Infographic: Where are Baseball Movies Made?

To commemorate baseball’s Opening Day (which really should be a national holiday), Todd at Forgotten Films is hosting the Big League Blogathon- a series of articles by multiple contributors, all themed around baseball in cinema. If you know me at all, then you know there’s no way I could pass up the opportunity to contribute. Since I used to work for a minor league baseball team that played where A League of Their Own (1992) was filmed, it seemed like a natural fit to focus on filming locations for baseball movies. Specifically, I’ve created a map visualization showing where baseball films have been made through the years. Enjoy!

Baseball at the Movies: A Timeline

Spring is right around the corner. And that means that the best sport in the world, baseball, is right around the corner. Over the next few weeks, baseball movies will flood your TV. To enhance your enjoyment of those movies and to put it all in perspective, here’s a timeline of baseball movie events. Enjoy!

Fun With Netflix Viewer Reviews: The “I’m on Vacation in Florida Watching Baseball” Edition

It’s time yet again for the article that’s easy for me and fun for you- Fun with Netflix Viewer Reviews! By the time you read volume fifteen of people writing really funny Netflix viewer reviews, there’s a good chance I’ll be in Jupiter, Florida watching my first baseball game(s) of the year. As such, these are all films related to vacations, Florida, baseball, and flights. Also, Burt Reynolds, because the Burt Reynolds Museum is in Jupiter. These are presented completely unedited. Even when you think I might have edited something in or out of the copy, I assure you that I have not.

100 More Things I Love About the Movies

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When I passed the 100,000 hit marker in November, I honored the event with what became one of my most popular entries- 100 Things I Love About the Movies. As it turns out, my odometer recently rolled over another milestone- the 200,000 hit marker. As logic follows, I’m due for another stroll down 100 Things Avenue. So without further ado, here are 100 More Things I Love About the Movies:

Scouting Reports of Movie Baseball Players

There are a lot of unsung heroes in baseball but there are few who are more unsung-ier than scouts. They get paid expenses and not much more. They work long hours in hot conditions with nothing more than radar guns, stopwatches, clipboards, and low-grade hot dogs at their disposal, day after day after day for the bulk of the year. And they’re paid next to nothing, all while being asked to predict the future. Other than a week-long drunken orgy at MLB’s winter meetings and getting to do what they love for a living, there aren’t many perks. Today, I’m honoring them by doing some legwork on movie baseball players.

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Pitchers and Catchers Report (to My List of Best Movie Pitchers and Catchers)

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All around baseball, teams have an official Spring Training report date for pitchers and catchers. They all fall between February 13th and February 18th, with the bulk of teams asking their pitchers and catchers to report to camp on February 14th this year. In appreciation for pitchers and catchers reporting, here’s a complete pitching staff made up of the best pitchers from the movies. I’ve even thrown in a handful of movie catchers for good measure. First, the starting pitchers:

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

Recently, I’ve been labeled the Monarch of Muppet by my friend Marty. “Nobody likes the Muppets as much as you do”, he says. And I really don’t deny it. I’ve already mentioned that when I was a kid, I wanted to be Kermit when I grew up (which is part of why I love Hot Fuzz so much- Nicholas Angel/Simon Pegg confesses to the same thing). All of this Muppet talk has served as my madeleine, prompting my very own Remembrance of Things Past. I’m sure Freud would have a field day with this. Here are some of my earliest TV and movie memories.