Baseball: An Illustrated History |
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Baseball: An Illustrated History
Baseball: An Illustrated History
(as of 04/06/2010 12:46 - more info)
$45.00
$2.79
Listed Under: Baseball
Author : Geoffrey C. WardAuthor : Ken BurnsBinding : PaperbackDeweyDecimalNumber : 796.3570973EAN : 9780679765417ISBN : 0679765417Label : KnopfLanguages : ListPrice : Manufacturer : KnopfNum..read more
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More than five hundred photographs, many in full color, capture the milestones, mythmakers, and historical development of baseball over fifteen decades. Reprint. 100,000 first printing. NYT.
This is Ken Burns’ epic series on the history of baseball. It is 10 discs for a total of about 20 hours. You don’t have to watch them all and you don’t have to watch in the chronological order they were produced but once you start it is hard to stop. Even those who may consider themselves marginal baseball fans can enjoy this amazing series. Baseball is so much a part of the history of our country since it began in the 1850′s – yes, that’s right they played baseball during the Civil War. Sometimes it reflects our culture (racial discrimination until Jackie Robinson) and sometimes it creates culture (hundreds of leagues at all ages playing the game in the beginning). Nobody does documentaries about our life in America better than Ken Burns and he is at his best with BASEBALL. He does a great job of bringing in political and cultural influences on the sport. The sport of baseball and particularly professional baseball does not exist in a vacuum and is subject to the same outside influences as any other institution in America. And, yes, there really was some good in the ‘good old days’ but there was also a lot that needed fixing and you will experience both during this series. As someone who once stood countless times along the chalk baseline in a straight row with teammates and sang the National Anthem waiting to hear the umpire say ‘let’s play ball’, I can honestly say this is a priceless story of the game of baseball. Thanks, Ken Burns, for helping all of us understand why baseball is America’s pastime and so much a part of American life. And for all those whose overly efficient mothers threw out their boxes of baseball cards when they went away to college, this is for you. And for all those sisters (I know at least four) who had to watch hundreds of their brothers’ games growing up, this may help you to understand why he was so passionate about the game. Enjoy!!
First I will say this is an amazing documentary. I watched it when it came out on PBS, but I was only 14 at the time and my perspective has changed a bit. I love the poetic justice the commentators give, especially Costas. Fellow Minnesotan Garrison Keillor is also amazing reading quotes from ballplayers. My only complaint is that they didn’t use Keillor more.
My only real complaint, and it is a big one, is the omission of the 1961 SF Giants. Last night I watched the 1960′s “8th Inning” and the Latin Giants were mentioned exactly zero times. Hell they didn’t even mention Marichal either! I know it can’t be all things to all people, but two hours and not even a passing mention of them? Oh sure they gushed over Mantle at length, but nothing about the Dominicans who transformed the game. The segregation they faced could have been beautifully woven the civil rights piece. Not only did they face racial issues, they faced ethnic ones as well. The Giants manager refused to let them speak spanish to each other in the dugout. You also have the Alou brothers, who covered the entire outfield. Their improbable run to the World Series, only to lose in Game 7 against the Yankees is another great story. So many great chances missed by Burns.
If you want to see a great documentary about the Latin Giants check out “Republic of Baseball”
Making a film like this, on such a subject – and making it very watchable – is no small undertaking. Of course there will be omissions, biases, etc., but how could you please everyone? Some of the Good: (1) attention paid to the game’s early days and players; (2) the time spent on Ruth – it is appropriate that his presence looms over the program the way his achievements loom over the game; (3) Brooklyn announcer Red Barber’s candid recollection of what he felt about Jackie Robinson breaking into the majors; (4) some effective voice-overs from actor John Turturro; (5) Ted Williams; (6) interviews with actual Negro Leaguers; (7) Burns’s subtle and often effective matching of old photos and film footage with the narrative text, for example the way he uses certain footage of Ruth and Gehrig at batting practice; (8) The stuff on Curt Flood; (9) pairing footage of the ’70s Big Red Machine with “Radar Love.” Some of the Not-So-Good: (1) Yes, it’s true, too much from historians, political pundits, paleontologists, and politicians, and not enough from people who actually play(ed) the game and might be able (if willing) to talk about it (I didn’t mind so much the sportswriters like Angell, Boswell, etc.). Who knows, maybe there’s a good reason for this skew, but it’s a breath of fresh air when interviewee Ted Williams appears on your screen for the first time; (2) the inherent limitations of the chronological approach – there are aspects of the game which will be overlooked – e.g., the peculiarities of certain positions (third base, catcher, pitcher, etc.); (3) A lot of talk about things which “set baseball apart” but which in reality apply to any sport; (4) nothing on umpires, and the role of the umpire, and the, uh, “special” relationship umps have with the fans and players (hey that is something truly unique about baseball); (5) Bob Costas; (6) The program runs out of gas in “Inning 9″- things happened in this era, Pete Rose’s 44-game streak and George Brett’s run at .400 were both covered daily on the nightly network news, if I recall correctly; (7) Yes, East Coast bias, which makes sense overall, but becomes very noticeable when something like the amazing, improbable story of L.A.’s Fernando Valenzuela is omitted. Woops, great human interest story that would fit with Burns’s style (that’s an “E” if you’re scoring at home); (8) Interview footage with Billy Crystal in which he’s basically doing shtick, and which for the sake of humanity should have been left on the cutting room floor; (9) Then-Governor Mario Cuomo – fine, use him as a well-known talking head, but then, the narrative veers off and is about him and his life, his marriage, etc. Ken, why use your baseball documentary to enable grandstanding politicians? That was unpleasant.
(And by the way: it’s really difficult to capture the essence of baseball without any profanity, so Burns gets bonus points for trying)
Looking forward to “Inning 10.”
After I took a tip from an american friend of mine, I ordered this DVD collection. Only 10 days after ordering it arrived in my hometown in Germany. Considering myself a big Baseball and Softball fan this kind of review widend my horizon regarding the american national pastime. This DVDs can be used as a brillant almanac. Especially the trivia at the end of each DVD is a lot of fun. I would call this nine innings (plus one extra inning) of perfect reviewed facts the grand slam of baseball videos.
Absolutely the history of baseball ever put together in any format. A must buy for true baseball fans.