[Wizard of Os]

It's interesting how many put Field of Dreams above Eight Men Out on lists like these. And i wonder why...sure, Field of Dreams is great, heart-warming, you gotta love James Earl Jones, etc., but Eight Men Out is an excellent film telling an important tale. The situation of the 1919 White Sox still affects us today; the continued exploitation by owners resulted in today's free agency system.

Rather than pick apart the films nominated by the thread posters here (The Natural? In which every at-bat is a tater or a K?), i'd like to offer an alternative top five list from the baseball milieu:

Fear Strikes Out -- The story of Jimmy Piersall, who had some pretty serious psychological problems. Piersall is played by Anthony Perkins, who should play every character with some pretty serious psychological problems.

The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars and Motor Kings -- Richard Pryor, Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones (guess who's the beefy home-run hitter in this one) lead the cast in this fun fun film about barnstorming Negro Leaguers.

The Fan -- All right, so about halfway through this creepy film from DeNiro's Cape Fear period it ceases to be about baseball. It remains fascinating throughout, however, in its examination of celebrity obsession. You know, fascinating like a car wreck. Just write off the highly improbable finish to poetic license.

A League of their Own -- Hey, it's no less corny than Field of Dreams. There are a few interesting stories and subplots here against the cliches and cardboard. And are there two more gosh-darn likeable actors than Tom Hanks and Geena Davis in Hollywood?

And if you're going to include Major League, how about The Naked Gun, then? Best. Umpire. Ever.

Cheers all (and save me some popcorn)!

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Wizard of Os

It's interesting how many put Field of Dreams above Eight Men Out on lists like these. And i wonder why...sure, Field of Dreams is great, heart-warming, you gotta love James Earl Jones, etc., but Eight Men Out is an excellent film telling an important tale. The situation of the 1919 White Sox still affects us today; the continued exploitation by owners resulted in today's free agency system.

Rather than pick apart the films nominated by the thread posters here (The Natural? In which every at-bat is a tater or a K?), i'd like to offer an alternative top five list from the baseball milieu:

Fear Strikes Out -- The story of Jimmy Piersall, who had some pretty serious psychological problems. Piersall is played by Anthony Perkins, who should play every character with some pretty serious psychological problems.

The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars and Motor Kings -- Richard Pryor, Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones (guess who's the beefy home-run hitter in this one) lead the cast in this fun fun film about barnstorming Negro Leaguers.

The Fan -- All right, so about halfway through this creepy film from DeNiro's Cape Fear period it ceases to be about baseball. It remains fascinating throughout, however, in its examination of celebrity obsession. You know, fascinating like a car wreck. Just write off the highly improbable finish to poetic license.

A League of their Own -- Hey, it's no less corny than Field of Dreams. There are a few interesting stories and subplots here against the cliches and cardboard. And are there two more gosh-darn likeable actors than Tom Hanks and Geena Davis in Hollywood?

And if you're going to include Major League, how about The Naked Gun, then? Best. Umpire. Ever.

Cheers all (and save me some popcorn)!

Thanks Whiz, I was going for cheap laughs and forgot "A league of thier Own"...and "Fear Strikes Out"..you are right man..that's soooo my kind of movie...forgot that one as well...You are hearby dubbed "The Wizard of the Silver Screen"...all bow to the Whiz..The Great and Terrible Whiz of Os has spoken...oh, and pay not attention to the man behind the curtain...Hey Whiz, start a new thread, I want to know about "Track and Field" movies...no, really,...I like the sport man...come on, for Gotham..."Start a new Thread...Start a new Thread..."....The crowd goes wild...Wiz you the man, though you know...for the record oh great one..."Carlton does stand alone"...see what I am doing there...a new move...call it "cross threading"...

[legend]

1. The Natural- Great cast, great music, gives me goosebumps
2. Field of Dreams- Best scene is when burt lancaster steps over the foul line and becomes a doctor- James Earl Jones is great too.
3. Pride of the Yankees- Hollywood had to mess with the real "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech. In reality, gehrig said that at the beginning of his address to the crowd. He ended with "I may have been given a bad break, but I have an awful lot to live for."
4.The Rookie- I'm sure Disney took some creative license with the facts, but it is a true story. Brian Cox was perfect as his father, and that scene at the end is a tear jerker-Not that I cried!
5. Major League- If the Red and White Sox can win it all-why not the Indians?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

1. The Natural- Great cast, great music, gives me goosebumps
2. Field of Dreams- Best scene is when burt lancaster steps over the foul line and becomes a doctor- James Earl Jones is great too.
3. Pride of the Yankees- Hollywood had to mess with the real "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech. In reality, gehrig said that at the beginning of his address to the crowd. He ended with "I may have been given a bad break, but I have an awful lot to live for."
4.The Rookie- I'm sure Disney took some creative license with the facts, but it is a true story. Brian Cox was perfect as his father, and that scene at the end is a tear jerker-Not that I cried!
5. Major League- If the Red and White Sox can win it all-why not the Indians?

Legend my man...Its the Whiz's world and you is justa visiting...but nice list any way...we have some cool departing gifts for playing the game

[CityofBrotherlyShove]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

The Natural always seemed so What?!? to me. Although it's all about loving the game.

Maybe it's a chick thing, because my boyfriend thinks I'm crazy for saying that The Natural is the most overrated sports movie of all time. It just didn't do it for me the way Bull Durham and Field of Dreams did. Those two are the best, hands down.

[Lefty Noob]

While we're talking baseball movies, though I doubt this offering would ever make anyone's top 5 list, but who here has seen "The Scout" with Brenden Fraiser and Albert Brooks. That was mildly amusing.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

While we're talking baseball movies, though I doubt this offering would ever make anyone's top 5 list, but who here has seen "The Scout" with Brenden Fraiser and Albert Brooks. That was mildly amusing.

Classic man!...Classic!..Talk about your head cases...wasn't he the homer king of the Mexican league or something like that?

[xdavidwattsx]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Watts ... I am in man...whatta you want me to do...I'm there...

Sharpen up your knives and roll up yr sleeves. We've got work to do.

[ThePundit]

Hey Wizard - forgot about The Fan. Extremely creepy but I liked it.

[Wizard of Os]

The other nice thing about Field of Dreams and Bull Durham (along with No Way Out and, to some extent, Tin Cup) are the way these films offer evidence that Kevin Costner was once alive.

Gotham Knight, thanks tons for the props. I was once a professional film critic, gosh darn it.

And please please please i beseech everyone: Check out Bingo Long...

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Wizard of Os

The other nice thing about Field of Dreams and Bull Durham (along with No Way Out and, to some extent, Tin Cup) are the way these films offer evidence that Kevin Costner was once alive.

Gotham Knight, thanks tons for the props. I was once a professional film critic, gosh darn it.

And please please please i beseech everyone: Check out Bingo Long...

Hey Whiz...Can we count "City Slickers" as a Baseball Movie...they don't play...but awesome dialog about how we watch the game man...Your call man

[Wizard of Os]

Dark Knight,

As much as i love City Slickers, i don't think we can count that one. If we do, it gets beaten out by Woody Allen's Radio Days, which has the single most hilarious baseball bit ever.

You really need the visuals for this, but here's the text from an "inspirational stories"-type radio show:

"Today's story is about a baseball player. His name was Kirby Kyle. [...] He was a kid with a great future. But one day, he went hunting. [...] Chasing a rabbit, he stumbled, and his rifle went off. The bullet entered his leg. Two days later it was amputated. [...] He had one leg, but he had something more important: he had heart.

"The following winter another accident caused Kirby Kyle an arm. Fortunately not his pitching arm. He had one leg and one arm, but more than that, he had heart.

"The next winter, going after a duck, his gun misfired. He was blind. But he had instinct as to where to throw the baseball. Instinct and heart.

"The following year, Kirby Kyle was run over by a truck and killed. The following season he won eighteen games in the big league in the Sky."

[GigEmAgs]

What, no Bull Durham? I thought that one was pretty good. And how about Little Big League? It was amusing, anyway. Or that movie with the kid who had a really good fastball because of a weirdly-healed arm injury...can't remember the name of that one. Mr. Baseball with good ol' Tom Selleck wasn't half bad.

[Lefty Noob]

Or that movie with the kid who had a really good fastball because of a weirdly-healed arm injury...can't remember the name of that one.

Ah, that would be "Rookie of the Year". An ABC Family favorite. Seems to be on at least once every three weeks or so. That and "The Sandlot". Both more kid/family oriented, but not bad.

[GigEmAgs]

Hey, I liked "The Sandlot" too. Especially the giant dog, Satan (great name for a big dog). Forgot all about that one.