Put Down the Cracker Jacks and Grab Some Popcorn

A while back there was a suggestion to do my favorite baseball movies. Actually, I think it was to pick the greatest baseball movie of all-time. Then, today, while browsing the world wide web, I stumbled on this promo/sweepstakes by Major League baseball in anticipation of the release of the latest baseball flick, The Final Season, starring the only hobbit to ever play football at Notre Dame. Besides filling out all sorts of personal information, which I'm sure they keep to themselves, the link prompted you to pick your favorite baseball movie. I didn't give them my daytime phone number, or any other information for that matter, and I didn't pick a movie; but it did inspire me to write about it.

When I think of baseball movies, there are a few that instantly come to mind, a few more that I can remember after a while, and many more that I vaguely recall if I really think hard. I'll start with those, and end with the best "you-must-see-these" baseball movies.

Granted, at least half of the world's baseball movies are R-rated, so I haven't seen them; and if I have, it was some broadcast television filler on a lazy weekend afternoon, sandwiched between the Ronco Food Hydrator and Tony Little's agonizing sell of the Gazelle fitness machine. But, having been on road trips with teams in college, I can safely say that the R content in those shows is not overly embellished. I can only imagine what might go on off the field in professional baseball, like in the minors, for example.

One baseball movie that you can confidently watch without worrying about any questionable content is Everyone's Hero (2006). We picked this up one night because we were just in the mood for a clean, computer-animated family film, and we were pleasantly surprised. Complete with talking baseball equipment, this show is fun for the entire family, and the perseverance plot line doesn't hurt either. I give this a strong 3 1/2 stars out of five, keeping in mind that I docked the film half a star because of blatant Yankee propaganda. If you're in the mood for a fun little show, you won't be disappointed, especially if there are kids involved.

Another show I've seen very recently for the first time that most die-hard baseball fans may not even know exists is Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949), starring Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams and Gene Kelly. The reason I had never heard of it was because my brothers and I didn't grow up watching musicals every Sunday night with our family. I quite enjoyed this show, but it reaffirmed something I learned when I attended a high school production of Damn Yankees: Although most baseball players can't carry a tune, I've never seen a musician that can convince me he's a professional baseball player. 3 1/2 stars.

Rounding out the crop of family films with a baseball theme are Rookie of the Year (1993), Little Big League (1994), the original Bad News Bears (1976), and Angels in the Outfield (1994). Interestingly, the 1994 production of Angels in the Outfield was a remake of its 1951 predecessor. Same title, but the original had no sweet orphans and no California Anaheim Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim -- the team needing a little boost in '51 was the Pittsburgh Pirates. Go figure.

This is getting to be a bigger post than I had intended, so I'll skip to the really good baseball shows. But before I get to my top five flicks, there are two that need mentioning for their historical value. First is Eight Men Out (1988) about the 1919 Chicago White Sox, aka Black Sox. Maybe you've heard about Shoeless Joe Jackson or Bucky Dent? This is the story about what led to their lifetime ban from the game of baseball and is definitely worth the rental.

The other historical gem requires some time -- roughly 1,080 mintues. Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (1994) is a nine part (inning) series that originally aired on PBS. Although it can drag at times, the information and history of America and its national past time it devolves are invaluable. My suggestion? Watch one inning a month, beginning in February when pitchers and catchers report to spring training and ending in October during the post season. If you like baseball, you must see this series.

Okay, now counting 'em down from five to one, my picks for the best baseball motion pictures ever.

5. SANDLOT (1993) -- An instant classic, this show reminds you of your childhood while wishing you could have been part of a group of kids similar to the Sandlot gang. As a perennial underdog fan, I can't help but root for these misfits. This is full of great one-liners and hilarious situations. If you haven't seen this show lately, pass on all of the garbage in the New Releases section of your local video store and pick this one up.


4. FOR LOVE OF THE GAME (1999) -- This is the second time I've mentioned this movie in my blog. The first was in the post about perfect games. By virtue of the fact my parents actually own this movie, I am guessing that I have seen this movie more times than any of the other top five. It is a great look into the mindset of a professional pitcher trying to accomplish an incredible feat amidst a plethora of issues he is dealing with personally. I especially loved the depiction of the pitcher-catcher relationship.


3. FIELD OF DREAMS (1989) -- Another classic with timeless quotes like, "If you build it, he will come." Shame on you if you've never seen this show. Kevin Costner stars as an Iowan corn farmer who follows the direction of the voices in his head on his way to all sorts of personal fulfillment and self-actualization (in case you're wondering, he has been the lead in four baseball movies: Chasing Dreams (1982), Bull Durham (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), and For Love of the Game (1999)).


2. THE ROOKIE (2002) -- As a former pitcher who only made it as far as the junior college ranks, and had always wished that I had been given just a little more velocity, this show holds a particular place in my heart. Here, a small town science teacher/baseball coach makes a wager with his underachieving band of young ballplayers that changes his life. This show is absolutely inspiring. Grab this if you either haven't seen it or if it's been a while.


1. THE NATURAL (1984) -- This show is arguably the greatest baseball movie of all time. Robert Redford stars as an amazingly talented young pitcher, Roy Hobbs, whose path to the big leagues takes a nasty turn when foul play enters the picture. This show is timeless and every time I get the chance to see it I want to jump out of my seat cheering. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it. The soundtrack is great too.


There you have it. A post about baseball movies just in time for the off-season. Pop yourself some popcorn, add some M&Ms, and enjoy.

Before October Comes September

It may seem obvious to most people, but before you can get to October, you need to get through September. In baseball, October is synonymous with the Playoffs. Eight teams go in, and one comes out, Champions of the World. The other 22 teams, however, call it a season, go home, and spend some much needed time with family and friends. Trust me, no matter how fun it may look to play baseball for a living, the grind of the 162-game regular season is a tough one. Heck, by the end of the year, your average player is probably sick of his own team's logo.

September though, can be the most exciting time of the year, or it can be the hardest time of the year. It all depends on who you are rooting for and whether or not your team is in a race for a spot in the playoffs. Here in Kansas City, the local sportscasters and writers were so excited for the Chiefs training camp. To them it meant the end of the need to spend time on the Royals, and the beginning of a new NFL season. I'm sure there are many people here that feel the same way. After all, even though the Royals made some strides (you may say baby-steps, but I'm a Royals optimist) by avoiding a fourth 100-loss season in a row, and stringing together a few winning months, they still may not make it out of the cellar of the American League Central division. So, for some Royals fans, September is when you stow away your powder blue, break out your red and yellow, and head on down to Arrowhead for some pre-game brats.

Not me.

I must admit though, I haven't been as diligent in reading the post-game reports and newspaper articles as I was at the height of the summer. I know the season is coming to an end, and I realize that every game left from here on out is basically meaningless, as far as the standings are concerned. But, October is just around the corner, and for you National League fans, this final week of the season is going to be great. With everything still up in the air, virtually every game will have some bearing on an organization's playoff hopes.

But what about those of us who are not from Cleveland, who can no longer root for the Red Sox in good conscience, and loathe that team from the Bronx. I guess there's the Angels. The Cubbies are always a feel good favorite, but they may not make the playoffs. I guess I'll just have to wait and see, but trust me, we all need to pick a team and ride them out. The playoffs can produce some of the greatest moments in sports, and you wouldn't want to miss them just because your Devil Rays didn't make the cut this year. Because, after all, just because my Royals will be done by this time next week, I still love baseball. And, with that in mind, here are some great ads from FOX sports. Enjoy!

What's in a Glove?

Today is my 28th birthday, and my darling wife gave me the perfect gift: a new baseball mitt. Growing up, I didn't have hand-me-down gloves, because after all, I was the oldest child. But, let's just say that I didn't have the nicest mitt on the team either. It's due to a combination of various reasons, one of which is that I was not very good until I was about 14 years old. When I was 14, I actually upgraded my glove by switching to my mom's tan-colored Rawlings from what I officially call the black beast -- a 13" Easton with a closed back, and my name and phone number written on one of the fingers in silver permanent marker.

I used that Rawlings for a few more years before getting a nice glove for Christmas. It was dark brown, almost mahogany colored Easton with an open back. That was the glove I used through high school and for my first year in junior college. But by my second year it was time for another new glove. A teammate of mine was working at Big 5 Sporting Goods at the time, and he used his employee discount to get me a new 11.25", black TPX, also with an open back. I loved that mitt. No glove oil, shaving cream, or any other substance touched that one. I didn't wrap a ball inside it and stick it under my parents' mattress to break her in either. That glove was formed strictly by playing catch. Unfortunately, about two years after I got it, it was stolen out of my luggage on my way back from a summer job in Puerto Rico. Hopefully there's an up-and-coming shortshop down there that has enjoyed my mitt ever since.

A baseball glove is a very personal piece of equipment. You will understand what I mean if you have ever had to leave your mitt with some goon on the opposing team who forgot his at a church softball game. You don't want someone else sweating in your glove. It's your glove, after all. It's like a natural extension of your hand. I recently read that the center fielder for the Minnesota Twins, Torii Hunter, keeps his game mitt under lock and key in the club house. Professionals have plenty of gloves that they usually received as gifts from manufacturers, but there's one special one that is reserved for game time.

So, if you're ever in the market for a new glove, here is some information about how to choose a glove you'll love.

First of all, there are many, many, many gloves out there. Whether you are looking to buy a glove for a child or for yourself, you can find a mitt in your price range. Low-end gloves can be purchased for $15 to $30, and high-end, I-want-the-exact-same-mitt-as-my-baseball-idol gloves are usually $300. And there are all sorts of gloves in between.

There are also many manufacturers of baseball gloves. Rawlings, Easton, Mizuno, TPX, Nike, Nokona, Akadema, Wilson, SSK, and Worth; just to name a few. As far as what brand you buy, it's really just a matter of preference and style. Pick a glove you like, but don't go overboard with funny gimicks. I remember the old Wilsons that you could turn a dial to tighten or loosen your glove, almost akin to Reebok Pumps. I'll list a few links to these companies' websites. The Rawlings site is especially cool.

You'll also need to decide on the size of glove you'd like. Glove sizes are measured according to their length. Usually the smallest adult glove you will find is 11 inches. 11, 11.25, and 11.5" gloves are usually reserved for middle-infielders, and sometimes pitchers. Shortstops and Second basemen like the small gloves because it's easier to make the quick transfer from glove to throwing hand on double plays and such. Third basemen usually prefer a slightly larger glove so they can knock down hot shots hit their way. Outfielders wear longer gloves, sometimes over 13" long. That way, it can increase their reach just enough to snag a would-be double in the gap. Personally, I prefer smaller gloves. Maybe it's because I grew up playing with giant adult softball gloves in little league... who knows? But I feel I have better control with less leather at the end of my finger tips. However, if you will be buying a glove strictly for softball, a bigger glove might be better because there will be more room for the larger ball in the pocket of your mitt.

Once you have your glove, there are all sorts of ways of breaking it in and getting it game ready. But perhaps we'll discuss those in a future post. For now, just keep this in mind. Chonne Figgins of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim played all through little league with a Burger King give-away mitt because his family couldn't afford a real glove. So, although having a nice glove isn't necessary, if you have your choice, it sure is nice to own a glove you can be proud of, even if you don't really play anymore.

Rawlings
Wilson
TPX/Louisville Slugger
Easton
Nokona
Shoeless Joe's