Our list of favorite movies of all time contains quite a few sports films. In fact, we like sport movies so much that we previously ranked our top 10 faves.
On a recent visit to the Hoosier State, we realized that four of the sports movies we listed were filmed in Indiana. And a fifth just missed our top 10 list. Here they all are, including some specifics on filming locations.
Here Are 5 Of The Best Sports Movies Filmed in Indiana
Rudy
You don’t have to be a Notre Dame fan to enjoy this underdog story. While some doubt the realness of the tale, Rudy Ruettiger has said the story you see on film is 92% real. What we do know for sure is that he did sack the quarterback in a game against Georgia Tech and he was the first Notre Dame player to ever be carried off the field.
Filming locations:
- The Practice Facility – East Edge Of Moose Krause Circle East Of The Joyce Center, South Bend
- The Grotto Of Notre Dame – near Holly Cross Drive and Colby Drive, South Bend
- Moreau Seminary At Notre Dame – Moreau Drive, South Bend
- Notre Dame Stadium
- Various locations on Notre Dame Campus
Hoosiers
Another underdog story, Hoosiers is truly a classic. I’m not really a fan of basketball but I’m a fan of this flick! The film isn’t based on a true story but it is inspired in part by the story of the 1954 Indiana state champions, Milan High School. Hoosier Gym, pictured below, is open to fans of the film.
Filming locations:
- Downtown Hickory is actually New Richmond
- Hickory Huskers Gym (Aka Hoosier Gym) – 355 N. Washington St. Knightstown
- Elizaville Baptist Church – 5946 N. Howard Street, Lebanon
- Hinkle Fieldhouse – Butler University, 510 W. 49th Street, Indianapolis
A League of Their Own
There’s no crying in baseball but there are plenty of tears flowing from my eyes every time I watch this flick. It is, most definitely, one of my favorite movies of all time. Though the two main teams in the film are supposed to be located in Illinois (Rockford Peaches) and Wisconsin (Racine Belles), both fields are actually in Indiana.
Bosse Field pictures courtesy of Evansville Otters official Instagram account.
Filming locations:
- Racine Field is Bosse Field – 1701 North Main Street, Evansville. Built in 1915, it is the third-oldest ballpark still in use in the US, after Boston’s Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914).
- The Rockford Peaches play at League Stadium, 203 South Cherry Street in Huntingburg. The stadium was renovated for the film and advertisements added for the movie still remain along the outfield fence of the ballpark.
League Stadium pictures courtesy of DC Bombers official Instagram account.
Eight Men Out
Yet another one based on a true story, Eight Men Out is a dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series. Most of the movie was filmed in Ohio, while the fields that stand in for both Comiskey Park and Redland Field are actually located in Indiana!
Filming location:
- Bush Stadium, 1501 West 16th Street in Indianapolis. The field was once home to the Indianapolis Indians. The Stadium is still standing and has been repurposed as lofts.
Breaking Away
I read a statement on another movie locations site that called Breaking Away an “enormously likeable little movie – a sort of Rocky for cyclists.” I full heartedly agree. It’s a bit slower than the other films on the list but just as heart touching.
Filming locations:
- Indiana Memorial Union – 900 East 7th Street
- Delta Delta Delta Sorority, 818 East 3rd Street
- Monroe County Courthouse – 100 West Kirkwood Avenue
- Rose Well House – Dunn’s Wood on the Old Crescent on the Indiana University campus
Please note that Rooftop Quarry, located off East Empire Mill Road, was filled in for safety reasons and no longer looks like the former filming location. Find more locations for the film here.
