Baseball Flicks — Baseball Bench Coach

I am one of those guys who can recall the score of a baseball game played thirty years ago, but forgets almost overnight the plot line of a movie. While watching the second “Field of Dreams Game” played last Thursday night in Dyersville, Iowa, it occurred to me that there are indeed movies that I do remember well. Yes, you guessed it, the ones I love all involve baseball. Here are my top eight baseball movies (and a little added personal touch):

THE ROOKIE. This 2002 film is the true story of Jim Morris (played by Dennis Quaid) who began his MLB career at age 35. Morris is a high school science teacher and baseball coach, who is guilted into trying out for an MLB team, the Tampa Bay Rays, by his high school players. Morris turns the heads of the scouts by throwing 98 mph fastballs at the tryout. Morris plays a little minor league baseball before getting called up one September night in a game in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers. His family and hometown friends celebrate his debut, and Morris goes on to pitch two years in the MLB. When I was 39, I pitched at a Reds baseball fantasy camp in Sarasota, FL. For a week, I had this image of regaining the juice of my youth. Every former pitcher wants to be a Jim Morris.

BULL DURHAM. A 1988 movie that tells the story of life in the minor leagues is my second favorite flick. Crash Davis (Kevin Costner), a veteran minor league catcher who is tasked with grooming an up and coming pitcher, Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins), is at the center of the story. The movie depicts the life of a minor leaguer, such as long bus rides and less than adequate facilities and support. There are so many touching moments in the film – Davis telling Nuke “not to think”; Davis tipping the opposing hitter with which pitch to expect; Davis calling his brief MLB call up “the 21 greatest days of my life”; and the climactic, yet sad, ending when Davis breaks the minor league record for home runs. Almost 35 years later, the conditions of baseball in the minors are still in need of drastic improvement.

FIELD OF DREAMS. Another film (released in 1989) starring Kevin Costner, and this time as a farmer, Ray Kinsella, who builds a baseball field in his cornfield that attracts the ghosts of baseball legends. Those who appear at the Field of Dreams include Shoeless Joe Jackson, one of the best yet tragic players ever to play the game, Archie “Moonlight” Graham, who played in one MLB game in 1922 but never had the chance to bat, and of course Ray’s dad. So many great lines are in this movie – “If you build it, they will come” and “Is this Heaven? No, it’s Iowa.” My favorite scene is when Ray gets the chance to play catch with his Dad. I fondly recall those evenings in my backyard tossing a baseball with my Dad.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN. This 1992 film stars Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell in a story about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Chicago Cubs owner Phil Wrigley (called Walter Harvey in the movie) formed the League during World War II. The movie tracks the fortunes of the Rockford Peaches, managed by Hanks’ colorful character, former Cub Jimmy Dugan, and their fun roster of players, including Davis as catcher Dottie Hinson. Raising three daughters and seeing their successes on the softball diamonds, together with the emotions of playing the game, has always given me a real connection to this story line.

TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE. This 2012 movie starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, and Justin Timberlake, might be a surprise entry for my top five. Eastwood plays an aging baseball scout, Gus Lobel, who is tasked with one last search for a star player for his Braves’ number two overall pick in the draft. While all of the statistical analysis points to top prospect Bo Gentry, Lobel’s feel for the game senses that Gentry has a weak spot as a hitter – the curveball. I remember being in the high schools stands in St. Louis about twenty years ago when numerous scouts were there to see young Max Scherzer pitch. Baseball stars are often found by scouts who have a feel for talent, not just numbers.

42. Chadwick Boseman provides a standout performance in one of baseball’s greatest stories, the life of Jackie Robinson, the MLB first black player in the modern era. The movie is titled after Robinson’s uniform number, 42, which was retired in 1997 for all MLB teams. It shows quite dramatically the pervasive racial attacks on Jackie as he sought to find his place in the game. One of those scenes shows how Robinson’s Dodger teammate, shortstop Pee Wee Reese, a Southerner, comes to Jackie’s defense in a game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, by standing with his arm around Robinson’s shoulders. While the number of black players on the MLB rosters has regrettably declined over the last twenty years, I read this weekend that this summer’s 2022 MLB draft is pointing in a more positive direction.

MONEYBALL. Brad Pitts stars in this 2011 movie based on the 2003 book by Michael Lewis of the same name. The story is a true portrayal of the Oakland Athletics’ 2002 season and the obstacles faced by their general manager, Billy Beane, played by Pitt. Beane is saddled with his franchise’s limited budget for players, so he devises a sabermetric method to scouting and analyzing players. His team of undervalued talent takes the big market teams, such as the Yankees and Dodgers, by surprise. The movie is so relevant to the realities of the game today, a constant struggle between small market teams and the big market organizations. Trade Deadline deals over a week ago demonstrate the problem of the rich getting richer.

THE NATURAL. Robert Redford stars in this 1984 movie about the baseball career of his character, Roy Hobbs, a player with amazing natural baseball talent. My favorite scene features Hobbs in a huge batting slump visiting Wrigley Field and seeing a woman dressed in white, Iris (played by Glenn Close), standing up in the bleachers. Hobbs unleashes an enormous home run, shattering the clock on the manual scoreboard. We see today, more than ever, players reaching the MLB with tremendous tools to play the game – power, speed, batting skill, defensive range, etc. I’ve always thought that work ethic separates the good ones and the great ones.

So, how about relaxing a little, taking a seat on the couch, grabbing a bowl of popcorn, and catching one of these flicks, or perhaps one of your favorites? You won’t be disappointed.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach