Welcome Sports Fans and Movie Fans alike! This month we have a wide variety of sports movies to choose from, and, as always, we'll be tallying up your votes for your Favorite.

The Rocky Sequel Battle is still on with this month's Rocky V; in November we will reveal what you pick as your Favorite Rocky Sequel.

In November and December we'll be voting from the compiled list of your Top Ten Faves throughout the year to select "Sports Lore's Favorite Sports Movie of the Year 2004".

Now I'm gonna take the next couple of months off and watch French New Wave Cinema and some Chick Flicks!

Peace, Out…Your Pal, Hal

FEAR STRIKES OUT (1957) – Anthony Perkins may have given the performance of his career in this fine autobiography of Jimmy Piersall, outfielder for the Boston Red Sox, whose career was marred by mental illness. (N/R)(B/W)
ANTHONY PERKINS, KARL MALDEN, NORMA MOORE

SEMI-TOUGH (1977) – How much will a guy go through to win to charm's of a woman over his best friend? Pretty much anything, it seems.

Two best-friends and pro-football players vie for the affections of their owner's daughter. Semi-Tough is a parody of the self-help groups, like EST, that were popular in the '70's. A likable satire that captures the various self-help fads that were popular back then. (R)
BURT REYNOLDS, JILL CLAYBURGH, KRISTOFFERSON

ROLLERBALL (1975) – In the not-to-distant future Huge Corporations have taken over all aspects of society

Rollerball, an ultra-violent team sport that's a cross between roller-derby and basket ball with motorcycles thrown in for extra speed, is the Sport the Corporations create to demonstrate the futility of the individual to the masses.

What to do then, when Jonathan E, clearly the best at this sport, begins to become a superstar? Surely, he must be stopped! (R)
JAMES CAAN, JOHN HOUSEMAN, MAUD ADAMS MOSES GUNN

THE GREAT WHITE HYPE (1996) – "Reverend" Fred Sultan, an unscrupulous boxing promoter (are there any other kind in Sports Movies?), scams up a plan to help increase failing pay-per-view sales of his latest champion. All they need to boost their sales is a White Contender for the Championship!

The only man to beat the current champ in his Golden Glove days was, oddly enough, a white guy named Terry Conklin. Rev. Sultan's team swings into full tilt action to bring this former amateur back into contention for a championship fight against the now bloated, lazy champ.

Wickedly funny satire of the boxing world, played to the hilt by a cast of fine actors. (R)
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, DAMON WAYANS, PETER BERG, JEFF GOLDBLUM, JON LOVITZ

THE COLOR OF MONEY (1986) – In the sequel to "The Hustler" (Sports Lore's Favorite Movie of the Year for 2003), Paul Newman reprises his role of "Fast Eddie" Felson, years after being out of the circuit.

Felson is convinced by a flashy, young pool shark to take him under his wing and show him the ropes in a world that has changed very little since Felson was on the scene. Cruise is at his grinning, showboating best as he advances to the top, only to find that he now has to face his mentor, Felson, in the final game.

This is one of those instances where the sequel is nearly as good as the original. Newman won the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance. (R)
PAUL NEWMAN, TOM CRUISE, MARY ELIZABETH MASTRANTONIO, HELEN SHAVER

THE PROGRAM (1993) – James Caan stars as a Coach who tries desperately to keep his college football team on the winning path to the championships. As the season wears on, both Coach and team players face turbulent personal problems that must be tackled before the Big Game. (R)
JAMES CAAN, CRAIG SHEFFER, KELLY SWANSON, HALLE BERRY, OMAR EPPS

JIM THORPE: ALL AMERICAN (1951) – The true story of Native American Athlete Jim Thorpe.

Tracing his rise from an Oklahoma Reservation through his College, Olympic and Professional years, this film follows Thorpe as he becomes an internationally recognized sports star.

Unfortunately, Thorpe's life takes a turn for the worse after being stripped of his Olympic Medals and his dream of becoming a Coach is shattered. (N/R)(B/W)
BURT LANCASTER, PHYLIS THAXTER, CHARLES BICKFORD

YOUNGBLOOD (1986) – Dean Youngblood has been wowing everybody in his small hometown with his dazzling hockey moves since he was very young. Certain that his skills will move him to the Pros, he tries out for the amateur Canadian hockey team the Hamilton Mustangs.

While he was a big fish is a small pond at home; he quickly becomes a small fish in a very big ocean. The big boys play it rough up there and it's all Youngblood can do just to hang on.

In his last game at try-outs, the Mustangs top-scorer gets sidelined, leaving it up to Youngblood to prove his mettle and become a star. Lots of fast-flying hockey action, but the predictable story line, including a fling with the team's owner, falls flat. (R)
ROB LOWE, PATRICK SWAYSE, CYNTHIA GIBB, KEANEU REEVES

THE AIR UP THERE (1994) – To save his job as an assistant college basketball Coach, Jimmy Dolan, goes to an African Village to recruit a fantastic new player he has seen only on video.

The man he is looking for is Saleh, the Chief's son and next in line to be the Chief himself. Saleh has responsibilities of his own, particularly keeping his village safe from the mining company that is trying to take over the village's land, so it's a bit of a hard sell on Dolan's part.

Much of the comedy is derived from the culture clash Dolan, a stranger in a strange land, must contend with trying to fit in and convince Saleh to come to the US.

The predictable plot has Saleh's basketball team, with the help our American visitor, facing off against the Mining Company's team to determine the fate of the village. (PG)
KEVIN BACON, CHARLES G. MAINA, DENNIS PATRICK

ROCKY V (1990) – Years of taking it on the chin by his heavy hitting opponents, have left Rocky brain-damaged and unable to continue fighting. Worse yet, his crooked attorney (are there any other kind in Sports Movies?) has stolen all of his money.

Forced to move back into his old neighborhood in Philly, with boxing still in his blood, Rocky begins training Tommy Gunn, an up-and-coming boxer from the 'hood.

Soon an unscrupulous boxing promoter (are there any other… never mind) lays plans for Rocky's young protégé, pitting student against master in a contest bigger than any ring can hold. (PG)
SYLVESTER STALLONE, TALIA SHIRE, BURT YOUNG, TOM MORRISON