As is the case with the best sports movies, there are so many great on-screen moments in baseball flicks, including some of the most quotable lines of all time. Classics like Bull Durham and The Sandlot, as well as underrated sequels like Major League II, have given us some inspiring (both intentional and unintentional) quotes that would honestly make great motivational posters. Here are 32 of the best examples we could find…
“Clear the Mechanism” (For Love Of The Game)
Kevin Costner’s Billy Chapel in For Love of the Game, one of the most motivational characters in the history of baseball movies, is the source of many great lines in the 2000s romance flick. But let’s be real here… his “Clear the mechanism” line is on a whole other level.
“There’s No Crying In Baseball!” (A League Of Their Own)
Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) telling Evelyn Gardner (Bitty Schram), “There’s no crying in baseball,” is probably the scene a lot of us remember the most from A League of Their Own. The harsh tone can be a little much, but the motivation to pull yourself up in bad times is something we can all live by, especially in life.
“Heroes Get Remembered But Legends Never Die. Follow Your Heart Kid, And You’ll Never Go Wrong.” (The Sandlot)
The Sandlot has withstood the test of time better than its contemporaries, and a lot of that has to do with the seemingly endless line of great quotes. One of the most unforgettable and motivational, comes when the ghost of Babe Ruth (Art LaFleur) visits Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez (Mike Vitar) and gives the iconic “Legends never die” speech, which still holds up decades later.
“I’ve Tried ’em All, I Really Have, And The Only Church That Truly Feeds The Soul, Day In, Day Out, Is The Church Of Baseball.” (Bull Durham)
Susan Sarandon’s Annie Savoy is the core of Bull Durham (Sorry, Crash!) and at the center of some of the 1988 sports comedy’s best moments. One scene that sticks out the most is the one where the hopeless romantic talks about her struggles with religion, and spirituality in general, when talking about her love of baseball.
“But Baseball Has Marked The Time. This Field, This Game: It’s A Part Of Our Past, Ray. It Reminds Us Of All That Once Was Good And It Could Be Again.” (Field Of Dreams)
The death of James Earl Jones in September 2024 hurt, like a lot. However, the passing of the screen and stage legend did mean we got to hear his iconic “Part of our past” speech from Field of Dreams over and over again. The emotion, the power, the evocative imagery are all the stuff of legend.
“This Quitting Thing, It’s A Hard Habit To Break Once You Start.” (The Bad News Bears)
Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau) probably isn’t the most motivational coach of all time, but this hard-headed and cantankerous leader knew how to get his ragtag group of lovable losers to give it their all on the field. This line, which highlights his own issues, just resonates after all these years.
“How Can You Not Be Romantic About Baseball?” (Moneyball)
A modern baseball classic, Moneyball captures the heart and soul of baseball while not really focusing on the on-field product. This is especially true in the scene where Brad Pitt’s Billy Beane responds to a minor league player not knowing he had hit a home run.
The Pride of the Yankees, a 1942 biopic about the life, career, and legacy of Lou Gehrig (Gary Cooper), has its fair share of emotional moments, like the scene where the former Yankee great addresses his ALS diagnosis and mortality with tens of thousands of New York faithful.
“Go The Distance.” (Field Of Dreams)
The best motivational posters are those that are both short and ambiguous enough that they can be referencing a myriad of situations. The voice in the cornfield telling Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) to go the distance doesn’t tell him what to do or how to do it, and that’s kind of the best part.
“Ok, We Won A Game Yesterday. If We Win Today, It’s Called ‘two In A Row.’ And If We Win Again Tomorrow, It’s Called A ‘winning Streak.’ It Has Happened Before!” (Major League II)
Major League II is not really a good movie, but Coach Lou Brown (James Gammon) giving his team of misfits, outcasts, and losers some motivation for the down the stretch is just so good.
“It’s Supposed To Be Hard. If It Wasn’t Hard, Everyone Would Do It. The Hard Is What Makes It Great.” (A League Of Their Own)
Jimmy Dugan’s “It’s supposed to be hard” speech from A League of Their Own perfectly captures the heart and soul of the down-on-his-luck coach when talking to his star player Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis). Despite being past his prime and a deeply-committed commode-hugging drinker, this former batting champ had some words of wisdom.
“Hey Yankees… You Can Take Your Apology And Your Trophy And Shove ‘Em…” (The Bad News Bears)
The titular team telling the team that just beat them in The Bad News Bears to pretty much shove their trophy where the sun don’t shine is a scene all underdogs should live by, especially when you fall short of the top prize.
“Man, This Is Baseball. You Gotta Stop Thinking.” (The Sandlot)
How many of us grew up hearing coaches tell us to stop overthinking baseball? Though difficult at times, the advice given by Benny Rodriguez in The Sandlot are words that should motivate even the most down-beaten of losers… in baseball and in life.
“Do You Know What We Get To Do Today, Brooks? We Get To Play Baseball.” (The Rookie)
The Rookie, being an inspirational biopic about a school teacher getting to follow his dream of being an MLB pitcher, is full of motivational moments. One line that should be painted on the walls of every locker room is “we get to play baseball,” like Dennis Quaid’s Jimmy Morris told a teammate.
“If You Don’t Feel Like You’re Going To Live Forever.” (Eight Men Out)
Buck Weaver (John Cusack), one of the “Chicago Black Sox” in Eight Men Out, is one of the most sympathetic characters in the entire movie, and one that provides one of the most touching lines when he talks about the pride, joy, and power playing the sport he loves brings him each and every day.
“Hey Dad, You Wanna Have A Catch?” (Field Of Dreams)
It doesn’t matter if you’re a child, a teenager, or a 36-year-old watching Field of Dreams for the first time this baseball season; this 1989 movie is going to make you cry. The scene where Ray asks his dad if he’d like to play catch is enough to make you want to talk to your dad on the phone. Here’s your motivation to call your dad.
“I Know Who I Am. I’ve Got Enough Respect For Myself.” (42)
The late Chadwick Boseman’s take on Jackie Robinson in the 2013 biopic, 42 is one the best breakout performances of the 21st century, and a motivational portrayal like no other. There’s one scene in particular where the Brooklyn Dodger is talking to his wife about his treatment on the field; despite the abuses (verbally and physically), Robinson never loses respect for himself or forgets who he is.
“We’re BEHIND. BIG difference.” (Mr. Baseball)
Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck) telling his teammates on the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons in Mr. Baseball that they’re not losing the game is the most “glass is half full” thing in any baseball movie.
“If You Rely Too Much On Your Own Gift… Then… You’ll Fail.” (The Natural)
Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) hearing his dad give him the baseball equivalent of “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” in the early part of The Natural is one of the most powerful and foretelling moments of this iconic baseball film.
“The Boys Are All Here For Ya, We’ll Back You Up, We’ll Be There, Cause, Billy, We Don’t Stink Right Now.” (For Love Of The Game)
Catcher Gus Sinski (John C. Reilly) telling Billy Chapel that all his teammates are standing behind him in his quest for the perfect game is what sports are all about. This incredibly touching moment in For Love of the Game is one of the most motivational and endearing lines from any sports movie.
“Baseball Was Life! And I Was Good At It… Real Good.” (The Sandlot)
Mr. Mertle’s (James Earl Jones) talk with the young players at the end of The Sandlot is one of the most charming, eye-opening, and motivational aspects of this 1993 movie. Despite losing his vision and ability to play the game he loves, the former player never loses his sense of humor or pride.
“But I Am Sure You Can’t Go Through Life Thinking Everyone You Meet Will One Day Let You Down, Because If You Do, A Very Bad Thing Will Happen.” (Angels In The Outfield)
George Knox (Danny Glover) isn’t the most likable baseball coach of all time, but his knack for motivational speeches in Angels in the Outfield is undeniable. The scene where the Angels skipper gives Roger Bomman (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) an unusual pep talk still hits 30-plus years later.
“You Know, We Just Don’t Recognize The Most Significant Moments Of Our Lives While They’re Happening.” (Field Of Dreams)
In a movie full of great characters, Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham (Burt Lancaster) is on a higher level. His speech about the most significant moments of our lives during his late-night walk with Ray Kinsella just hits.
“I See Great Things In Baseball. It’s Our Game, The American Game. It Will Repair Our Losses And Be A Blessing To Us.” (Bull Durham)
America’s pastime has experienced the ups and downs of history; the good times and bad of this great nation. Annie Savoy’s description of the game in Bull Durham perfectly captures the power of the game, and it’s honestly something that should be plastered on walls from sea to shining sea.
“All I Know Is When We Win A Game, It’s A Team Win. When We Lose A Game, It’s A Team Loss.” (The Bad News Bears)
Coach Morris Buttermaker, despite being a bit of a jerk, knows how to get his team behind him in The Bad News Bears. Case in point… this motivational speech about the merits of playing as a team, whether in victory or defeat.
“See, How It Works Is, The Train Moves, Not The Station.” (A League Of Their Own)
Sure, AAGPBL scout Ernie Capadino (Jon Lovitz) was being extremely snarky when he convinced Marla Hooch (Megan Cavanagh) to get on the train. However, sometimes we need a good kick in the rear to board the train of life.
“Do Me A Favor, Henry. Don’t Take This Game Too Seriously.” (Rookie of The Year)
We all need a grouchy, end-of-his-career veteran to help us out in life. Henry Rowengartner (Thomas Ian Nicholas) got that in the form of Chet “Rocket” Steadman (Gary Busey) in Rookie of the Year. One of the biggest life lessons the young firearm gets is to HAVE FUN.
“Hey, Anything Worth Doing Is. And We’re Going To Teach You.” (Moneyball)
There’s a scene in Moneyball where a newly signed player tells Billy Beane that learning a new position is hard, to which the Oakland A’s GM responds by essentially saying that’s the best part of life.
“And Tonight, I Think He Might Be Able To Use That Aching Old Arm One More Time, To Push The Sun Back Up In The Sky And Give Us One More Day Of Summer.” (For Love Of The Game)
Vin Scully was the man. That is all.
“You Throw The Ball, You Hit The Ball, You Catch The Ball. You Got It.” (Bull Durham)
When it comes to baseball movie coaches that look like they’re about one missed double-play away from having a heart attack in the dugout, Joe “Skip” Riggins (Trey Wilson) was in a league of his own. The “It’s a simple game” speech from Bull Durham, the one where all the players are scared to death in the showers, is as motivational as it is intense.
“We’re Not Athletes… We’re Baseball Players.” (Mr. Baseball)
Mr. Baseball is a movie about cultural differences, and Jack Elliot experiences that firsthand when he practices with his new Japanese team. Though not your conventional motivational poster, this line would be perfect for one of those ironic t-shirts that were once all the rage.
“God, I Love Baseball.” (The Natural)
The Natural is a near-perfect movie and one that makes men turn into boys. There’s one scene where Roy Hobbs proclaims his admiration for the game by invoking the name of the Holy Father himself.