Top 5 baseball movies??

[the 'stache]

Bumping this up for further discussion.

I've had a nice run adding to my baseball movie/documentary collection. My goal is to build an unrivaled baseball collection.

Since listing my five favorite baseball films, I've picked these up:

The Essential Games of the Milwaukee Brewers(not pictured)-a nice 4 disc collection including four of the most memorable games from our team's history. Game 5 of the 1982 ALCS, which gave Milwaukee its first pennant since the Milwaukee Braves won the National League in 1958. Game 4 of the 1982 World Series. The 2008 Wild Card clincher, which put us into the post seasons for the first time since 1982. And, game 5 of the 2011 NLDS, the first post season series we've won since the 1982 ALCS. Also included are a series of highlights from other games, including Ben Sheets' 18 strikeout performance, the game in Arizona where both Jeromy Burnitz and Richie Sexon hit three home runs in the same game, and the first of Ryan Braun's three home run games. It also has a nice retrospective of the 1982 Brewers, and a Hall of Fame profile of Robin Yount. Yes, I know, pretty slim pickings, but I still love my team, no matter how infrequently they win any meaningful games.

Legends in Pinstripes-From HBO films, three of their New York Yankee-related documentaries: Babe Ruth, Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio and The Definitive Story of Mickey Mantle. This is the Mantle one I've had sitting on my DVR for the last three years or so, narrated by Liev Schriber. So, at least I have it should the DVR die on me. I'd never seen the documentary on DiMaggio. Loved it. I've always been a fan of the Yankee Clipper. Hell, I've always been an admirer (though somewhat begrudgingly) of the Yankees. DiMaggio was the perfect ballplayer. The Yankees really couldn't have won any more World Series rings than they did with him already, but I shudder to think how invincible the Yankees might have been had Mantle and Whitey each been born about 5 years earlier. Take 1950, for example. They won 98 games. The lineup with Mantle would have been...frightening.

Eight Men Out, the Twentieth Anniversary Edition. I didn't have this in my collection already. I just had it saved on my DVR from when HD Net showed it. It was worth the $10 just to get the new documentaries that weren't on the first DVD release.

Warner Brothers 4 Film Favorites-Classic Baseball. This was a steal for me. $11.29 delivered for these great films:

Pride of the Yankees.
Fear Strikes Out
Bang The Drum Slowly
Cobb

I've seen Cobb, and have it, too, on the DVR after appearing on Cinemax. The others, interestingly enough, I have never seen. So, I will be watching them starting this weekend.



Abou $60 for all of these (the Brewer collection I did not include in this picture). I am a happy baseball fan!

I also have to say that I have very much enjoyed Million Dollar Arm. I wasn't sure what to think of it, but I gave it a chance, and liked it quite a lot, especially the second half. It won't crack my top five, but it's one I'll buy on Blu Ray for sure. It gets back to what baseball is all about, it my opinion.

Speaking of Blu Rays, I added Bull Durham, The Natural, A League of Their Own, 42, and the HBO doc When it Was a Game complete set. I am also going to add Moneyball and Trouble With the Curve, which I have been watching on Vudu since getting those for my father on Blu Ray, as well as Major League and Field of Dreams. I have already ordered Fever Pitch, too.

[clydepepper]

Well, I can't believe I never responded to this thread before. I guess I have more Baseball Movies than most. As far as which are my favorites - well, that has changed over time...I don't seem to appreciate Major League or The Natural as much as when they first came out, but that doesn't mean they're not good movies.

Feel free to ask me about any of these and I will give my honest opinion:

BULL DURHAM
EIGHT MEN OUT
FIELD OF DREAMS
FOR LOVE OF THE GAME
MAJOR LEAGUE (B-R)
MILLION DOLLAR ARM (B-R)
MR. BASEBALL
MONEYBALL (B-R)
PASTIME
42- THE JACKIE ROBINSON STORY (B-R)
61*
SOUL OF THE GAME
SUMMER CATCH
TALENT FOR THE GAME
THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-STARS AND MOTOR KINGS
THE BRONX IS BURNING
THE NATURAL
THE PRIDE OF ST. LOUIS
THE ROOKIE
THE SANDLOT
THE SCOUT
THE WINNING TEAM
TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (B-R)

[brian1961]

Hey 'stache, Unless this hasn't been mentioned, and by some chance you are unaware of this firm, you ain't seen nothing yet until you tap into:

www.raresportsfilms.com

Owned and operated by long-time sports card collector Doak Ewing of Naperville, Illinois, his selection of baseball, football, auto racing, and a few etcs. is second to none. His web site is very easy to maneuver, and he provides the rundown on each of his titles. He'll do a bulk-purchase discount, too. His stuff isn't cheap, but this is truly an instance where quality does not come with a discount. I have a bunch of Doak's VHS tapes, and love them all. I believe all his offerings are now on DVD. ---Brian Powell

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by brian1961

Hey 'stache, Unless this hasn't been mentioned, and by some chance you are unaware of this firm, you ain't seen nothing yet until you tap into:

www.raresportsfilms.com

Owned and operated by long-time sports card collector Doak Ewing of Naperville, Illinois, his selection of baseball, football, auto racing, and a few etcs. is second to none. His web site is very easy to maneuver, and he provides the rundown on each of his titles. He'll do a bulk-purchase discount, too. His stuff isn't cheap, but this is truly an instance where quality does not come with a discount. I have a bunch of Doak's VHS tapes, and love them all. I believe all his offerings are now on DVD. ---Brian Powell

Great resource there, I have purchased four of his DVDs, three of which were World Series from the 1960s.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by brian1961

Hey 'stache, Unless this hasn't been mentioned, and by some chance you are unaware of this firm, you ain't seen nothing yet until you tap into:

www.raresportsfilms.com

Owned and operated by long-time sports card collector Doak Ewing of Naperville, Illinois, his selection of baseball, football, auto racing, and a few etcs. is second to none. His web site is very easy to maneuver, and he provides the rundown on each of his titles. He'll do a bulk-purchase discount, too. His stuff isn't cheap, but this is truly an instance where quality does not come with a discount. I have a bunch of Doak's VHS tapes, and love them all. I believe all his offerings are now on DVD. ---Brian Powell

Oh...my...God...Brian.

I hate you. I really hate you! Seriously. I wish you'd never shown me that site, haha. I have to forget about it, or I may go broke buying up every baseball game he has.

In all seriousness, thank you! I have bookmarked it, and when I calm down a little on my Blu Ray buying, I'm going to peruse his collection, and see what I'd like to get. Just a cursory glance at some of the items he has listed has my eyes popping out, and my heart fluttering like a 16 year old boy trying to unfasten a bra in the back seat of a car for the first time.

I saw an archive site maintained by NFL Films, but I think the films were very expensive, and I saw a lot of my "dream games" were missing. If this man has even a small portion of what I want, I might be going poor very soon, lol.

See, this one alone is giving me an excited twitch:



Please note this image belongs to Rare Sports Films. Linking here for illustrative purposes only!

He has a 1972 Brewers-Angels game from County Stadium. Oh my...

[brian1961]

Bill, I am relieved you don't actually hate me, but I do realize the sheer cost is enormous. You simply must read on his website what Doak actually does with his films that he purchases before he puts a given title on the market. I think you will be impressed and convinced that he does not offer any junk. He's very proud of what he does and rightly so.

The official World Series films, the films that were produced by a team sponsor and shown at civic groups, and other kinds of public relations venues, and the documentaries of various sports stars are staggering. One I have not purchased is an actual TV broadcast of Happy Felton's Knothole Gang, a Brooklyn-area kids show that was aired prior to a Dodgers game. Happy would have a Dodger player as a guest, and I vaguely recall that on one of the few episodes Doak offers the guest is Jackie Robinson. These are black 'n white kinescopes, so it's far removed from HD, but pretty much the same quality as what a little guy would see on his black 'n white TV back in 1955. I give this as an example, not that I know whether you're a Dodger fan, but to convey that Doak Ewing offers things that no one does. He comes up with some Dueseys. Let's just say, other than maybe the World Series films, you shan't find these at Wal-Mart.

As you have already come to know, these films complement our sports card collecting.

Cheers, bro. Have a swell day. ---Brian Powell

[clydepepper]

Bill- I have four DVDs from RareSportsFilms and they are wonderful. I will suggest, however, that you notice the length of each before purchasing.

I bought Summer of 1957 as it is 3 hours and 24 minutes long. Great Stuff !!

[egri]

In no particular order:

61*
Field of Dreams
42
Fever Pitch
Bull Durham/A League of Their Own

I keep going back and forth on whether to put Bull Durham or ALoTO as the last one. My anti-Yankees tendencies are strong enough to keep Pride of the Yankees off there, but I will give it an honorable mention.

[the 'stache]

See, this thread is emblematic of why I love Net 54 so much. The discussion, and the knowledge, is incredible.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

See, this thread is emblematic of why I love Net 54 so much. The discussion, and the knowledge, is incredible.

That's a huge compliment coming from someone whose own contributions and tireless research are without par on this forum.