Schuckman: Take me to the theater to watch baseball’s best movies

QUINCY — The moment produced goosebumps. Maybe a few tears, too.

Seeing Kevin Costner emerge from the corn during the pregame ceremony before last week’s Field of Dreams game near Dyersville, Iowa, grabbed you deep in the feels. As the players from both the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox followed the legendary actor onto the grass by coming through the corn, you couldn’t help but be transported.

You were right back there in the movie theater watching “Field of Dreams” when Shoeless Joe Jackson came out of the corn.

Baseball and movies have a way of letting us forget about everything for a short while and become completely engrossed in the theatrics in front of us.

Put the two together and magic happens on the silver screen.

“Field of Dreams” holds a special place in the heart of every baseball fan and every kid who enjoyed a catch with their dad and every adult who longs for one more catch with their pops.

It forever ranks among the best baseball movies ever made. But is it your favorite? That became a topic of conversation last week and left me thinking about which movies make my list. The top five were easy. The rest could be open to debate.

Below is my list. Share yours with me either on social media or by firing me an email at mschuckman@muddyrivernews.com.

1. The Natural — Go pick me out a winner, Bobby.

2. The Sandlot — You’re killing me, Smalls!

3. Bull Durham — I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter.

4. Eight Men Out — You get out there, and the stands are full and everybody’s cheerin’. It’s like everybody in the world come to see you.

5. Field of Dreams — If you build it, he will come.

Other baseball movies I’d watch again and again (in no particular order other than how they popped in my head):

The Pride of the Yankees

The Rookie

Trouble with the Curve

For Love of the Game

Bad News Bears

A League of Their Own

61*

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Editor’s note: I totally forgot to add “Major League” to this list until a good friend known affectionately as the Crime Dog pointed it out. “Yo, bartender, Jobu needs a refill” might be one of the best lines from any baseball movie.