Movie

The Battered Bastards of Baseball

2014 · 80 min

A scrappy, affectionate underdog story that plays like a rollicking good time, full of colourful characters and infectious love for the game.

Directed by: Maclain Way, Chapman Way
Genres: Documentary
Starring: Kurt Russell, Todd Field, Jim Bouton

Tagline: They put balls back in the game.
Overview: Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creates the only independent baseball team in the country—alarming the baseball establishment and sparking the meteoric rise of the 1970s Portland Mavericks.

Your rating is saved. See your suggestions, or find titles like this one below.

Rate it, and Mesmero finds titles that feel like it. You do not need an account.

Search YouTube for a trailer

Stream in the UK

Netflix

More options Data from JustWatch

Directed by: Maclain Way, Chapman Way
Genres: Documentary
Starring: Kurt Russell, Todd Field, Jim Bouton

In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: warmstrength 2 of 3
upliftingstrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
lightstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: brisk, 3 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: easy-watch, 2 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: sport
rebellion
found family
ambition
class
Places: small town
workplace
Era: period
Audience: family
Form: documentary
true story
ensemble
Content intensity: Gore none
Language mild
Violence none
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	4
Horror	0
Humour	5
Realism	9
Romance	2
Tension	3
Darkness	2
Complexity	3
Emotional weight	5

Titles like The Battered Bastards of Baseball

Movie

Major League

1989

A scrappy, good-natured underdog comedy that coasts on locker-room banter and a rousing final inning.

Warm, earnest, brisk · about sport and found family · ensemble

Via: warm
earnest
sport
found family
ensemble
Pacing: brisk
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 107 min

Details

Major LeagueHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Untold: The Race of the Century

2022

A rousing, straightforward sports documentary that builds quiet suspense toward a historic underdog victory at sea.

Same director: Chapman Way · About sport and ambition · documentary

Also: Same director: Chapman Way
Via: sport
ambition
documentary
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 83 min

Details

Untold: The Race of the CenturyHidden from your suggestions.

TV series

Welcome to Wrexham

2022

A warm, funny, and heartfelt look at a town and its team, balancing underdog sports drama with genuine human stories.

Warm, uplifting · about found family and class · documentary

Via: warm
uplifting
found family
class
documentary
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Seasons: 5

Details

Welcome to WrexhamHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Moneyball

2011

A quietly absorbing underdog story that mixes dry wit with genuine emotional pull, making baseball statistics feel like a high-stakes gamble.

Earnest · about ambition · true story

Via: earnest
ambition
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 134 min

Details

MoneyballHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Dogtown and Z-Boys

2002

A kinetic, nostalgic rush of vintage footage and rock music that makes you feel the thrill of rebellion and the bittersweet price of growing up.

Warm, earnest, brisk · about rebellion and found family · true story

Via: warm
earnest
rebellion
found family
true story
Pacing: brisk
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 90 min

Details

Dogtown and Z-BoysHidden from your suggestions.

TV series

Baseball

1994

A leisurely, affectionate history lesson that unfolds like a long conversation with old photographs and voices, rewarding patience with a deep sense of American nostalgia.

Warm, earnest · about class · documentary

Via: warm
earnest
class
documentary
Pacing: slow-burn
Attention: engaged
Seasons: 1

Details

BaseballHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Miracle

2004

A stirring, old-fashioned underdog story that builds tension on the ice and earns its emotional payoff.

Uplifting, earnest · about sport and found family · true story

Via: uplifting
earnest
sport
found family
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: engaged
Runtime: 135 min

Details

MiracleHidden from your suggestions.

TV series

The Last Dance

2020

A propulsive, candid plunge into competitive obsession that plays like a drama, mixing archival rush with rueful reflection on greatness and its costs.

Earnest, brisk · about ambition · documentary

Via: earnest
ambition
documentary
Pacing: brisk
Attention: engaged
Seasons: 1

Details

The Last DanceHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

Cool Runnings

1993

A heartwarming, funny underdog story that makes you cheer for the little guy and believe in impossible dreams.

Warm, uplifting, brisk · about found family and ambition · true story

Via: warm
uplifting
found family
ambition
true story
Pacing: brisk
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 98 min

Details

Cool RunningsHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Rookie

2002

A warm, inspiring true story that feels like a gentle hug, celebrating second chances and the quiet heroism of everyday life.

Warm, uplifting · about sport and ambition · true story

Via: warm
uplifting
sport
ambition
true story
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 127 min

Details

The RookieHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Bad News Bears

1976

A scrappy, funny, and surprisingly tender underdog story that balances crude humor with genuine heart.

Warm, earnest · about class · ensemble

Via: warm
earnest
class
ensemble
Pacing: measured
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 102 min

Details

The Bad News BearsHidden from your suggestions.

Movie

The Class of ‘92

2013

A warm, nostalgic look back at a group of young friends who rose together, mixing match footage with fond reminiscence.

Warm, uplifting, brisk · about ambition and class · documentary

Via: warm
uplifting
ambition
class
documentary
Pacing: brisk
Attention: easy-watch
Runtime: 98 min

Details

The Class of ‘92Hidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

Stream

Netflix

Streaming data from JustWatch.All options on TMDB

Details

Genres: documentary
Directed by: Maclain Way, Chapman Way
Starring: Kurt Russell, Todd Field, Jim Bouton, Lou Russell, Ken Wheeler, Jack Faust, Carren Woods, Nick Bertram
Music: Brocker Way
Cinematography: Chapman Way
Runtime: 80 min
Country: United States of America
Languages: English

TMDB IMDb Letterboxd Wikipedia Wikidata

Something wrong on this page? Tell us.

The Battered Bastards of Baseball

How it feels

More like this

Titles like The Battered Bastards of Baseball

Where to watch in the UK

Details