Ebbets Field
When It Was A Game
November 06, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Today, the New York Yankees celebrate a 27th World Series Championship with parade in Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes.
The excitement of the 2009 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees overshadowed the recent steroid scandal.
But baseball has suffered scandals since its beginning.
The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 where the Chicago White Sox suffered accusations of fixing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
The betting scandal involving Pete Rose betting on baseball games, including games played by the team he managed -- Cincinnati Reds.
For a time when the lines were clearer, the heroes were greater, and the myths were bigger, look no further than HBO’s When It Was A Game documentaries.
HBO made three documentaries in 1991, 1992, and 2000 respectively under the When It Was A Game banner.
The musical score, appealing visuals, and artful narration combine for a step into history that even the most casual fan will appreciate.
The musical score’s foundation is its fanfare. It appropriately shows the reverence for the heroes depicted in the documentaries.
The visuals come from home movies -- 8 millimeter and 16 millimeter films shot by fans and insiders from the 1930’s through the 1960’s.
You see stadiums that don’t exist anymore -- Polo Grounds in Manhattan, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.
You see legendary players -- Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams along with old-timers Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young.
And throughout the When It Was A Game trilogy, you hear wonderful narration from people who love the game of baseball.
James Earl Jones -- Actor.
Robert Creamer -- Writer.
Jim Bouton -- Pitcher.
Maury Wills -- Shortstop.
Frank Robinson -- Outfielder.
Jim Kaat -- Pitcher.
Al Kaline -- Outfielder.
Thomas Boswell -- Writer.
Bob Costas -- Broadcaster.
John Sayles -- Filmmaker.
When It Was A Game recalls eras when legendary players enjoyed unbreakable associations with teams. Fans could count on their favorite players spending most -- if not all -- of their careers with one team.
Roberto Clemente -- Pittsburgh Pirates.
Al Kaline -- Detroit Tigers.
Hank Aaron -- Milwaukee Braves / Atlanta Braves.
Willie Mays -- New York Giants / San Francsico Giants.
Jackie Robinson -- Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bob Gibson -- St. Louis Cardinals.
Harmon Killebrew -- Minnesota Twins.
The eras depicted in When It Was A Game were eras of greatness in baseball. But the bottom line definitely existed. Promotions took place. And owners were hard-nosed in their negotiations with players in the time before free agents, massive bonuses, and free agency.
But the eras enjoyed deep reverence. And that depth shines clearly in the When It Was A Game trilogy.
Before the first pitch of a baseball game was sponsored, before .220 batters got million dollar contracts, and before stadiums were named for corporations, there was indeed a time when baseball was a game.
david@davidkrell.com
Today, the New York Yankees celebrate a 27th World Series Championship with parade in Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes.
The excitement of the 2009 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees overshadowed the recent steroid scandal.
But baseball has suffered scandals since its beginning.
The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 where the Chicago White Sox suffered accusations of fixing the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
The betting scandal involving Pete Rose betting on baseball games, including games played by the team he managed -- Cincinnati Reds.
For a time when the lines were clearer, the heroes were greater, and the myths were bigger, look no further than HBO’s When It Was A Game documentaries.
HBO made three documentaries in 1991, 1992, and 2000 respectively under the When It Was A Game banner.
The musical score, appealing visuals, and artful narration combine for a step into history that even the most casual fan will appreciate.
The musical score’s foundation is its fanfare. It appropriately shows the reverence for the heroes depicted in the documentaries.
The visuals come from home movies -- 8 millimeter and 16 millimeter films shot by fans and insiders from the 1930’s through the 1960’s.
You see stadiums that don’t exist anymore -- Polo Grounds in Manhattan, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.
You see legendary players -- Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams along with old-timers Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young.
And throughout the When It Was A Game trilogy, you hear wonderful narration from people who love the game of baseball.
James Earl Jones -- Actor.
Robert Creamer -- Writer.
Jim Bouton -- Pitcher.
Maury Wills -- Shortstop.
Frank Robinson -- Outfielder.
Jim Kaat -- Pitcher.
Al Kaline -- Outfielder.
Thomas Boswell -- Writer.
Bob Costas -- Broadcaster.
John Sayles -- Filmmaker.
When It Was A Game recalls eras when legendary players enjoyed unbreakable associations with teams. Fans could count on their favorite players spending most -- if not all -- of their careers with one team.
Roberto Clemente -- Pittsburgh Pirates.
Al Kaline -- Detroit Tigers.
Hank Aaron -- Milwaukee Braves / Atlanta Braves.
Willie Mays -- New York Giants / San Francsico Giants.
Jackie Robinson -- Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bob Gibson -- St. Louis Cardinals.
Harmon Killebrew -- Minnesota Twins.
The eras depicted in When It Was A Game were eras of greatness in baseball. But the bottom line definitely existed. Promotions took place. And owners were hard-nosed in their negotiations with players in the time before free agents, massive bonuses, and free agency.
But the eras enjoyed deep reverence. And that depth shines clearly in the When It Was A Game trilogy.
Before the first pitch of a baseball game was sponsored, before .220 batters got million dollar contracts, and before stadiums were named for corporations, there was indeed a time when baseball was a game.
Herman the Rookie
June 02, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Baseball season prompts a look back at guest stars from the national pastime who give a little oomph to a favorite television program.
Don Drysdale on The Brady Bunch.
Henry Aaron on Happy Days.
Willie Mays on The Donna Reed Show.
In 1965, The Munsters used the baseball theme and player-turned-manager-turned-Los Angeles Dodgers executive Leo Durocher for that oomph.
The Dodgers welcomed Durocher back into the fold after he defected to the crosstown Giants when both teams played in New York City -- the Dodgers at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field and the Giants at Manhattan's Polo Grounds.
While talking with reporter Charlie Hodges, Leo the Lip gets knocked on the head by a baseball hit from several blocks away. He discovers that Herman Munster hit the ball.
Eager for a brand-new discovery, Durocher arranges a formal tryout with the Dodgers for Herman. Undoubtedly, Herman's physical strength is the tool that will propel the Dodgers to win the National League pennant and the World Series.
By literally crushing the ball out of the park, Herman could probably single-handedly win every game.
But every asset has a consequent cost or liability. In Herman's case, his asset of strength is the liability.
Wearing #37 for his tryout, Herman takes batting practice. The force of his swing causes a ground ball to literally go under ground and destroy the infield. A home run knocks over the scoreboard.
Durocher exclaims that he doesn't know whether to sign him to the Dodgers or send him to Vietnam!
Herman's dreams of big-league status will not be realized. The Dodgers won't sign him because of financial cost. Salary is not the issue. Walter O'Malley, then the Dodgers owner, would have to spend $75,000 after each game to repair Dodger Stadium.
Baseball fans will enjoy the episode because of the tryout scenes at a practice field.
The episode has a nice tag before the credits when former Los Angeles Rams player and current Rams executive Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch discovers a football kicked from several blocks away, much farther than the length of a football field.
Upon advice from Hodges, Hirsch forgets about identifying the kicker and signing him to the Rams.
Leo Durocher also made a guest appearance on The Beverly Hillbillies where he tried to learn more about Jethro Clampett's pitching prowess. What a combination! Jethro's ability to make the ball dance in the air from the pitching mound and Herman's ability to crush the ball over the fence.
Only in television land.
david@davidkrell.com
Baseball season prompts a look back at guest stars from the national pastime who give a little oomph to a favorite television program.
Don Drysdale on The Brady Bunch.
Henry Aaron on Happy Days.
Willie Mays on The Donna Reed Show.
In 1965, The Munsters used the baseball theme and player-turned-manager-turned-Los Angeles Dodgers executive Leo Durocher for that oomph.
The Dodgers welcomed Durocher back into the fold after he defected to the crosstown Giants when both teams played in New York City -- the Dodgers at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field and the Giants at Manhattan's Polo Grounds.
While talking with reporter Charlie Hodges, Leo the Lip gets knocked on the head by a baseball hit from several blocks away. He discovers that Herman Munster hit the ball.
Eager for a brand-new discovery, Durocher arranges a formal tryout with the Dodgers for Herman. Undoubtedly, Herman's physical strength is the tool that will propel the Dodgers to win the National League pennant and the World Series.
By literally crushing the ball out of the park, Herman could probably single-handedly win every game.
But every asset has a consequent cost or liability. In Herman's case, his asset of strength is the liability.
Wearing #37 for his tryout, Herman takes batting practice. The force of his swing causes a ground ball to literally go under ground and destroy the infield. A home run knocks over the scoreboard.
Durocher exclaims that he doesn't know whether to sign him to the Dodgers or send him to Vietnam!
Herman's dreams of big-league status will not be realized. The Dodgers won't sign him because of financial cost. Salary is not the issue. Walter O'Malley, then the Dodgers owner, would have to spend $75,000 after each game to repair Dodger Stadium.
Baseball fans will enjoy the episode because of the tryout scenes at a practice field.
The episode has a nice tag before the credits when former Los Angeles Rams player and current Rams executive Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch discovers a football kicked from several blocks away, much farther than the length of a football field.
Upon advice from Hodges, Hirsch forgets about identifying the kicker and signing him to the Rams.
Leo Durocher also made a guest appearance on The Beverly Hillbillies where he tried to learn more about Jethro Clampett's pitching prowess. What a combination! Jethro's ability to make the ball dance in the air from the pitching mound and Herman's ability to crush the ball over the fence.
Only in television land.
The Ghosts of Flatbush
April 24, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Now that the baseball season is underway, we recall great players, teams, and moments of the national pastime. James Earl Jones summed up the power of baseball in the 1989 movie Field of Dreams. As writer / baseball fan Terence Mann, he says,
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.
In the summer of 2007, HBO reminded us all that once was good with the detailed, sentimental, and revelatory documentary The Ghosts of Flatbush. It’s a terrific example of the cable Goliath’s commitment to excellence in sports documentaries.
The Ghosts of Flatbush is a two-part documentary drilling into the passion, celebrity, and ultimate heartbreak surrounding the Brooklyn Dodgers. Each part lasts one hour, featuring interviews with players, reporters, and other people involved with this storied team.
The first part details the history of the Dodgers, a tremendously rich history including an amazing tale of one of the Dodgers’ owners, Charles Ebbets.
Ebbets was a ticket taker for the team, climbing the ladder of success with the top rung being ownership of the Dodgers.
Ebbets also purchased areas of land in the part of Brooklyn known as Pigtown. It became the site for the stadium, Ebbets Field.
No history of the Brooklyn Dodgers would be complete without mention of Jackie Robinson.
In The Ghosts of Flatbush, we hear about Jackie’s impact on baseball and society from his widow, Rachel.
Sixty plus years later, the first black player in the major leagues ought not be forgotten for his courage, ability, and struggles. The Ghosts of Flatbush doesn’t let us forget.
We learn inside stories about the fateful 1951 season where the crosstown rival New York Giants enjoyed a monster comeback in the closing days of the season to force a three game playoff for the National League Pennant. Bobby Thomson hit a ninth inning home run off Ralph Branca and shattered the emotions of the Dodgers fans. The Giants Win the Pennant! is a celebration cry that gives chills to Brooklyn Dodgers fans almost sixty years later. Brooklynite and talk-show icon Larry King is one of the interviewees who discusses that massive disappointment.
Part two of The Ghosts of Flatbush explores in great detail the reasons behind the team’s move to Los Angeles.
While Dodgers fans still blame team owner Walter O’Malley for the exodus, the documentary shows arguably valid economic reasons for leaving Brooklyn.
In the mid-1950’s, the team started losing its fan base because of emigration to the suburbs of Long Island.
Also, Ebbets Field was falling into disrepair.
O’Malley’s solution was a new stadium, a geodesic dome, right near a Long Island Railroad hub in another part of Brooklyn.
But Robert Moses, the legendary urban designer who held the true power of New York City refused to condemn the site and turn it over to O’Malley.
Moses’ counter proposal was a site in Queens, the true geographic center of the five boroughs of New York City. O’Malley refused, moved the team to L.A. and Moses’ site became the location for Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets.
The Ghosts of Flatbush leaves no stone unturned in its exploration of the team’s move, an action that still inspires frustration, disappointment, and lament decades later.
The Braves left Boston for Milwaukee and then Atlanta.
The Giants left New York City for San Francisco.
And the Browns left St. Louis for Baltimore where the team became the Orioles.
But no team has inspired the deep, unyielding passion that Brooklyn Dodgers fans held for Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Carl Erskine, and the rest of Dem Bums as they were affectionately called.
And very few documentaries treat their subjects with the care clearly exhibited in The Ghosts of Flatbush.
david@davidkrell.com
Now that the baseball season is underway, we recall great players, teams, and moments of the national pastime. James Earl Jones summed up the power of baseball in the 1989 movie Field of Dreams. As writer / baseball fan Terence Mann, he says,
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.
In the summer of 2007, HBO reminded us all that once was good with the detailed, sentimental, and revelatory documentary The Ghosts of Flatbush. It’s a terrific example of the cable Goliath’s commitment to excellence in sports documentaries.
The Ghosts of Flatbush is a two-part documentary drilling into the passion, celebrity, and ultimate heartbreak surrounding the Brooklyn Dodgers. Each part lasts one hour, featuring interviews with players, reporters, and other people involved with this storied team.
The first part details the history of the Dodgers, a tremendously rich history including an amazing tale of one of the Dodgers’ owners, Charles Ebbets.
Ebbets was a ticket taker for the team, climbing the ladder of success with the top rung being ownership of the Dodgers.
Ebbets also purchased areas of land in the part of Brooklyn known as Pigtown. It became the site for the stadium, Ebbets Field.
No history of the Brooklyn Dodgers would be complete without mention of Jackie Robinson.
In The Ghosts of Flatbush, we hear about Jackie’s impact on baseball and society from his widow, Rachel.
Sixty plus years later, the first black player in the major leagues ought not be forgotten for his courage, ability, and struggles. The Ghosts of Flatbush doesn’t let us forget.
We learn inside stories about the fateful 1951 season where the crosstown rival New York Giants enjoyed a monster comeback in the closing days of the season to force a three game playoff for the National League Pennant. Bobby Thomson hit a ninth inning home run off Ralph Branca and shattered the emotions of the Dodgers fans. The Giants Win the Pennant! is a celebration cry that gives chills to Brooklyn Dodgers fans almost sixty years later. Brooklynite and talk-show icon Larry King is one of the interviewees who discusses that massive disappointment.
Part two of The Ghosts of Flatbush explores in great detail the reasons behind the team’s move to Los Angeles.
While Dodgers fans still blame team owner Walter O’Malley for the exodus, the documentary shows arguably valid economic reasons for leaving Brooklyn.
In the mid-1950’s, the team started losing its fan base because of emigration to the suburbs of Long Island.
Also, Ebbets Field was falling into disrepair.
O’Malley’s solution was a new stadium, a geodesic dome, right near a Long Island Railroad hub in another part of Brooklyn.
But Robert Moses, the legendary urban designer who held the true power of New York City refused to condemn the site and turn it over to O’Malley.
Moses’ counter proposal was a site in Queens, the true geographic center of the five boroughs of New York City. O’Malley refused, moved the team to L.A. and Moses’ site became the location for Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets.
The Ghosts of Flatbush leaves no stone unturned in its exploration of the team’s move, an action that still inspires frustration, disappointment, and lament decades later.
The Braves left Boston for Milwaukee and then Atlanta.
The Giants left New York City for San Francisco.
And the Browns left St. Louis for Baltimore where the team became the Orioles.
But no team has inspired the deep, unyielding passion that Brooklyn Dodgers fans held for Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Carl Erskine, and the rest of Dem Bums as they were affectionately called.
And very few documentaries treat their subjects with the care clearly exhibited in The Ghosts of Flatbush.