The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time

Praised in cinema for generations, baseball is an all-American pastime that has inspired countless stories to be told. Through its long, dramatic timeline, baseball has directly influenced and referenced American history in terms of racism, sexism, and classism; all of which are major themes of the films on this list. With so many tragic, inspiring, and heartwarming stories stemming from the world of baseball, it is difficult to surmise just how big of an impact it has had on American culture and vice versa. Thanks to the movies mentioned here, some of the most unique and unexpected stories–fiction or non-fiction–represent some of the multitudinous ways baseball has shaped American culture. These are some of the best baseball movies of all time, but there are too many good films to fit on one list.

The Bad News Bears (1976)

Celebrated for its over-the-top, raunchy comedy chops, The Bad News Bears is a baseball comedy classic that proportionately offends and entertains. Stuck with a group of little league outcasts and underperformers, ex-minor league player Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau) recruits a talented female pitcher that changes the pace. Though the comedy is a bit outdated, Matthau’s performance as the bitter coach is reason alone to check this one out. 

Field of Dreams (1989)

A baseball movie that uniquely blends sports drama with fantasy, Field of Dreams is a starry-eyed, wholesome baseball movie for the whole family. Motivated suddenly by a detached voice telling him to build a baseball field in place of his corn, Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) unintentionally alienates himself from his town and his family in the pursuit of something greater than himself. Focused more on a family theme, this movie also brings to light some of the more passionate aspects of baseball culture.