During the coronavirus shutdown, each day we will bring you a recommendation from The Post’s Peter Botte for a sports movie, TV show or book that perhaps was before your time or somehow slipped between the cracks of your viewing/reading history.
The Naked Gun (1988)
Rated: PG-13
Streaming: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Though we haven’t even gotten to some of the most-beloved comedic films about the national pastime — “Bull Durham,” “Major League,” “A League of Their Own” to name a few — the argument can be made (and is going to be, right now) that the funniest scene ever documented about baseball on the silver screen comes from one that isn’t technically a sports movie.
If people can get away with the silly belief that “Die Hard” is their favorite Christmas movie, the 25-minute climactic scene of the slapstick cop spoof “The Naked Gun” — by the writers of the early-80s parody classic “Airplane!” — qualifies as a legitimate recommendation in the sporting genre.
Following 60 minutes of nonstop puns and sight gags with an inspired cast that also features O.J. Simpson (pre-double-murder trial) and Priscilla Presley (more than a decade after Elvis’ death), bumbling LAPD detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) must save the Queen of England by determining which player was hypnotized (by Ricardo Montalban of “Fantasy Island” fame) to become her assassin at a game between the California Angels and the Seattle Mariners.
To remain as close to Her Majesty’s field box as possible while undercover, Drebin pretends to be anthem singer Enrico Palazzo (and completely botches the song) before also hilariously standing in as the home-plate umpire.
With Randy Newman’s infectious “I Love L.A.” providing the backdrop, Drebin dances after emphatic strike calls to massive applause, the scoreboard shows highlights that include one player getting mauled by a tiger while sliding into second base, and the Queen passes hot dogs down her seating row and even participates in the wave.
Meanwhile, the exaggerated and stunned announcing crew consists of Curt Gowdy, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Dick Vitale, Dick Enberg, Mel Allen — who keeps repeating his Yankee catch phrase, “How About That!” — and famed psychiatrist Dr. Joyce Brothers.
Eventually, Angels right fielder and pinstriped legend Reggie Jackson emerges as the robotic assassin during the seventh-inning stretch, repeatedly saying he “must kill … the Queen.”
As an exaggerated bench-clearing brawl ensues, Drebin foils Mr. October’s attempt and saves the day, as well as his love interest, Presley’s character Jane.
Quote of Note: “Hey, it’s Enrico Palazzo!” a fan recognizing Drebin the unmasked umpire from his previous appearance as the anthem singer.
Botte Blows: 4.5 of 5