Baseball may not occupy the same place in America culture it once did—football and basketball have been more popular for years—but movies about America’s pastime are still far better than those about any other sport.
There’s a handful of reasons why, including the inherent nostalgia, the game’s slow pace, which lends itself to building drama, and the simple fact that there are just more movies about baseball than other sports.
But even if we all know baseball spawns the best sports movies, there’s hardly consensus on which baseball movies are the best. The folks at Redbox sought to find out what Americans think by polling 1,000 of them. Here are their favorites.
10. Moneyball— The most recent film on the list is also the only one that’s more about the guys in the front office than the ones in the clubhouse. If you’re wondering why America loves it more than, say, Mr. Baseball or Brewster’s Millions, the answer is the hunk in the visor below.
9. Rookie of the Year— The first of three kids movies on this list, Rookie of the Year is notable for a few reasons: Daniel Stern’s goofball pitching coach Phil Brickma, a rare sighting of a sane and stable Gary Busey, and the addition of a phenomenal phrase to the English lexicon.
8. Bull Durham— Technically a baseball movie, Bull Durham is more romantic comedy than anything else. It works because of its excellent script and big league performances from Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins and the ever-alluring Susan Sarandon.
7. The Natural— It’s an American myth dressed up as a baseball movie and if this were a list of the best baseball movies, it would belong a lot higher, but there’s no accounting for taste.
6. Bad News Bears— Released in 1976, this one is a true time capsule that could never be made today. Here’s one reason why:
5. Angels in the Outfield— Without doubt, the worst movie on this list and it’s in the top five. This is one of those Disney flicks that you saw when you were six and wouldn’t be able to watch for six minutes now without turning off.
4. Major League— Charlie Sheen was already a star when Major League hit in 1989, but it helped launch the careers of Wesley Snipes, Rene Russo and of course, Jobu. After three sequels in nine years, people are still jonesing for more Wild Thing, and if Sheen has his way, a fourth movie will soon be in theaters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fWNW92bjsM
3. The Sandlot— Thick with nostalgia, The Sandlot is a cloying coming-of-age story that didn’t find much success at the box office. But in the years since its release, it became a cult hit and now there are 30-year-olds walking around with t-shirts bearing this iconic phrase.
2. A League of Their Own— Can you believe it, a baseball movie with women who aren’t love interests or moms? Penny Marshall’s story of an all-women baseball team was both a critical and commercial success, while producing what is probably the most quotable line from any movie on this list.
1. Field of Dreams— The people have spoken and this sentimental, self-important snoozefest, which tries so hard to elevate the game into some kind of metaphor of existence, is America’s favorite baseball movie. Congrats!
