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This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of the greatest movies ever, Bull Durham. This movie goes beyond baseball and simply makes for an entertaining story...

All-Time Baseball Movie Lineup

by Collin Hager - The Roundtable (Senior Writer)

26

7,438 reads

Sports

June 17, 2008


This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of the greatest movies ever, Bull Durham.

 

This movie goes beyond baseball and simply makes for an entertaining story. I’m sure I don’t have to give the background on Crash Davis, Annie Savoy, or Nuke LaLoosh, but reading about the time since its first release gave me an idea.

 

One of the continued topics at the Roundtable is the greatest baseball movie lineup. I’m going to bring in what we think it is. There are several criteria.

 

First, nothing can be based on a true story or star professionals. That rules out Cobb, Mickey, The Rookie, Field of Dreams, and Fever Pitch.

 

Second, you can’t use players from little-league teams unless they actually put on a professional uniform, ruling out Hardball, The Bad News Bears, and The Sandlot (except Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez).

 

Third, no animals. This was basically to rule out someone using Air Bud or the monkey from Ed.

 

Finally, college players count. So go ahead and open up Summer Catch.

 

Here’s what we have. I’m anxious to hear from others, and see what they would go with here, so post comments, please.

 

 

C: Crash Davis (Bull Durham)—You can debate here between Jake Taylor and Davis for hours (and we have). I give Davis the final nod because of his impact on the pitching staff and his infinite wisdom off the field. He may never have made it to "The Show" permanently, but he knows how to handle young pitching and provides some power towards the bottom of my lineup.

 

Taylor, though solid, is aging and has bad knees. He’s consistent, but I’d rather have him on my coaching staff than trying to throw out runners. Backup: Rube Baker (Major League II)

 

 

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26 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Ryan Droege about 1 year ago

    You're killing me Smalls!

    A) Major League: Back to the Minors was an entertaining film that gave us our much-needed Scott Bakula fix.

    B) Where's Billy Chapel (For Love of the Game)?

    and C) I was going to ask for a shout out to Jimmy Dugan (A League of Their Own) but then I remembered that the AAGPBL was an actual entity, thereby disqualifying him. So, my bad.

    Great article!

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    • Collin Hager - The Roundtable about 1 year ago

      Two calls for Billy Chapel huh? I was concerned over his age, but he probably has more in the tank than a crafty veteran like Eddie Harris. Or he could serve as the Mike Timlin of the crew. Good points!

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  2. Jon McLaughlin about 1 year ago

    Great Article, I agree with the absence of Billy Chapel I would take an aged Chapel over Dunne any day.

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  3. Brad Zak about 1 year ago

    Benny the Jet Rodriguez doesn't get a nod here? Not even for his stache alone? If you need a pinch runner he's your man. After all, he stole home and outran the beast.

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    • Joe G about 1 year ago

      Great article.

      And I agree, Benny the Jet needs to be on this roster somewhere. He's proven that he can definitely outhustle Roger "Do you think April is too early for a Roger Dorn night?" Dorn.

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  4. Ryan Droege about 1 year ago

    We already have Jack Elliot holding down a whole team's worth of 'stache.

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  5. Ken Armer about 1 year ago

    Major League is the best baseball movie ever. Good to see those guys making your team.

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  6. Andrew Mees about 1 year ago

    Can we get Brickma from Rookie of the Year on as Pitching Coach? And Tanaka from Major League would make a great reserve outfielder for this squad.

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  7. Adam Amick about 1 year ago

    I highly recommend "Mr. Baseball" as a must-watch for what NOT to do if you're going to visit Japan.

    Great movie. But so was Bull Durham.

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  8. Ian Thomas about 1 year ago

    great read, but where's Stan Ross from "Mr. 3000"? I know the movie sucked, but he got 2,999 hits in the majors!

    and how about Dennis Quaid's Jim Morris from "The Rookie"? He threw 98mph! He'd be great in that bullpen.

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    • Collin Hager - The Roundtable about 1 year ago

      Tough to add both Stan Ross as an aging guy and have Jack Elliot. I went with Elliot but a solid call.

      Can't count Jim Morris, though. That movie was based on a true story and we ruled those out.

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  9. Adam Lindemer about 1 year ago

    I'm throwing another vote out there for Billy Chapel from 'For Love of the Game". To end your 'career' on a perfect game...amazing.

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  10. Dorothy Willis about 1 year ago

    Would Eddie Matthews who was in Bull Durham as an extra (ball player) and pitched for the Nuke scenes be eligible for pitcher?

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  11. Andrew Kneeland about 1 year ago

    Great stuff! What about the kid from Little Big League as the manager?

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  12. Brett Kettyle about 1 year ago

    Mel Clark from Angels in the Outfield should be one of the pitchers

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  13. Jay V about 1 year ago

    The Slugger's Wife was an awful movie, but Darryl Palmer (played by Micheal O' Keefe aka Danny Noonan from Caddyshack), quite the non-believable slugger) did hit 62 HRs in the movie, so he deserves to be on this list. However, I have no memory of what position he played.

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  14. Jared Hager about 1 year ago

    How is Lou Collins not in the starting lineup? AL batting champ and all-star? Jack Elliot played in the Japanese league. This is the biggest dissapointment since Kevin Costner's directorial debut in Waterworld. Also, give me Billy Haywood calling the shots. Lou Brown spent the playoffs in the hospital and has the tendency to have slow starts that last at least an hour into the movie. Haywood showed he could effect the game with his moves. Lou Brown never really impressed me. It was Jake Taylor who got them to the series. Speaking of Stan Ross, how about T-Rex. He showed real maturity throughout that year. I like Stan Ross as hitting coach.

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  15. v romm about 1 year ago

    I agree best cast best baseball movie. The Natural is awesome too.

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  1. Sheamus Ahearn about 1 year ago

    Kevin Costner could be pitching to himself (Chapel to Davis). Think about it. They'd be the BEST pitcher-catcher team ever, not having to bother with signs or mound visits. Also, Costner would probably build the field they'd be playing on, making it so he knew every last inch of it.
    Finally I would have liked to see Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez at second (C'mon, as a teenager he was better than Suarez).

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  2. Smalls Smalley about 1 year ago

    seriously...no Benny the Jet? hell, the whole sandlot team is worth putting out there before Dorn!!

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  3. jambolyajones Jones about 1 year ago

    Roy Scheider (Tiger Town) should be on the team. Veteran presence. Just be sure you give season passes to the telekinetic kid that inspires Roy to hit a HR ever time he comes up.

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  4. Harris Decker about 1 year ago

    no one from the All American Girls Baseball League??? (A League of their Own)

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  5. Stan Ferguson about 1 year ago

    My bro and I vote Sammy Bodeen from "Talent for the Game." Dude throws absolute gas. However, you might have to add Virgil Sweet as the bullpen coach so that he can sneak into the game to catch every time Bodeen has to take the hill.

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