Glory Days

#5. EIGHT MEN OUT, 1988… These days, there are times where it’s difficult for a fan to truly believe. Baseball is trying to crawl out of the shadow of a huge steroid scandal, and this past summer, its greatest record fell to a man who will always be questioned in the court of public opinion. The steroid scandal is a bad one, but it pales in comparison to the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. In a nutshell, eight players on a monstrously talented team decided to get back at their cheap-skate owner by accepting gamblers’ money, and taking a dive in The World Series. While it certainly wasn’t baseball’s shining hour, it made for a great movie, including a great performance by a not-that-famous-yet John Cusack.
Kirk Gibson Moment – In the film’s final act, Shoeless Joe Jackson is stopped on the courthouse steps by a doe-eyed eight-year-old who pleads “Say it ain’t so, Joe”. Sorry kid, there won’t be any joy in Mudville today.

#4. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, 1992… During the war era, with many major league players putting their careers on hold to join the fight, a women’s league was started – The All American Girls Pro League. It was a little-known part of the game’s history until Penny Marshall’s film came along and made it an unforgettable part of baseball lore. Word has it that many more actresses than those who were cast wanted to be part of this movie, however in order to get the part, they had to pass a rigorous tryout. I have to tip my cap for Penny wanting to feature women that could play, rather than just going for the prettiest of pretty faces. A pre–kabbalah Madonna, a pre-ROSIE Rosie, and a pre-Oscar Tom Hanks all give all-star performances on this tribute to the women that stepped in for the love of the game.
Jack Morris Moment – As The Rockford Peaches manager Jimmy Dugan, Tom Hanks scolds his emotional outfielder with a confused “Are you crying?…There’s no crying in baseball”. Clearly Jimmy Dugan didn’t play for The Cubs.

#3. THE NATURAL, 1984… This film is based on a novel by Bernard Malamud, and if I have any real problem with the movie, it’s that it omitted my favorite bits from the book. In a nutshell, an undertone of The Natural is the belief in heroes…how we need heroes, so that we can hold ourselves up to them, and strive to be something better. While it wasn’t spelled out like that in the film, how could any baseball fan not look to Robert Redford’s Roy Hobbs as an idol? In an age where phenom players are crowned the next-best-thing after one great season, it’s inspiring to watch a phenom claw his way back after losing it all, only then having to give it all up again.
Mookie Wilson Moment – In his final at bat, while fighting off a career-threatening illness, Hobbs’ final major league hit literally shoots the lights out. If you listen closely, you can hear the opposition dugout wanting his bat checked for cork.

#2. FIELD OF DREAMS, 1989… This is the male equivalent to BEACHES. The flick that will turn just about any guy into a blubbering mess. More than any of the others, it’s a story about believing in the game – its power to unite, its capacity for forgiveness, and its place in our history. Think about this – can you imagine a farmer plowing under a chunk of his crop to build a basketball court? Of course not, but somehow a ballpark carries a romanticism that lets us stand by and watch him carve a diamond into his cornfield without batting an eye. The movie also stands as the greatest testament to how the game is passed down between fathers and sons. Guys aren’t the greatest at communicating our feelings, but somehow when you put nine guys on the field in front of us, we can connect in joy, frustration, hope and sorrow.
David Ortiz Moment – “People will come Ray…” Hearing Kinsella’s words spoken by James Earl Jones will have you asking “Is this heaven?”.

#1. BULL DURHAM, 1988… The legends of major league baseball are well known. Great players are Gods. Records are fairy tales. Ballparks are sacred ground. However, well below the majors are many, many teams and players that make up the minor leagues. They’re made up of a small pocket of young hotshots, surrounded by a larger population of has-beens and never-were’s. Using this as the backdrop, Ron Shelton’s movie looks at baseball from many different ways. From the perspective of the young rock n’ roll pitcher with a million dollar arm and a ten cent head. From the perspective of the local fan who believes in the team the way she believes in metaphysics and the church of baseball. And from the perspective of a career minor-league catcher who has all the brains of a great major leaguer, but unfortunately none of the talent to back it up. As Crash Davis, Costner is passionate about every last detail of the game – and he gets one of the greatest monologues in sports history to prove it. It’s this passion, and the sweet sorrow that comes with him never getting his shot that makes this my number one baseball movie.
Joe Carter Moment – There are a dozen to pick from, but for my money it’s hard to top Costner getting Tim Robbins to fire a wild pitch at the team mascot. That’s the beauty of the minor leagues, you won’t hear a catcher standing on the mound at Wrigley Field tell his pitcher to “Hit the fuckin‘ bull”.

Did I forget one? Post a comment and tell me your favorite baseball movies. Likewise, feel free to make suggestions for next week’s top five.