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In 1984's THE NATURAL, Robert Redford stars as Roy Hobbs, who leads the cellar-dwelling New York Knights to the pennant.
(Photo courtesy of Tri-Star Pictures)
A few months ago, we posted polls on the all-time favorite football, hockey and basketball movies. Today, since we're in the middle of summer, it's time to turn our attention to baseball.
Unlike the other three polls, however, since there are more baseball movies than films for any other sport, we're going to split the poll in half.
Today's first poll will feature movies from 1927 to 1988. Why 1988 as the halfway point? Well, we thought we'd make it interesting by splitting the two big Kevin Costner movies -- Bull Durham (1988) and Field of Dreams (1989) -- in separate polls.
Also of note: There are no baseball documentaries on this list; we're limiting this to just feature films.
Next week, we will have a second poll for baseball movies from 1989 on. After that, we will take the top three vote-getters from each of the two polls and put them together for a final all-time favorite baseball movie poll.
Without further adieu, let's get to today's candidates:
Casey at the Bat (1927): Probably the most famous of baseball's silent movies, the film is loosely based on the legendary poem of the same name by Ernest Thayer. Wallace Beery stars as Casey.
The Pride of the Yankees (1942): The life and career of legendary Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, portrayed by legendary actor Gary Cooper. The movie, which came out a year after Gehrig's death, features real-life teammates including Babe Ruth and Bill Dickey.
It Happens Every Spring (1949): Ray Milland plays a scientst who becomes a pitcher after developing a formula where baseballs repel wood. The original Gaylord Perry!
The Stratton Story (1949): Jimmy Stewart stars in the real-life story of White Sox pitcher Monty Stratton, who lost his leg after a hunting accident but came back to compete in the minor leagues.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949): Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly star in this Busby Berkeley musical as baseball players whose team is taken over by -- egads! -- a woman (Esther Williams).
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950): The baseball pioneer plays himself three years after breaking baseball's color barrier. Ruby Dee co-stars.
Angels in the Outfield (1951): The original version starring Paul Douglas as cranky manager of the sad-sack Pirates who mends his harsh ways and receives divine intervention for his team.
The Pride of St. Louis (1952): The story of Hall of Fame Cardinals pitcher Dizzy Dean with Dan Dailey in the lead role.
The Winning Team (1952): Ronald Reagan (yes, that Ronald Reagan) as pitching great Grover Cleveland Alexander, who battles back from alcoholism with the help of his wife (Doris Day).
Fear Strikes Out (1957): Anthony Perkins (pre-Psycho) stars as Red Sox outfielder Jimmy Piersall, who had to deal with mental illness. Unfortunately, the movie is probably best known for Perkins' awkward baseball scenes.
Damn Yankees! (1958): Fine adaptation of the Broadway musical about Washington Senators fan Joe Hardy (Tab Hunter), who makes a pact with the Devil (Ray Walston) and his temptress Lola (Gwen Verdon) to become a star player and help his team win the pennant.
Safe at Home! (1962): Not much of a film, but it does feature Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973): Tender movie about the friendship between a star pitcher (Michael Moriarity) and his dim-witted catcher (Robert DeNiro) who has a terminal illness. Note: Their fictional team is named the New York Mammoths -- whose uniforms look like Yankees' pinstripes, but the game scenes were filmed at Shea Stadium.
The Bad News Bears (1976): The original featuring Walter Matthau as wise-cracking coach of a misfit Little League team led by tomboy pitcher Tatum O'Neal.
The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars & Motor Kings (1976): Fun film about a barnstorming 1930s Negro League team with an all-star cast led by Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor.
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story (1977): Levar Burton in the title role as the Detroit Tigers outfielder who overcame a tough childhood to star in the majors.
The Natural (1984): Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs, a former phenom pitcher who mysteriously disappears only to show up some 16 years later as a slugger who leads the last-place New York Knights to the pennant. Nominated for four Oscars.
The Slugger's Wife (1985): Fictional tale of an Atlanta Braves star (Michael O'Keefe) who struggles balancing baseball with married life. Rebecca DeMornay co-stars.
Long Gone (1987): William Petersen and Virginia Madsen in a comedy/drama about a minor-league club dealing with corruption and racism in the South.
Bull Durham (1988): The aforementioned Kevin Costner stars as Crash Davis, a lifelong minor-league catcher who mentors immature pitcher Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). Susan Sarandon co-stars as the love interest for both.
Eight Men Out (1988): An account of the 1919 Black Sox scandal as several Chicago players decide to throw the World Series to get back at their tight-wad owner. John Cusack as Buck Weaver leads a stellar cast.