BASEBALL IS FUNNY… BUT SO IS TOM BERENGER

Tucked behind a snow-white handlebar mustache and enjoying a fresh apple from his Florida home, one of Hollywood's elites enjoys the waterfront view.

His voice is gruff, toughened by years of perfecting the right tone and inflection. His face is slightly weathered from set lights and long days under the sun on location. His blue-green eyes still have the gleam of an inspired artist and storyteller.

Tom Berenger, the late 80's silver-screen heartthrob, isn't just the handsome hunk who brought to life characters like Sergeant Barnes (Platoon, 1986) and Jake Taylor (Major League, 1989). He is quite the character, and as every good character does – Tom has many stories to tell.

Berenger, who has attended motorcycle rallies in the Black Hills for years, will be in attendance for Major League Night on Saturday at The Monument. One of his best-known roles was in David S. Ward's Major League, as veteran catcher Jake Taylor.

"You know it's funny… and baseball's funny," said Berenger. "It's funnier than boxing or football. But like any good comedy, there are serious parts to it." Major League has cracked IMDB's top-40 sports movies ever made, and Major League Baseball ranks it as the 10th-best baseball movie, one of only two comedies to make the list.

However, behind the visage of Berenger's on-screen talent, there is a foil of the prototypical movie star.

The now-74-year-old Berenger enjoys history, with a full library of historical books. He's used that knowledge to portray figures of past ranging from Butch Cassidy to Theodore Roosevelt and from Jim Vance to Lt. Gen. James Longstreet. He knows something about nearly everything from baseball's early days to how Abraham Lincoln nearly gave control of the Union army to Italian Giuseppe Garibaldi, smiling as he regales his favorite topics.

"They told me I should go work with Richard Dreyfus, 'cause he and I shared the same love for history of course," said Berenger. "And I actually got to meet him and I could definitely see what they were talking about"

History has been kind to Berenger, as Major League is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The movie's cast is a who's-who of talent that includes Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, Corbin Bernsen, Chelcie Ross, Dennis Haysbert, and the late James Gammon.

Berenger won't let you forget Steve Yeager and Pete Vuckovich, both former MLB-ers either. Yeager was the body double for some catching shots in the movie.

"[Steve] wasn't just a great player, he was a great teacher. Ballplayers watch that movie and go, that's right, you must've played… not that position," said Berenger who was a third baseman in high school.

"I love Tom," said Yeager after production. "He's a great guy, but he can't throw."

It wasn't just Berenger getting some help from the baseball consultants. The whole cast endured a weeks-long "spring training" of sorts for the movie in Savannah, Ga. before heading to the ballpark to film. Despite the storyline following the hapless Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), David S. Ward's production was shot in Milwaukee.

"We had great camaraderie as a cast," smiled Berenger. "And it is a big drinking town… there were some great little restaurants and bars, affordable too. We also had two big bars at the hotel we were at, so we'd get together there."

There is no shortage of stories about the cast, from multiple members of the legendary sports comedy.

Charlie Sheen once called James Gammon "an absolute warlock" in a discussion with cinemablend.com, telling the stories of going out in downtown Milwaukee after a day at the ballpark. Sheen was no stranger to fun himself but did arrive to set uniquely.

"I had worked with [Charlie] on Platoon… and I went into his hotel room and I was like, what is all this stuff? And he told me, yeah my mom sent me all my CDs and music and stuff," recalled Berenger. "She sent you all this stuff into the Philippines – into the jungle?"

Three years later it was a different story arriving to Major League.

"I remember when Charlie got off the plane and I picked him up in Savannah… he had his gym bag, he had his glove, and he had his spikes," said Berenger. "I was like… do you have a shirt to wear, like… and he told me he had the one on, one in the bag, but he'd leave the others behind or give them to a driver."

Sheen, who played baseball in high school and had a chance to play collegiately, has kept in touch with Berenger through the years.

"You know I've seen Charlie and I text Corbin [Bernsen] every now and then," said Berenger, "but when we get together it's always a lot of laughs."

It's hard to believe that the 39-year-old catcher, his wild pitcher, and the third baseman who didn't want to field ground balls still keep up, but they do.

"In acting it's a little different than being on a sports team or in a band. You're more of a lone wolf," said Berenger.

However, 35 years later, Major League still ties them all together.

"I told David Ward, I said, every time at the end of the film, I get a tear in my eye," said Berenger. "It's for the game, for the players, for the audience… for the things we had as a kid that aren't there anymore."

Berenger, Ward, and most other cast members would reprise their roles in Major League II and some even did a third film in the series, but it didn't stand up to the success of the original film.

"Major League II has more jokes in it, but it doesn't have the heart," said Berenger.

For nearly half of his life, Berenger has been the heart of one of film's greatest sports comedies. The highlight of Jake Taylor legging out a bunt-and-run to defeat the Yankees is one of the best of all time in a sports film.

"The crowd… the banging, the cheering, the clapping… it was thundering," said Berenger, who maintains taking the field in front of a packed stadium was the most memorable moment of production – and 35 years later they're still cheering.

"I've got goosebumps," said the catcher.

Don't miss out on your chance to meet Tom Berenger this Saturday, April 13th at our Meet & Greet in the Dakota Asphalt Club Level! Season ticket holders can add it on for $15 by calling the Rush Front Office at 605-716-7825.