Batter UP....! Great Baseball Movies

Angels in the Outfield (1995)

A young boy praying for a father and a struggling baseball team praying for a pennant learn to believe in themselves with some heavenly intervention. Directed by William Dear; starring Danny Glover, Tony Danza, Brenda Fricker. Rated PG. Remake of the 1951 film starring Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh, and Keenan Wynn.

The Babe (1992)

Entertaining version of the life of Babe Ruth, from his youth in Baltimore to his retirement from the game of baseball. Directed by Arthur Hiller; John Goodman, Kelly McGillis. Rated PG.

Bad News Bears (1976)

An aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league. Directed by Michael Ritchie; starring Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Vic Morrow. Rated PG. Followed by The Bad News Bears Breaking Training and The Bad News Bears Go to Japan. Remade in 2005 in a version starring Billy Bob Thornton.

Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)

An unlikely friendship ignites between two baseball players. One is the team's ace pitcher and social charmer; the other is the catcher, a farm boy from Georgia who lacks sophistication. During their last season together, the two men grow in manhood and respect for themselves and each other. Based on the novel by Mark Harris. Directed by John D. Hancock; starring Robert De Niro, Michael Moriarty, Vincent Gardenia. Rated PG. Originally produced for television in 1956, in a version starring Paul Newman and Albert Salmi.

Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (1994)

The definitive documentary of America's pastime, Baseball. Through a skillful blend of still photographs, film footage, interviews and voice-overs, the history of "The Game" is brought to life. Covering the period from the 1840's to 1994 (just before the strike), the high and low moments, heroes and villains are explored and examined, providing an in-depth, informative, and enthralling look at this truly American passion. Nine episodes. Produced and directed by Ken Burns, written by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns; narrated by John Chancellor. Not rated.

The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)

A group of independent renegade players travel around the Midwest looking for that big home run while playing baseball in the 1930's Negro League. Directed by John Badham; starring Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, Richard Pryor. Rated PG.

Bull Durham (1988)

Comedy about a romantic triangle involving two minor league baseball players and the team's unofficial trainer and handler. Directed by Ron Shelton; starring Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins. Rated R.

Cobb (1994)

A reporter hired to write the 'official' biography of Ty Cobb discovers just how dark the baseball legend's real story is. Directed by Ron Shelton; starring Tommy Lee Jones, Lolita Davidovich, Robert Wuhl. Rated R.

Damn Yankees! (1958)

Joe Boyd, an armchair athlete, would give anything to watch his sad-sack Washington Senators murder those invincible New York Yankees and grab the American League pennant--even sell his soul to the devil. The devil interferes in the fortunes of the failing baseball team. Based on the play by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, from Wallop's novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant. Directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen; starring Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston. Not rated.

Eight Men Out (1988)

Based on the real-life Chicago ‘Black Sox' scandal of 1919, the film tells the story of eight baseball players who plan to throw games for money, and the scorn and anger the scheme earned them. Directed by John Sayles; starring John Cusack, Clifton James, Michael Lerner. Rated PG.

The Fan (1996)

A rabid San Francisco Giants fan targets a $40 million player and a game becomes a matter of life and death. Directed by Tony Scott; starring Robert De Niro, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin. Rated R.

Fear Strikes Out (1957)

The story of Red Sox outfielder Jimmy Piersall, who overcame mental illness to become one of baseball's greats, with 17 major league seasons and a lifetime batting average of .272. Directed by Robert Mulligan; starring Anthony Perkins, Karl Malden, Norma Moore. Not rated.

Fever Pitch (2005)

According to Red Sox super-fan Ben Wrightman, finding romance is about as likely as his beloved team winning the World Series. But when Ben scores a beautiful new girlfriend, suddenly anything is possible. Directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly; starring Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon, Jason Spevack. Rated PG-13.

Field of Dreams (1989)

Ray Kinsella hears a voice, followed by a brief vision of a baseball field. He believes that if he builds a baseball diamond in his cornfield, Shoeless Joe Jackson from the infamous 1919 Chicago "Black" Sox will return to play baseball. Based on the book Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella. Written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson; starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones. Rated PG.

For Love of the Game (1999)

An aging baseball player, faced with the breakup of a relationship with his girlfriend, makes the most important decision of his life during the course of his last game. Directed by Sam Raimi; starring Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston, John C. Reilly. Rated PG-13.

Hardball (2001)

A down-on-his-luck gambler finds himself in debt to a dangerous loan shark. Desperate for cash, he reluctantly takes on the job of coaching a youth baseball team. The team turns out to be a ragtag group of tough-talking kids from Chicago's inner city. Now, as he must wrestle with his past, the kids start to teach him some lessons that will forever change his future. Directed by Brian Robbins; starring Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, John Hawkes. Rated PG-13.

It Happens Every Spring (1949)

A scientist discovers a formula that makes a baseball which is repelled by wood. He promptly sets out to exploit his discovery. Directed by Lloyd Bacon; starring Ray Milland, Jean Peters, Paul Douglas. Not rated.

The Jackie Robinson Story (1950)

Gives an autobiographical account of Robinson's journey through the Jim Crow sports establishment to baseball's major leagues. Robinson plays himself in a film that frames vignettes of racial prejudice against the personal courage of the first baseball player to break the color barrier in the Major Leagues. Directed by Alfred E. Green; starring Jackie Robinson, Ruby Dee, Louise Beavers. Not rated.

A League of Their Own (1992)

A washed-up ballplayer is hired to coach in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League while the male pros are at war in 1943, and finds himself drawn back into the game by the heart and heroics of his team. Directed by Penny Marshall; starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna. Rated PG.

Little Big League (1994)

An inspiring family comedy adventure about a boy's determination to put the fun back into baseball after inheriting the Minnesota Twins. Directed by Andrew Scheinman; starring Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Jason Robards. Rated PG.

Major League (1989)

The new woman owner of the Cleveland Indians wants to move the franchise to Florida, and her only chance is a losing year. So she signs a bunch of screwballs in hopes that they'll blow the season. Written and directed by David S. Ward; starring Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen. Rated R. Sequels include Major League II and Major League: Back to the Minors.

Mickey (2004)

When widowed attorney Tripp Spence finds himself wanted by the IRS, he and his young pitching sensation son Derrick change their appearance, assume new identities and flee to Las Vegas. Here Derrick becomes "Mickey" and Tripp enrolls him in a second final year of Little League. But as the nation, the government and a nervous Tripp watch, "Mickey" leads his team from the city championship all the way to the controversial final game of the Little League World Series. Directed by Hugh Wilson; starring Harry Connick, Jr., Shawn Salinas, Micelle Johnson. Rated PG.

Mr. Baseball (1992)

An arrogant and aging major league baseball player attempts to revive his career by signing to play in Japan. Directed by Fred Schepisi; starring Tom Selleck, Ken Takakura, Aya Takanashi. Rated PG-13.

Mr. Destiny (1990)

Unhappy Larry Burrows sees what his life could've been like, had he made that winning home run as a teenager. Directed by James Orr; starring James Belushi, Linda Hamilton, Jon Lovitz. Rated PG-13.

Mr. 3000 (2005)

Aging baseball star who goes by the nickname, Mr. 3000, finds out many years after retirement that he didn't quite reach 3,000 hits. Now at age 47 he's back to try and reach that goal. Directed by Charles Stone III; starring Bernie Mac, Paul Sorvino, Chris Noth. Rated PG-13.

The Natural (1984) (C/WMARS)

Nothing was going to stop Roy Hobbs from fulfilling his boyhood dream of baseball stardom. As a 14-year old he fashions a baseball bat from an oak tree. He soon impresses major league scouts with his ability. His talent also catches the eye of a sportswriter who eventually becomes instrumental in Hobbs' career. The appearance of a mysterious woman, however, shatters his dream. Years later Hobbs reappears as a rookie for the New York Knights and has an opportunity to share in their race for the pennant. Directed by Barry Levinson; starring Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close. Rated PG.

Perfect Game (2000)

Eleven-year-old Kanin has one dream, to be the best baseball player. Kanin is picked for a team only to discover the the coach thinks Kanin is one of the worst players and is using him as part of a bet. With new coaches the "Little League losers" soon feel like the champions they are. Directed by Dan Guntzelman; starring Edward Asner, Patrick Duffy, Cameron Finley. Not rated.

Pride of the Yankees (1942)

Lou Gehrig, the Yank's great first baseman and the son of poor immigrants, rose to heights of baseball fame -- only to be cut down at the peak of his career by an incurable illness known as ALS. Directed by Sam Wood; starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Walter Brennan. Not rated.

The Rookie (2002)

When a shoulder injury ended his minor league pitching career twelve years ago, Jim Morris resorted to the next best thing: coaching. But Jim's team, knowing their coach is a great ball player, makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, they want Jim to try out for a major-league organization. Going from worst to first, the team makes it to state, and Jim is forced to live up to his end of the deal. While there prove to be a lot of pitches to be thrown before he makes it off the mound, big-league dreams are revived, and there's no telling where he could go. Inspired by the real-life rookie, Jim Morris. Directed by John Lee Hancock; starring Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez. Rated G.

Rookie of the Year (1993) (C/WMARS)

When the cast is removed from his severely broken arm, a clumsy 12-year-old is shocked to find his arm has become a 100 mile-per-hour thunderbolt, and is signed as ace pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Directed by Daniel Stern; starring Thomas Ian Nicholas, Gary Busey, Dan Hedaya. Rated G.

The Sandlot (1993)

Scotty Smalls moves to a new neighborhood with his mom and stepdad, and wants to learn to play baseball. Directed by David Mickey Evans; starring Tom Guiry, Karen Allen, Denis Leary. Rated PG.

The Scout (1994) [Available through C/WMARS]

Desperate Yankees scout Al Percolo stumbles on the greatest baseball player he's ever seen, but the player's goofy behavior soon has Al fearing his dream recruit has a few screwballs loose. Directed by Michael Ritchie; starring Albert Brooks, Brendan Fraser, Dianne Wiest. Rated PG-13.

61* (2001) (C/WMARS)

Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, one was the Yankees' best loved players and the other was their most valuable. 1961 was about to be the summer that no one who loves baseball will ever forget. Both men find that they are approaching Babe Ruth's 1927 single-season 60 home-run record. Facing pressure from the media and the stands, both men know that there is only room for one winner. The fans make their choice, but the people's favorite isn't the favorite to win. Directed by Billy Crystal; starring Thomas Jane, Barry Pepper, Richard Masur. Not rated.

Summer Catch (2001) (C/WMARS)

America's two national pastimes, baseball and romance, are in play in this Bull Durham style comedy romance. Lawnboy Brian Dunne (Prinze) joins an elite Cape Cod summer league and falls for a vacationing Vassar grad (Biel). Her family, however, does not think him suitable. Directed by Michael Tollin; starring Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jessica Biel, Fred Ward. Rated PG-13.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) (C/WMARS)

The story of two baseball pros who moonlight as a song-and-dance team in the off-season. They both lose their hearts to the new female manager. Directed by Busby Berkeley; starring Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams, Gene Kelly. Not rated.

Tiger Town (1983)

Facing his final season with the Detroit Tigers baseball team, veteran outfielder Billy Young sees his dream of playing in the World Series slipping away. It takes the courage and boundless enthusiasm of a young Tigers' fan to rekindle the ballplayer's faith in himself. Written and directed by Alan Shapiro; starring Roy Scheider, Justin Henry, Ron McLarty. Not rated.

When It Was a Game (1991) (C/WMARS)

The video is composed entirely of 8 and 16mm home movie footage taken by baseball fans and the players themselves between 1934 and 1957. Narrated by Peter Kessler. Not rated. Sequel: When It Was a Game 2 (1992).

 

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• Baseball Movies

Updated 10/09

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