Padres Editorial: Friars On Base Ranks Their Favorite Baseball Movies Part II

Mandatory Credit: esquire.com

Co-editor Billy Brost discusses #2-Bull Durham:

For me, Bull Durham was a the hands-down #1 baseball movie of all-time. Who couldn’t love the story of a never will be in Crash Davis, quietly pursuing his career’s crown jewel–the all-time minor league home run record, and oh yeah, by the way, going from Triple-A all the way back down to what Kevin Costner calls “the bus leagues”?

Every aspect of this movie is an instant classic. From the high-dollar hot shot pitcher played by Tim Robbins, to the groupie that had been with “half of the South Atlantic League”, to the mother/lover figure in Annie Savoy, these characters exist in every minor league town in America, which for me, makes this movie both timeless and as much a part of the fabric of our country as anything American-born.

As with any classic baseball movie, there are countless one-liners, that men from my generation can rattle off and the others know exactly what you’re referring to. Whether it’s calling somebody “Meat”, or rattling off bits and pieces of Costner’s “I believe” speech, the movie is my personal favorite among baseball movies, and I watch it at least once per month if not more, during the off-season.