Across a six-month span, 30 teams play 162 games, all with the ambition of qualifying for October baseball. With postseason in the air, tensions reign high as fans stay glued to their televisions to catch the finale of America’s favorite pastime. The Daily Texan curated a list of five baseball movies to watch in honor of the Major League Baseball postseason.
Field of Dreams (1989)
Featuring Kevin Costner, the fantasy-drama revolves around the Iowa farmer Ray (Costner). One evening, he hears mysterious voices urging him to build a baseball field — “if you build it, he will come.” As he begins his journey, he attracts the ghosts of baseball legends: Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) and Moonlight Graham (Burt Lancaster). However, as the game continues, he learns that it becomes more than just bringing former baseball greats out to play.
42 (2013)
This biographical film explores the true story of an American legend and the road to baseball integration. The story illustrates the brutal racism of the 1940s and ‘50s and Jackie Robinson’s (Chadwick Boseman) story on becoming the first Black athlete to play in the MLB.
A League of Their Own (1992)
Loosely based on a true story, this movie takes place during World War II. With a stock of men overseas, the comedy-drama presents the real-life emergence of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the Midwest during the late 1940s. Starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell, Lori Petty and Madonna, this film proves culturally and historically significant for women in sports.
Moneyball (2011)
Based on the Oakland Athletics baseball team’s 2002 season, the biographical film follows their general and assistant manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) and Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). The film gives insight into the reinvention of a team by challenging old-school traditions and showcasing the new approach of analyzing statistics, which changed their approach to scouting — a foundation that revolutionized sports analysis.
Trouble with the Curve (2012)
A sports film featuring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake, the drama revolves around the world of baseball scouting to explore the trials and tribulations of an aging baseball scout — once one of the best. Along the way, the scout reconnects with his estranged daughter as he begrudgingly accepts her help on the journey to examine America’s top batting prospects.
The Sandlot (1993)
The classic American coming-of-age story begins in the summer of 1962 when fifth grader Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) moves to a new neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. He makes friends with a group of boys who play baseball daily at the local sandlot. This cult classic tells of their sweet and funny adventures, which makes for a lighthearted, family-friendly watch to conclude the MLB postseason.
