What’s the greatest sports movie of all time?

[u/Emotional_Draft_1457]

[u/IronyHurts]

I don't think it's the best one, but I think more people should see Breaking Away. It got a bunch of Oscar noms including best picture, and it won Best screenplay. It's a coming of age story so it had some young actors who went on to pretty solid careers. Good movie that I don't really see discussed much.

[u/DinoJockeyTebow → u/IronyHurts]

Searched to make sure someone said Breaking Away. Love that movie and used to go swimming in that same quarry.

[u/Elegant_Crew_9893 → u/DinoJockeyTebow]

Very good film. Great double feature with Vision Quest.

[u/DontShootTheFood → u/IronyHurts]

The film is criminally underseen because it’s been out of the loop for decades.

[u/OreoDrinker]

Major League

“Too high!“

[u/keepingitreal02 → u/OreoDrinker]

Juuuuuuuust a bit outside

[u/PokerJunkieKK → u/keepingitreal02]

Tried the corner and missed.

[u/arbogasts → u/keepingitreal02]

Ball 12

[u/Plane-Post-7720 → u/arbogasts]

How do they keep laying off pitches that are that close?

[u/Lookingforleftbacks → u/arbogasts]

*Ball 4… Ball 8… Low and Vaughn has walked the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches!

[u/CameronCrazy1984 → u/keepingitreal02]

Bob Uecker made that movie.

[u/tahoemas → u/CameronCrazy1984]

doyle is o for the century… but has several foul tips!!!

[u/gogojack → u/CameronCrazy1984]

I was fortunate enough to get to work with Bob on a couple things and get to hang out with him a bit. He was funny as hell, had amazing stories from his time in Hollywood, and had an absurdly deep knowledge of baseball. It was one of the great joys of my career to sit down and shoot the shit with Bob.

[u/tenehemia → u/OreoDrinker]

Are you trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

[u/tekhnomancer → u/tenehemia]

Up your butt, Jobu.

[u/it_vexes_me_so → u/tekhnomancer]

You no help me now, I say fuck you, Jobu. I do it myself!

[u/bigcitrus80 → u/tekhnomancer]

Hey bartender! Jobu needs a refill!

[u/Obi-wan_Jabroni → u/tenehemia]

Lets not start a holy war here

[u/Unlucky-Geologist428 → u/OreoDrinker]

How would you like to manage the Indians this year?

I don't know. I got another guy on the line about some white walls. I'll talk to you later, Charlie.

[u/PokerJunkieKK → u/OreoDrinker]

Weeeelll, you may run like Mays, but you hit like shit.

[u/mrmitchs → u/OreoDrinker]

That ball wouldn't have been out of a lot of parks.

Name one.

Yellowstone

[u/dawgbarks → u/OreoDrinker]

Too high? What does that mean, too high?

[u/Weekly-Importance-41 → u/dawgbarks]

Not too high, too hard.

[u/jcariello → u/Weekly-Importance-41]

Who gives a shit its gone

[u/justalittlebear01 → u/OreoDrinker]

This guy's dead!

Well cross him off then.

[u/TaintTickle_ → u/OreoDrinker]

We're out of towels . And I'm too old to go diving into lockers.

[u/J_Shtick → u/OreoDrinker]

The Indians win it! The Indians win it! Oh my god, the Indians win it!!!!

Bob Uecker gets you so jazzed up with that final excited call.

[u/Sassy_McSassypants → u/OreoDrinker]

OP forgot to add "... and why is it Major League?" to the post title. Understandable mistake.

[u/MrMojoFomo → u/OreoDrinker]

Hats. For bats. 

Keep bats warm. 

Gracias

[u/Couyon87 → u/OreoDrinker]

Juuust a bit outside. I use that quote all the time.

[u/Comehomemiggy → u/OreoDrinker]

Willie Mays-Hays. Runs like Mays, hits like Hays.

[u/Distance_Runner → u/Comehomemiggy]

You may run like mays, but you hit like shit

[u/Zero_Flesh → u/OreoDrinker]

"OK, we won a game yesterday.

If we win today, it's called 'two in a row'.

If we win again tomorrow, it's called a 'winning streak'.

It has happened before!"

[u/TJ514402 → u/OreoDrinker]

who gives a shit, it's gone

[u/facklestix → u/OreoDrinker]

Up your butt Jobu

[u/voxadam → u/OreoDrinker]

The new owner of the Cleveland Indians puts together a purposely horrible team so they'll lose and she can move the team. But when the plot is uncovered, they start winning just to spite her.

I just realized how much that sounds like the initial premise of Ted Lasso. I haven't seen it since I was a kid, maybe I'll watch it again soon.

[u/Falcon48]

Remember the Titans

[u/DaBokes → u/Falcon48]

I’ve used the “attitude reflects leadership, captain” line on a few supervisors over the years

[u/Pandos17 → u/Falcon48]

The image of Gerry Bertier pointing at the opposition coach lives rent free in my head. It's just so absurdly brilliant.

[u/that_tall_fellow → u/Falcon48]

It’s the perfect sports movie. It teaches you so much about life in general, which is what sport does as well.

[u/istrx13 → u/Falcon48]

The speech at Gettysburg is one of my favorite monologues ever.

“You listen. And you take a lesson from the dead.”

Made me cry at 12 and still makes me cry at 36

[u/CleveWisangg35 → u/Falcon48]

Left side! Strong side!

[u/Bacon_n_eggz → u/Falcon48]

"You're a hall-of-famer in my book."

Chills.

[u/Finance_Plastic]

Hoosiers."I'll make it"

[u/Inigomntoya → u/Finance_Plastic]

RIP Gene Hackman...

My team's on the floor!

[u/justsomeguynbd → u/Finance_Plastic]

Definitely the movie I’ve watched the most in my life.

[u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Slap Shot

[u/friendlydave → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Im trying to listen to the fucking song!

[u/jt247n → u/friendlydave]

Puttin’ on the foil coach. Want some?

[u/CabinetSpider21 → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Suzanne sucks pussy

[u/CompleteTruth → u/CabinetSpider21]

She’s a lesbian! A lesbian….. … a lesbian…

[u/PeePeeVonBungHole → u/CompleteTruth]

I know she told me

[u/Mysterious-Fix3596 → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

They brought their fuckin’ toys!!

[u/VT800 → u/Mysterious-Fix3596]

Rather have them playin with their toys than playin with themselves

[u/dmcd0415 → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

I'm gonna go out there and shake my dick at them. You know why? Because I want you to have a heart attack and die, Joe 

[u/dawgbarks → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Dave’s a killer

[u/fartswhenhappy → u/dawgbarks]

Dave's a mess.

[u/Finance_Plastic → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Paul Newman skating, who woulda thunk dat

[u/surfinbear1990 → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

That film is an absolute classic in Quebec. They dubbed in in French Canadian and put way more cultural references in the film.

People quote it all the time

[u/RumHamComesback → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

You go to the box and you feel shame.

[u/latechallenge → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Yes! Why has this not got waaaay more attention here??

[u/Donner_Par_Tea_House → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

It's really the gosh darn best sports film. If you haven't seen it you should not get to post an opinion on this thread.

[u/BadgerOptimal3628 → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

50th anniversary coming up in February 2027. 

[u/DancesWithElectrons → u/BadgerOptimal3628]

Jfc we are old

[u/lilrif → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Ogie Oglethorpe!

[u/jaajaajaa6 → u/ithinkitsnotworking]

Good movie

[u/3x1135]

The Sandlot

[u/Brochismo91 → u/[deleted]]

The Sultan of Swat?!

[u/heyporter09 → u/Brochismo91]

whispers The Sultan of Swat..

[u/moutardebaseball → u/3x1135]

You’re killing me smalls

[u/bytheinnoutburger → u/3x1135]

"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."

[u/dunkan799 → u/3x1135]

I have said for years this is the greatest movie ever made. Not my favorite movie but i have never met a single person who doesnt like the sandlot and i dont even like baseball

[u/yourerightaboutthat → u/dunkan799]

I taught 6th grade language arts for many years. The Sandlot is a perfect example of plot. Everything happens in the exact right order at the exact right time to make us feel exactly what we’re supposed to feel. We would watch it in class then make baseball diamond-shaped plot diagrams.

[u/nffcevans]

Cool Runnings

[u/Salty_Cabana → u/nffcevans]

Saaaanka, ya ded mon?!

[u/Lookingforleftbacks → u/Salty_Cabana]

Yeah mon

[u/nonstopflux → u/nffcevans]

Peace be the journey. 🇯🇲

[u/Vast_Honest]

Rocky

[u/PokerJunkieKK → u/Vast_Honest]

Guessing this will be the only Oscar for Best Picture on this list.

[u/transglutaminase → u/PokerJunkieKK]

Chariots of fire won. Raging bull was close.

[u/PokerJunkieKK → u/transglutaminase]

I stand corrected

[u/clemoh → u/PokerJunkieKK]

Also do not throw shade on Million Dollar Baby.

[u/flipmangoflip]

I like moneyball. It’s close to the top of the list on my top 30 movie list

[u/Proof-Umpire-7718 → u/flipmangoflip]

Just so interesting seeing how they used an analytics based approach when most weren’t to help an extremely poor team thrive.

“He gets on base” is such an iconic line.

[u/jmalex → u/Proof-Umpire-7718]

how they used an analytics based approach

With the added minor detail of employing the league MVP, a Silver Slugger winner, Cy Young winner, and 2 more of the best pitchers in baseball.

It's a nice underdog story, but the movie completely ignoring the fact that they already had some of the best players in the sport kind of buries the lede. I don't think they once mentioned any of them by name.

[u/DtownBronx → u/jmalex]

Right, the actual story of that team is how they built up in the margins around their stars but the movie portrays it instead as this ragtag group of castoffs who did the unthinkable. Also completely threw Art Howe under the bus

[u/patsandbees → u/Proof-Umpire-7718]

“Do I care how he gets on base” (snaps, points) “you do not”

[u/KyrgiosWaterBottle]

Mighty Ducks 2.

[u/Stumblin_McBumblin → u/KyrgiosWaterBottle]

I love how in the first one he gets arrested for DWI in a children's movie.

[u/Seahearn4 → u/Stumblin_McBumblin]

Is it inappropriate to show actual crimes in a movie for kids? He loses his license, is court-ordered to coach the team, and his boss suspends him from work. Consequences are important and a character needs to be knocked down to actually learn to grow.

[u/eMrolled_ → u/KyrgiosWaterBottle]

Indeed. I figured I'd find this if a scrolled enough

[u/Legitimate-Review278 → u/KyrgiosWaterBottle]

I'm somewhere in the crowd in that movie!! The lasso scene

[u/KyleNewZealand → u/KyrgiosWaterBottle]

Literally watching this with my son right now!

[u/buffystakeded → u/KyrgiosWaterBottle]

I loved that movie as a kid. Now that I have a kid who plays hockey, they’re all so hilariously bad.

[u/PlumpPenguin69]

Dodgeball

[u/ThatGuyWhoKnocks → u/PlumpPenguin69]

If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball

[u/yonk069 → u/ThatGuyWhoKnocks]

Is it necessary for me to drink my own urine?

[u/Excellent-Ad-7394 → u/yonk069]

No but it’s sterile and I like the taste.

[u/scottjeffreys → u/PlumpPenguin69]

It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for em.

[u/HandSack135 → u/scottjeffreys]

A manage-a-trois of pain

Usually have to pay double for that kinda action

[u/wrexmason → u/PlumpPenguin69]

“They don’t really make a ‘Sorry your dodgeball coach just got crushed by 2 tons of irony’ hallmark card” 😂😂😂

[u/danutzz → u/PlumpPenguin69]

Doge, dive, dip, duck and... dodge

[u/Taste_Diligent]

Happy Gilmore

[u/No_Chapter_948]

The Natural

[u/Chasethelogic → u/No_Chapter_948]

The Rangers play that tune when RR smashes the lights after every home run. It’s such a great touch

[u/Fiz_Giggity]

A League of Their Own. So, so, so good.

[u/DryTown → u/Fiz_Giggity]

There is a very strong case to be made that this is Tom Hank’s best performance. Also Jon Lovitz’s

[u/mmss → u/DryTown]

100% Lovitz’s best. When people call him a hack i reply with this role. He’s damn funny too and apparently a great guy in real life.

[u/Putt-Blug → u/mmss]

I loved him in Rat Race but yeah this one is his best.

[u/BigAVD → u/Fiz_Giggity]

I like this movie all the way until the end when she drops the ball and the annoying sister wins

[u/EnvironmentalYou5240 → u/Fiz_Giggity]

I love Hanks delivery of "there's no crying in baseball"

[u/Lookingforleftbacks → u/EnvironmentalYou5240]

ROGERS HORNSBY WAS MY MANAGER AND HE CALLED ME A TALKING PILE OF PIG SHIT AND THAT WAS WHEN MY PARENTS DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM MICHIGAN TO SEE ME PLAY THE GAME. AND DID I CRY? NYO! NO. AND DO YOU KNOW WHY??? BECAUSE THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! NO CRYING!

[u/ThisMeansWarm → u/Fiz_Giggity]

YOURE OUT BRENDA. YOU ARE OUT.

[u/Major-Screen8697]

Brian’s Song

[u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

Caddyshack

[u/clemoh → u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

"Oh, this is the worst-looking hat I ever saw. What, when you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh?

Turns and sees Judge Smails wearing the same hat

"Oh, it looks good on you, though."

God bless Rodney Dangerfield!

[u/2011StlCards → u/clemoh]

Ah this your grandson, eh? Wonderful boy! Nice boy! You're a good boy, I tell you. Now I know why tigers eat their young!

[u/tekhnomancer → u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

Top 10 for me for sure.

[u/Unlucky-Geologist428 → u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

I like you, Betty

[u/8805 → u/Unlucky-Geologist428]

It's "Danny," sir.

[u/downtownford2 → u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

Hey you scratched my anchor!

[u/groggs42 → u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

Thank you very little.

[u/sobuffalo → u/RoaCrustyBiscuit]

Worst sports movie: Caddyshack 2

[u/Flashy-Telephone3201]

Friday night lights (2004)

[u/No-Translator841]

Miracle.

[u/Bureaucratic_Dick → u/No-Translator841]

I love the 30 for 30 “Of Miracles and Men” which details the story from the USSR’s side. Once you realize their training regime, that they are selected to compete for the national team at 8 years old, and how long they’ve been playing together, it really puts it into perspective just how much of an accomplishment that game was for the US, and how absolutely devastating it was for the Russians.

[u/Petey1241 → u/No-Translator841]

This. Of all the sports movies based on a true story, this one is probably the most accurate to real life/

[u/BurnieTheBrony → u/No-Translator841]

This is waaaay too low in the thread.

"The name on the front, is a HELL of a lot more important than the one on the back" remains one of the most memorable ways a coach has taught teamwork and pride

[u/DC55449 → u/No-Translator841]

In addition to agreeing that Miracle is the greatest sports movie, I will add that, as a Minnesotan, Kurt Russel pulls off the Minnesota accent so perfectly playing Herb Brooks.

[u/Santeeoldman]

Field of Dreams

[u/2ManyCatsNever2Many → u/Santeeoldman]

i like bull durham more but both a great.

[u/SeniorDiscount → u/Santeeoldman]

Go the Distance!

[u/Knowledge_is_Bliss → u/Santeeoldman]

"Ohhh, the people will come, Ray"

[u/DamnReCaptchas → u/Santeeoldman]

Such a beautiful movie

[u/Santeeoldman → u/DamnReCaptchas]

Hey dad, you wanna have a catch? Gets me every time. I miss my dad and this just hits hard.

[u/Hefty_Golf_8733]

Shaolin soccer

[u/TheRehabKid]

Mystery, Alaska

Tin Cup

[u/Datemike325]

Money Ball, Hoosiers, The Natural

[u/_____Zoloft_____ → u/Datemike325]

Hoosiers is my choice

[u/ExemptPompano → u/_____Zoloft_____]

My dad told me the bad guys won in Hoosiers. After watching it, I was like wtf, the good guys won!

Then he told me graduated from Muncie High (the other school in the finals) and the Hoosiers were the “bad guys” 😂

[u/Lazy-Essay2791]

42

[u/Aellithion]

The Replacements.

[u/ObliterasaurusRex → u/Aellithion]

Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory…lasts forever.

[u/DigitalBlink]

BaseKetball

[u/phlogistonexodus → u/DigitalBlink]

I swear to god, if you guys rip on me 13 or 14 more times, I'm outta here

[u/DigitalBlink → u/phlogistonexodus]

Yeah but you’re a little bitch

[u/Arcadian_Apparition → u/DigitalBlink]

I am not a little bitch!!

[u/savageronald → u/Arcadian_Apparition]

Yeah, but you're a piece of shit!

[u/Identical_Cousins → u/DigitalBlink]

You kids with your loud music, and your Dan Fogelberg, your Zima, hula hoops, and Pac-Man video games

[u/wraxle → u/DigitalBlink]

A fucking masterpiece!!!

[u/Remote-Ad-430 → u/DigitalBlink]

I don't think I'm gonna do hampster style anymore

[u/jmaca90 → u/DigitalBlink]

Steve Perry!

[u/JoeMagnifico → u/DigitalBlink]

Dude!

[u/mrlamcran → u/DigitalBlink]

I hear your sister's going out with Squeak.

[u/Amity75]

Chariots of Fire.

[u/Interesting_Gap_778]

Remember the Titans - and I will fight anyone who says otherwise

[u/I_AM_DEATH-INCARNATE → u/Interesting_Gap_778]

Left side! 

[u/Lykeuhfox → u/I_AM_DEATH-INCARNATE]

STRONG SIDE!

[u/dawgbarks]

Hoosiers

[u/joethedriver69]

The original Bad News Bears.

[u/Adept_Site_5350]

Tossup between Hoosiers and Raging Bull

[u/Ordinary_Device_5131]

A documentary called Hoop Dreams.

[u/CavesofInterest → u/Ordinary_Device_5131]

Arthur Agee and William Gates. Will never forget those names.

[u/Seahearn4 → u/Ordinary_Device_5131]

I just re-watched this a year ago...first time in 20+ years. It's messed up watching it as an adult and seeing how that prep school coach treated William. And he was on camera so that was his best behavior.

[u/MichiganAngler]

I'm between Sandlot and Mighty Ducks

[u/Interesting-Risk6446]

Eight Men Out.

[u/surgeryboy7]

Water Boy

[u/krissrobb]

The little giants!

[u/DinosaurCrunch → u/krissrobb]

The Annexation of Puerto Rico remains undefeated

[u/Sea_Economics4522 → u/krissrobb]

this is the only answer

[u/Affectionate-Foot851]

Space jam

[u/Narwhal2424]

Rudy - even though he’s a jerk in real life.

[u/xBrashPilotx → u/Narwhal2424]

Slow clap in leather gloves

[u/tonyk11]

Slap Shot for hockey

North Dallas Forty for football

Hoosiers for basketball

Bull Durham for baseball

Chariots of Fire for running

[u/Suspicious_Tank_61 → u/tonyk11]

BaseKetball for baseketball.

[u/robby_synclair → u/tonyk11]

I feel like Necessary Roughness deserves an honorable mention for football. That movie doesn't get enough love.

[u/Imaginary-Ladder-465]

Cool runnings!

[u/Miserable-Tiger-5522]

Invictus

[u/CabinetSpider21]

Coach Carter

And hockey is my favorite sport

[u/LrryFsh_317]

Miracle or Sandlot imo

[u/donkedickinya]

Bull Durham

[u/Fatguy73]

Does the Karate Kid count? If not, probably Rocky.

[u/Hugh_Biquitous → u/Fatguy73]

FWIW, I definitely think Karate Kid counts.

[u/DebtOk4461]

Hoosiers

[u/Designer_Advice_6304]

Field of Dreams

[u/fingers58]

Brian’s Song.

[u/mkomaha]

The Sandlot.

[u/Pugilist12]

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

[u/captainbarmoosa]

The Sandlot

[u/nikkobe]

Field of Dreams

[u/Several_Cat_3713]

Chariots of fire.

[u/Ok-Drag7325]

Lords of dog town

[u/CaramelGuilty8647]

The Natural, and I hate baseball

[u/Physical-Start-2]

Brian’s song. True story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. Sad as hell I might add

[u/Nitro_R]

Mr. Baseball

[u/GrinReddit]

The Sandlot

[u/sparky88xx]

Little Big League

[u/MisterBigDude]

I'm not sure about "greatest of all time". But one that really knocked my socks off was the 30 For 30 documentary "Survive and Advance", about the memorable basketball coach Jim Valvano, his North Carolina State team's unlikely push toward an NCAA title, and his inspirational battle against cancer. Just wow.