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Description: Ken Burns tops himself with this epic of American history, told in "nine innings," with a skilled narration by John Chancellor and the voices of Paul Newman, Jason Robards, Billy Crystal, and other stars. The series spans 150 years, starting with the myth-debunking tale of baseball's true beginnings -- when it was a game "one degree above mayhem." Then follow the growth of America's National Pastime through the decades of glory and record-setting achievements, as well as the scandals, the bigotry, and the big money. The series portrays the game as a mirror of America itself -- the passions, prejudices, and ambitions that have shape the country.
Customer Reviews:
- Tap the Rockies: So, how much coverage is there of the Colorado Rockies? Since the film covers up until 1994 and the Rockies formed in 1998, I'm going to say a lot.
- The Usual Burns' Spin, but Outstanding Nonetheless: The sheer magnitude of this set makes it worth 5 stars. Of course Burns beats us over the head w/ the racial angle, but that's Burns. If you're from NY, you'll get a lot of satisfaction from the New York bias. The cinematography is often stunning. Look for the Babe hitting a HR in slo-mo. Doris Kearns Goodwin somehow slipped into the mix, as did Mario Cuomo. Buck O'Neill is always enjoyable. I like seeing Sandy Koufax's pitches in slo mo w/ the behind the plate angle. If you're a Red Sox fan, you'll want to go out and pick up a pizza during the replaying of the infamous Bill Buckner game and the classic 7 game series against the Big Red Machine. The introduction to each "inning", with the Star Spangled Banner playing, might send chills down your spine. Some great players are not mentioned at all: Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Rollie Fingers, etc. but at least we get to hear how Doris Kearns Goodwin was welcomed back to the candy store and we get a full scouting report on 20 year old prospect, Mario Cuomo.
- Ken Burns has done it again...: For the Basball fan and intrigued viewer alike, this documentary is amazing. Ken Burns has a knack for documentaries, and this is no exception. He's outdone himself again! You will not be disappointed. This is not just another documentary on Baseball. Worth every penny.
- Baseball: I bought it for a friend who is into the history of baseball. He really likes it.
- THE Essential History of America's Game: BASEBALL is one of Ken Burns' finest works of all-time. It is a wonderful re-telling of the history of our country's National Pastime from the time of the American Revolution right up to 1994. It is true that Mr. Burns did show a slightly New York bias in his coverage, which, to me, is not suprising (this, despite the fact that Ken Burns is an avid Red Sox fan). I think what he was trying to do is distribute the coverage according to which city/team had the most impact on the history and development of The Game. The way I see it, baseball's beginings centered around New York, So, naturally, New York is going to get the most coverage. Outside of New York, the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals got really good coverage. But what really set this doccumentary apart from other doccumentaries about baseball was his treatment of the African Americans' journey towards acceptance in Organized White Baseball. Burns didn't gloss over anything or try to sugar coat it. He told the WHOLE story - not just Jackie Robinson, but the trials and tribulations leading up to Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947! As a matter of fact, it was an African American, writer, Gerald Early, who offered one of the best oppinions on baseball's place in our nation's history - "A thousand years from now when people study this civilization, we will probably be remembered for three things - the Constitution, Jazz Music, and Baseball." Burns didn't sugar coat ANYTHING in his doccumentary. He showed that there was more to Babe Ruth than the guy who was really generous with the kids. Not just Ruth, but Cobb and others as well, Burns showed that they had a human side as well as the one that was presented to the public. I was also impressed with the way that, at the begining of each inning, he put the events going on in baseball in perspective with other events going on in the world at the time.
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