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Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Edgy DC Dec 23 2010 01:13 PM

I thought we could put together a ballot based on this article by Jim Caple. I like Caple's standards (below), but I think there are a lot of actors he missed and performances he missed by the actors he didn't. Please add to my handful of nominees. Hall Standards 1. Multiple performances in a single sport. Just as you don't get to Cooperstown by being the fifth-best third baseman of your generation, actors get bonuses for dominating a sport on the screen. 2. Multiple performances as an athlete. If you don't have the chops to qualify for a specific sport's Hall of Fame, you can overcome that via a decathlon of sports roles, sort of as Hollywood's version of the world's greatest athlete (and by that I don't mean Jan-Michael Vincent). 3. Importance of role. Starting pitchers and quarterbacks are more valuable than relievers and punters. And starring roles are more important than supporting and cameo appearances. In other words, Denzel Washington gets more props for "Remember the Titans" than Corbin Bernsen does for appearing in all three "Major Leagues." 4. Quality of performer. This is like voting for the All-Star team. Sure, a rookie or journeyman might be having a good first half, but Derek Jeter is still getting marked on my ballot. Similarly, Paul Newman is going to get my vote over Adam Sandler. 5. Quality of performance. Academy Awards notwithstanding, actors still can't phone it in, no matter how big their name is atop the marquee or who they're wearing on the red carpet. 6. Quality of movie. My nominees are below. Please add yours. Try and give a complete sports filmography for each nominee. Some Nominees Robby Benson [list][*]Ice Castles (figure skating)[/*:m] [*]Wait Until Dark (tossing a ball)[/*:m] [*]One on One (basketball)[/*:m] [*]Running Brave (track & field)[/*:m] [*]The Chosen (stickball)[/*:m][/list:u] Kevin Costner [list][*]American Flyers (cycling)[/*:m] [*]Bull Durham (baseball)[/*:m] [*]Field of Dreams (baseball)[/*:m] [*]For the Love of the Game (baseball)[/*:m] [*]Tin Cup (golf)[/*:m][/list:u] Russell Crowe [list][*]Cinderella Man (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Gladiator (gladiating)[/*:m] [*]Mystery, Alaska (ice hockey)[/*:m][/list:u] Lynn-Holly Johnson [list][*]For Your Eyes Only (figure skating)[/*:m] [*]Ice Castles (figure skating)[/*:m][/list:u] Rick Moranis [list][*]Hockey Night (ice hockey)[/*:m] [*]Little Giants (football)[/*:m] [*]Strange Brew (ice hockey)[/*:m][/list:u] Bill Murray [list][*]Caddyshack (golf)[/*:m] [*]King Pin (bowling)[/*:m] [*]Lost in Translation (golf)[/*:m] [*]Space Jam (golf, basketball)[/*:m][/list:u] Nick Nolte [list][*]Blue Chips (basketball)[/*:m] [*]North Dallas Forty (football)[/*:m] [*]The Prince of Tides (football)[/*:m][/list:u] Ed O’Neil [list][*]Blue Chips (basketball)[/*:m] [*]Little Giants (football)[/*:m] [*]Prefontaine (track & field)[/*:m][/list:u] Dennis Quaid [list][*]Any Given Sunday (football)[/*:m] [*]Breaking Away (cycling, swimming, football, bowling)[/*:m] [*]The Express (football)[/*:m] [*]Everybody’s All American (football)[/*:m] [*]Frequency (baseball)[/*:m] [*]I Never Promised you a Rose Garden (baseball)[/*:m] [*]Our Winning Season (track & field)[/*:m] [*]The Rookie (baseball)[/*:m] [*]Tough Enough (boxing)[/*:m][/list:u] Burt Reynolds [list][*]Driven (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]Cannonball Run (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]Cannonball Run II (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]The Longest Yard (football)[/*:m] [*]Mystery, Alaska (ice hockey)[/*:m] [*]Semi-Tough (football)[/*:m] [*]Smokey and the Bandit (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]Smokey and the Bandit II (auto racing)[/*:m][/list:u] Craig Sheffer [list][*]The Program (football)[/*:m] [*]A River Runs Through It (fly fishing)[/*:m] [*]Split Decisions (boxing)[/*:m][/list:u] Sylvester Stallone [list][*]Death Race 2000 (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]Driven (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]Over the Top[/*:m] [*]Rocky (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Rocky II (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Rocky III (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Rocky IV (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Rocky V (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Rocky Balboa (boxing)[/*:m] [*]Victory (Soccer)[/*:m][/list:u] Daniel Stern [list][*]Breaking Away (cycling, swimming, football, bowling)[/*:m] [*]Celtic Pride (basketball)[/*:m] [*]Rookie of the Year (baseball)[/*:m] [*]Whip It (roller derby)[/*:m][/list:u]

TransMonk Dec 23 2010 01:19 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Will Ferrell [list][*]Kicking and Screaming (soccer)[/*:m] [*]Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (auto racing)[/*:m] [*]Blades of Glory (figure skating)[/*:m] [*]Semi-Pro (basketball)[/*:m][/list:u]

G-Fafif Dec 23 2010 01:36 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Daniel Stern also appeared in the roller derby paean, Whip It. And he had to suffer through Billy Crystal's my dad took me to Yankee Stadium monologue in City Slickers (Mets cap or no Mets cap).

Edgy DC Dec 23 2010 01:42 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

There you go. I wavered on whether to include CS, but Whip It is a good 'un. I don't thiink Daniel Stern is looking like inaugural class material.

G-Fafif Dec 23 2010 02:02 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Dennis Quaid strikes me as the standout on this ballot given his versatility and longevity: A four-decade sports movie man, with Breaking Away in the '70s, Everybody's All-American in the '80s, Any Given Sunday in the '90s and several in his 2000s dotage. Veterans Committee vote for Walter Matthau and Jack Lemon co-starring in two '60s sports (sort of) movies, The Fortune Cookie and, of course, The Odd Couple. ETA: For crissake, Walter Matthau in The Bad News Bears while we're at it, plus a scene at Dodger Stadium (lowering the team owner's remains underneath home plate) in House Calls and two horse racing movies, to boot, Casey's Shadow and a horrible remake of Little Miss Marker. And a memorable talking head in the Hank Greenberg documentary in which Walter describes joining a swanky tennis club just so he can be close to his childhood hero.

Edgy DC Dec 23 2010 02:27 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Yeah, write in Walter's sports filmography. He's definitely one I thought of. I'm working on William Bendix.

dgwphotography Dec 23 2010 02:52 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Charlie Sheen [list][*]Eight Men Out[/*:m] [*]Major League[/*:m] [*]Major League II[/*:m][/list:u] Probably the best ballplayer of the bunch...

TransMonk Dec 23 2010 03:17 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

dgwphotography wrote: Charlie Sheen Played a football player in Lucas, too.

DocTee Dec 23 2010 03:53 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Woody Harrelson: Semi-Pro (Hoops) Play it to the Bone (Boxing) White Men Can't Jump (Hoops) Wildcats (Football)

TransMonk Dec 23 2010 03:56 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Wesley Snipes Wildcats (football) Major League (baseball) White Men Can't Jump (basketball) The Fan (baseball)

G-Fafif Dec 23 2010 05:28 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Tom Hanks • Forrest Gump (football, long-distance running) • Big (football, basketball, baseball) • A League Of Their Own (baseball) • Philadelphia (basketball -- scene at 76ers game, though that's Denzel Washington's gig) • Cast Away (ice skating, volleyball, football ... all loosely defined) • That Thing You Do! (horse racing ... also loosely defined)

G-Fafif Dec 23 2010 05:32 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Walter Matthau • The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (baseball) • Grumpy Old Men (ice fishing) • The Fortune Cookie (football) • The Odd Couple (baseball) • Bad News Bears (baseball) • Casey's Shadow (horse racing) • House Calls (baseball) • Little Miss Marker (horse racing)

G-Fafif Dec 23 2010 05:35 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Tom Cruise • Jerry Maguire (football) • All The Right Moves (football) • Days Of Thunder (auto racing) • A Few Good Men (softball)

G-Fafif Dec 23 2010 05:39 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Jon Favreau • Rudy (football) • Wimbledon (tennis) • The Replacements (football) • Rocky Marciano (boxing; TV movie)

DocTee Dec 23 2010 06:23 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Paul Newman The Color of Money (pool) The Sting (pool) The Hustler (pool) Cars (auto racing) Slapshot (Hockey)

Edgy DC Dec 23 2010 07:07 PM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Also Somebody up There Likes Me (boxing)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 27 2010 01:44 AM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Adam Sandler Happy Gilmore (golf/hockey/bare-knuckle boxing/alligator wrestling) The Waterboy (football) The Longest Yard remake (football/dodging lightning bolts for cinematic sacrilege) You Don't Mess With the Zohan (mixed martial arts) Denzel Washington He Got Game (basketball) The Hurricane (boxing) Remember the Titans (football) Dwayne Johnson Various and sundry pro wrestling shows/events Gridiron Gang (football) The Game Plan (football) Tooth Fairy (hockey)

batmagadanleadoff Dec 27 2010 02:20 AM Re: Sports Actor Hall of Fame

Steve McQueen The Great Escape (Motocross) The Cincinnati Kid (Poker) The Thomas Crown Affair (Chess) Bullitt (Street NASCAR) Le Mans (Formula I Race Car Driving) Junior Bonner (Competitive Rodeo) Papillon (Swimming -- Hide and Seek)