50 Best Sports Movies Ever

11. Major League

Year: 1989
Sport: Baseball
Starring: Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton, James Gammon, Rene Russo, Wesley Snipes
Director: David S. Ward

Major League is recognized as one of the gold standards for sports comedies. Led by recognizable characters such as Willie Mays Hayes, Pedro Cerrano, and Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, this 1989 release remains one of the most popular movies of its kind.

David S. Ward, director of The Sting and Sleepless in Seattle, transitioned into the sports world with a canonical comedy.

Tom Berenger stars as grizzled veteran Jake Taylor, who’s reaching the end of his once glorious career. When it’s revealed that the owner of the Cleveland Indians has brought he and the team together with the intention of tanking, the team begins to win in spite of her.

What follows is a wonderful mix of exciting action and memorable comedy, highlighted by Wesley Snipes’ role as Willie Mays Hayes. Warning: NSFW.

Between Vaughn’s glasses, Cerrano’s locker, Hayes’ inability to hit the ball, and Taylor’s waged war against his aging body, Major League is a film that everyone needs to see.

With a deep and talented cast, as well as subplots and characters that keep you hooked, Major League is a genuinely great sports comedy. It maintains its entertainment factor during games, builds up to a high-stakes ending, and set the table for a number of sequels.

There have been better baseball movies, but Major League is one of the most popular films on this list for a reason.

Next: 10. Rudy