On Tuesday 9 March 2010 a book was published titled: The Baseball Fan’s Bucket List: 162 Things You Must Do, See, Get, and Experience Before You Die, by Robert Santelli and Jenna Santelli. The book’s table of contents lists all 162 items per the authors’ ranking. I have taken that list and organized it into twelve categories, which I find easier to consider when dealing with the list. I will be presenting each category alphabetically over the course of the 2011 baseball season. The number to the left of each item is its position on the Santellis’ list. Items in red would be of particular interest to Red Sox fans. Today’s category number six out of twelve is:
MOVIES – Part 1
6 Watch The Ken Burns Documentary, Baseball
To me, Baseball is the definitive history of baseball on video. It is structured into nine innings that begin with the origins of baseball and end in 1993. This documentary originally aired on the PBS network during September 1994. It became available on DVD in September 2004 and includes an additional inning of features titled Extra Innings, making it a ten DVD set. In September 2010, PBS aired The Tenth Inning which covers from 1994 to 2009. This is also available on DVD and Blu-ray by itself. It is also included in a revised Baseball DVD box set. I highly recommend Baseball and any future innings Ken Burns decides to document.
14 Watch The Movie, Bull Durham
A slice of life in the Minor Leagues is portrayed in Bull Durham, a romantic comedy from 1988. Starring Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins, the lives of these three people intersect one baseball season in Durham, North Carolina. A woman, a catcher and his rookie pitcher form a crooked sort of love triangle in which there is poetry, profoundness and posturing. The sound track of the film is great and I’ve always liked Costner’s character’s name – Crash Davis. Though I’m not sure that in combination with Robbins’ character’s nickname it would make for a confident sounding battery – Crash and Nuke. Or perhaps opponents would find it intimidating. What do you think? The film is on DVD in the original release, Special Edition and Collector’s Edition versions.
19 Watch The Movie, The Natural
This 1984 drama, The Natural, is based on the 1952 book of the same title. An obsessed and disturbed woman shots an up-and-coming pitcher and such begins the saga of Roy Hobbs. The majority of the film takes place years after the shooting when Hobbs (played by Robert Redford) comes to a struggling team in order to rescue it and lift it to a pennant. I’ve only seen this film once, and although there are a number of on field and off field dramas to keep the film moving, I couldn’t take seeing Robert Redford get shot again. It was such a surprise the first time. Yes, the film’s ending is different from the book’s – the requisite Hollywood happy ending is in play – after all, Robert Redford mustn’t go down in defeat. The film is available in the theatrical version on DVD and Blu-ray and in the director’s cut version on DVD.
21 Watch The Movie, Field Of Dreams
Based on the 1982 book Shoeless Joe, the 1989 film, Field of Dreams is another baseball movie gem starting Kevin Costner. This baseball fantasy takes place in Iowa and involves a farmer, the 1919 Chicago White Sox scandal, a reclusive writer (a different one than in the book) and a dream fulfilled. For Red Sox fans, there is a scene at Fenway Park and supposedly (I don’t remember) Ben Affleck and Matt Damon can be seen at the game. Conflict in the film is between the reality of providing a living to support a family and the romance of playing professional baseball. Part of the baseball field in Iowa that was used in the film is still intact. Of course Field of Dreams is available on DVD in an Anniversary Edition and Collector’s Edition.
27 Watch The Movie, A League Of Their Own
Until A League of Their Own came out in 1992, I never knew that there had been a professional women’s baseball league. How I wish the league had continued and perhaps, instead of dreaming of being the starting catcher for the Boston Red Sox, I had actually played professional baseball – as I’m sure do many women. Someday a woman will play in the Majors and I hope I’m around to see it. In the meantime, enjoy this fictional story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (would it have evolved into Women’s Major League Baseball?) which is available on DVD in a Special Edition. The famous quote uttered by Tom Hanks’ character is: "Are you crying? There's no crying! There's no crying in baseball!" Maybe there’s no crying, but perhaps a little sadness for what the league might have become.
31 Watch The Documentary, Viva Baseball
The documentary, Viva Baseball, aired on Spike TV in September 2005. It covers the history of Latin American baseball players in the Majors. Viva Baseball is available on DVD.
32 Watch The Movie, Eight Men Out
The account of the 1919 Chicago White Sox in which eight members of the team accept bribers to throw the World Series, is told in 1988’s Eight Men Out and is based on the 1963 book of the same name. Known as the Black Sox scandal, the film tells the background of life for the White Sox players which leads to those men being approached by gamblers. Whatever the truth behind this murky event in professional baseball history, no team will ever throw the World Series again. Eight Men Out is available on DVD in a 20th Anniversary Edition.
Images:
Left: Baseball from the website upload.wikimedia.org
Center: A League of Their Own from the website upload.wikimedia.org
Right: Field of Dreams from the website upload.wikimedia.org
MOVIES – Part 1
6 Watch The Ken Burns Documentary, Baseball
To me, Baseball is the definitive history of baseball on video. It is structured into nine innings that begin with the origins of baseball and end in 1993. This documentary originally aired on the PBS network during September 1994. It became available on DVD in September 2004 and includes an additional inning of features titled Extra Innings, making it a ten DVD set. In September 2010, PBS aired The Tenth Inning which covers from 1994 to 2009. This is also available on DVD and Blu-ray by itself. It is also included in a revised Baseball DVD box set. I highly recommend Baseball and any future innings Ken Burns decides to document.
14 Watch The Movie, Bull Durham
A slice of life in the Minor Leagues is portrayed in Bull Durham, a romantic comedy from 1988. Starring Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins, the lives of these three people intersect one baseball season in Durham, North Carolina. A woman, a catcher and his rookie pitcher form a crooked sort of love triangle in which there is poetry, profoundness and posturing. The sound track of the film is great and I’ve always liked Costner’s character’s name – Crash Davis. Though I’m not sure that in combination with Robbins’ character’s nickname it would make for a confident sounding battery – Crash and Nuke. Or perhaps opponents would find it intimidating. What do you think? The film is on DVD in the original release, Special Edition and Collector’s Edition versions.
19 Watch The Movie, The Natural
This 1984 drama, The Natural, is based on the 1952 book of the same title. An obsessed and disturbed woman shots an up-and-coming pitcher and such begins the saga of Roy Hobbs. The majority of the film takes place years after the shooting when Hobbs (played by Robert Redford) comes to a struggling team in order to rescue it and lift it to a pennant. I’ve only seen this film once, and although there are a number of on field and off field dramas to keep the film moving, I couldn’t take seeing Robert Redford get shot again. It was such a surprise the first time. Yes, the film’s ending is different from the book’s – the requisite Hollywood happy ending is in play – after all, Robert Redford mustn’t go down in defeat. The film is available in the theatrical version on DVD and Blu-ray and in the director’s cut version on DVD.
21 Watch The Movie, Field Of Dreams
Based on the 1982 book Shoeless Joe, the 1989 film, Field of Dreams is another baseball movie gem starting Kevin Costner. This baseball fantasy takes place in Iowa and involves a farmer, the 1919 Chicago White Sox scandal, a reclusive writer (a different one than in the book) and a dream fulfilled. For Red Sox fans, there is a scene at Fenway Park and supposedly (I don’t remember) Ben Affleck and Matt Damon can be seen at the game. Conflict in the film is between the reality of providing a living to support a family and the romance of playing professional baseball. Part of the baseball field in Iowa that was used in the film is still intact. Of course Field of Dreams is available on DVD in an Anniversary Edition and Collector’s Edition.
27 Watch The Movie, A League Of Their Own
Until A League of Their Own came out in 1992, I never knew that there had been a professional women’s baseball league. How I wish the league had continued and perhaps, instead of dreaming of being the starting catcher for the Boston Red Sox, I had actually played professional baseball – as I’m sure do many women. Someday a woman will play in the Majors and I hope I’m around to see it. In the meantime, enjoy this fictional story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (would it have evolved into Women’s Major League Baseball?) which is available on DVD in a Special Edition. The famous quote uttered by Tom Hanks’ character is: "Are you crying? There's no crying! There's no crying in baseball!" Maybe there’s no crying, but perhaps a little sadness for what the league might have become.
31 Watch The Documentary, Viva Baseball
The documentary, Viva Baseball, aired on Spike TV in September 2005. It covers the history of Latin American baseball players in the Majors. Viva Baseball is available on DVD.
32 Watch The Movie, Eight Men Out
The account of the 1919 Chicago White Sox in which eight members of the team accept bribers to throw the World Series, is told in 1988’s Eight Men Out and is based on the 1963 book of the same name. Known as the Black Sox scandal, the film tells the background of life for the White Sox players which leads to those men being approached by gamblers. Whatever the truth behind this murky event in professional baseball history, no team will ever throw the World Series again. Eight Men Out is available on DVD in a 20th Anniversary Edition.
Images:
Left: Baseball from the website upload.wikimedia.org
Center: A League of Their Own from the website upload.wikimedia.org
Right: Field of Dreams from the website upload.wikimedia.org
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