There have been many Sports movies made over the last 40 years. Many more football and baseball movies than any other sports. We've compiled a list of the top ten best baseball movies of all-time. Did your favorite baseball movie make our list?

 

10. Rookie of the Year

 Photo of Henry Rowengartner from Rookie of the Year.

This movie will likely not appeal to the adult audience. The idea for most dads, however, is to get their sons interested in the game that they love; baseball. This movie will certainly do the trick. The movie presents Henry Rowengartner, a little leaguer who abruptly breaks his arm. By some fluke in the healing process, Henry is now able to throw a 100 MPH fastball and is scouted by the Chicago Cubs, his favorite team. He debuts for the Cubs and becomes Major League Baseball's hottest ticket. This is a great family film, starring Gary Busey, John Candy, Daniel Stern and Thomas Ian Nicholas.

 

 

 

9. The Sandlot

 Photo of the cast from The Sandlot.

This movie debuted around the same time as 'Rookie of the Year' but presents a much more believable plot. You'll meet Scotty Smalls, the new kid in the neighborhood who meets new friends that teach him to play a new game. It provides a hysterical look at a group of nine preteens during the best summer of their lives, set in the 1950's. Starring James Earl Jones and Denis Leary.

 

 

 

 

8. Summer Catch

 Photo of the cast from the movie Summer Catch.

This is the first movie that I know of to ever document the famous 'Cape Cod Baseball League', a summer league for college baseball's best prospects. Freddie Prinze Jr. plays Ryan Dunn, a local pitcher/lawn boy who falls in love with a rich girl that is visiting Cape Cod for the Summer. With a checkered past, Ryan doesn't have much room for any more screw ups before his shot at the Minor Leagues is blown. The humor is fun and clean and the girlfriend/wife will for sure love it too! Also starring Jessica Biel, Fred Ward and Matthew Lillard.

 

 

 

7. Major League 

 Photo of the cast from the movie Major League.

This is the funniest and most quotable baseball movie out there. Major League satirizes the late 80's Cleveland Indians who were very comparable to today's Pittsburgh Pirates. With the death of the Indian's owner, his ex-showgirl wife inherits the team. She has a motive to construct a baseball team so poor on talent that she would be able to move the team to Miami (pre Marlins). The movie's ;anguage is vulgar, making it much funnier and more realistic than the other two Major League sequels. Starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Wesley Snipes.

 

 

 

6. A League of Their Own

 Photo of the cast from A League Of Their Own.

Tons of big movie stars in this one. With the World War posing a threat to Major League Baseball, a businessman starts a women's baseball league complete with beautiful women in short skirts in hopes of luring male fans. Tom Hanks plays a former baseball great turned alcoholic who is asked to manage one of the teams. Starring Tom Hanks, Jon Lovitz, Madonna, Geena Davis and Rosie O'Donnell.

 

 

 

5. Eight Men Out

 Photo of the cast from "Eight Men Out".

A remarkable movie that documents the 1919 World Series when eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the World Series. Jewish gangster Arnold Rothstein helped supply the the funds for the operation, while a White Sox first baseman was considered the mastermind of the plan. While all parties were found not guilty, Major League Baseball had other plans of fate for these eight players. This movie is a must see. It was the 1919 World Series that led Major League Baseball to be so harsh towards Pete Rose (Cincinnati Reds) and his baseball gambling in the 1980's. Keep in mind, that this movie is slow and without a ton of action but quality acting. Starring John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Charlie Sheen and Michael Lerner.

 

 

 

 

4. The Natural

 Photo of Robert Redford from the movie "The Natural".

Starring Robert Redford and Robert Duvall. This is an underdog story about a middle-aged man with an unknown past. Redford appears out of nowhere to lead a losing baseball team to prowess. 'The Natural' is essentially the baseball version of "Invincible", a movie documenting the football career of Vince Papale of the Philadelphia Eagles. Many people say 'The Natural' was loosely based on baseball players Mickey Mantle and Eddie Waitkus.

 

 

 

 

3. Soul of the Game

 Photo of the cast from the movie "Soul of the Game".

"Soul of the Game" is my favorite baseball movie, but I cannot list it as number one.  It documents the three greatest Negro baseball players of the era; Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson who at the time were not allowed to play in the Major Leagues due to the unwritten "Gentleman's Agreement". Scouts see a lot of promise in Robinson, a young military hero that had also played college football. And while Gibson and Paige are outstanding players capable of playing in the Major Leagues, Satchel is getting old and Gibson has a mental illness.  Starring Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson and Blair Underwood.

 

 

 

 

2. 61* 

 Photo of Thomas Jane from the movie "61*".

This Billy Crystal masterpiece documents the season in which both Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris threatened to break Babe Ruth's single season home run record. While Mantle and Maris were both friends instead of rivals, New York Yankees fans had room in their hearts for only one them.  Starring Thomas Jane and Barry Pepper.

 

 

 

1. Field of Dreams

 Photo of the farm from the movie "Field of Dreams".

A novice Iowa farmer has been hearing voices leading him to believe he should use his farmland to construct a baseball field. While he is not financially fit to do so, he continues with the project anyway. He then seeks out a reclusive Boston author to help him understand the voices he has been hearing. The movie also references the characters portrayed in another baseball movie, "Eight Men Out". While this is a wonderful family movie, it will appeal the most to adult baseball fans. The neatest thing outside of the movie is that the field from the movie exists and you can visit it in Iowa.

 

 

Baseball movies not worth your time.

  • The Bad News Bears (Billy Bob Thornton Version) - Had it's funny parts. Hard to out-shine Walter Matthau, star of the original Bad New Bears series. Thornton is basically playing the same character he plays in the movie 'Bad Santa'.
  • Major League 3: Back to the Minors - An unrealistic portrayal of life in the Minor Leagues. Watch the movie 'Bull Durham' for a more accurate portrayal. Features none of the characters from the original Major League movie. Not nearly as funny as the first two Major League movies.
  • Mr. 3000 - Bernie Mac as a baseball player? Terrible. Enough said.
  • Cobb - This movie had a lot of potential. Had they based it more on the legend of Ty Cobb rather than his life as an old man, the movie would more than likely have been a top ten baseball movie on everyone's list. Has tons of bad language and its share of funny parts. I really hope Ty Cobb wasn't this big of a bigot and that Tommy Lee Jones was exaggerating the character like Hollywood commonly does.

 

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