The Lounge List: Five Baseball Movies to Watch Before the Season

Features, Top Story

America’s two favorite past times: Baseball and Movies. They go together like apple pie and grandma. So naturally, there have been a lot of movies made over the years about baseball. Here’s the prototypical “five you need to see” to get amped for the coming year.

5) Start out with a classic and plop this into the player.

bull_durham

I’m not the biggest fan of this movie, but it’s still a must-watch for the season. Especially if your season depends on that of a young fireballer who is expected to shoot throw the minors and help your team mid-season. Kevin Costner has fun in his role and there is some damn fine baseball humor in the movie. Great place to start.

4) <61*

61

It’s actually picking up unintentional comedy as we go farther along with all the Big Mac fun stuff. But it’s still a great movie about the trials Roger Maris had to go throw to get to 61 home runs in 1961. Not to mention some priceless lines that will have you rolling. It’s not an entirely true-to-life representation of what happened that summer, but it’s closer than a lot of documentaries that have been made.

3) The Natural

the-natural

Need I say more? Ok. It’s the perfect MLB story. Even better when it comes true with the Rangers’ Josh Hamilton. And really, is there a better ending in a sports movie ever? Cheesy? Sure. Awesome? Definitely.

2) Field of Dreams

field-of-dreams

If you don’t love this movie, I don’t like you. The father/son story arc, the fact that they turn a corn field into a baseball diamond, I challenge you to name something not awesome about this movie. Guys, we all know women give us a bunch of little tests during relationships. This is your chance to test her back. This test is very simple. If they like the movie, they pass, if they don’t like the movie, you pass on them. Simple.

1) Major League

major-league

This isn’t a list of best baseball movies, just the ones that will get you ready for the season. And if you’re not ready for the season after watching Major League, check your pulse. It’s funny and a great underdog story. So it gives the Padres, Royals, Nationals fans a chance to dream, and that’s what spring training is about, dreaming that your team can make a run to the World Series. And this movie gives you the chance to dream.