 for love of the game (sometimes misconstrued as for the love of the game) is a 1999 american drama sports film based on the novel of the same title by michael shaara. it is directed by sam raimi and stars kevin costner and kelly preston. the film follows the perfect game performance of an aging star baseball pitcher as he reminisces about his career and his relationship with his on-and-off girlfriend, while pitching his final game. the play-by-play of the game is announced by longtime brooklyn/los angeles dodgers baseball broadcaster vin scully, who himself has called four perfect games in his career, and steve lyons. ==plot summary== the detroit tigers travel to new york to play a season-ending series against the new york yankees. at 63â98, the team has long since been eliminated from playoff contention and are playing for nothing but pride against the yankees, who have a chance to clinch the american league east with a win. for 40-year-old pitcher billy chapel (kevin costner), however, this may end up being the most significant 24 hours of his life. in his manhattan hotel suite, billy awaits his girlfriend jane aubrey (kelly preston), but she doesn't show. the next morning, billy is told by tigers' owner gary wheeler (brian cox) that the team has been sold and that the new owners' first move will be to end billy's 19-year tenure with the tigers by trading him to the san francisco giants. billy also learns from jane that she is leaving that same day to accept a job offer in london. billy is a famous, accomplished pitcher, but has a losing record this season, is near the end of his career and is also recovering from a hand injury. wheeler hints that billy should consider retiring rather than join another team. as he goes to yankee stadium to make his last start of the year, billy begins reflecting about jane, detailing how they met five years prior. these flashbacks are interspersed within the game, along with glimpses of jane watching the game on 
1999_films American_baseball_films Baseball_films Detroit_Tigers English-language_films Films_based_on_novels Films_directed_by_Sam_Raimi Films_set_in_New_York_City Films_shot_in_Colorado Films_shot_in_New_York_City Universal_Pictures_films