Play Ball: Seven Essential Baseball Films

Published by The Editor at October 22, 2012

Football has replaced Baseball as our national past time but not in the world of film. It’s still the drama of explosive home runs and heart breaking strike outs. The time between the at bats is filled with philosophy, comedy and probably too much sentimentality. But that is baseball.

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Field of Dreams

This movie is not as much about baseball but about what baseball means to us. The thread through generations– the language of fathers and sons. The disappointments and hopes of the game are all metaphor for our relationships. The film sometimes teeters on the edge of cheesey (and even dives right in at a few points) but overall it’s hard to watch this film and not want to call your dad.

Watch the trailer below or on YouTube.

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Bad News Bears

Every little league has them– the gang of rag tag no talents and the coach who really doesn’t want to be there. It’s also the team that has the most fun. Fun is what little league should be about and it’s worth more than any trophy.

Scroll down to watch the trailer or click here to see it on YouTube.

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Bull Durham

Maybe the best baseball film ever. The professional with respect for the game but limited talent is forced to tutor the classless air head with god given abilities. Not to mention the fact that the incredibly sexy and baseball obsessed Annie Savoy is every fans’ idea of the perfect women. She believes in the church of baseball.

Watch the trailer below or click here to see it on YouTube.

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Sandlot

If your were lucky enough to learn baseball on a sandlot this is the movie for you. An adultless world of long games cursing and an introduction to ball busting. All kids have to deal with their version of the beast and maybe it plays better in our memories than it ever really was.

Watch the trailer below or on YouTube.

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League Of Their Own

What kind of man would enjoy a movie about the first female professional baseball league ? All of them. It has all the baseball movie touchstones, team work, personal sacrifice and excessive alcohol. The line ”There’s no crying in baseball” is the genre ‘s most quoted. And how about that Marla Hooch!?

Watch the trailer here or below.

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Major League

This is the Bad News Bears with adults. This is our spring training dream. A bunch of bums that could come together, make a pennant run and unite a city. The thought that these losers could catch a wave and ride it keeps us going to the ballpark. If not this year , well it could happen next year.

Watch the trailer here, or scroll down.

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The Natural

The most beautifully filmed baseball film ever. Also the best soundtrack. It’s baseball as pure mythology– it has the player we all have dreamed of being and are always on the look out for. Zeus in cleats and Superman with a bat.

Watch the trailer here or scroll down below.

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