"Ed" was my go-to movie when I was sick for a couple years, as I was 8 years old when the movie came out and two of my favorite things were baseball and monkeys, so this VHS was destined for a place of honor in our household.
Al Pacino watches his Dunkin' Donuts commercial with disgust. He turns to Adam Sandler: "Burn it. Actually, not good enough. I need a professional." Close up and remain on Sandler's puzzled face as we immediately cut to the outdoors. Camera pulls out to reveal he's in an old-timey pitcher's uniform on the mound at Fenway Park.
From off screen, we hear a shout: "Hey kid!" The camera pivots, revealing Ken Griffey Jr. in the batter's box. He's swinging six bats around in lieu of a bat weight.
"I don't have all day," he chides.
Sandler grooves a pitch that Junior launches over the fence.
Someone suggested The Princess Bride and Inglorious Basterds as tangential baseball movies and not the Untouchables? At least the Untouchables has an entire scene that talks about baseball, makes some valid points, and it is a classic.
Joe mentions that he thought of it but no one suggested it. I think he should have given himself a vote.
Director/writer David S. Ward spoke at the SABR convention in Cleveland last week before the screening of MAJOR LEAGUE and he said the sad truth is that Hollywood doesn't want to make baseball movies anymore because they don't do well outside the US, Canada, and Japan. Most countries just don't care, and I guess these days the international box office really matters to the corporations. To get one made now you have to be someone like Clint Eastwood.
Fortunately, "Hollywood" doesn't need to make them. With digital filming and streaming deals, very good films can be made independently or through the boutique arms of the studios. They need to be labors of love though with Emma Stone's husband being a big baseball fan as an example.
Here Come the Tigers, a 1978 film about a little league team of misfits that suddenly do well and directed by Sean Cunningham deserves number 76 in a walk. The 11 year old me watching too much TV on a Saturday afternoon really wanted to like it, but it is so so SO bad.
When I was a kid in the late 50s/early 60s they showed a movie called It Happens Every Spring where Ray Milland invents some liquid that makes baseballs allergic to bats. I loved that movie, especially the “special effects”. Hope it makes the list.
He mentioned that movie very early on in the first or second paragraph. It will definitely make the list and I’m glad it didn’t make this lower third. He said it was made in 1949 and I loved that movie in the early mid 60s. When I was that age when baseball is always the best and magic is too. Not a great movie but a fun movie. I actually have it up ready to watch in my iPad. One of these days. I’ll get around to watch it again just because..
"Ed" was my go-to movie when I was sick for a couple years, as I was 8 years old when the movie came out and two of my favorite things were baseball and monkeys, so this VHS was destined for a place of honor in our household.
Murder at the World Series featured the Mayor from Jaws as a character. He was also Mr. Robinson in The Graduate. The man was certainly typecast.
Al Pacino watches his Dunkin' Donuts commercial with disgust. He turns to Adam Sandler: "Burn it. Actually, not good enough. I need a professional." Close up and remain on Sandler's puzzled face as we immediately cut to the outdoors. Camera pulls out to reveal he's in an old-timey pitcher's uniform on the mound at Fenway Park.
From off screen, we hear a shout: "Hey kid!" The camera pivots, revealing Ken Griffey Jr. in the batter's box. He's swinging six bats around in lieu of a bat weight.
"I don't have all day," he chides.
Sandler grooves a pitch that Junior launches over the fence.
Man, that really IS better!
C'mon Joe! The Kid from Cleveland movie poster alone should result in a much higher rating. They've got the whole team there!
Very hard to comment on omissions when you have no idea what's coming. I'll be looking for "Three Little Words."
https://share.google/HynYSyulCPE8YBtMc
When Harry Met Sally!
The batting cage scene!
“You made a woman meow?”!!!
Doris Day actually made THREE baseball movies and they're all interesting in some way or another. She also dated Maury Wills (according to him)!
https://tinkertaylorsolerspiezio.substack.com/p/doris-day-baseball-threesome-part
Doris Day actually made THREE baseball movies and they're all interesting in some way or another. She also dated Maury Wills (according to him)!
https://tinkertaylorsolerspiezio.substack.com/p/doris-day-baseball-threesome-part
Someone suggested The Princess Bride and Inglorious Basterds as tangential baseball movies and not the Untouchables? At least the Untouchables has an entire scene that talks about baseball, makes some valid points, and it is a classic.
Joe mentions that he thought of it but no one suggested it. I think he should have given himself a vote.
Die Hard is a Christmas movie so that makes Ferris Bueller a baseball movie. And as for bats bludgeoning sequences “Sopranos” is a baseball series.
Based on the established criteria, I'd also add "Casino" and "Signs" as baseball movies.
Director/writer David S. Ward spoke at the SABR convention in Cleveland last week before the screening of MAJOR LEAGUE and he said the sad truth is that Hollywood doesn't want to make baseball movies anymore because they don't do well outside the US, Canada, and Japan. Most countries just don't care, and I guess these days the international box office really matters to the corporations. To get one made now you have to be someone like Clint Eastwood.
Fortunately, "Hollywood" doesn't need to make them. With digital filming and streaming deals, very good films can be made independently or through the boutique arms of the studios. They need to be labors of love though with Emma Stone's husband being a big baseball fan as an example.
Hear hear!
Here Come the Tigers, a 1978 film about a little league team of misfits that suddenly do well and directed by Sean Cunningham deserves number 76 in a walk. The 11 year old me watching too much TV on a Saturday afternoon really wanted to like it, but it is so so SO bad.
The Friday the 13th guy? That would seem to check out ....
How about Million Dollar Arm? It was a documentary made in 2014 about 2 champion cricketers in India or Pakistan who win a contest to try out for MLB.
I remember seeing advertisements about 12 and thinking it looked interesting..damn
In #59 I think you mean Bill Veeck, not Beeck. Veeck is deserving of a movie all by himself.
When I was a kid in the late 50s/early 60s they showed a movie called It Happens Every Spring where Ray Milland invents some liquid that makes baseballs allergic to bats. I loved that movie, especially the “special effects”. Hope it makes the list.
He mentioned that movie very early on in the first or second paragraph. It will definitely make the list and I’m glad it didn’t make this lower third. He said it was made in 1949 and I loved that movie in the early mid 60s. When I was that age when baseball is always the best and magic is too. Not a great movie but a fun movie. I actually have it up ready to watch in my iPad. One of these days. I’ll get around to watch it again just because..