The Mudcats in the Movies and More
We recently took a dive into the pop culture realm to find the various small screen moments when the Mudcats were depicted on television. While on our journey we came across the times when a Mudcats' hat was donned by actor Luke Kleintank while playing the character "Finn" on Bones.
We recently took a dive into the pop culture realm to find the various small screen moments when the Mudcats were depicted on television. While on our journey we came across the times when a Mudcats' hat was donned by actor Luke Kleintank while playing the character "Finn" on Bones.
To expand on that search, we now turn to the big screen and the various other pop culture references that included Mudcat cameos.
First on the list is the cult classic, and truly iconic, 1996 film "Space Jam" starring Michael Jordan, Bill Murray and Bugs Bunny. In case you hadn't noticed already, the Mudcats appear briefly at the very end of the film as the opponents of Jordan's Birmingham Barons. The scene shows the Mudcats and Barons coming together at home in stunned disbelief after Jordan returns to the baseball field while landing on a spaceship straight from Looney Tune Land.
— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) December 21, 2018
Just realized after 24 years that the baseball team Michael Jordan's team is playing against at the end of Space Jam is the @CarolinaMudcats pic.twitter.com/QzyzJrsrKl
— audiomaton (@audiomaton) March 16, 2020
Another similar movie cameo made by the Mudcats came in 2002's "The Rookie" starring Dennis Quaid. The film is based on the true story of former Minor Leaguer, turned high school teacher/baseball coach, Jimmy Morris and his journey to the Majors at 35 years of age. In the movies, the Mudcats appear as the opposing team when Morris makes his Double-A debut with the Orlando Rays.
Working on a follow up for this, but this time with Mudcat cameos on the big screen, in music videos and across the pop culture world. For example, the Mudcats were one of the opposing teams in 2002's The Rookie. https://t.co/bG56pEHdRG pic.twitter.com/BEUvCnHJcW
— Greg Young (@GregYoungJr) April 16, 2020
While not a movie appearance, another notable cameo made by the Mudcats comes in the official music video for the song The Cheap Seats by Alabama. Carolina's presence in the video is noted in a recent article from NBC Sports Chicago - "'Go Cubs Go' and 24 of the other best baseball songs of all-time."
Over the years we've also seen Mudcats' hats worn by David Letterman and actor Chuck Conners. Actually, the August 12, 1991 edition of Sports Illustrated features the article "There's Joy in Mudcatville" and specifically mentions purchases of Mudcats' hats by national stars including Muhammad Ali and Williard Scott. That article also mentions that Rosalynn Carter bought a Mudcats' cap for President Jimmy Carter in the early 90s. Speaking of Presidents, George W. Bush is shown below wearing a Mudcats in the late 90s.
Happy #PresidentsDay2018 featuring our 43rd president, George W. Bush who sports the coolest cap in all of Minor League Baseball.#MudcatsFUN pic.twitter.com/P57BMWYO8P
— Carolina Mudcats (@CarolinaMudcats) February 19, 2018
Greg Young is the play-by-play broadcaster and Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting for the Carolina Mudcats. Follow the Mudcats on Twitter @CarolinaMudcats.