Well, it’s almost July, and with no baseball in sight, possibly until 2021 or hell maybe even 2022 at this point many of us have to get our baseball fix in somewhere. I’ve taken to expand and watch through my personal Baseball movie collection one movie at a time.
Many of these movies I’ve seen more times than I can count. The Natural, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams. I can pretty much quote them all by heart. However, several I’m rediscovering for the first time in years. I had totally forgotten how great of a performance Tommy Lee Jones gave in Cobb. Or that David Strathairn, Charlie Sheen, and John Mahoney were in Eight Men Out. I’m very excited to rewatch 42 and 61*.
My collection is not yet complete however. I still need to work on digitizing my box set of Ken Burns’ Baseball, track down a copy of The Pride of the Yankees, and yes, maybe even pick up Angels in the Outfield, Little Big League, and Mr. 3000.
So how are you surviving the season with no ball?
Fan Interference 
Don’t forget “The Sandlot.”
I even watched “Everyone’s Hero”—actually not a bad cartoon movie.
I forget whether it was Amazon or Hulu, but I did get to watch “Pride of the Yankees” this spring.
Otherwise, I’ve watched some old games via YouTube, and some KBO.
The independent leagues open July 3.
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The Sandlot is already there! Second row, third from the left!
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Pride of the Yankees is a visual version of gulab jamun – an Indian dessert of mushy custard balls drowning in honey syrup. It plays for the cheap laugh, the cheap whimper, and the cheap sniffle. It is hokey as the day is long and its representation of his wife is a hopeless Prissy Gladgums caricature. Ecccchhh. Much better: read Luckiest Man: the Life and Death of Lou Gehrig by Jonathan Eig. You get something much closer to the real hero and you absolutely get something far closer to his heroic wife.
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I’ve been doing a lot of reading of baseball (and cricket) books, with The Days of Mr. McGraw (the volcanic manager of the old New York Giants) next on the list. I’m really feeling steeped in the formative years of the game and the so-called “dead ball era” thanks to this. Best of all: the Neanderthal Hitter wasn’t even a light in a hooker’s eyes of blue yet.
Watch for my review of Roger Kahn’s classic The Boys of Summer, coming soon to a blog near you.
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Some others to add to your list.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0483586/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3445270/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078035/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473102/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990413/
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Excellent! I had seen the last two battered around, but wasn’t sure if they were worth it or not. Thanks!
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I’ll check them out. Thanks!
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I’m disappointed that “Angels In The Outfield” (1994) is not included. Former California Angel Carney Lansford, (3rd in RoY 1978, behind 1. Lou Whitaker, 2. Paul Molitor; ahead of T4. Alan Trammell and T4. Rich Gale) but most famously an Oakland A’s third baseman.
I do love “The Natural” as a film, but I hesitate to call it a baseball movie. Unlike “Eight Men Out” in which the actors portray competent athletes, Roy’s teammates are almost comically bad in “The Natural.”
I’ve always personally felt “For Love Of The Game” to be a good film, and not only because Vin Scully is featured. Specifically, the pitcher focusing himself, ignoring all the distractions, and talking to himself. As a reformed Dodger fan, I was frequently exposed to Tommy Lasorda’s confidence or belief in particular players. I believed that too; the mental game was what made one player an MVP and another a journeyman. I’ve learned that confidence has a role but is not the most important factor in success. But when I saw that movie and Costner WILLED his last game to be his best, it awakened early beliefs.
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