Comedies are among the best baseball movies ever made, adding a healthy dose of humor to the excitement on the bases. But while we all know the classics like "Bull Durham" and "The Bad News Bears," there are many more that are sorely underrated. Comedy might be the most subjective genre, but that does not mean it doesn't belong in a baseball movie — and this is the case with the 2004 Bernie Mac movie "Mr. 3000."
The film centers on retired slugger Stan Ross, who selfishly retires in the middle of a playoff race after collecting his 3,000th career hit. But nearly a decade later, having become a successful entrepreneur marketing himself as "Mr. 3000," he learns that a clerical error was responsible for three of his career base knocks, and he's actually stuck at 2,997. Determined to re-reach his old personal goal in order keep his business alive, an older, out of shape Ross must fight his way back to the majors, joining the losing Milwaukee Brewers, in a quest for three more hits. Along the way, he also learns to be a better teammate, and leads the Brewers back to the playoffs one more time.
With cameo appearances by real life Milwaukee Brewers Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Cecil Cooper, "Mr. 3000" is an underrated comedy that deserves another chance at the plate.
