Baseball movies.
These are subjective things, always, taking our favorite movies and our favorite categories. And we can’t get too carried away, or else we’d figure out a way to include “The Untouchables” (“I like baseball,” Al Capone said ominously) and “The Godfather Part 2” (“I loved baseball ever since Arnold Rothstein fixed the World Series in 1919.”).
We all have our lists and we all have our reasons. Maybe yours has “A League of Their Own” or “Fear Strikes Out” or “The Stratton Story.” Mine does not. Mine, before “Pitch” debuts Thursday night and puts baseball on small screen, has these:
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10. "The Bad News Bears"
Make no mistake: we mean the Walter Matthau/Tatum O’Neal original. Two forever memories: a reminder that it wasn’t just kids in New York who cursed. And we all harbor an inner Kelly Leak somewhere inside us.
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9. "Major League"
If “Bull Durham” had never come along, this might well top the list, but it’s a half-step behind in almost every way (but still a fun two-hour romp. And this one has Bob Uecker!).
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8. "42"
If there was some license taken with a few facts here and there (notably the embrace between Jackie and Pee Wee, which probably never happened) it is still important for a. Fresh generation of baseball an to know who Jackie Robinson was and why he’ll always matter.
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7. "Eight Men Out"
The authenticity is what makes this movie stand out; just about everyone could really play, with especially high marks fo♌r Charlie Sheen and John Cusack. One of these days maybe Buck Weaver will get his day in court.
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6. "Damn Yankees"
Based on a book called “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant” and featuring the classic show tune “You Gotta Have Heart,” which (little-known fact!) all World Series winners from around 1959 until about 1972 were required to sing on either the Sullivan show or in Vegas.
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5. "Bang the Drum Slowly"
Robert De Niro (left) in "Bang the Drum Slowly" It’s a tad on the depressing side, but the best part of this movie are the sets: both Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium in their early-’70s grimy glory.
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4. "Field of Dreams"
Yes, yes, yes, it’s manipulative as hell and cornier than a bag of Fritos. And you know what? I saw the finale just last week, Ray asking his dad if he wanted to have a catch, and I bawled for the 118th time in a row. Sorry. It just works.
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3. "The Natural"
I once asked director Barry Levinson if he has regrets for changing the ending. His answer: “Would you want to see Roy Hobbs strike out?” Hell, no. If he had, we wouldn’t have gotten that song, and he probably wouldn’t have gotten Glenn Close.
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2. "Pride of the Yankees"
Babe Ruth as himself and Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig I’d sooner believe Teresa Weight could hit a home run than clumsy Gary Cooper, but it doesn’t matter. You watch this once, you’ll never hear “Always” ever again without the room turning dusty.
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1. "Bull Durham"
They got everything right: the way ballplayers talk, the way they curse, the way they chase. And if Tim Robbins wasn’t completely believable as a stud pitcher, Kevin Costner was absolutely believable as Crash Davis. Peak five-tool Susan Saraꦡndon, toಞo.
