About this episode

The episode discusses the film HARDBALL, its themes, and its portrayal of baseball in Chicago.

VARSITY BLUES director Brian Robbins follow-up was another inspirational, somewhat edgy sports movie HARDBALL - this time about baseball and set in Chicago. 1999 icon Keanu Reeves plays down-on-his-luck sports gambler Conor O'Neill who finds himself the head coach of an inner-city Chicago youth baseball team. Somehow, he makes the team better. Somehow, the team makes him better. Diane Lane is also involved for unclear reasons. Is HARDBALL a good baseball movie? No. But is it a good movie? Also no. But the kids are great, including a very young Michael B. Jordan. Anyway, since it's about baseball and set in Chicago, Jacki Krestel is once again with us to talk about how, if you're going to make a baseball movie, you gotta actually demonstrate that you love baseball!

People in this episode

Hosts: John Brooks, Julia Sirmons

Guest: Jacki Krestel

Topics covered

• sports movies
• baseball
• Chicago
• inspiration
• film analysis

Keywords

• HARDBALL
• Keanu Reeves
• baseball movie
• sports film
• Chicago
• Michael B. Jordan

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: HARDBALL, VARSITY BLUES

Places: Chicago

More episodes of 1999: The Podcast

• TOY STORY 2 (Revisited) · July 21, 2026 · 1h 20m
• (Rerelease from 6/25) - AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME - with Siri Dahl · July 7, 2026 · 1h 36m
• VARSITY BLUES - with Jacki Krestel · June 9, 2026 · 1h 29m
• See Also: PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002) · May 28, 2026 · 1h 7m
• MAGNOLIA (Revisited) - with Holly Brown · May 12, 2026 · 1h 28m
• See Also: WAG THE DOG (1998) · April 21, 2026 · 1h 9m

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