Reader Keith Abernethy suggested I assemble an all-star team of actors from baseball movies. Here are my picks.
Pitcher: Dennis Quaid (as Jimmy Morris) in “The Rookie,” Sammi Kane Kraft (as Amanda Whurlitzer) in the remake of “Bad News Bears,” Tatum O’Neal (as Whurlitzer) in the original “The Bad News Bears,” Ronald Reagan (as Grover Cleveland Alexander) in “The Winning Team,” Brendan Fraser (as Steve Nebraska) in “The Scout,” Tim Robbins (as “Nuke” LaLoosh) in “Bull Durham,” Kevin Costner (as Billy Chapel) in “For Love of the Game,” Lori Petty (as Kit Keller) in “A League of Their Own,” Charlie Sheen (as Ricky Vaughn) in “Major League,” Billie Dee Williams (as Bingo Long) in “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings,” Thomas Ian Nicholson (as Henry Rowengartner) in “Rookie of the Year”
Catcher: Geena Davis (as Dottie Hinson) in “A League of Their Own,” Kevin Costner (as Crash Davis) in “Bull Durham,” Tom Berenger (as Jake Taylor) in “Major League,” Robert De Niro (as Bruce) in “Bang the Drum Slowly.”
First base: Tom Selleck (as Jack Elliot) in “Mr. Baseball,” Gary Cooper (as Lou Gehrig) in “The Pride of the Yankees,” Bernie Mac (as Stan Ross) in “Mr. 3000.”
Second base: Jackie Robinson (as himself) in “The Jackie Robinson Story,” Megan Cavanaugh (as Marla Hooch) in “A League of Their Own,” Chadwick Boseman (as Jackie Robinson) in “42.”
Third base: Corbin Bernsen (as Roger Dorn) in “Major League,” and Rosie O’Donnell (as Doris Murphy) in “A League of Their Own.”
Shortstop: Mike Vitar (as Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez) in “The Sandlot”
Left field: Robert Redford (as Roy Hobbs) in “The Natural.”
Center field: Anthony Perkins (as Jimmy Piersall) in “Fear Strikes Out,” Wesley Snipes (as Willie Mays Hayes) in “Major League,” Thomas Jane (as Mickey Mantle) in “61.”
Right field: William Bendix (as Babe Ruth) in “The Babe Ruth Story,” John Goodman (as Babe Ruth) in “The Babe,” Tommie Lee Jones (as Ty Cobb) in “Cobb,” Barry Pepper (as Roger Maris) in “61.”
Manager: Tom Hanks (as Jimmy Dugan) in “A League of Their Own”
Scout: Clint Eastwood (as Gus Lobel) in “Trouble with the Curve,” Albert Brooks (as Al Percolo) in “The Scout.”
Announcer: Bob Uecker (as Harry Doyle) in “Major League”
NOTE: If you’re wondering why none of the actors from “Eight Men Out” made the squad, that’s because the players they portrayed were all thrown out of baseball for life. That’s also why Ray Liotta (as Shoeless Joe Jackson) in Field of Dreams didn’t make the cut.
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This column first appeared in The Vacaville Reporter on May 12, 2020.
