It’s that time of year! Major League Baseball – World Series 2009! I’m not necessarily a big fan of baseball, but baseball movies? In October? I love them! In fact (shhhhhh), I’d probably lump a few of them into the “chick flick” category.
I suppose I shouldn’t speak for all women when I say we love baseball movies, but since I recently mused on some of my film viewing habits, I’ll step up to bat and take a swing at why the feminine persona loves this genre.
First base, second base, third base…
What’s not to adore about cute, hot, and cute hotties? Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins, Dennis Quaid, Robert Redford – just a few of the good looking men we get to gaze upon in movement when we watch these films.
And guys – women do enjoy watching you move. Mmm, yes.
That’s the frosting. Here’s the cake:
- Pursuing our dreams, even against the odds
- Romantic love that endures
- Family support, even through tough times
Thinking back on my personal world series of baseball movies, each has an underdog theme and the pursuit of an impossible dream. There’s also a romantic twist (that turns out happily), as well as family rallying around their loved one.
Among my favorite baseball films:
- Field of Dreams
- Bull Durham
- A League of Their Own
- The Natural
- For the Love of the Game
- The Rookie
I know there are more, but you get the drift. They’re like old friends, and I’ll watch them again and again.
What “strikes” me 
About a week ago, I sat in front of a procession of classic baseball films on AMC TV. I couldn’t help but notice the devoted wife and kids as portrayed in The Rookie (based on a true story), and the wife in Field of Dreams. I also think back to the characters played by Glenn Close (The Natural) and Kelly Preston (For the Love of the Game).
I’m a sucker for these depictions of relationships that withstand time and human failings. They exemplify forgiveness and the strength that those who love each other can provide.
My favorites, your favorites?
As for Bull Durham, let’s just say that’s a classic film – irreverent, funny, charming, and filled with life lessons and eccentric characters you can’t resist. I also hold a special soft spot for The Rookie, because it is based on a true character.
For those with dreams as yet unfulfilled (and sentimental souls), these movies are perfect fare. And your favorites?
- Do men go for these same baseball movies?
- Or more the Major League sort?
And speaking of Major League Baseball
- So who’s going to take the 2009 World Series?
- I’m a Red Sox fan from way back, but…
- Congrats Yankees!
- (Go Philadelphia Phillies!)
- MLB World Series 2009 Schedule
I love baseball and baseball films in general. I should mention I am a girl too, I guess. : )
I don’t like watching actual baseball games but I love playing. The game is really fun- so I prefer to get into action myself. But it is a totally different story if Kevin Costner or Dennis Quaid is the one swinging the bat : )
Combine the fun with romance, and you have a winner in your hands.
My personal favorite is Field of Dreams. I love the redemption story of shoeless joe and the father kid relationship going on. Of course, I don’t really care about what men are in the movies 🙂 But, for story I would say I liked Natural, but it was better as a book because the ending is not so Hollywood and characterizes our inner struggles a lot better than the movie. Sometimes I like to have a realistic ending rather than the happy ones.
Compared to other sports films (boxing, football, futbol, basketball), baseball films are more accessible to viewers who aren’t even sports fans.
You’ve made a really valid point! There is something in the air this time of year… red October, baseball! For all baseball lovers, October is the best time of year. The attitude of competitiveness is high and there is always an eternal hope that whatever team you root for will win. Well done!
Field of Dreams, definitely. The pursuit of a personal vision despite its seeming irrationality, the importance of family support, and the desire to commune with the past are all great themes that are handled excellently in this film. Come to think of it, I don’t know that I’ve ever heard another male say that they didn’t like this movie.
Baseball Chick Flicks are to me “lame”. As a purist with an enormous understanding of the game, as well as someone that has actually read Malumud’s “The Natural” years before it became a movie, I know it was based on a real person (Eddy Waitkus) who never became more than an average player after he was tragically shot. Also, in the book Roy Hobbs strikes out to end the game. I think the most underrated movie was “The Sandlot”,
which to me captures the essence of baseball in brilliantly portraying “a little boy’s perspective of a little boy’s game.”
Which brings me to predict who will win this year’s World Series: The Phillies. Why? Because to paraphrase the classic line from this classic movie “Johnny Damon throws like a girl!”
I LOVE Baseball and baseball movies. I was actually at a game during a filming of The Rookie. It was pretty cool.
Love Bull Durham (oh Kevin Costner’s line about kissing…) and I love Field of Dreams. I enjoy them for all the reasons you listed above. And yes, I think men like them for the same reasons. (Well, except for the hot men actors!)
😉
Oh and eeesh… I just can’t cheer for the Yankees.
I love love LOVE Bull Durham. Annie’s my favorite: ‘Course, what I give them lasts a lifetime; what they give me lasts 142 games. Sometimes it seems like a bad trade. But bad trades are part of baseball…
One of my favorite things, as a woman, about baseball movies is that, while they have great themes that I can relate to and connect with as a woman, my husband enjoys them as much as I do. These movies are great relationship builders for our marriage! So fun to cuddle up with him in front of The Natural, Field of Dreams, or For the Love of the Game. We watched 61 recently and loved it — a Billy Crystal movie about the home run race between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. I highly recommend it!
It’s funny, I don’t get into sports movies of any kind. Sports in real life are unscripted, so it’s hard for me to watch them when they have a script! The relationships in the movies are great, but I can find that in other films.
I do understand the allure for you, though. Keep watching those baseball movies!
I, too, am a Red Sox fan, but I just can’t bring myself to say “Congrats Yankees”. Oh, just typing it makes me throw up in my mouth a little..
Anyway, I also enjoy a good baseball movie, and those you mentioned are a given that I like. Being a Red Sox fan, I must say that Fever Pitch is a hit at our house. Also, I’m thinking of the one with Charlie Sheen from the 90’s… is that called Big League? I know he’s a pitcher who needs glasses and they call him “Wild Thing”. At our house, we still imitate the announcer saying “juuust a bit outside” when we’re watching baseball.
Go Phillies.
Exceedingly good – for a girl! I loved it. I loved Field of Dreams, the philosophy behind it especially.
You can’t get too much hope.
“The Sandlot,” by far my favorite. Who couldn’t love a movie about a group of boys finding paradise on their own block via something as simple as baseball.
I love sports films in general, but agree that baseball films are much more accessible (and would add The Sandlot, *61, and though far from uplifting—Eight Men Out to my list of favorites). Having read the book “The Natural” first, I have to admit I had a difficult time enjoying the film.
Go Phillies (anyone but the Yankees :P)
Great post. I’ve also loved Bull Durham for years, and I love a good baseball movie, starting with The Sandlot all those years ago. I love the stories, but maybe it’s the fact that one gets a sense of the game without sitting there for hours through the most boring parts of the game.
I love baseball movies because I love the sport. Put me in any stand, any league, any age group and I’ll watch it. The movies get to the heart of it. They always make me cry. Watch 61*… it’s awesome.
Not a big fan of Kevin Costner. Baseball is kind of blah for me. However, I love only one baseball film called, “Mr. Baseball.”
This made me laugh. I never thought of that – that women were mainly enjoying the guys as eye candy.
You know…*I* am in a sports movie. heh. I just told Besos about it the other day – I was a student at Notre Dame when they filmed Rudy and sure enough, at one spot in the film, my mug is smack on camera.
Surprisingly, she didn’t insist on running out to rent it.
-R.
p.s. How you doin’, Trouble?
I’m laughing! Good to hear from you Cary.
Jeez… I saw that movie, too. Sean Astin, right? Didn’t realize Cary Grant was part of the supporting cast, especially since you, uh… passed, a few years earlier. Go figure…
I love watching Field of Dreams and The Rookie. Those are such good baseball movies. Kevin Costner is such a good actor!
This made me smile… I actually don’t like baseball movies… at all. Or any sports movies for some reason. I don’t know why! Maybe I saw too many as a kid. I do like the whole underdog theme. But I suppose I just get so bored with baseball. I did like A League of Their Own though… that was a long time ago 🙂
I love Angels in the Outfield and also Rookie of the Year. They both make me happy and feature crushes I had as a kid that grew up to be attractive and successful.
I’m so looking for Mr. Baseball. Tom Selleck is so much fun to watch.
And Susan Sarandon’s Annie is of course lovely, but then almost every character Sarandon portrays is.
You’re exactly right…baseball be darned…it’s the romance with the hot player that gets our eye! 🙂
Love all the baseball films mentioned here. A good sports movie is so much more than sports. If it is done right, is provides lessons about life. Youth sports creates the same platform for kids in real life.
Usually the baseball story involves a romantic backdrop as well. Of course, the leading studs don’t hurt with the women viewers 😉 .
Happy to see Cathy mention The Sandlot, no stud there! One of my favorite scenes ever is the kid getting attractive girl lifeguard to give him mouth to mouth. Classic!
Of course, I like most sports movies. I AM the guy who has all the Rocky movies in VHS and DVD. Don’t ask!!
Go Phillies!
Hello, I’ve been lurking for a couple of weeks now, and I just couldn’t resist this post. I love baseball movies, and really just anything baseball. I adore watching the Sandlot with my son, and for me nothing is better than Kevin Costner describing that kiss to Susan Sarandon. Ah….
Oooooooh Robert Redford … and how I SO wanted to be Glenn Close in that movie!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE baseball movies!!
Excellent Post BLW!!
Speaking of Mr. Baseball –
the female lead in the film Aya Takanashi – only made 1 film – Mr. Baseball.
I couldn’t find any pictures of her on the web – so I did a piece on whatever happened to Aya Takanashi – the actress who never was on my own blog.
http://jmmnewaov2.wordpress.com/
BY the way – judging from the number of comments – i think you struck a nerve with your female readers. Nice going and thanks for your hard work.
JustMeMike