:

1. Field of Dreams
2. The Natural
3. Eight Men Out
4. The Sandlot
5. Rookie of the Year
6. Major League
7. Little Big League
8. Angels in the Outfield
9. Baseball: Ken Burns Documentary
10. Bull Durham

Field of Dreams starts off the list of Top Ten Must See Baseball Movies Before You… A simple concept surrounds the entire premise of the movie: “If you build it, he will come.” Sounds like pretty easy instructions. Build a baseball field and the ‘players’ will show up. Not bad. The movie was released in 1989 and was adapted from the book Shoeless Joe, written by W.P. Kinsella. The cast is headed up by Kevin Costner who plays Ray Kinsella, a farmer who is persuaded into building a field on his farm by a mysterious voice. That voice, belonging to Shoeless Joe Jackson, is played by Ray Liotta. The pure lure of the film is why it sits atop my Top Ten list. Being an enormous baseball fan, Field of Dreams opens my imagination and throws the sport into the mix as well. Anyone wishing to see a classic baseball flick but doesn’t know what to rent, go after this one. Hands down, the best baseball movie known to mankind.

Second on the list is another movie adapted originally from a novel. This time it is the fictional story of Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) in The Natural. The book was published in 1952 by Bernard Malamud and the movie was released in 1984. Hobbs is on a mission to make it as a professional baseball player receiving a tryout with the Chicago Cubs as a pitcher. He becomes involved with a woman who shoots him in the abdomen in his hotel room. After his recovery, 16 years later, he helps a fictional National League team, the New York Knights, obtain success. In my opinion, the shooting is based on a true story of former Phillie, Cub, and Oriole, Eddie Waitkus. He was shot early in his career by an adoring fan named Ruth Ann Steinhagen in a hotel in Chicago. Many believe this is where Malamud got the idea for his book. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie you are surely missing out on an important piece of baseball history.

The third movie on my Top Ten list is Eight Men Out. Based on the 1919 scandal that rocked the World Series and baseball across the country, it deals with the playoffs, the Series, the fix, and the subsequent trial of the players involved. The players are not fined or put in jail, as the judge dismisses the case, but the commissioner of baseball, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, bans the men from baseball for life. The movie, also based on a novel, was released in 1988. The novel was written by Eliot Asinof in 1963. The movie stars John Cusack, John Mahoney, Charlie Sheen, John Anderson and Christopher Lloyd.

Movie number four on the Top Ten list is The Sandlot. The movie was released in 1993 and is quite possibly one of the best baseball movies from a comedic standpoint. It wasn’t as serious a movie as the top three on this list and it isn’t a complete joke either. The movie blends a good amount of laughs with lessons learned from start to the very finish, when the viewer sees the two main characters taking part in a Los Angeles Dodgers game. The only two recognizable names in the flick are James Earl Jones and Denis Leary. There have been two sequels to the original so far, none living up to the expectations of the first film. A third sequel is due out sometime in 2008 and will joins the ranks of the previous two, heading direct-to-video.

We are half-way home as we hit the number five movie on my Top Ten list. It is Rookie of the Year. This movie never gets old. It seems to be funnier everytime I watch it as well. A young kid breaks his arm and realizes he can throw close to 100 mph. He then plays for the Cubs and wins a World Series…only a fictional Cubs team can win a World Series. If you like movies where the little guy wins…they you have to see Rookie of the Year.

Number six on this countdown is Major League. Chock full of major league jokes and one-liners, this movie is one of the funniest involving baseball in history. The broadcast booth is manned by veteran play caller Bob Uecker of the Milwaukee Brewers, who plays Harry Doyle in the movie. Ask anyone about this movie and they instantly begin quoting lines from Doyle, the lovable broadcaster with a sarcastic tone.

Seven…this spot is reserved for Little Big League. Every kids’ dream…to become a big league ballplayer. But what if you became the owner of the Minnesota Twins and then hired yourself as manager of the team? I’m sure not many kids could say that they dream of being a manager while still in grade school. This movie has cameos by Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Lou Piniella. Former Major Leaguer Kevin Elster has a larger role in the film, as a member of the Twins.

Eight…Angels in the Outfield…The very first remake of the original movie is the best of the series without a doubt. All the others aren’t worth seeing. The original version was released in 1951. The movie we are focusing on for this list is headed by Christopher Lloyd as the main angel, this movie is about having faith in your home team and believing that miracles can happen. This movie is always a good pick-me-up if needed.

The ninth movie on my list is yes, sorry, a documentary. One of the best documentaries about baseball to be honest. Directed by Ken Burns, it is simply titled Baseball: Ken Burns Documentary. It is divided into nine VHS tapes or DVDs; obviously nine innings. It focuses on the history of the game, records, stars, teams, popular figures, and prominent figures from throughout the game. It is a must-see movie for any serious baseball fan. If you only follow the sport a couple of times a year than this isn’t for you. But if you are like me and can’t get enough baseball year-round, then this is a must-have movie in your collection.

The tenth and final movie on my countdown is the classic Bull Durham. Yet another baseball movie starring Kevin Costner, who is joined by Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. The movie focuses on an up and coming pitcher in the minors and the veteran catcher who is given the assignment of making sure the pitcher keeps a level head and improves his game before he heads to the majors. One of the reasons I list this movie at number ten on the top ten list is because of Sarandon’s character. I didn’t like it. I thought it ruined the movie. I don’t care that she has an affair with the players, I just want the storyline to be about baseball, nothing else. I found her character annoying. I apologize to any of you Annie Savoy fans out there.

Well, there it is. My top ten list of baseball movies you must see before you…I hope that some of these flicks are your favorites as well. If you haven’t seen one or more of these movies then you need to get to work.

Honorable Mention: When It Was A Game, 61*, Bleacher Bums, For The Love of The Game, The Fan, The Rookie, A League of Their Own and The Scout.