5 baseball films I plan to share with my son this season. And one to grow on.
Probably not. He’s 8.
But we’ll get to that. When it comes to baseball, for my son and I the off-season is short. We love basketball and football too, but amid the steady flow of NFL playoff news in January, we latch onto every precious detail regarding MLB trade deals, scouting reports, and roster forecasts heading into Spring Training. He demands I keep him apprised of player movements so he can organize his baseball cards accordingly, and I dig up movies to hold us over until the televised season begins. It can be difficult to come to a meeting of the minds on this matter, as I have a tendency to overstretch my notion of which films he’s likely to understand and enjoy. This year, he has shown a remarkable interest in the current political climate, which has inspired me to try and introduce him to some movies with both historical context and themes of social awareness. I also have no intention of watching Rookie of the Year again. Ulterior motives aside, however, I feel I would be completely remiss as a “baseball dad” if I didn’t begin with:
The Sandlot (1993)
Though difficult for some of us to admit, The Sandlot was released nearly 24 years ago. Thus it’s nostalgia endures not only as an illustration of boyhood in the sixties, but as a fond remembrance for those of us that grew up with the movie in the nineties. Full of capers and camp, it is fair to say that as a coming of age film for boys, it doesn’t merit the type of esteem as, say, The Goonies or Stand By Me. But as a baseball movie, it’s perfect. It’s fairly light on social commentary, save for some lessons regarding acceptance and not being too quick to judge. There is, however, an opportunity to discuss James Earl Jones’ appearance as a former colleague of Babe Ruth, and the role he would have endured at that time as a professional in the Negro Leagues. We won’t bother with any of the straight-to-video “sequels;” instead we’ll watch the original at least a dozen times this season…just as we did last year, and the year before that.
A League of Their Own (1992)
Gender issues have taken center stage in public discourse over the past year, to put it lightly. The bitter election cycle and its immediate aftermath have provided some of the most egregious public displays of misogyny and sexism in recent memory, and our children bore witness to it all. I’m really looking forward to sharing this film with my son. Beyond the fact that it is a damn good baseball movie, it does a superb job of depicting a group of young women testing the boundaries of conventional gender roles in a chauvinist society. Set against the backdrop of a nation at war, the ladies of the Rockford Peaches challenge every so-called “conservative” notion of what a woman’s role in society is supposed to be. Though a fictionalized account, the movie pays homage to the real women of the AAGPBL, a critical piece of American history that deserves to be remembered, particularly among 8-year-old baseball enthusiasts. It does cover some difficult topics such as harassment, bullying, and discrimination; as well as death and loss. It may be important to provide some context as to the timeframe and the difficulties the nation was facing at the time. It may also be worthwhile to establish context surrounding Tom Hanks’ depiction of the perpetually drunk and surly team manager, Jimmy Dugan. His behavior, though hilarious, is not portrayed in a particularly redeeming light, thus the positive role model duties remain safely assigned to Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and her teammates.
The Bad News Bears (1976)
I’ll wager that many a parent has sat down to watch this classic with their youngsters only to discover that it came off much more coarse than they remember. Like many baseball nuts in the eighties, I grew up watching this movie repeatedly on VHS, manifest my first crush in Amanda Whurlitzer and was able to recount much of the script in my youth. I thought nothing of the inebriated antics of Matthau’s Coach Buttermaker and his foul-mouthed flock, beyond the fact that he looked and acted like my grandfather, and I loved him for it. Obviously, this oversight was due to lack of experience; only much later did I fully appreciate the irreverence of the film, beginning with Matthau dumping a pint of Jim Beam into a Budweiser in the opening scene, and culminating with 11-year-old shortstop, Tanner Boyle’s now infamous tirade of racial epithets. I’m not so naive as to think my kid hasn’t already heard most of the salty terms uttered in this film — we’re a baseball family, after all — but thankfully some of this language has been long shelved by society and with good reason. I actually think that the movie’s age makes it easier to palate — and to explain. That said, it also contains some extremely poignant and useful messages regarding sportsmanship, teamwork, and integrity. Additionally, no film that I know of does a better job of calling into question the shameful behavior of overbearing Little League dads. Watching the movie as a parent, the vicarious feud between Yankees parent-coach Roy Turner and Morris Buttermaker takes on a whole new meaning as they willingly risk the physical health of their kids and jeopardize their love of the game. The Bears should be mandatory viewing for any parent with children in youth sports, lest we forget to just shut up and let our kids play.
Field of Dreams (1989)
Much to my initial dismay, my son grew bored and listless during our first viewing of Field of Dreams. Upon reflection, I can hardly blame him, for despite the film’s iconic placing in the canon of our nation’s pastime, it features surprisingly little in the way of baseball. This year, however, he received this book in his stocking and became fascinated with the Black Sox scandal and the legend of Shoeless Joe Jackson. I plan to revisit Field of Dreams, this time alongside Eight Men Out, capitalizing on his kindling interest in the history of the game. The film is a faithful adaptation of W.P. Kinsella’s Shoeless Joe, though interestingly, the movie’s producers created the fictitious character, Terence Mann, as a replacement to the book’s portrayal of J.D. Salinger based on concerns that the reclusive author would litigate any further use of his name. The fortunate result is another James Earl Jones character that stands alone popular baseball culture. His vivid monologues on baseball, Americana, and life are riveting both within the context of the film itself and the sport at large, as proven here by the great Vin Scully. Ultimately, Field of Dreams is a story about family — more specifically the relationship between fathers and sons. Having first experienced this movie as a son, and now as a father, I get to experience the full weight of the film and its important lessons about humility, fallibility, and regret.
42 (2013)
I may be overly ambitious in thinking that the story of Jackie Robinson will resonate as heavily with my son as it has for me, but I’m going to try. He was born in 2008, so he has only known a world in which the president was African American and players of every ethnicity are featured in the big leagues. Nonetheless, he needs to see it. I will do my best to offer some explanation as to the nature of society at the time, though I don’t know that I can’t do it justice. My hope is that he’ll view it with incredulity, as a member of a generation for whom that level of cultural ignorance is a foreign notion and only witnessed in history books. As a biography, the film has been described as formulaic by many critics, and I don’t disagree, but its portrayal is no less a necessity. It is painful to watch, particularly given the knowledge that even the most heinous depictions of the abuse endured by Robinson were scripted nearly word-for-word from actual events. This movie does not hold back in castigating those who would eventually find themselves on the wrong side of history, and it provides powerful guidance for many of the issues our society is facing right now. I want very much for my son to know who Jackie Robinson is, what he achieved, and what he represents.
Bull Durham (1998)
No, we will not be watching Bull Durham together this year. It was not a snap decision; it is probably my favorite movie within the genre, and I’m obviously not alone in this assessment. My reluctance stems not from discomfort with the overt sexuality of the film — I don’t think he would be damaged by its raunchiness so much as embarrassed — he hides his eyes at the mere hint of mushiness in any context. I just don’t think I’m quite ready to expose him to the less-than-glamorous underbelly of the professional sports world as depicted here. Don’t get me wrong, there will come a time in which it will be important that he is shown the true nature of the industry and the enormous odds faced by the legions of minor leaguers struggling for a chance at the big leagues. But at this age, he tends to measure players’ moral fiber based on their appearances in funny commercials, how often they whine to umpires, and whether they have the indefensible judgment to accept a contract with the Dodgers. I’ve only recently begun to discuss with him the more unpleasant realities within professional sports, such as cheating, PED’s and the plague of domestic violence. I look forward to following the news closely with him as he becomes aware of the human aspects of his heroes, not just their mythical talents. I imagine at that time, he’ll appreciate the hilarity and nuance of Bull Durham that much more. I also plan to order a mandatory viewing any time he begins to act even remotely like “Nuke” LaLoosh.
Honorable Mention
Fever Pitch (2005)
I’d like to give a shout out to Fever Pitch, not necessarily as a title to share with one’s kid — though they’re certain to enjoy it — but as one to try out on a significant other. If ever there was an opportunity for a baseball fanatic to win a skeptical partner over to their cause, this is it. It’s actually an adaptation of a British soccer film featuring the same storyline, and conveniently, the same title. The Farrelly brothers must have moved quickly to put this movie together following Boston’s 2004 World Series win, because it features that historic playoff run quite prominently. Two words of warning — it depicts Red Sox fans in a fun and even endearing light, so understandably not everyone will be able to enjoy it objectively. Additionally, despite its legitimate baseball credentials, it is undeniably a rom-com. For evidence on why I still think it is worth your time, I encourage you to reference another piece I wrote on this matter specifically.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this compilation of some of my favorite baseball films, and hope you’ll take the time to comment and perhaps offer some suggestions of your own. If you feel this piece is worthy of a recommendation, please don’t hesitate to click the heart and share as you see fit. Best wishes this baseball season, and Go Giants!
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