10 Movies About Baseball That Will Make Family Night A Home Run

It’s time to get “You’re killing me, Smalls” recirculating by a new generation by streaming The Sandlot with your kids. This iconic movie is set in the summer of 1962, when Scotty Smalls moves to Los Angeles and joins a baseball team to get to know the neighborhood kids. They make fun of him at first, but Benny Rodriguez teaches Smalls how to play and accepts him into their group. This coming-of-age movie centers on kids figuring out their way around life and the sandlot, as they play baseball, challenge other kids, make s’mores, kiss a lifeguard, and save a baseball from the scary next-door dog, known as The Beast. It’s a classic for a reason!

Watch Sandlot, rated PG, on Amazon.

What happens when you pray for your favorite team to win? You might just get some divine help. At least, that’s the plot of Angels in the Outfield, a 1994 movie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a foster kid named Roger who wants the Anaheim Angels to win the World Series so his dad will make good on his promise to bring the family back together. It also stars Christopher Lloyd as a real angel, Al, who comes to help the baseball team, to the surprise of their coach, George Knox (played by Danny Glover). This movie will tug on your heart strings — in a good way.

Watch Angels in the Outfield, rated PG, on TBS.

Have you ever wanted to play in the big leagues? Rookie of the Year is a superhero tale of the baseball world, where a random accident leads 12-year-old Henry to become an amazing pitcher. He’s so good that the Chicago Cubs sign him to play for their team — it’s every kid’s dream! However, it’s not easy for a kid to keep up, so veteran pitcher Chet Steadman helps him navigate the wild world of major league baseball and his complicated home life. Kids who dream of throwing 100 mile-per-hour fastballs or becoming big sports stars will love this family friendly movie.

Watch Rookie of the Year, rated PG, on Disney+.

Sometimes, life doesn’t follow the path you thought it would. For Texas high school baseball coach Jim Morris (played by Dennis Quaid), an accident derailed his chance to try out for major league baseball in The Rookie. But 12 years later, he makes a deal with his team to try out if they win the district championship. Kids, being kids, surprise Morris by working harder than ever before. They pull together to make it to state for the first time in the school’s history, and Morris finds himself on the mound pitching again. His 98 mile-per-hour fastballs prove he’s still got it after all this time. The fact that this was based on a true story makes it that much better!

Watch The Rookie, rated G, on Disney+.

“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it,” says Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), coach of the Rockford Peaches in the 1992 movie, A League of Their Own. This based-on-true story features a star-studded cast of women who play in the first professional, all-female baseball league during World War II. Sisters Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty), Mae Mordabito (Madonna), Doris Murphy (Rosie O’Donnell), and others play baseball in pink dresses, proving they can be just as entertaining and inspiring as any men’s team.

Watch A League of Their Own, rated PG, on Amazon.

Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is minding his own business on his farm in Iowa, when he hears a voice telling him to build a baseball field in Field of Dreams. His wife, Annie (Amy Madigan), support his dream, and together, they turn part of their corn field into a baseball diamond. But it’s not neighborhood kids playing here — it’s the ghosts of long-deceased Chicago White Sox players who were wrapped up in scandal during their time on the team. James Earl Jones also stars in this unique movie about trusting your gut and following your dreams, no matter what people think. It’s a lesson we all need reminded of every now and then.

Watch Field of Dreams, rated PG, on Peacock.

America’s pastime should be open for all, which is the premise of 42. Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) signs Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946, against the league’s racist rules banning Black athletes from competing. This movie shows incredible strength in the face of hate as Robinson paves the way for a more inclusive sport. The movie doesn’t shy away from showing racism in its ugliest forms and also includes adult language, making this movie only appropriate for older kids. This award-winning film is based on the real-life integration of Jackie Robinson, and despite its heavy content, is incredibly inspiring.

Watch 42, rated PG-13, on HBO Max.

Billy Beane wants his team to win, and he’s going to do it by recruiting players other scouts have passed over in Moneyball. Based on a book of the same title by Michael Lewis and inspired by a true story, Moneyball follows Billy (Brad Pitt), general manager of the Oakland A’s, and his assistant manager, Ivy League graduate Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), as they try to outsmart the richer baseball teams by doing something they’ve never done: taking a chance on less traditional players. With a tight budget and a mind for business, they create a totally unique team that knows how to win. This movie is another one for older kids, as it includes strong language and some violence.

Watch Moneyball, rated PG-13, on Netflix.

Fever Pitch is a cute romantic comedy about one guy named Ben (Jimmy Fallon) and his love…of the Boston Red Sox. When Lindsay (Drew Barrymore) first meets Ben, she loves how different he is from the losers boyfriends of her past. Everything is going great until baseball season starts, and she realizes she has to compete with the Red Sox’ number one fan. Unlike other baseball movies, Fever Pitch centers on a fan and how his obsession with his team has never waned. It’s a fun one to watch with older kids, as it has some sexual humor and language.

Watch Fever Pitch, rated PG-13, on Hulu.

High school baseball is more than a hobby in Norway, Iowa. The small-town community loves coming together to support the local team — and have cheered them on for many state championships throughout the years. But when the high school is forced to merge with another, head coach Jim Van Scoyoc (Powers Boothe) is out of a job. Kent Stock (Sean Astin) is brought on to coach the last season, and he is determined to bring the team to one last victory despite pushback from the players and the community. The Final Season is another inspiring baseball drama, based on a true story.

Watch The Final Season, rated PG, on Amazon.