Looking for the perfect item to get your baseball fix on TV in the offseason?  Well, you can stop looking once you acquire Baseballs Greatest Games. Put out by MLB and A&E Studios in 2011, this 11 disc DVD set will occupy any baseball lover for hours (29 hours and 56 minutes to be exact).

The set features ten of the most hotly contested games in MLB history. Watching these games is made even better when the viewer notices that they can actually watch baseball without having to wait for inning changes and commercials.

The games featured in this set are:

Image via Wikipedia

Game 7 of the 1960 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates: Fans will quickly remember this as the Bill Mazeroski game when he hit the historic walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the Series for the Pirates.

Game 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox: This is the game when Carlton Fisk hits his childlike walk-off homerun in the bottom of the 12^th inning to send the Series to seven games.

Slugfest at Wrigley Field in 1979 between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs: This game went into extra innings eventually ending with the Phillies winning 23-22 in the tenth inning.

Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Saint Louis Cardinals: Ozzie Smith makes this game memorable with his walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Game 6 of the 1986 World Series between the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox: This is a game that is etched in Red Sox fans’ hearts for all time as they see Mookie Wilson’s grounder bounce down the line.

Game 7 of the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins: Jack Morris put his mark on this fall classic by throwing a 10 inning shutout.

Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves: This game is remembered by Sid Bream’s slide across home plate in the bottom of the ninth to bring the Braves all of the way back from down 2-0 at the start of the inning.

Game 6 of the 1993 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays: Joe Carter’s walk-off blast in the bottom of the ninth is the play that most remember about this contest.

Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees:  To Red Sox fans, this is the Aaron Bleeping Boone game.

Game 7 of the 2004 American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox: No team had ever come back from being down 3-0 in a seven game Series until David Ortiz helped the Sox change all of that with his historic homerun in game seven.

In addition to the ten games, there is an extra disc as well that provides viewers with postgame interviews and analyst reaction to the happenings of those games. These interviews further help to put the games into context of what was happening in baseball at that time.

One of the more interesting aspects of this DVD set is that viewers have the option to view the games either with the commentary from television or from radio. This is a great feature as many fans enjoy the radio broadcast more than television because it tends to be more descriptive. This feature has them lined up correctly so there is no delay between radio and television like there usually is if the viewer attempts to do this live.

These games can either bring back memories, or increase one’s knowledge about the teams and players of the different times in baseball history.

Rating: 3.55/5

“This is an insightful, moving film that helps to shatter stereotypes and preconceptions, and reminds us of the power of this seemingly simple stick ball game to bring us all together.”  – Ken Burns

New Documentary Features Major Sandy Koufax Interview;

Recollections from Ron Howard, Larry King, Bob Feller,

Bud Selig, Marvin Miller, Al Rosen, Hank Greenberg and Many More

Los Angeles (October 28^th) – “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story,” a major new documentary release is set to open theatrically November 5th in New York and as the title promises, documenting the impact of Jewish players on America’s national pastime, together with the impact of America’s national pastime on American Jews.

NEW YORK OPENING – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2010

Quad Cinema 34 West 13^th Street

Malvern Cinema, Malvern Long Island

Kew Gardens Cinema, Kew Gardens, Queens

Sag Harbor Cinema, Sag Harbor

LOS ANGELES OPENING – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2010

Music Hall Theater – Beverly Hills

Town Center – Encino

From the first – Lipman Pike – and on through Moe Berg, Hank Greenberg, Al Rosen, Sandy Koufax, Shawn Green and Kevin Youkilis, the film records the contributions of Jewish players and the recollections of Jewish fans, spanning the history of the game.  Major League Baseball has had top tier Jewish players, almost uninterrupted from its very beginnings, and through vintage newsreels, archival and new interviews, the story is woven together in a 91-minute presentation narrated by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman.

The film is directed by Peter Miller, and produced by Miller and Will Hechter.  Pulitzer Prize-winner Ira Berkow wrote the script.  Amy Linton edits.

A highlight of the film is a rare interview with the Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, who agreed to sit down with the producers to talk about his remarkable career.  Koufax discusses his experiences with missing a World Series game for a Jewish holiday, and of pitching a perfect game, one of his four no-hitters.  “I went out every day to pitch a perfect game”, he said.  “A first walk you are going to pitch a no-hitter, the first hit you are going to pitch a one-hitter.  Your goals are to be as good as you can be and you give up your goals very grudgingly and if you’ve given up nine hits, it’s going to be a nine-hitter, there’s not going to be a 10^th one.”

Director Ron Howard, a young Dodger fan when Koufax pitched, talks about rooting for Sandy as a youngster, and about his shock and embarrassment when he discovered that he was making more money as “Opie” on the Andy Griffith Show, than Koufax was pitching for the Dodgers.

The film includes recollections from Hank Greenberg (vintage) and his son Steve, Al Rosen, as well as from CNN’s Larry King, author Roger Kahn, Commissioner Bud Selig, Players Association’s Marvin Miller, former Montreal Expos owner Charles Bronfman, the Mets’ Fred Wilpon, players Yogi Berra, Bob Feller, Norm Sherry, Ron Blomberg, Shawn Green, Kevin Youkilis, and a delightful opening scene in which actor Dennis Leary, a guest in the Red Sox broadcast booth, discovers that Youkilis is Jewish.

Among the discoveries for audiences: the co-author of Take Me Out to the Ballgame was Jewish (and the song is performed over closing credits by jazz artist Sophie Milman); Washington’s Buddy Myer was a Jewish batting champion, and the New York Giants were frequented by Jewish talent (including Andy Cohen, Sid Gordon, Harry Danning and Phil Weintraub).

Moe Berg’s spy adventures, while undercover as a ballplayer, are revealed; the question of whether not pitching to Greenberg as he threatened to break Babe Ruth’s home run record involved anti-Semitism, and Al Rosen’s realization that sometimes you had to fight emerge.  Selig ponders out loud what his predecessors would have thought of a Jew becoming commissioner.

A coda to the production is the tale of Adam Greenberg, who, as a Chicago Cub in 2005, saw one pitch, and was hit in the head with it.  He continues his attempt to return to the majors: “You don’t have to be taught to never give up,” he says, which could apply to many in the film.

For more information on the film go to

http://www.7thart.com/films/Jews-and-Baseball-An-American-Love-Story

About 7^th Art Releasing

7^th Art is an independent full service distributor, producer, sales agent, and specialized marketing company that has distributed unique, award-winning documentaries and fiction films for over 15 years. 7th Art’s releases have received many awards including multiple Academy Award nominations as well as one Oscar.

Recent 7^th Art releases include Vlast (Power) (Los Angeles Film Festival), 45365 (Independent Spirit Award Winner), The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights among many others.

Press Contact:

Rachel Owen

Seventh Art Releasing

323-845-1455

rachel@7thart.com

Editor’s note:Fans of this film should also like the following books…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Los Angeles, CA (October 22nd, 2010) – 7th Art Releasingannounced today that Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story will have its Los Angeles Premiere at Wilshire Boulevard Temple on Wednesday November 17!

Narrated by Academy Award-winner Dustin Hoffman, Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story brings to life the contributions of Jewish major leaguers and explores the special meaning baseball has had in the lives of American Jews. More than a film about sports, it is a story of immigration, assimilation, bigotry, heroism, the passing on of traditions, and the shattering of stereotypes.

The Jerusalem Post described the film as “Fascinating and moving… a hard-hitting examination of integration through sports.”

The film will be screened at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills

6:30 p.m. Sponsors’ Reception

7:45 p.m. Screening of Film

The screening will help raise money for the Temple’s schools, camps and Israel Scholarships.

For more information and to purchase tickets go to http://www.wilshireboulevardtemple.org/events/item/408/youth_events

About 7^th Art Releasing

7^th Art is an independent full service distributor, producer, sales agent, and specialized marketing company that has distributed unique, award-winning documentaries and fiction films for over 15 years. 7th Art’s releases have received many awards including multiple Academy Award nominations as well as one Oscar.

Recent 7^th Art releases include Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story (San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 2010), 45365 (Independent Spirit Award Winner), The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights among many others.

Press Contact:

Rachel Owen

Seventh Art Releasing

323-845-1455

rachel@7thart.com

Take Me Out to The Ball Game Clip from “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story” from Seventh Art Releasing on Vimeo.

www.7thart.com

Peter Miller
91 minutes

JEWS AND BASEBALL: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY portrays the contributions of Jewish major leaguers and the special meaning that baseball has had in the lives of American Jews. More than a film about sports, this is a story of immigration, assimilation, bigotry, heroism, the passing on of traditions, and the shattering of stereotypes.

The story is brought to life through Dustin Hoffman’s narration, and interviews with dozens of passionate and articulate fans, writers, executives, and especially players including Al Rosen, Kevin Youkilis, Shawn Green, Bob Feller, Yogi Berra, and a rare interview with the Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax. Fans including Ron Howard and Larry King connect the stories of baseball to their own lives, and to the turbulent history of the last century. Their stories are inter-cut with dramatic and never-before-seen film clips and photos of great Jewish players, unforgettable games, and the broad sweep of American history.

Thanks to the people at Cinetic FilmBuff I was asked to do a review of this fine documentary by Richard Linklater. Aside from the facts and quotes that I’ve compiled in this review you’ll find sessions with Coach Augie Garrido himself, former players (some who are or have been MLB players), fellow coaches and friends as well as video from games, practices and locker rooms. If these facts and quotes strike a cord with you like they did in me, you should rush out and get this DVD as soon as you can! (slight warning: there is some language in parts of this film)

The Most Successful NCAA Baseball Coach

The numbers speak for themselves…

He has won NCAA Division 1 Championships in four decades
Five National Titles with two schools
The most division 1 wins by any other baseball coach in the NCAA

The Man

In the video, Garrido is called a nice guy that can motivate his players either by pleading with them or by their pure love for the guy and their unwillingness to disappoint him. It was also said that he gives from himself (NOT “x’s” and “o’s”) to his players for their benefit, not his own. He not only teaches baseball to his players, but life lessons as well. He cares about relationships a lot and claims that he doesn’t even have many hobbies, if any.

The Player

In his own playing days, Augie Garrido was a vesitle player…a fan favorite and a student of the game. He graduated from Fresno State in 1961 where he played three seasons with the school’s Bulldogs. He earns All-Conference recognition with the Bulldogs and played in the 1959 College World Series. After college he signed a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians and plays six years in their minor league system before heading back to college to become a coach at San Francisco State in 1969. His ultimate goal was not to be a major league ball player, he was just 26 years old when he quit playing for the Indians organization so that he could coach!

His coach at Fresno State, Pete Beiden, was also Garrido’s mentor who displayed great fundamentals (the finest in baseball history some have said) and Garrido was like a spone around him (Beiden). Beiden was known to show rough love towards his players, but that is where Garrido differed from his mentor as he is known for doing the opposite.

The Coach

Univ. of Texas at Austin Coach Augie Garrido

It is said that he gets the best performances out of his players because his teaching/coaching is fundamentally strong: bunting, stealing & hitting the cutoff man every time!

He learned how to organize practices from watching football coaches run their practices. Likewise, he learned how to implement rhythm and timing into his practices from watching basketball coaches run their practices.

Garrido changes his coaching focus based upon the characteristics of his current players and does not force them to comply to his system. In my opinion, this is how he has been so good for so long. Most managers would be too prideful to do this thinking that it’s due in large part to their abilities to manage rather than getting each and every player to play at his best year in and year out.

Furthermore, he is known for not being a yeller, but when he does…watch out! It comes out in times when he thinks he’s failing (not his players). Which in turn usually leaves the players feeling like they let Coach Garrido down. Which is a testament to the relationship he builds with his players and how he truely does care for each one of them (and their family: see the quote below for the context).

One would think that with all of his success at the highest level in college baseball (NCAA Division 1) that MLB teams would be knocking down his door trying to sweep him off his feet to manage their club, but Garrido has no aspirations to be a Major League Manager. He doesn’t, by his own admission, belong there (MLB), he has a teacher’s mentality and college baseball fits that like a glove.

Instead, he choose to replace legendary coach of the University of Texas at Austin, Cliff Gustafson. At the time of Gustafson’s retirement, after the 1996 season, he was the most successful head coach in NCAA Division 1 baseball of all time. His reasoning…he just wanted to see if he could do it! Garrido, a sensative guy, had a tough time of it during his first three years there due in large part by the local (and national) media. Then in 2002, in his sixth year in Texas, he led the Longhorns to the first College World Series title with him at the helm. A feat he duplicated in 2005 and in that year, Garrido surpassed Gustafson as the most successful head coach in NCAA Division 1 baseball of all time!

The Quotes: “Augieisms”

It are these gems that, in my most humble opinion, make this documentary a great one on Coach Garrido. Some of these make you want to go out and be a baseball coach…or is it just me? I did start my collegiate career in a pursuit to become a baseball coach!

On talking about his evaluation of the value of baseball…

“you want them (your players) to take risks, you want them to fail so that the player finds out more about themselves…then the coach comes in support of those failures, he likes to think that they (the coaches) encourage those failures (for the player’s benefit).”

On baseball in general…

Image by ilovemypit via Flickr of director Richard Linklater and Augie Garrido

“Baseball screws everybody! It takes no sides, it’s a game of failure”

“Baseball in and of itself is very cruel, because it hurts the people I (Coach Garrido) care about. I care about the players, I care about their parents, I care about their grandparents. It hurts them, it hurts them a lot and it hurts them often so I see it as pretty cruel.”

It’s a game of “confidence verses fear and confidence isn’t as strong as fear”

“The Little League Manual says, “baseball builds character”, but Garrido has learned that is not true, “it reveals charatcer, your heart and your soul”

Coach Garrido’s Simple Formula…

“eliminate the fear, it’s fun. Stay with the process, eliminate the reward, it’s fun. If you want to have fun playing baseball, play it for the right reasons: your growth, your development, your performances.”

Coach Garrido on the correct positioning for a second baseman…

“10 steps off the base and eight steps deep equals home base (for that position).”

For The Love of the Game…

“It wasn’t the game that I loved, it was the people involved with the game and the relationships and the experiences.”

What I would like to know is why he uses the past tense when he’s still actively coaching.

To his players…

“Do your best, you’re going to fail, so do your best again”

“…it doesn’t have to be a failure, it’s an experience and it’s an opportunity to learn”

“Get it (the game) down to one inning, pitch by pitch, play by play. A winner or loser on every pitch. Now it’s about who is mentally the toughest.”

“When you strive for perfection, you learn things”

“if you want to be who you’re meant to be, not who you want to be, because once you fulfill that you have something to give back to others that matters.”

NARRATED BY DUSTIN HOFFMAN

Photo taken from Google Images

New Documentary Features Major Sandy Koufax Interview;

Recollections from Ron Howard, Larry King, Bob Feller,

Bud Selig, Marvin Miller, Al Rosen, Hank Greenberg and Many More

Official Press Release

New York –  “Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story,” a major new documentary release from Clear Lake Historical Productions, is now being released into the market with screenings at film festivals worldwide, and as the title promises, documenting the impact of Jewish players on America’s national pastime, together with the impact of America’s national pastime on American Jews.

From the first – Lipman Pike – and on through Moe Berg, Hank Greenberg, Al Rosen, Sandy Koufax, Shawn Green and Kevin Youkilis, the film records the contributions of Jewish players and the recollections of Jewish fans, spanning the history of the game.  Major League Baseball has had top tier Jewish players, almost uninterrupted from its very beginnings, and through vintage newsreels, archival and new interviews,  the story is woven together in a 91-minute presentation narrated by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman.

The film is directed by Peter Miller, and produced by Miller and Will Hechter.  Pulitzer Prize-winner Ira Berkow wrote the script.  Amy Linton edits.

A highlight of the film is a rare interview with the Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, who agreed to sit down with the producers to talk about his remarkable career.  Koufax discusses his experiences with missing a World Series game for a Jewish holiday, and of pitching a perfect game, one of his four no-hitters.  “I went out every day to pitch a perfect game”, he said.  “A first walk you are going to pitch a no-hitter, the first hit you are going to pitch a one-hitter.  Your goals are to be as good as you can be and you give up your goals very grudgingly and if you’ve given up nine hits, it’s going to be a nine-hitter, there’s not going to be a 10^th one.”

Director Ron Howard, a young Dodger fan when Koufax pitched, talks about rooting for Sandy as a youngster, and about his shock and embarrassment when he discovered that he was making more money as “Opie” on the Andy Griffith Show, than Koufax was pitching for the Dodgers.

The film includes recollections from Hank Greenberg (vintage) and his son Steve, Al Rosen, as well as from CNN’s Larry King, author Roger Kahn, Commissioner Bud Selig, Players Association’s Marvin Miller, former Montreal Expos owner Charles Bronfman, the Mets’ Fred Wilpon, players Yogi Berra, Bob Feller, Norm Sherry, Ron Blomberg, Shawn Green, Kevin Youkilis, and a delightful opening scene in which actor Dennis Leary, a guest in the Red Sox broadcast booth, discovers that Youkilis is Jewish.

Among the discoveries for audiences: the co-author of Take Me Out to the Ballgame was Jewish (and the song is performed over closing credits by jazz artist Sophie Milman); Washington’s Buddy Myer was a Jewish batting champion, and the New York Giants were frequented by Jewish talent (including Andy Cohen, Sid Gordon, Harry Danning and Phil Weintraub).

Moe Berg’s spy adventures, while undercover as a ballplayer, are revealed; the question of whether not pitching to Greenberg as he threatened to break Babe Ruth’s home run record involved anti-Semitism, and Al Rosen’s realization that sometimes you had to fight emerge.  Selig ponders out loud what his predecessors would have thought of a Jew becoming commissioner.

A coda to the production is the tale of Adam Greenberg, who, as a Chicago Cub in 2005, saw one pitch, and was hit in the head with it.  He continues his attempt to return to the majors: “You don’t have to be taught to never give up,” he says, which could apply to many in the film.

“Jews in Baseball: An American Love Story,” is distributed by 7^th Art Releasing.

About 7^th Art Releasing

Specializing in Jewish Films, 7^th Art has released numerous notable Jewish titles, including PHOGRAPHER, THE NAZI OFFICER’S WIFE, and the Academy Award-winning, THE LONG WAY HOME. 7th Art is an independent full service distributor, producer, sales agent, and specialized releasing and marketing company that continues to distribute unique, award-winning documentaries and fiction films since 1994. In the 15 years since its inception, the company has handled over 250 films and counting.  7th Art’s films have received many awards, including both Academy Award nominations and Oscars.

Press Contact:

Rachel Owen

Seventh Art Releasing

323-845-1455

rachel@7thart.com

Teaching kids about baseball can help mold lifelong fans of the game and it’s a wonderful experience to share with them. The allure of the game is fresh in their eyes and kids cheer with uninhibited enthusiasm, something I adore to see come from my six-year-old niece after I mention how well her favorite MLB player is doing.

While there is nothing like taking a kid to a major league stadium for the first time, getting kids to sit and watch nine innings of the game, especially on TV, is a challenge and not for the weak at heart. However, put in a good, kid-friendly baseball movie and you have a pretty decent shot at piquing their interest in the game. Try one the next time there is a rainy afternoon, or a rainout of your favorite team’s game. Unless you want to watch Finding Nemo for the 47th time.

The Sandlot (1993) – Rated PG
Every child should be so lucky to watch this movie, which teaches friendship, loyalty and a healthy dose of heckling. The setting of the game provides some excellent baseball history for kids and the characters will have them giggling for the entire movie.

In the below clip, our boys take on their arch rivals, The Tigers.

A League of Their Own (1992) – Rated PG
Throughout history there has been a lack of female figures in the game but this shouldn’t deter girls from baseball. A League of Their Own is fantastic to watch with girls who are around middle school age and it teaches baseball girl power – a major theme on my blog.

Of course, boys will love the movie too. And everyone will love Stillwell Angel, who is introduced in the clip below:

In the 90s, a slew of kids-in-baseball movies came out and I recall seeing each of the following in the theater with my family. On most levels these movies may entertain kids more than adults but there is definitely still an enjoyment factor in watching Danny Glover coach the Angels.

Angels In The Outfield (1994) – Rated PG
Three young friends, random B-list actors (Matthew McConaughey? Forgot he was in this!) and the promised angels in the outfield make from a cute movie with plenty of heart.

The 1954 movie of the same name centers around the Pirates and has two female lead characters. Guess Disney thought female characters couldn’t sell a kids’ baseball picture in 1994?

Check out the trailer below (I think I saw this DVD at Best Buy for less than the cost of a pack of gum so it could be worth buying for your own little angels):

Stock Photo

Little Big League (1994) – Rated PG
A tweenage boy inherits the Minnesota Twins from his grandfather and names himself the manager. Sounds like a recipe for hi-jinks! Actually, it is a pretty adorable movie that reminds us that “baseball was made for kids.”

Trailer can be viewed on IMDb

[image LittleBigLeague.jpg - photo credit Warner Bros]

Rookie of the Year (1993) – Rated PG
“Throw it back! Throw it back! Throw it back!”

Even though I was a fan of the other Chicago team as a kid, this Cubs-centric movie is a favorite. Daniel Stern plays a wacky pitching coach that kids will love and he also directed the movie that shows a 12 year old boy who can throw a 103 mph fastball.

Trailer:

We hope you have enjoyed Joanna’s suggested baseball movie list. She’ll be back here with us once a month.

SUGAR: Now on Blu-ray & DVD

Back in July I was informed of the DVD release of the movie “SUGAR”, but as life can sometimes be hectic, I haven’t gotten to write about it until now. “SUGAR” came out on Blu-ray and DVD on September 1st. So if you are a fan of the Dominican Republic’s brand of baseball, “SUGAR” give you a brief glimpse inside. For more info on the movie, here’s a snippet from the official press release.

Sugar is a coming-of-age tale that follows Miguel Santos, a.k.a. “Azucar” (Sugar), a pitcher from the Dominican Republic town of San Pedro de Macoris, who grew up poor but talented, always believing baseball was his ticket out of poverty. Playing professionally at the Kansas City Knights baseball academy, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States’ minor league system.  Miguel travels to a small town in Iowa corn country, where he and other Latin American teammates are the only Spanish-speaking people and have trouble learning the new language and culture. Despite the welcoming efforts of his host family, Miguel is faced with an isolation he never before experienced. When his performance on the mound falters, he begins examining more closely the world around him, his place within it, and ultimately questions his life’s singular ambition.

For a look into how well this movie is being received around Dominican players currently in the majors, here’s what a few players had to say.

Pedro Martinez currently pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies and 3-time Cy Young Award Winner said”It’s very real and has a really good message” and NY Yankees All-Star 2B Robinson Cano called it “A great film!”

For further proof of the DR approval of this film, look no further than the list of players (both current and former major leaguers) who took part in interview sessions on the special features of this release (see below).

Blu-ray™ & DVD Special Features Include:

• Making Sugar: Run the Bases
• Play Béisbol! The Dominican Dream including interviews with MLB players David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez and Sammy Sosa
• Casting Sugar: Interview with Algenis Perez Soto
• Deleted Scenes
• Audio: Spanish (some English)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French

A pre-release (prior to September 1, 2009) YouTube video is provided below for a sneak peak.

To purchase “SUGAR” on either DVD or Blu-ray, please follow this links: Sugar [Blu-ray] or Sugar (DVD)!

The history of baseball in Baltimore since the St. Louis Browns moved to the city in 1954 has been well chronicled. However, until now, the great history of baseball in Baltimore prior to the arrival of Major League Baseball has gone largely unrecognized.

That is about to change with the release this fall of the documentary, The Forgotten Birds.

The culmination of five years worth of research and interviews by director Paul Sekulich and writer Jimmy Keenan, the film will be premiered in Cooperstown at the Fourth Annual Baseball Film Festival from October 2-4.

Once upon a time, in 1884, the city of Baltimore actually had three professional baseball teams.

However, the most successful team of the era was the Baltimore Orioles, which won three straight National League championships from 1894-1896. The team included seven future Hall of Famers, including John McGraw, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler.

Following the 1899 season, Baltimore was one of three teams dropped from the National League. The city was without a team in 1900, but by 1901 had a squad in the new American League.

Unfortunately, manager John McGraw was constantly feuding with league president Ban Johnson and the situation caused constant headaches for the franchise.

During the 1902 season, McGraw left the franchise and soon became manager of the New York Giants. The day-to-day operations of the Orioles soon were taken over by Johnson and the league.

Following the season, the Orioles were moved to New York City and eventually evolved into the current New York Yankees.

This set the stage for an amazing 50-year stretch of baseball in Baltimore in which the International League Baltimore Orioles captured the interest of the city and fielded some outstanding baseball teams.

The stories of the franchise, set within the context of world events during the first half of the 20th Century, are chronicled in The Forgotten Birds.

This story was very nearly lost to a fire at Oriole Park on July 4, 1944. However, the story was pieced back together by interviews with living players, sportscasters and players’ relatives as well as from books, scorecards and records, photographs and news clippings.

You can reserve a copy of the full-length DVD at http://www.forgottenbirds.com/.

Historical information for this story comes from forgottenbirds.com.