Sox References in Movies

[mumbles3k]

Hello,

 

It always excites me when I'm watching a movie and I see a reference to the White Sox. I thought it might be fun to sort of compile a list of which movies feature the Sox and how. There's obvious ones, like EIGHT MEN OUT. But then there's little hidden ones too, like when they fly over Comiskey in SUPERGIRL.

 

EDIT: I will try to keep this first post updated:

 

Angels in the Outfield (The Angels play the Sox)

Back to School (Sox Pennant on wall)

The Breakfast Club (Sox helmet on desk, custodian wears Sox jersey)

The Break-Up (Jon Favreau wears a Sox jersey)

A Christmas Story (Father is a Sox fan)

The Cutting Edge (Footage of the Cell used as ice rink)

The Dictator (Man wearing a Sox cap)

The Dilemma (Gene Honda plays himself)

Eight Men Out (1919 Black Sox)

Field of Dreams (Shoeless Joe)

The Fugitive (Sox headline on newspaper)

Hardball (Sox game mentioned on radio)

Jerry Maguire (Frank Thomas poster on wall)

The Ladies Man (Shot at the Cell)

Major League (Indians beat Sox to force tiebreaker)

Major League II (Jack Parkman plays for the Sox)

Moneyball (various Sox stats, Jermaine Dye footage)

Mr. Baseball (Frank Thomas)

My Best Friend's Wedding (Cameron Diaz's dad owns the Sox, shot at the Cell)

North by Northwest (Sox pennant displayed in airport)

Poetic Justice (Tupac Shakur wears a Sox cap)

The Princess Bride (Sox memorabilia in Fred Savage's room)

The Rookie (Royce Clayton)

Running Scared (Gregory Hines wears Sox cap)

61* (Moose Skowron)

Space Jam (Michael Jordan plays on the Barons)

Supergirl (Supergirl flys over Comiskey)

 

 

Can anyone else think of some?

Edited May 16, 2012 by mumbles3k

[caulfield12]

Can't believe you left out My Best Friend's Wedding, where Cameron Diaz is the Sox owner's daughter or something like that...and part of the movie was filmed at USCF.

 

If you include rappers/actors wearing White Sox hats, you could have a whole list of 50 movies, probably.

 

Let's see, does THE ROOKIE count if Royce Clayton was batting for the Rangers in it, but he played for the Sox?

 

1983 movie "A Christmas Story"

While reading the newspaper at the kitchen table the "Old Man" angrily mentions that the "Sox traded Bullfrog". This is a reference to long time Chicago White Sox pitcher Bill Dietrich, whose nickname was Bullfrog. He pitched during the 1930s and 1940s. Dietrich was never traded from the Sox, he was released September 18, 1946. Father is an avid baseball fan in the movie who follows the Sox religiously.

 

Seems like they were playing the White Sox in at least one of the MAJOR LEAGUE movies, but I could be wrong.

 

For example, in the movie "Back to School", Rodney Dangerfield's son Jason Melon has an '83 Sox pennant on his dorm wall. Another example is in "The Breakfast Club", where the dean has a Sox batting helmet in his office. The custodian also wore a Sox jersey.

 

In 'Running Scared,' starring Billy Crystal and the late Gregory Hines, Hines wears a mid 80's Sox hat throughout the movie. He also wears a Bears Payton jersey.

 

Frank Thomas/Big Hurt poster on Jerry McGuire's wall in that movie.

 

Only the Lonely, they went on a visit or trip to Old Comiskey Park.

 

Frank Thomas in Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck.

 

Tupac wearing Sox hat in Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson.

 

In the movie Hardball, there's a scene where the guy is listening to the radio and it's previewing the cubs-sox game. They mention Jon Garland.

 

Funny fact: the van that James Earl Jones and Kevin Costner drive in cross-country in FOD has a Cubs' sticker in it.

 

The was a scene shot at Comiskey Park in 2000 in The Ladies Man with Tim Meadows. . .

 

Also, I know it's not a movie, but in the popular MTV video "Dre Day" with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre wears a Sox hat and even points to it in the video and says something about "this White Sox hat."

 

The song F with Dr. Dre is basically about how he hates (the now departed) Eazy-E. As you have probably seen from the picture of Eazy with his guns, Eazy often wore a White Sox hat (as did Dre).

 

The Sox hat line is actually a rather violent threat to Eazy-E:

 

Quote:

Spot him, got him, as I pulls out my strap

Got my chrome to the side of his White Sox hat

 

 

Note: I pulled a lot of these from the internet, old WSI thread, etc. Not just from memory, lol.

 

 

Maybe the S. King book THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM "Flash" GORDON will get a White Sox reference if it's ever made into a movie, haha.

 

 

 

Robin Ventura knows he has his work cut out for him. He’s not only replacing Ozzie Guillen as the manager, but replacing him as the face of the franchise as well. He knew going into this that he would get compared to his predecessor at every move. But what he wasn’t prepared for is the onslaught of Robin “Ace” Ventura Pet Detective references permeating Spring Training this year.

 

“Say what you want about Adam Dunn and how he struggled at the plate last season, but he does one hell of a Jim Carrey impersonation,” said A.J. Pierzynski, an avid fan of Carrey’s movies. “Just the other day he, right as Robin was walking up to address the team, yelled, ‘Warning! Assholes are closer than they appear!’ We were all rolling, but Robin wasn’t too happy.”

 

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Players have been responding with a sarcastic, “Allllriigghhhty then” every time Venture dishes out instructions. Players have paid groundskeepers to put up missing puppy, kitten, and dolphin posters. Even the coaches are getting in on the act.

 

Third base coach Joe McEwing began giving his signs by talking out of his butt cheeks.

 

“I just couldn’t help myself,” said McEwing. “I saw it on TBS the other night and decided to have a little fun with it. The players really seem to like it.”

 

But Robin doesn’t.

 

“I knew it would be a challenge for me to control the team, but this is ridiculous,” said a frustrated Ventura. “I got guys talking to me out of their butts and awful Jim Carrey impressions all day. How is a guy supposed to be respected with all that?”

Edited April 21, 2012 by caulfield12

[Milkman delivers]

Caulfield, I seriously think you're incapable of a post that takes me less than 15 minutes to read

[IlliniKrush]

They show USCF in The Cutting Edge, showing it as the ice rink where a competition is being held. You really have to be looking for it to notice.

[Reddy]

Caulfield, I seriously think you're incapable of a post that takes me less than 15 minutes to read

he is. it's never happened. once.

 

i mean hell, this threads about MOVIES and it's still 9 pages long.

[mumbles3k]

Thanks guys. I've edited the first post to include the new entries. Keep 'em coming!

 

I've also added one of my own, THE PRiNCESS BRIDE, which features Sox memorabilia in Fred Savage's room.

 

As far as Sox movies that never got made, the most notable one that I'm aware of is VEECK AS IN WRECK, starring Bill Murray. The film was written by a TV guy named Ted Mann, who worked on DEADWOOD, NYPD BLUE and MILLENNIUM. It was set to be directed by John McNaughton, a really good Chicago director who helmed, amongst other things, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, NORMAL LIFE, and WILD THINGS. Alas, it was determined that foreign markets don't care about Bill Veeck. And so, it remains unproduced.

[caulfield12]

Thanks guys. I've edited the first post to include the new entries. Keep 'em coming!

 

I've also added one of my own, THE PRiNCESS BRIDE, which features Sox memorabilia in Fred Savage's room.

 

As far as Sox movies that never got made, the most notable one that I'm aware of is VEECK AS IN WRECK, starring Bill Murray. The film was written by a TV guy named Ted Mann, who worked on DEADWOOD, NYPD BLUE and MILLENNIUM. It was set to be directed by John McNaughton, a really good Chicago director who helmed, amongst other things, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, NORMAL LIFE, and WILD THINGS. Alas, it was determined that foreign markets don't care about Bill Veeck. And so, it remains unproduced.

 

 

We had to read that book in my graudate sports administration program's marketing class.

 

Got to meet his son Mike at the Minor League baseball winter meetings in El Paso in the mid 90's, he was running the Ft. Myers Miracle I think but was about to move to the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League.

 

 

[WilliamTell]

Major League 2 is my favorite Sox referance with Jack Parkman.

[mumbles3k]

The original MAJOR LEAGUE was so bad, I never bothered with the sequels. I'll have to check that out. That and MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING are now at the top of my list. But I haven't seen a lot of these.

[knightni]

Does Frank Thomas in Mr. Baseball count even though he was in a Yankees uniform?

[Steve9347]

Does Frank Thomas in Mr. Baseball count even though he was in a Yankees uniform?

Ricky Davis!

[caulfield12]

The original MAJOR LEAGUE was so bad, I never bothered with the sequels. I'll have to check that out. That and MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING are now at the top of my list. But I haven't seen a lot of these.

 

 

Really? Maybe the off-the-field stuff with Berenger and Russo was too much, but it still has to rate as one of the Top 10 baseball movies of all-time.

 

The sequel/s, not so much.

 

 

[witesoxfan]

The original MAJOR LEAGUE was so bad, I never bothered with the sequels. I'll have to check that out. That and MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING are now at the top of my list. But I haven't seen a lot of these.

 

Seriously? The original is the best baseball comedy there is in my mind. Better than Bull Durham.

[Steve9347]

Tonight's Mad Men!

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Tonight's Mad Men!

 

Not a movie. But if we are going w/ TV shows, then the Sox play a somewhat significant role in Boardwalk Empire. Also, Still Standing and Shameless have made mentions.

[mumbles3k]

Thanks for the input, guys.

 

Knightni, I would say yes, Frank Thomas counts.

 

caulfield12, I did a quick search on imdb and put together my top ten list:

 

1. Moneyball

2. For Love of the Game

3. Sugar

4. Fever Pitch

5. 61*

6. Eight Men Out

7. A League of Their Own

8. Bull Durham

9. The Rookie

10. The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg

 

witesoxfan, I did not find MAJOR LEAGUE to be all that funny. I saw it first when I was very young (it was actually the first R-rated movie I ever saw). It left a positive impression, but when I revisited it as an adult, it did not hold up at all. Same thing happened with FIELD OF DREAMS. Now THAT movie is a piece of crap. As far as the funniest baseball movie, I'd have to go with FEVER PITCH.

 

Steve9347 and JoeCoolMan24, I think I'm gonna stick to movies for simplicity's sake, but thanks for the heads up. I've been meaning to watch those two shows for a while, and this just gives me even more incentive.

 

As a side note, I went over to my parents' house yesterday, and found an unopened copy of MAJOR LEAGUE II on their shelf! So I stole it. I'll let you know what I think.

[caulfield12]

Thanks for the input, guys.

 

Knightni, I would say yes, Frank Thomas counts.

 

caulfield12, I did a quick search on imdb and put together my top ten list:

 

1. Moneyball

2. For Love of the Game

3. Sugar

4. Fever Pitch

5. 61*

6. Eight Men Out

7. A League of Their Own

8. Bull Durham

9. The Rookie

10. The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg

 

witesoxfan, I did not find MAJOR LEAGUE to be all that funny. I saw it first when I was very young (it was actually the first R-rated movie I ever saw). It left a positive impression, but when I revisited it as an adult, it did not hold up at all. Same thing happened with FIELD OF DREAMS. Now THAT movie is a piece of crap. As far as the funniest baseball movie, I'd have to go with FEVER PITCH.

 

Steve9347 and JoeCoolMan24, I think I'm gonna stick to movies for simplicity's sake, but thanks for the heads up. I've been meaning to watch those two shows for a while, and this just gives me even more incentive.

 

As a side note, I went over to my parents' house yesterday, and found an unopened copy of MAJOR LEAGUE II on their shelf! So I stole it. I'll let you know what I think.

 

 

Sugar's not bad at all...being from the Quad Cities, that area (Iowa in general) always suffers under the lens of Hollywood distortions and stereotypes (thinking idiotic movies like Bucky Larson: Born to be a Porn Star here) or that sort of recent movie where Christina Aguilera (Burlesque with Cher) moves from Iowa to become a "star" in Hollywood, but it's a SOLID movie.

 

Fever Pitch is WAY too high, unless you're really a Red Sox or Fallon fan, or Drew Barrymore.

 

Another movie which should definitely be on your list is BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY with Bobby DeNiro. Quality flick.

 

If you want to see a much better movie than FOR LOVE OF THE GAME, you have to watch THE NATURAL with Robert Redford. That's a movie that is on the Top 3, Top 5 or Top 10 list for the majority of baseball fans that I know.

 

Just skip Mr. Baseball with Tom Selleck.

 

Actually, LITTLE BIG LEAGUE isn't all that bad either, I would say it's probably better than all the sequels to MAJOR LEAGUE, for example.

 

Just don't watch that stupid Cubs' propaganda, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, that was ridiculously bad.

 

And I'm really really surprised the movie THE BAD NEWS BEARS is not on that list as well, maybe the most classic baseball movie ever....with Walter Matthau in one of his best roles ever, Tatum O'Neill, etc.

 

And Bull Durham is way too low as well, one of the best, if not THE best, baseball movie ever.

 

 

Edited April 23, 2012 by caulfield12

[cabiness42]

Not a movie. But if we are going w/ TV shows, then the Sox play a somewhat significant role in Boardwalk Empire. Also, Still Standing and Shameless have made mentions.

 

On an episode of SVU, the alleged crime was committed on 10/26/05 and Det. Stabler references it as the day the Sox won the WS.

 

[LittleHurt05]

The original MAJOR LEAGUE was so bad, I never bothered with the sequels. I'll have to check that out. That and MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING are now at the top of my list. But I haven't seen a lot of these.

 

This is just wrong on so many levels.

[mumbles3k]

You guys are gonna make me watch MAJOR LEAGUE again just so I can articulate why I don't like it.

 

caulfield12, I think I relate to FEVER PITCH on a fan level. Sadly, I see a lot of myself in Fallon's character.

 

There are definitely some major gaps in my baseball movie watching. I haven't seen BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY or THE NATURAL. I also haven't seen that new Linklater documentary yet.

 

I saw ROOKIE OF THE YEAR as a kid (I actually remember them shooting it right down the street from my house). I loved it back then, but have a feeling that it would not stand up to close scrutiny.

 

BAD NEWS BEARS is another one that I saw as a kid, but not as an adult. I think I'd appreciate it more now. I've seen some of Michael Ritchie's other movies, and he seems to be a highly skilled satirist.

 

I did see the Linklater version when it was released. It was enjoyable, but I felt like he was trying too hard recapture the magic of SCHOOL OF ROCK.

 

On another coincidental note, Midwest Sports Fans just posted a list of their top ten baseball movies:

 

http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/04/t...es-of-all-time/

 

 

[mumbles3k]

How could I forget? Moose Skowron (the character) shows up in 61*.

[caulfield12]

The "Screwball" documentary about RA Dickey and Wakefield's been getting good reviews so far.

 

While trying to find THAT movie online, came across another "SCREWBALL: THE TED WHITFIELD STORY" about the greatest wiffle ball player.

 

Now that one, I HAVE to watch.

 

Childhood memories. If we used tennis or even racquet balls in the neighborhood playing baseball growing up instead of wiffleballs, we would have broken about 100 windows.

 

 

Edited April 27, 2012 by caulfield12

[NorthSideSox72]

Funny movie-Sox story that didn't actually show the Sox...

 

One of the best movies I've seen set in Chicago, at actually getting people to SOUND like they are from Chicago, was Backdraft. Kurt Russell nailed his Chicago-guy role. How did he train for it? Went to a whole bunch of Sox games. He could be seen roaming Comiskey for a while before and during filming.

 

[mumbles3k]

The Trib had an article today about a Minnie Minoso documentary that's in the works.

[Milkman delivers]

The "Screwball" documentary about RA Dickey and Wakefield's been getting good reviews so far.

 

While trying to find THAT movie online, came across another "SCREWBALL: THE TED WHITFIELD STORY" about the greatest wiffle ball player.

 

Now that one, I HAVE to watch.

 

Childhood memories. If we used tennis or even racquet balls in the neighborhood playing baseball growing up instead of wiffleballs, we would have broken about 100 windows.

 

Seriously, this doesn't even have anything to do with the Sox.