Hello Sports Fans and Movie Fans alike… and all the Ships at Sea.

What is the mood of Sports Fans in August? I thought of Summertime Outdoor themes (Frisbee-Golf, anyone?); Webmaster Jerry stoically replied: "Anticipation." Anticipation of the upcoming football season, World Series runs, etc.

Unfortunately, I asked only a week ago so we're stuck with the Outdoor Theme: World Cup Soccer, Bicycle Racing, Olympic Running, Golf and X-Games. Perhaps I should have "anticipated" a little better myself! But all are worth seeing, many with the family, so have a ball.

The Rocky Sequel Battle is still on, and for an International Twist, I've added "The Cup", one of those foreign subtitled films, that Americans seem to avoid, but is really worth seeing.

As always, we'll tally up your votes and in November/December you can vote on your Favorite Sports Lore Sports Movie of the Year!

Don't forget to Rewind!

Your Pal, Hal

THE NATURAL (1984) – Nothing was going to stop Roy Hobbs from becoming a baseball legend after he carved his own bat out of a tree that was struck by lightning.

Then again, a woman shooting you in the stomach, with a silver bullet, yeah, that might do it.

Years later, in the late 1930's, Hobbs shows up again as an aging Rookie for the New York Knights, and pounds the hide off the ball in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a baseball legend. Bringing the losing team to the World Series, Roy is faced with the challenge of his lifetime.

Love stories, femme fatales, insider-betting intrigue, great baseball scenes: this movie has it all, including the famous final scene when Hobbs smacks one into the scoreboard showering fireworks-like sparks, to finalize his place in baseball mythology. (PG)
ROBERT REDFORD, WILFORD BRIMLEY, ROBERT DUVALL, KIM BASINGER, GLENN CLOSE, RICHARD FARNSWORTH, DARREN MCGAVIN, BARBARA HERSHEY

BRIAN’S SONG (1971) – Highly acclaimed TV Movie about the real life pro-ball players Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers.

Star players for the Chicago Bears, Sayers and Piccolo made history in 1965 by becoming roommates, the first time black and white teammates bunked together. They quickly become close friends, encouraging and inspiring each other to be their best.

That friendship held strong, and was perhaps even made stronger as Piccolo battled and eventually lost his life to cancer. (G)
JAMES CAAN, BILLY DEE WILLIAMS, JACK WARDEN, SHELLY FABARES

MOTOCROSSED (2001) – Andy Carson is so good at motor bike racing, that his dad decides to sink all of the family funds into the support of Andy's bid to race for corporate sponsorship, and a life of professional racing.

When Andy and his twin sister Andrea, also a skilled rider, face-off in a practice run, Andy breaks his leg and can't compete. Dad is away, and the only thing the twins can come up with is Switch Riders in the competition. Andrea must disguise herself as Andy, win the race and keep it from their parents.

A funny, warm-hearted, gender-switching romp, with lots of X-Games style of "dirt-bike derby" action, I would recommend this flick for family viewing. (N/R)
ALANA AUSTIN, RILEY SMITH, TIMOTHY CARHART, TREVOR O'BRIEN

PREFONTAINE (1996) – "Once he started running, I guess he never stopped."

The true story of Olympic long-distance runner, Steve Prefontaine, from Coos Bay, OR. Not very good at other high-school sports in the early years of his life, "Pre" decides to go to college, take up running and be in the 1972 Munich Olympics. This is before he ever begins training as a runner. Through his cocky determination to be the best, he is soon beating every American record for distances up to 10,000 meters.

A shoe-in at the ill-fated Munich Olympics, he does not win the Gold due to the mental stress of the hostage situation during the games. Upon returning home, the always outspoken "Pre" becomes an activist for amateur athlete's rights, until his untimely death in 1975. (PG-13)
JARED LETO, R. LEE EMEY, ED O'NEIL, AMY LOCANE, LINDSEY CROUSE

THE CHAMP (1932) – Wallace Beery won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of a washed-up prizefighter, now a boozing drunk, who dreams of making a come back. He receives no support from anyone who used to be in his corner save for his young son (Jackie Cooper), the only one who still believes in him.

A classic tearjerker "recently" remade in ’79 with Jon Voight and Rick Schroder, which doesn’t hold a candle to the original.

Cooper starred again with Beery in "Treasure Island" in 1934, but is perhaps best well known in recent times as the editor of the Daily Planet in the Superman Movies. (N/R)
WALLACE BEERY, JACKIE COOPER, IRENE RICH, ROSCOE ATES

COBB (1994) – Jones is at his scene-chewing best as he portrays Ty Cobb, a mean, foul-mouthed, prejudiced cantankerous old coot. No wonder he has the reputation as "the most hated man in Baseball."

In his later years of life, Ty Cobb hires a sports writer. Al Stump, to ghostwrite his autobiography. As Stump records the fictions coming out of Cobb's "remembrances", he also takes notes on the real man and his real life; the life Cobb is trying so desperately to gloss over.

Surprisingly few baseball action scenes of Cobb's many records or plays are shown, as this film focuses on the relationship Cobb had with Stump during the writing of the book "Ty Cobb: A Biography". This film is as much about the Sport's Writer as it is about the Sports Star. (R)
TOMMY LEE JONES, ROBERT WUHL, LOLITA DAVIDOVITCH

THE CUP (1999) – Soccer's World Cup, as its name suggests, is followed by sports fan's around the world. Even up into the Himalayan Mountains.

To escape the political strife in Tibet, two teenage brothers are sent by their parents to live in a Buddhist Monastery high in the Himalayan Mountains of India. But, Mom! It's right in the middle of the World Cup! And worst of all, there is no television in the Monastery!

A most feverish fan of soccer, the younger brother, Orgyen, schemes and plots to get out of the monastery and into the village to see the finals on television, but is thwarted by the head Lama, enforcing the rules against the mixing students and villagers.

By now Orgyen's enthusiasm for soccer is spreading in the monastery, and he bands together several of his monk brothers to organize the rental of a TV inside the monastery so that they can view the finals. This is also forbidden, as contact with the outside world must be kept to a minimum.

The head Lama's concern to keep order and the "rebellious" student's resourcefulness are each put to the test, as the Buddhist leaders realize they are facing a changing world.

Very little of the soccer competition is seen in this movie, it's more about what fans will go through to see, and thus participate in, their favorite sport. A great little gem of a sports movie, hindered only by the fact that most people hate to read subtitles. (G)
ORGYEN TOBGYAL, NETEN CHOKLING, JAMYANG LODRO, LAMA CHONJOR, GODU LAMA

AMERICAN FLYERS (1985) – Two estranged brothers, at odds with each other since their father's death, decide to patch things up and attempt to grow closer by entering a bicycle race together.

The Race? The "Hell of the West," a grueling 3-day marathon held each year in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Why Now? Either one of them could be struck with the same congenital disease that killed their father at any time. So, it's now or never to be brothers again.

Filmed at the Coors International Bicycle Classic. (PG-13)
KEVIN COSTNER, DAVID MARSHALL GRANT, RAE DAWN CHONG

DEAD SOLID PERFECT (1988) – Randy Quaid stars as Golf Pro Kenny Lee, who finally makes to the on the PGA Tour. The sudden fame goes to his head and soon he finds his game, and personal life (he's married) is "Handicapped" by his drinking and womanizing.

Most every other review I've read about this movie mentions the "Hazards" of Hotel Bars and the "Traps" that the Golf Groupies have become to this "Swinger", but I'm not gonna do that. Oh, wait, I just did.

Made for HBO. (N/R) (Nudity)
RANDY QUAID, KATHRYN HARROLD, JACK WARDEN, LARRY RILEY

ROCKY III (1982) – Getting soft and slow after his winning of the title, Rocky is beaten soundly by bad-boy Clubber Lang in a Celebrity Charity Event, that the Rock thought was just for show. Clubber has different ideas and pounds the pulp out of Rocky.

Scared and humbled by the beating, Rocky enlists Apollo Creed to re-train him and give him the "Eye of the Tiger" in the inevitable rematch.

Our Beloved Rocky, once again the underdog, wins our hearts by the sheer force of his determination to win and the love of his family and friends. (PG)
SYLVESTER STALLONE, TALIA SHIRE, BURGESS MERIDETH, CARL WEATHERS, Mr. T., BURT YOUNG