BASEketball
BASEketball is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by David Zucker, co-written by Zucker and Robert LoCash, and starring Trey Parker and Matt Stone as childhood friends who invent a hybrid sport blending elements of baseball and basketball during a backyard game.[1] The movie follows protagonists Joe Cooper (Parker) and Doug Remer (Stone), who transform their impromptu creation into a professional league called the National BASEketball League, emphasizing charity and equal pay for players, only to face threats from a corrupt businessman aiming to commercialize and exploit it.[2] Released by Universal Pictures, the film features a mix of absurd humor, celebrity cameos including Jenny McCarthy and Robert Vaughn, and satirical jabs at sports culture, grossing approximately $7 million worldwide despite mixed critical reception.[3][4] The fictional sport of BASEketball, central to the plot, is played on a standard basketball half-court overlaid with a baseball diamond featuring four bases: home plate under the basket, first at the free-throw line, second at the top of the key, and third behind the three-point line.[5] Games consist of nine innings with teams of five players each—three on offense (batter and runners) and two on defense—where the offensive team scores by shooting from designated spots corresponding to base advances: a "single" from the free-throw line, "double" from the top of the key, "triple" from behind the key, and "home run" from a farther spot, with successful shots allowing runners to advance without fielding interference.[6] Defensive players attempt to catch shots or tag runners, but cannot steal bases or pick off runners like in traditional baseball; outs occur via missed shots, stepping out of shooting zones, or defensive catches, with no dribbling or traditional basketball movement permitted.[7] Inspired by a real driveway game Zucker created in the 1980s, BASEketball satirizes the commercialization of athletics while highlighting themes of friendship and integrity in sports.[8] The film's cult following stems from Parker and Stone's pre-South Park collaboration with Zucker, known for Airplane! and The Naked Gun, blending slapstick with social commentary on professional leagues' excesses.[3]Story and characters
Plot
In 1976, two slackers named Joe "Coop" Cooper and Doug Remer invent the sport of BASEketball during a backyard pickup basketball game in Milwaukee against a group of superior athletes. Frustrated by their inability to compete in traditional basketball, they devise rules on the spot to level the playing field: the game is played on a half basketball court overlaid with a baseball diamond, where the offensive player shoots a basketball from designated spots to simulate hits—a single from the free-throw line, double from the top of the key, triple from behind the key, and home run from half-court—with successful shots allowing runners to advance bases and score points equivalent to the shot type, while defenders attempt to catch shots or tag runners for outs. No dribbling or fielding beyond catching is allowed, emphasizing shooting accuracy over athleticism.[5][9] The sport rapidly gains traction through word-of-mouth and local games, evolving into a structured professional league called the National BASEketball League (NBAL) by the 1990s. Coop and Remer have become celebrity co-captains of the Milwaukee Beers, enjoying fame, endorsement deals, and a hedonistic lifestyle, though their immaturity persists—Coop remains a bachelor chasing women, while Remer indulges in parties and lacks direction. Their team is owned by the benevolent Ted Denslow, who founded the league and values its purity and charity focus, including equal pay for players.[2] The central conflict arises when Denslow dies unexpectedly by choking on a hot dog during a game, leaving a will that awards controlling ownership of the Beers to Coop if the team wins the next Denslow Cup championship; otherwise, it defaults to Denslow's widow Yvette. The scheming corporate executive Baxter Cain, owner of the Dallas Felons and a media mogul controlling several teams, conspires with Yvette to ensure the Beers lose, aiming to relocate the franchise, alter rules for commercialization (such as adding ads during play), and undermine the league's egalitarian spirit. Cain begins sabotaging the Beers by spreading rumors and other tactics to erode morale. Meanwhile, Coop begins a romance with Jenna Reed, director of the Dream Come True Foundation, who enlists the team to help fulfill the wish of terminally ill young fan Joey Thomas, a boy needing a liver transplant who idolizes the players.[9][10] As the season unfolds, the Beers rally from a poor start to reach the playoffs, bolstered by Jenna's involvement and the subplot with Joey. The climax builds to the Denslow Cup finals against their rivals, the Calgary Eagles. During the high-stakes game, the Beers overcome a large deficit, with Joey making a surprise appearance to assist. With the score tied in the ninth inning, Coop successfully converts a critical home run shot, securing victory for the Beers and fulfilling Denslow's will to keep the team in Milwaukee under Coop's control.[9] In the resolution, Cain and Yvette's schemes are exposed, leading to Cain's ousting from the league, and BASEketball solidifies its national prominence as a fan-favorite sport free from excessive corporatization. Coop and Remer experience personal growth, with Coop committing to Jenna and both friends embracing greater responsibility, while the league expands with the original rules intact and the foundation saved for children like Joey.[2]Cast
The cast of BASEketball features South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone in the lead roles, supported by a diverse ensemble of character actors and comedians who deliver the film's slapstick humor through over-the-top portrayals and physical comedy. The principal actors portray slacker archetypes central to the story's comedic tone, with Parker and Stone leveraging their voice-acting versatility from South Park to also provide uncredited minor roles and impressions throughout the film.[11][12]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Trey Parker | Joe "Coop" Cooper | The skilled but unmotivated BASEketball player who embodies reluctant stardom, contributing to the film's buddy-comedy dynamic through his deadpan delivery.[11][13] |
| Matt Stone | Doug Remer | Coop's eager but bumbling best friend and teammate, whose enthusiastic incompetence drives much of the physical gags and team banter.[11][13] |
| Dian Bachar | Kenny "Squeak" Scolari | The diminutive, high-energy sidekick and hype man for the team, whose short stature and vocal antics amplify the ensemble's chaotic energy.[11][12] |