The Pecan Park Eagle

If you are also a baseball movie buff, as I am, you will no doubt recognized every movie and character referred to here today. You will also undoubtedly have your own ideas about who to include in a mythical staff and roster for an all star team that will never play anywhere else but on the sandlot fields of our own imaginations.

My club is loaded with iconic characters, a couple with superhuman powers, and one whose pitching skills are entirely supported by a substance that he rubs on baseballs to make them repellant to wood. That would be a fellow named King Kelly, played on the screen by actor Ray Milland.  I’m not really sure my club needs any pitchers beyond Kelly, but we’ve got ’em, just in case.

I’ve got one guy on this club who probably will see limited action. That would be Jimmy Piersall, played by actor Tony Perkins. The limited action will not be a result of any lingering emotional issues with Piersall, but with the unconvincing limited playing ability of actor Perkins. I’ll just say it, not gender offense intended: Tony Perkins throws a baseball with all the skill of a five-year old girl. Truth to tell, Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig is not much better.

At any rate, without further adieu, here’s what we have to offer on my own version of a Hollywood Stars club. Please weigh in with your own thoughts in the comment section. Tell us what you think of the club? What movie players would you add or delete? Do you have your own favorite starting lineup along these lines? In other words, loosen up and have some fun with baseball movies today. It’ll do you good.

Here’s my stuff:

My HOLLYWOOD STARS (From the Movies)

STAFF

Manager: Wilford Brimley (as Pop Fisher in “The Natural” 1984)

Bench Coach: Richard Farnsworth (as Red Blow in “The Natural” 1984)

Hitting Coach: Danny Glover (as George Know in “Angels in the Outfield” 1994)

Pitching Coach: Tom Hanks (as Jimmy Dugan in “League of Their Own” 1992)

1st Base Coach: Ted de Corsia (as Jimmy Dolan in “It Happens Every Spring” 1949)

3rd Base Coach: John Mahoney (as Kid Gleason in “Eight Men Out” 1988)

Bullpen Coach: Robert De Niro (as Bruce Pearson in “Bang the Drum Slowly” 1973)

Team Doctor: Burt Lancaster (as Doc Graham in “Field of Dreams” 1988)

SCOUTS

Frank Morgan (as Barney Wile in “The Stratton Story” 1949

Walter Brennan (as Sam Blake in “Pride of the Yankees” 1942)

RADIO NETWORK BROADCASTER

Bob Uecker (as Harry Doyle in “Major League” 1989)

25-MAN PLAYER ROSTER

Catcher: Kevin Costner (as Crash Davis in “Bull Durham” 1988)

Catcher: Paul Douglas (as Monk Lanigan in “It Happens Every Spring” 1949)

Catcher: James Earl Jones (as Leon Carter in “Bingo Long, et al” 1976)

Pitcher: Ray Milland (as King Kelly in “It Happens Every Spring” 1949)

Pitcher: Dennis Quaid (as Jimmy Morris in “The Rookie” 2002)

Pitcher: Louis Gossett (as Satchel Paige in “Don’t Look Back” 1981)

Pitcher: Tim Robbins (as Nick LaLoosh in “Bull Durham” 1988)

Pitcher: Dan Dailey (as Dizzy Dean in “The Pride of St. Louis 1952)

Pitcher: Michael Moriarity (as Henry “Author” Wiggen in “Bang the Drum Slowly”  1973)

Pitcher: James Stewart (as Monty Stratton in “The Stratton Story” 1949)

Pitcher: Joe E. Brown (as Elmer Kane in “Elmer the Great” 1933)

Pitcher: Ronald Reagan (as Grover Alexander in “The Winning Team” 1952)

Pitcher: Billy D. Williams (as Bingo Long in “Bingo Long, et al” 1976)

Pitcher: Charlie Sheen (as Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn in “Major League 1989

1st Base: Gary Cooper (as Lou Gehrig in “Pride of the Yankees” 1942)

2nd Base: Frank Lovejoy (as Rogers Hornsby in “The Pride of St. Louis” 1952)

3rd Base: John Cusack (as Buck Weaver in “Eight Men Out” 1988)

Shortstop: Sam Brison (as Louis Keystone in “Bingo Long, et al” 1976)]

Left Field: WIlliam Bendix (as Babe Ruth in “The Babe Ruth Story” 1948)

Center Field: Tab Hunter (as Joe Hardy in “Damn Yankees” 1989)

Right Field: Robert Redford (as Roy Hobbs in “The Natural” 1984)

IF/OF: Tony Perkins (as Jimmy Piersall in “Fear Strikes Out” 1957)

IF/OF: Wesley Snipes (as Willie Mays Hayes in “Major League” 1989)

Left Field: WIlliam Bendix (as Babe Ruth in “The Babe Ruth Story” 1948)

OF: Richard Pryor (as Charlie Snow in “Bingo Long, et al” 1976)

OF: Ray Liotta (as Joe Jackson in “Field of Dreams 1989)

STARTING OPENING DAY LINEUP

JOE HARDY, CF

ROGERS HORNSBY, 2B

BABE RUTH, LF

ROY HOBBS, RF

LOU GEHRIG, 1B

LEON CARTER, C

ROGERS HORNSBY, 2B

DOC WEAVER, 3B

LOUIS KEYSTONE, SS

KING KELLY, P

Tags: Baseball, Movies

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