My Favorite Baseball Movies Of All-Time

The unique thing about the game of baseball is that no two games are alike. Additionally, being that it is a global game, there are people from all walks of life. With scouts all over the world, it means there’s endless types of stories of how players were discovered. Lastly, the game has been going on for over 150 years so there has been ample opportunity for incredible rag-to-riches stories, especially during times of national crisis.

This list is completely subjective. It is the movies that have had the biggest impact on my life. Here it goes:

10) Benchwarmers (2006)

Alright I’m starting this off with a controversial one because this is not a traditional baseball movie about the big leagues. It’s purposely the opposite, but it’s right in my comedic wheelhouse and have seen it probably a dozen times. Non-stop laughs from start to finish and for people my age, you probably have watched this several times on bus rides on college road trips.

9) Fever Pitch (2005)

Yankee fans probably get sick to their stomach watching this one, but it doesn’t bother me. They really lucked out, as they were planning on releasing this movie regardless of the outcome of the 2004 Red Sox season – it just happened that history occurred when they overcame the 3-0 series deficit. Jimmy Fallon obviously crushed this role, but I think it’s the dynamic with his group of obsessive Red Sox fans and the spirit of fandom in general that they really captured. Who can forget Al Waterman peddling sponges from his field box level seats?

8. Sandlot (1993) 

This was back in the news a lot just two years ago because it was the 25th anniversary of the release. Like many of the movies on this list, there’s the nostalgic factor. A lot of guys that played in college remember watching this in elementary school. It’s not about the riveting baseball scenes, it’s more about the humor and how relateable it was. A bunch of kids trying to make the most of their summer, trying to meet girls, block-parties, community pools. It had it all. and everyone wanted to be like Benny ‘The Jet’ Rodriguez. And it had the iconic line ‘and you play ball like a girl!’ Amazingly, it only grossed $30 million but it has gradually become ingrained in ballplayer culture and it’s sacrilegious to speak negatively about it.

7. Moneyball (2011)

What makes this one great is that there are non-baseball fans that are able to enjoy it. Brad Pitt was outstanding in his role and Jonah Hill stepped outside his comfort zone of being the ‘funny fat guy’ in every movie into playing an Ivy League educated economic major that helped turned around the Oakland A’s season. Where this fails is the omission of Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Billy Koch and Miguel Tejada – the AL MVP that season. I remember the season as it was occurring and it was incredible – but it had more to do with their unbelievable starting pitching and not just Scott Hatteberg and Chad Bradford.

6. 42 (2013)

This one is bigger than the game – it’s about the cultural impact that Jackie Robinson had, breaking the barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947. His impact is why the No. 42 is retired across Major League Baseball. Simply put, baseball was a white man’s game and it took incredible courage and bravery for Jackie to do what he did. It is because of him that Hall of Fame players like Willie Mays, Ernie Banks and Hank Aaron were able to live out their dream.

5. The Rookie (2002)

I’d have to say the scene in which he makes his MLB debut against Royce Clayton in the Ballpark at Arlington, is one of the most realistic baseball scenes in any movie. You find yourself rooting for this 35-year-old teacher every step along the way. Just a great feel-good movie and the fact that it is based on a true story makes it even better.

4. Rookie of the Year (1993)

This one is more about entertainment and humor. The concept of a 12-year-old getting noticed at a Chicago Cubs game after a broken bone turns him into a supernatural pitcher is far-fetched beyond belief, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a fantasy every kid thinks about. Daniel Stern, the eccentric pitching coach is so incredibly funny in this movie I think it wouldn’t be nearly the same with someone else in that role.

3. A League of Their Own (1992)

The combination of Tom Hanks – who portrays a former star player and recovering alcoholic being coaxed into coaching a women’s baseball team against his will – and a star-studded cast including Jon Lovitz, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell is too perfect. While the gameplay may not feature the most realistic settings, I can easily get over that by the humor and the quality of the story line. The “there’s no crying in baseball” scene is absolute comedic gold, as is just about every scene with Tom Hanks.

2. The Natural (1984)

Honestly, I couldn’t even recite any line from this movie. I’ve probably only seen it once in its entirety, but it’s just so iconic – the music, the home run, the swing, the light tower exploding. It’s impossible to omit this from the list.

1. Field of Dreams (1989)

For me, this is just a matter of nostalgia. I remember watching this movie dozens of times in elementary/middle school and every just getting chills during the James Earl Jones’ monologues, during the catch with his father and the final scene as parade of cars are lined up waiting to get to the field. This movie connects deeply with so many people there’s no way to quantify it. “If you build it, they will come” is one of the most recited lines in cinematic history – let alone baseball.

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