Pittsburgh Pirates
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.
Hogan's Heroes and Christmas
July 17, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
During the month of December, television shows enjoy holiday themes.
The Hollywood Palace was no exception in 1965.
With the Christmas season as a backdrop for one particular episode in December of '65, host Bing Crosby mentions that this time of year means people traveling to see families.
He then references a group of men far from home.
And we see the Allied POW's of Hogan's Heroes climbing down the ladder into their escape tunnel.
Moments later, the soldiers emerge from a huge staircase prop on stage, climb down the staircase, and engage in some light banter with Bing Crosby.
Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane reveals to his comrades in arms that Bing Crosby is the boss, the owner of Hogan's Heroes.
Mere coincidence? Highly unlikely.
Indeed, the crooner was a formidable businessman, owning stakes in real estate, oil wells, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Minute Maid, and a television production company bearing his name.
Debuting in September of 1965, Hogan's Heroes became a rookie hit on CBS, showcasing the fictional exploits of the Allied POW's of Stalag 13 during World War II.
It became a home run for Bing Crosby and a natural tie-in for this installment of The Hollywood Palace.
Soon, Sergeant Schultz arrives on stage. Colonel Klink follows.
The exchange between the Hogan's Heroes cast and Crosby is enjoyable, even topical.
Werner Klemperer, as Klink, mentions that he learned how to drop out because he came to the studio by way of Berkeley.
The cast appears in later segments of the episode.
Shedding their usual dumbkopf images of Klink and Schultz, Werner Klemperer and John Banner perform what might be the highlight of the program -- a somber, sentimental, and gripping rendition of Silent Night in German -- Stille Nacht.
Robert Clary, who played LeBeau, also shows his singing talents with a performance of Le Divine Enfant.
And the cast joins with more songs.
The appearance of the Hogan's Heroes cast on the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace in 1965 brings some buzz phrases to mind.
Stunt casting.
Synergy.
Cross-promotion.
But the scheme works because it doesn't overwhelm the audience and it doesn't shy away from the fact of a cross-interest of Mr. Crosby.
Some might say that Bing Crosby used The Hollywood Palace to promote one of his programs.
But that program just happened to be one of the hits of the television season.
Why wouldn't he want the Hogan's Heroes cast to be a part of the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace.
Again, the cast appears in more than just the one segment exchanging punch lines with Crosby. It wasn't a self-serving cameo.
david@davidkrell.com
During the month of December, television shows enjoy holiday themes.
The Hollywood Palace was no exception in 1965.
With the Christmas season as a backdrop for one particular episode in December of '65, host Bing Crosby mentions that this time of year means people traveling to see families.
He then references a group of men far from home.
And we see the Allied POW's of Hogan's Heroes climbing down the ladder into their escape tunnel.
Moments later, the soldiers emerge from a huge staircase prop on stage, climb down the staircase, and engage in some light banter with Bing Crosby.
Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane reveals to his comrades in arms that Bing Crosby is the boss, the owner of Hogan's Heroes.
Mere coincidence? Highly unlikely.
Indeed, the crooner was a formidable businessman, owning stakes in real estate, oil wells, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Minute Maid, and a television production company bearing his name.
Debuting in September of 1965, Hogan's Heroes became a rookie hit on CBS, showcasing the fictional exploits of the Allied POW's of Stalag 13 during World War II.
It became a home run for Bing Crosby and a natural tie-in for this installment of The Hollywood Palace.
Soon, Sergeant Schultz arrives on stage. Colonel Klink follows.
The exchange between the Hogan's Heroes cast and Crosby is enjoyable, even topical.
Werner Klemperer, as Klink, mentions that he learned how to drop out because he came to the studio by way of Berkeley.
The cast appears in later segments of the episode.
Shedding their usual dumbkopf images of Klink and Schultz, Werner Klemperer and John Banner perform what might be the highlight of the program -- a somber, sentimental, and gripping rendition of Silent Night in German -- Stille Nacht.
Robert Clary, who played LeBeau, also shows his singing talents with a performance of Le Divine Enfant.
And the cast joins with more songs.
The appearance of the Hogan's Heroes cast on the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace in 1965 brings some buzz phrases to mind.
Stunt casting.
Synergy.
Cross-promotion.
But the scheme works because it doesn't overwhelm the audience and it doesn't shy away from the fact of a cross-interest of Mr. Crosby.
Some might say that Bing Crosby used The Hollywood Palace to promote one of his programs.
But that program just happened to be one of the hits of the television season.
Why wouldn't he want the Hogan's Heroes cast to be a part of the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace.
Again, the cast appears in more than just the one segment exchanging punch lines with Crosby. It wasn't a self-serving cameo.
Law & Order
June 04, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Last night, Law & Order completed its 19th season.
The current detectives on NBC's long-running Law & Order came to Manhattan's fictional 27th precinct with rich resumes.
Jeremy Sisto plays Cyrus Lupo. But fans of HBO's Six Feet Under will recognize Sisto as the actor who plays Billy, brother of Brenda and sometimes bane of the existence of Brenda's significant other, Nate.
Sisto brings depth, pain, and reality to Billy, a truly three-dimensional character with three-dimensional mental issues.
He intrigued us and inspired our empathy.
He scared us and inspired our curiosity.
He welcomed us and inspired our interest in the causes, effects, and monitoring of mental illness.
Sisto's film career began with the 1991 film Grand Canyon where he enjoys a stellar cast including Kevin Kline, Mary McDonnell, Steve Martin, Mary-Louise Parker, and Danny Glover.
In the film, Kline and McDonnell play the parents of Sisto's character, Roberto. Inspired by baseball great Roberto Clemente, Kline's character names his son after the Pittsburgh Pirates legend.
Although he plays a relatively small part, Sisto stays pace with the veteran actors/
In addition to Law & Order, Sisto delves into another fictional crime fighting world with its own iconic status.
He voices Bruce Wayne and Batman in the 2008 direct-to-video offering Justice League: The New Frontier.
Anthony Anderson plays Kevin Bernard in Law & Order. Bernard is a recently transferred detective from Internal Affairs. Anderson has big gumshoes to fill as he succeeds Jesse Martin. Martin debuted as Ed Green in Season 10. He left in Season 18.
Martin's Ed Green left the NYPD after Bernard investigated him because of a shooting. At the time, Bernard worked for Internal Affairs.
Although the department dropped the charges, Green left the force rather than fight disciplinary action.
Anderson recently starred in K-Ville where he paired with Cole Hauser. This buddy cop show on FOX was set in New Orleans. It incorporated the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina into the story line.
Anderson also played a significant, recurring role in The Shield -- drug kingpin Antwon Mitchell.
Back in prison after enjoying a brief stay on the outside, Mitchell reinforces his status as a player. Indeed, when the cops from the fictional Farmington section of an unnamed southern California city need a favor on the inside, they must strike a deal with their sometimes nemesis, sometimes ally Antwon Mitchell.
Anderson's comedy roles include a part in Malibu's Most Wanted, a hysterical, perhaps politically incorrect film starring Jaime Kennedy as a wannabe boy from the hood. Ryan O'Neal and Bo Derek play Kennedy's parents.
Anderson's film resume includes King's Ransom, Big Momma's House, and Scary Movie 3.
Additionally, he had a short-lived sitcom on the WB -- All About the Andersons.
david@davidkrell.com
Last night, Law & Order completed its 19th season.
The current detectives on NBC's long-running Law & Order came to Manhattan's fictional 27th precinct with rich resumes.
Jeremy Sisto plays Cyrus Lupo. But fans of HBO's Six Feet Under will recognize Sisto as the actor who plays Billy, brother of Brenda and sometimes bane of the existence of Brenda's significant other, Nate.
Sisto brings depth, pain, and reality to Billy, a truly three-dimensional character with three-dimensional mental issues.
He intrigued us and inspired our empathy.
He scared us and inspired our curiosity.
He welcomed us and inspired our interest in the causes, effects, and monitoring of mental illness.
Sisto's film career began with the 1991 film Grand Canyon where he enjoys a stellar cast including Kevin Kline, Mary McDonnell, Steve Martin, Mary-Louise Parker, and Danny Glover.
In the film, Kline and McDonnell play the parents of Sisto's character, Roberto. Inspired by baseball great Roberto Clemente, Kline's character names his son after the Pittsburgh Pirates legend.
Although he plays a relatively small part, Sisto stays pace with the veteran actors/
In addition to Law & Order, Sisto delves into another fictional crime fighting world with its own iconic status.
He voices Bruce Wayne and Batman in the 2008 direct-to-video offering Justice League: The New Frontier.
Anthony Anderson plays Kevin Bernard in Law & Order. Bernard is a recently transferred detective from Internal Affairs. Anderson has big gumshoes to fill as he succeeds Jesse Martin. Martin debuted as Ed Green in Season 10. He left in Season 18.
Martin's Ed Green left the NYPD after Bernard investigated him because of a shooting. At the time, Bernard worked for Internal Affairs.
Although the department dropped the charges, Green left the force rather than fight disciplinary action.
Anderson recently starred in K-Ville where he paired with Cole Hauser. This buddy cop show on FOX was set in New Orleans. It incorporated the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina into the story line.
Anderson also played a significant, recurring role in The Shield -- drug kingpin Antwon Mitchell.
Back in prison after enjoying a brief stay on the outside, Mitchell reinforces his status as a player. Indeed, when the cops from the fictional Farmington section of an unnamed southern California city need a favor on the inside, they must strike a deal with their sometimes nemesis, sometimes ally Antwon Mitchell.
Anderson's comedy roles include a part in Malibu's Most Wanted, a hysterical, perhaps politically incorrect film starring Jaime Kennedy as a wannabe boy from the hood. Ryan O'Neal and Bo Derek play Kennedy's parents.
Anderson's film resume includes King's Ransom, Big Momma's House, and Scary Movie 3.
Additionally, he had a short-lived sitcom on the WB -- All About the Andersons.