Baseball has been such a big part of America for so many years that naturally it has made its way into many different parts of our culture. I enjoyed many different baseball movies as a young child and the following is a brief collection that I would highly recommend to many. These movies are in no particular order. Please do not take this as a ranking of the best movies ever as I would not try to judge their "greatness" amongst the competition. The following is a list that I would recommend taking in if you have some spare time this summer.
The Sandlot:
The Sandlot is a great comedy that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. While I enjoyed this movie so much as a young child, I find myself still occasionally watching this classic. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by parents and kids together and therefore a classic for the whole family to enjoy. This comedy is set in a small American neighborhood where the new kid, Scotty Smalls, moves in and is introduced by his new friends to the beloved sport of baseball. Smalls soon learns a how to play and develops a love for the game fueled by his new found friendship. Directed by David Evans this 1993 film is one to be enjoyed by the whole family. James Earl Jones plays a relatively small part but is a big part of the movie as he teaches the young boys a lifelong lesson. If you or your kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews haven't seen this American classic I recommend taking it in this summer.
Major League:
This 1989 comedy is focused around the struggling Cleveland Indians and the possible termination of a major league team in Cleveland. Directed by David Ward this baseball classic features some now big name actors such as Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, and Rene Russo. The team discovers the plot to put them all out of work and they use that as motivation to start winning. Led by the team's catcher, Tom Berenger who plays Jake Taylor, the team is able to put together a winning streak that puts them into contention for a title. But don't let me ruin this great movie, if you haven't seen it I recommend taking this one in. Not to be confused with the movies sequel, Major League II, this baseball classic is a must see for all baseball fans. If you haven't seen this classic from 1989 I would highly recommend seeing it.
Field of Dreams:
So Major League was not the only great baseball movie to come out of 1989. Field of Dreams is often referred to as not only the greatest baseball movie ever, but one of the greatest movies of all time. The majority of this movie takes place in the corn fields of Iowa where farmer, Ray Kinsella played by Kevin Costner, decides to build a baseball field in the middle of his ground. The field destroys a major part of his corn crop not to mention his farm but he is determined to listen to the voices he has heard. Ok, so I will admit that it does sound a bit crazy but trust me, this is truly one of the greatest movies ever. I would highly recommend this one to all of your friends who are baseball fans, but if their any kind of baseball fan, I can about guarantee that they have already seen it. Kevin Costner with James Earl Jones combines to make this truly an American masterpiece. While the plot is a bit difficult to explain in words, without sounding completely crazy that is, just believe me when I say that if you haven't seen this one, you need to soon. Kevin Costner's character Ray Kinsella is facing the bank who owns the Mortgage to his farm. Facing hard times Ray can not afford to loose a large part of his farm to a Baseball field. Defying all recommendations he eventually builds the field and is astonished at what it brings to him. Truly a masterpiece directed by Phil Alden Robinson this is a must see for any baseball fan. If you haven't seen Field of Dreams make sure you do soon.
Rookie of the Year:
One of my personal favorites from childhood is none other than the 1993 film, Rookie of the Year. I will be the first to admit that this may not be the very best baseball film ever but it certainly is one of my all time favorites. In this movie, far from any sense of reality, young Henry Rowengartner finds himself involved in an accident that breaks his right arm. After the bone is set and the cast is removed he comes away from it all with a spring like action in his throwing arm that yields a fastball virtually un-hittable. After the discovery of this powerful arm Rowengartner finds himself in a Chicago Cubs uniform pitching in the major leagues. This is a clever and fun comedy that is surely one for the whole family to enjoy. If you have not seen Rookie of the Year, it would be a good movie to take in.
Angels in the Outfield:
Last but certainly not least on my list of the greatest baseball movies of all time is one final childhood favorite, Angels in the Outfield. In his family favorite from 1994 Roger and his kid friend J.P. are invited to be guests at an Angels game. It is at this game where he becomes a friend of the teams head coach George Knox played by Danny Glover. Glover is convinced that as long as he keeps the kids around, his players are being helped by angels sent down from heaven because of a childhood prayer sent up to heaven from Roger. Knox keeps the boys around long enough to help the Angels make it into the playoffs and from there the team has to do it all on their own. This is another comedy that can be enjoyed by the whole family and is certainly a must see. Angels in the Outfield is one of my favorites.
Well there is a short collection of my favorite movies. After compiling this list I realized that most of them go all the way back to my childhood but they are certainly some American classics. I know that there are many great baseball movies that did not make my list. These are simply a few of my favorites. If you haven't seen them, I would highly recommend them.
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