Start the season with my top baseball movies

Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs in "The Natural."

I thought I'd observe the start of the 2013 Major League Baseball season with a list of my favorite baseball movies. 

I'm not a film critic or a serious MLB fan, but I enjoy watching movies and baseball, so I think that qualifies me to comment on both. My list, along with two honorable mentions, appears below, but I preface my offering with two observations. 

• Movies made for entertainment should not be considered completely accurate in the image they attempt to create of a specific sport or other industry. Viewers seeking films for insight about “how things really are” in any area of life should look for documentaries containing balanced, objective information.
• Exceptionally good movies about sports typically offer engaging stories about human characters, not a particular sport. The sport is just a backdrop, a stage set, not the centerpiece of the movie. I think the movies I list here best represent my point.

1. "The Natural" — (1984) Director Barry Levinson’s film adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s novel about a baseball player with superior talent who gets a chance to play in the major leagues many years after being involved in a scandalous shooting. Levinson’s storytelling makes this one of my all-around favorite movies, and my favorite baseball film. I think it stands the test of time. While some continue to criticize the casting of Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs (too old at the time he appeared in the film), I am hard-pressed to name another actor who might have played the role in 1984, or today. As Hobbs, I think Redford is at his best in the scenes that focus on Hobbs reflecting on the few moments that can change the direction of one's life forever. To view a scene from the movie, click here.
2. "Moneyball" — (2011) Brad Pitt delivers a strong performance in this engaging story (screenplay by Aaron Sorkin) about Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s effort to build a major league team with a limited budget. In assembling his team, Beane opts for computer analysis over his staff of professional scouts. This is a movie that is about so much more than baseball, and Pitt deserves credit for adding an interesting dimension to what could have been a by-the-numbers film about hapless misfits at the ballpark. To view a scene from the movie, click here.
3. "Pride of the Yankees" — (1942) Directed by Sam Wood and starring Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright, this classic Hollywood biopic tells the story of Lou Gehrig, who played more than 2,130 consecutive games before being struck down at age 37 by ALS. Considered by many to be one of Cooper’s best performances and one of the best films about baseball, “Pride of the Yankees” is a classic on several levels. I think it works well as simply a human drama set against the background of baseball. No matter how you label it, just sit back and enjoy viewing this one. To view a scene from the movie, click here. 
4. "Long Gone" — (1987) The story of the Tampico Stogies, a minor-league baseball team in the 1950s. It is, in my opinion, a much better movie about life in the minors than “Bull Durham.” William Petersen stars at Stud Cantrell, the Stogies’ player/manager. Virginia Madsen offers an enticing performance as Dixie Lee Boxx. Whenever I mention this movie, most people tell me they've never heard of it. That might be because it originally aired on HBO. Many of those who have viewed it, consider "Long Gone" one of the best films about baseball. I just find it highly entertaining. To view a scene from the movie, click here. 
5. "Bang the Drum Slowly" — (1973) A baseball movie worth watching even for viewers who can’t stand baseball. A somewhat dated movie, its stars a young Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty and tells the story of a friendship between a star pitcher and a catcher, who has a terminal illness. Vincent Gardenia nearly steals the movie as the team’s manager. To view a scene from the movie, click here.

Honorable Mentions:

"Field of Dreams" — (1989) The film adaptation of W.P. Kinsella’s novel tells the story of an Iowa farmer who replaces his corn field with a baseball diamond and lights. “If you build it, he will come.” The movie includes a wonderful performance by Burt Lancaster as Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham. To view a scene from the move, click here. 

"Major League" — (1989) A fun, often sophomoric, tale about misfit players and a season with the Cleveland Indians. Don’t take it seriously in any manner, just enjoy the entertainment. To view a scene from the movie, click here. 

— Share your top baseball movies here. Offer a comment or email me at kbotterman@gmail.com. Remember, always hit 'em where they ain't.