The Man from Left Field

{{short description|1993 television film directed by Burt Reynolds}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox television | image = ManFromLeftField.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = DVD Cover | genre = Comedy Drama | writer = Wayne A. Rice | director = Burt Reynolds | starring = Burt Reynolds Reba McEntire | music = Bobby Goldsboro | country = United States | language = English | producer = Wayne A. Rice | executive_producer = Burt Reynolds Lamar Jackson Renée Valente | location = Indiantown, Florida Jupiter, Florida | editor = Tony Hayman | cinematography = Nick McLean | runtime = 96 minutes | company = Burt Reynolds Productions | budget = | network = CBS | released = {{Start date|1993|10|15}} }}

'''''The Man from Left Field''''' is a 1993 American made-for-television comedy-drama film written and directed by Burt Reynolds. He stars along with Reba McEntire. The film was broadcast on CBS at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 15, 1993.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-the-man-from-left-field-vol-40-no-16/|title=Picks and Pans Review: The Man from Left Field|website=PEOPLE.com}}</ref>

==Plot== A team of local boys are let down by every man they know they can't find a coach for their baseball team. When they find a drifter in left field who refuses to speak, they claim him as their coach and dub him "Jack Robinson" after baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Seeing how poorly the boys play, "Jack" gives them some tips out of frustration. Over the course of the summer he helps the boys with their personal problems and conflicts while they encourage him to find work.

When one of the boys almost drowns, "Jack" jumps in and saves him. The experience helps him to remember that he had a daughter who drowned and that he had checked out from society from that day on. Beau's mother encourages him to go back to his home and he returns to his old life as Buddy Lee Howser, retired player for the Kansas City Athletics and current practicing doctor. On the opening day of the season, "Coach" flies in on a helicopter to honor his commitment to the team on.<ref>announcer chapter 9 of the movie</ref>

==Cast== *Burt Reynolds as Jack Robinson *Reba McEntire as Nancy Lee Prinzi *Kauwela Acocella as Beau Prinzi *Derek Baxter as Malcolm *Adam Cronan as Bama Block *Sean Dunne as Peanut *Mattox Gardener as J.C Christina Bullock as girl in the stands

==Reception== ''People'' gave the film a C−.<ref name="auto"/> ''TV Guide'' gave the film 2 out of 5 stars.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-man-from-left-field/review/130057|title=The Man From Left Field | TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com}}</ref> Using a baseball analogy, Patricia O'Connell of ''Variety'' wrote, "This occasionally charming tale of a Little League team from the wrong side of the tracks and the drifter/coach who nurtures them could have hit a home run, but instead settles for a double, and falters somewhere around the fifth inning. Lack of focus and loose plot threads weaken the telepic."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/reviews/the-man-from-left-field-1200433642/|title=The Man from Left Field|first1=Patricia|last1=O'Connell|date=October 15, 1993}}</ref>

==See also== * List of baseball films

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0107502|The Man from Left Field}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Man from Left Field, The}} Category:1993 films Category:1993 television films Category:1990s sports comedy-drama films Category:American baseball films Category:American sports comedy-drama films Category:CBS films Category:Films directed by Burt Reynolds Category:Films set in Florida Category:1993 English-language films Category:1993 American films Category:English-language sports comedy-drama films Category:1993 sports films