Roger Maris' chase for Babe Ruth's home run record was chronicled in 61*.

10. Any Given Sunday –  This star studded football flick (with Al Pachino, LL Cool J, and Cameron Diaz to name a few) showed the grit and reality that professional players face on a weekly basis, even if it doesn’t have any of the actual teams from the NFL. Instead of listing the merits of the movie, the following dialog should illustrate its importance in sports movie history.

9. Miracle – If you live in the United States, or you are an American citizen, then you most likely know about one of the biggest upsets in sports history. When the United States played and beat the Russian hockey team in the Winter Olympics by a single goal, and the now-immortalized phrase uttered by Al Michaels excitedly posing the question “do you believe in miracles?” hit homes across the States, everyone knew that history was being made. However, few were privy to the genesis of the team, or the methods coach Herb Brooks used to unify and strengthen the team. Miracle offers a glimpse into these events, from the selection of the players down to the tense final seconds of the game against Russia.

8. Raging Bull – You know how there are things that you respect, but perhaps you like them less than you should? Like the Dallas Cowboys players in regard to Bill Parcels, or me when I’m looking down at my plate full of spinach. That’s how I feel about this movie. Technically speaking, it’s very strong. The acting and directing are both top notch. Robert DeNiro famously went from being a ripped, convincing Jake LaMotta, at the top of his boxing game, to being the version of LaMotta who was overweight and past his prime. In a way, this is the anti-sports movie, because the athlete we are all cheering for has his best moments of sports glory at the beginning and middle of the film. There is no happy climax, but the real story of the decline of a man who was once a spectacular fighter, making it more than just your typical feel good spots movie.

7. Major League – This is the classic tale of an underdog sports team that surpasses everyone’s expectations. True, we’ve seen it before, and we’ll see it again. But not quite like this. Major League set a bar for sports comedy. It featured charismatic, up and coming stars (Charlie Sheen and Wesley Snipes). And Tom Berenger brought credibility to the affair, playing an aging veteran catcher to a perfect tone. It combined the ideal amounts of sports, comedy, and heart, and created a rare spark of movie magic that is often imitated, but rarely achieved.

6. The Natural – “Wonderboy.” The name carved onto a bat made and shaped by a boy who loved baseball. This is the tale of his promising baseball debut, and the tragic events that stifle his career. It is also about his reemergence later on. But it’s more than that. Each scene is pure and powerful, and there is a subtle poignancy carried throughout the course of the film. Rarely are movies crafted, but this one was, much like the bat from the opening of the film. It was crafted with a love for the sport of baseball and an appreciation for the source material. If a word could be used to sum up this movie it would quite simply be, “Wonderful.”

5. Rocky – Few movies have the power to make a grown man hum the theme to himself as he’s going for a jog, lifting weights, or in my case, taking out the garbage. Rocky does just that. But more important than the theme song was the movie itself and how it was received by a generation of movie goers. Few movies can withstand the test of time the way Rocky has, proven by the fact that Rocky Balboa, the most recent addition to the Rocky franchise, is basically a remake of the first movie, from story premise (current champion challenges bum to a match) to result. Rocky proved that the everyman could indeed go toe to toe with those we place on pedestals. It proved that the fight wasn’t just in the ring, and Rocky always stuck to his principles. Even when Rocky lost, he won.

4. 61* - Baseball records have always been hallowed, and the powers that be want to protect those records and what they stand for. In the summer of 1961, two Yankees power hitters had a chance to break Babe Ruth’s single season home run record, a feat previously considered unbeatable. Thomas Jane plays the iconic role of Mickey Mantle, and Barry Pepper plays Roger Maris, who eventually beats Ruth’s record by one home run. This is an outstanding movie on its own merit, but it perhaps gains relevance given the current climate in professional baseball. Instead of being celebrated, Maris was scrutinized and suffered personally under such a negative spotlight. 61* is an important movie, but it is also entertaining and at times, gripping.

3. A League of Their Own – When I went to see this movie in the theater, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot. The trailers and commercials made it look like any other movie that mixed its sports with its comedy. What I did not expect was to see one of the best movies of that year. A League of Their Own follows the story of Dottie (Geena Davis) and her younger sister, Kitt (Lori Petty) as they become major league baseball players for the All American Pro Girls League. The performances are strong across the board, from Tom Hanks as the alcoholic manager, to Madonna, the flirtatious outfielder. But the reason this film is such a delight is that it really captures the heart and spirit of what these women went through without being formulaic or predictable, which is a feat in and of itself for a sports movie.

2. Million Dollar Baby – Based on the book Rope Burns by F.X. Toole, Million Dollar Baby will be remembered as a boxing film. However, this is not just a movie about boxing (in which the sport is beautifully rendered). This is a movie about choices, guilt, and ultimately redemption. While many would argue that the main character is Hilary Swank’s Maggie Fitzgerald, I believe that is it Frankie Dunn, played by Clint Eastwood. Dunn has made choices that he regrets throughout the course of his life, and by the end of the film, he is presented with and incredibly tough decision. The choice he makes shows growth, especially considering the gravity behind the action he chooses. The strength of the movie is that it never becomes manipulative. It presents real situations, and allows the viewer to process   them.

1. Jerry Maguire – This isn’t just a great sports movie, but it’s a great movie in general. The writing is smart, and often times hysterical, creating moments where characters interact in realistic and amazing ways. The entire cast is fantastic, bringing to life real characters who change and grow over the course of the movie. But how much did this movie impact our lives? Rarely does a movie add to the vernacular of the times in a way that this one has. I mean, has any guy ever been to a job interview since, and not thought to themselves “show me the money” when discussing salary? And is there a woman out there who wouldn’t fold at the phrase “you complete me?” Okay, so maybe you have to be Tom Cruise for that one to work. But the real reason this is at the top of the list is because of the depth of character coupled with the pure entertainment this film provides.

Just missed the list: 

The Rookie
Cinderella Man
Bend It Like Beckham
Remember the Titans