The best sporting roles Will Ferrell has played

AP

Will Ferrell has raked in box-office millions during a career built playing the earnest goofball in sports movies that have seen him do it all – from lacing up his skates to starting his engines and hitting nothing but net.

Last week, the comedian shifted from the silver screen to the baseball diamond for one of his wackiest stunts yet: he played every baseball position while making appearances at five Arizona spring training games. The event was filmed for an upcoming HBO special in conjunction with the Funny or Die website co-founded by the actor. HBO said Ferrell dedicated his special to fighting cancer and to honour Bert Campaneris’s feat of playing nine positions in a game five decades ago. He might not have an Oscar, but Ferrell has shined as the Most Valuable Player in several sports roles. Here are some of his best.

Live from New York

Ferrell hit a home run with his bobblehead and boozy spin on the Chicago Cubs baseball broadcaster Harry Caray on Saturday Night Live. Ferrell had a culinary take in his non sequiturs, asking: "If you were a hot dog, if you were starving, would you eat yourself?" and "Hey! Would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs?"

In 2012, Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, promoting their movie The Campaign, threw out the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs game.

But Ferrell didn't limit himself to the befuddled broadcaster on SNL. He portrayed an awkward cheerleader who always ended with "The Perfect Cheer".

Start your engines

Ferrell was ready to shake 'n' bake when he lampooned Nascar in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. So what if the 2006 movie didn't exactly paint the good ol' boys in the most flattering light? Ferrell played a redneck race-car driver with a complete disconnect from reality who just wanted to turn left in his No 26 Wonder Bread car and make his daddy proud. It might also include Ferrell's most famous movie quote: "If you ain't first, you're last."

Nothing but net

Ferrell starred as Jackie Moon, a singer-turned-owner in the American Basketball Association. Moon pulled triple duty as owner, coach and starting power forward for the fledging Flint Tropics as he tried to squeeze his way into the NBA. In Semi-Pro, Ferrell remained true to the 1970s era by taking six months to grow out his own fantastic 'fro. The best bit may come from the way Jackie Moon made his money – with the insanely catchy 1970 R&B hit Love Me Sexy.

The anchor returned to basketball this year for the upcoming film Daddy's Home. Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg attended a New Orleans Pelicans game in January and filmed two takes of a scene for the movie during halftime. The scene involved Ferrell's character winning a chance to make a half-court shot for prizes during an NBA game involving the Lakers. Ferrell's character then gets belligerent and the scene turns temporarily chaotic. He even plunks a cheerleader in the face with a basketball.

Ice capades

Ferrell broke out the hot sequins, flowing locks and all the ice-dancing he could muster for his role as the skater Chazz Michael Michaels in Blades of Glory. Ferrell is an arrogant rebel of a men's champ, Jon Heder is his finicky rival and the two end up teaming as the first men's pair after they are barred for life from solo competition. Michaels exclaims: "Thank you, Denver, The City by the Bay. John Denver." Hey, who can ever go wrong with a John Denver reference?

GOOOOOOOAL

Ferrell shared the screen with the former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka in Kicking and Screaming. Ferrell played a reluctant football coach trying to coax his ragtag band of boys into winners – as he rages wildly out of control with a hefty mix of power and caffeine – and takes aim at the football mums (and dads) who can't stay out of the way of a kids game. His Phil Weston character eventually sees the error of his ways and wins with sportsmanship – and laughs.

Extra innings

Ferrell proved in Old School that not even frat boys had mastered the sport of drinking like 30-something pledge Frank "The Tank" Ricard.

Ferrell channelled his inner Ric Flair with bleach-blond hair, snazzy suits and a supersized attitude to match his wrestling persona as the sleazy car dealer Ashley Schaeffer in HBO's Eastbound and Down. Think a running back trying to find a hole through the Steel Curtain was tough? Ferrell's Buddy the Elf had to pass through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then walked through the Lincoln Tunnel before he found his home in New York.

Ready to rumble?

Ferrell was in for the fight of his life when Anchorman Ron Burgundy led his news team in an over-the-top smackdown with San Diego's other elite news crews.