“A League of Their Own” was released 28 years ago yesterday. It’s very good. But I’m shocked that it’s the No. 1-grossing baseball movie of all-time.
Here’s the list:
- A League of Their Own $107,533,928
- 42 $95,020,213
- Moneyball $75,605,492
- The Rookie $75,600,072
- Field of Dreams $64,431,625
- The Benchwarmers $59,843,754
- Rookie of the Year $53,615,089
- Bull Durham $50,888,729
- Angels in the Outfield $50,236,831
- Major League $49,797,148
- Natural $47,951,979
“42” financially outkicks its quality, though Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson is very good. Steve the Pirate from “Dodgeball” does a shocking turn as Ben Chapman, the Philadelphia Phillies’ racist manager.
“Moneyball” is a great flick, but its strategic concepts ruined baseball.
“The Natural” has the corniest ending possible. In the novel by Bernard Malamud, Roy Hobbs strikes out and is implicated in game-fixing.
I liked Thomas Ian Nicholas a lot better in the “American Pie” franchise than I did in “Rookie of the Year.” Gary Busey should have been more unstable (i.e. true to life).
“The Benchwarmers” is a crime against cinema, but David Spade appeared on my show to plug it and delivered a devastating putdown line. Spade:“We got me, my buddy Rob Schneider from SNL, and Napoleon Dynamite.” Me: “Isn’t his name Jon Heder?” Spade: “Trust me, in a couple years he’ll just be Napoleon Dynamite.”
“A League of Their Own” was memorable, and provided one scene that was especially exceptional: