30 Baseball Movies In 30 Days

With a large portion of the world currently practicing social distancing, and no ballgames to be played at the time, how does one scratch the baseball itch that always comes this time of year?

If you are able, you can always keep yourself in game shape and find simple ways to hone your skills and train at home.  But if training isn’t enough and you want more baseball even during your relaxing hours (and who doesn’t), you can always turn on your favorite baseball movie.

And why stop at your favorite when you can have an entire month full of baseball movies?  We’ve compiled a list of 30 Baseball Movies In 30 Days to keep your sports mind at ease.  And all of them are available to buy or rent right now!

Check out these classics from diamond.

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  1. Major League (1989)

 A baseball movie as timeless as the game itself that spawned some of the game’s best catch phrases.  The new owner of the Cleveland Indians has purposely put together a terrible team with the hopes of moving the team.  But when the plot is uncovered, the players begin winning out of spot.

Featuring the talents of Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, and Mr. Baseball himself Bob Uecker, this movie is sure to remind you what makes baseball so much fun in the first place.

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  1. The Sandlot (1993)

This movie classic holds a special place in the hearts of any kid that grew up in the 1990s.  During a summer of friendship and adventure, one boy becomes a part of the gang, nine boys become a team, and their leader becomes a legend by confronting the terrifying mystery beyond the right field wall.

This look at a simpler time in American life is fun for the whole family and will surely have you exclaiming, “You’re Killing Me Smalls” for the foreseeable future.  That is if it wasn’t part of your daily lexicon already.

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  1. Pride of the Yankees (1942)

 Take a moment to revisit this gem from Hollywood’s Golden Age.  Pride of the Yankees tells the story of one of baseball’s greatest heroes, Lou Gehrig, following him from his childhood in New York all the way through his hall of fame baseball career.

Released just three years after Gehrig’s death the movie features several of Gehrig’s former Yankee teammates appearing as themselves, including the legendary Babe Ruth.

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  1. The Final Season (2007)

Perhaps one of the most underrated baseball movies ever, The Final Season tells the true story of the small town high school baseball team reaching the ultimate prize before the school merges with a larger district.

Featuring Sean Astin as Coach Kent Stock, this one will have you crying as the credits role, but also leave you with a deeper appreciation for the game.

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  1. Trouble With The Curve (2012)

 An expert but aging baseball scout is joined by his daughter on his latest trip.  Forced to spend time together for the first time in years, each reveals long-held truths about their past.

Featuring a star loaded cast with Clint Eastwood, Justin Timberlake, Amy Adams, and John Goodman, this is a feel good movie for the whole family.

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  1. For Love of the Game (1999)

What is a list of baseball movies without a film starring Kevin Costner?  For Love of the Game tells the story of veteran pitcher, Billy Chapel, whom while contemplating retirement and the totality of his career, finds himself on the precipice of every pitcher’s dream:  A perfect game.

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  1. A League of Their Own (1992)

 When World War II threatens to shut down Major League Baseball, the female baseball players of America are called upon to form their own baseball league.

Featuring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna, this fictionalized story of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, this fan favorite film was not only selected by the United States National Film Registry for preservation for being “Culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” but also teaches everyone a very important rule:  There is no crying in baseball.

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  1. Major League 2 (1994)

The Indians are now a World Series contender.  But success has lead the team to complacency and bad decisions by ownership threaten to tear the team apart.

Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, and Corbin Bernsen reprise their roles in this sequel to the classic baseball film, while we are also introduced to rookie catcher Rube Baker, who teaches us “When the tough get going, the going get tough.”

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  1. Field of Dreams (1989)

 “If you build it, he will come.”  Considered by many fans to be THE baseball movie, this Kevin Costner classic reminds us of how baseball can bridge the gap between family members and friends, and reminds us of everything that once was good and can be again.

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  1. A Mile in His Shoes (2011)

Mickey Tussler is an 18-year-old from Indiana with severe autism, but is gifted when it comes to pitching a baseball.  Mickey is discovered by Arthur Murphy, manager of the semi-pro team the River Rats and he joins the team.

Focusing on both baseball and autism awareness, this film tackles complex issues of respect, responsibility, and acceptance.

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  1. Fever Pitch (2005)

Lindsey Meeks thinks she’s found the man of her dreams in school teacher Ben Wrightman, but Lindsey soon learns that Ben’s fandom for the Boston Red Sox could get in the way of a real relationship, especially as the Red Sox get closer to winning their first championship in 86 years.

Driven by Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore, this film pays homage to all baseball fans and revisits the 2004 Red Sox breaking of the Curse of the Bambino

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  1. Little Big League (1994)

Another 1990s classic just oozing with the cheesiness of sports movies that defined the era.

12-year-old Billy Heywood is a die hard Minnesota Twins fan and also happens to be the grandson of the Twins’ owner.  When his grandfather passes away, Billy inherits ownership of the team and suddenly finds himself not just owning the team, but managing them from the dugout as well.

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  1. The Natural (1984)

Featuring one of the most memorable movie scores of all time, The Natural tells the fable of Roy Hobbs, a ballplayer with unmatched talent leads his team to the brink of taking the pennant, but secrets from his past threaten to derail his career and the entire team.

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  1. Moneyball (2011)

Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane is struggling to keep up with teams like the Yankees and Red Sox that have payrolls nearly ten times that of his own team.  Looking for an edge, Beane starts looking at statistics in a different light and challenging traditional baseball scouts to field a winning team on a budget.

Starring Brad Pitt, this movie is based on the true story of Billy Beane and the sabermetric revolution that runs the modern game.

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  1. Boys of Summer (2010)

A documentary film that follows the story of how the small island of Curacao has sent their little league team to the Little League World Series for seven consecutive years.  While these children carry a nation’s pride, they’re also athletes competing at the highest level, and they are having a great time doing so.

A great move for any family featuring a little leaguer, this film is a good reminder that at its heart, baseball is still a child’s game.

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  1. Bad News Bears (1976)

Former minor-league pitcher, Morris Buttermaker, is recruited to coach the Bears, a newly formed team in the Southern California Youth Baseball League.  Buttermaker soon learns the team is severely lacking in talent, so he recruits a band of unlikely players to help turn the team and the season around.

Starring the legendary Waltar Matthau in one of his most memorable roles, this film went on to become one of the highest grossing movies of 1976, and has become a part of baseball lore ever since.

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  1. Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)

Minor league pitcher, Gus Cantrell is about to be put out to pasture when he is given the opportunity to do the net best thing:  Manage the South Carolina Buzz, the AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.  The ailing baseball team is full of terrible players, but owner Roger Dorn is banking on Cantrell to make a top-notch franchise out of them.  While trying to work miracles on the wacky lineup, Cantrell butts heads with the uppity manager of the Twins, all while trying to tame and teach a hot up-and-coming power hitting prospect.

Considered a the black sheep in the Major League series of films, this one has gained a bit of a cult following over the years, still featuring plenty of laughs and plenty of appearances from some favorite players from the previous films.

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  1. The Rookie (2002) 

One of Walt Disney’s best sports movies, The Rookie tells the incredible true story of Jim Morris, a teacher and baseball coach from Big Lake, Texas, whom in an effort to inspire his team, promises to tryout for a Major League club if his struggling team can win their district.

To Morris’ pleasant surprise, the team wins the district and now he needs to keep his end of the bargain and find a tryout, only to learn that he will be doing a lot more than trying out.

Dennis Quaid drives this memorable film about baseball, second chances, and the importance of never giving up.

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  1. Hardball (2001)

Keanu Reeves plays Conor O’Neill, a gambler who has secretly bet $6,000 on his deceased father’s account and is now in serious debt with two bookies.  A friend agrees to help O’Neill pay back the debt, but only if he agrees to fill-in for him as the coach of a little league baseball team from Chicago’s Cabrini Green housing project.

This tear-jerker about redemption won’t leave a dry eye in the house

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  1. Home Run (2013)

After several alcohol-related incidents, ex-ballplayer Cory Brand is forced into a rehabilitation program, where he reluctantly agrees to coach and hopefully turn around the fate of a little league team, as well as himself.

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  1. The Benchwarmers (2006)

After three nerdy older guys catch some nasty kids bullying a friend’s son, they strike back by forming a baseball team to take on the state’s best little leaguers

Starring Saturday Night Live Alums Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Lovitz, this sometimes bizarre but always funny romp will leave you with a sore stomach from numerous belly laughs.

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  1. Bull Durham (1988)

One last Kevin Costner picture before we hit the stretch run of our marathon.  Bull Durham follows the antics of veteran minor league catcher Crash Davis as he struggles to control a hot shot pitching prospect, all while still holding out hope he will get one last shot in the big leagues.

Considered required watching by many baseball fans, Bull Durham shows the crazy love ballplayers have for their own game, and the struggles some athletes have coming to grips with the fact that the game is passing them by.

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  1. 42 (2013)

In 1946, Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous color barrier and forever changing the history of the game and the country.

Recounting the story of one of America’s greatest heroes, this movie should be required viewing not just for baseball fans, but for just about everyone.

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  1. 61*

In 1961, both Roger Maris and Mickey Mantles of the New York Yankees are making serious runs at breaking Babe Ruth’s single season home run record.  But as the season moves along, it’s clear who the fans are really rooting for, and the stress of chasing the record takes its toll on both players.

A labor of love created by Billy Crystal, this look at a special time in baseball tells the true story not just about the 1961 home run chase, but about the men involved.

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  1. The Perfect Game (2010)

Another film based on true events, The Perfect Game tells the story of the 1957 Industrial Little League team of Monterrey, Mexico, the first team from outside the United States to win the Little League World Series.

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  1. Angels In The Outfield (1994)

Roger is a foster child whose irresponsible father promises to get his act together when Roger’s favorite baseball team, the California Angels, wins the pennant.  With the Angels in last place, Roger prays for a miracle and for his favorite team to get it together.  Roger’s prayers are heard, and help from on high is sent to the rescue.

Starring a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, and even featuring a then-unkown Matthew McConaughey, this movie will lead you to believing that anything is possible.  Hey, it could happen.

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  1. The Babe (1992)

The story of the greatest player to ever live, John Goodman portrays Babe Ruth in this theatrical biopic that follows the Sultan of Swat from his troubled childhood in Baltimore, all the way through his last game in the Majors.

Any baseball historian is sure to appreciate this look at the mythical Babe.

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  1. Million Dollar Arm (2014)

J.B. Bernstein is a sports agent with no clients.  In an effort to find new athletes, J. B. creates a talent contest titled “Million Dollar Arm” to take place in India, where he believes there is untapped baseball talent.

Starring Jon Hamm, this underrated film is based on the true story of pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, the first Indian born players ever to be signed to a Major League team.

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  1. Mr. 3000

For his entire career, Stan Ross has only looked out for himself and only himself, going so far as to retiring in the middle of a game after recording his 3,000th hit.  Several years later, when Ross is on the brink of being elected to the Hall of Fame, it’s found that due to a clerical error, three of his hits were counted twice, leaving him with 2,997.  To re-reach his milestone, Ross comes out of retirement at age 47 to get just two more hits.

Starring the late Bernie Mac, this film not only delivers plenty of laughs, but also provides a strong message on what it means to a good teammate and to be successful

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  1. Eight Men Out (1988)

Close out your marathon with this look at the biggest scandal to ever hit baseball.  The 1919 White Sox were one of the best teams ever assembled, but poor wages and poor treatment from ownership lead to several of the players to throwing the World Series to score a big pay day.

Featuring John Cusack and Charlie Sheen, Eight Men Out not only looks at the scandal that still haunts baseball, but takes a hard look at the events leading up to it and all of the men involved.

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