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BASEBALL: SIXTH INNING: THE NATIONAL PASTIME (TV)

Summary

Part six of this nine-part documentary series by filmmaker Ken Burns about the history of baseball in America, narrated by John Chancellor. Each part or "inning" represents an era of the sport's history. The story is told through archival photos and film footage, as well as the words of those who contributed to the game as read by various actors and writers. A select group of writers, historians, players, baseball personnel, and fans offer opinions on specific events and the significance of the game in America's history. The sixth inning, entitled "The National Pastime," covers the years 1940 to 1950 and is divided into fifteen subtitled segments. "A Summer of Heroes" chronicles the effect the impending threat of world war had on baseball in 1941, the emergence of the "Yankee Clipper" Joe DiMaggio, and his fifty-six-game hitting streak; and includes paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould's comments regarding the statistical improbability of such a streak. "The Joy Zone" focuses on the slugging of cantankerous Boston batsman Ted Williams, who hit .406 during the 1941 season; includes footage of Williams batting; and comments from Williams himself and writer Robert Creamer about that season. "Hilda is Here" covers the 1940s turnaround in the fortunes of the formerly hapless Brooklyn Dodgers under manager Leo Durocher and general managers Larry MacPhail and Branch Rickey; and comments by broadcasters Red Barber and Vin Scully on the intimacy of Ebbets Field. "War" focuses on the involvement of major league baseball personnel in World War II; the success of the perenially woeful St. Louis Browns in 1944 as major league talent thinned during the war years; footage of the Browns one-armed outfielder Pete Gray; the new acceptance and interest in women's professional baseball during the war, with comments from Rockford Peaches players Dottie Green, Marie Kelley, and Mary Pratt. "The Answer is No" recalls the tireless efforts of commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis to keep black players from being a part of the major leagues, with comments from writer Gerald Early regarding how the involvement of blacks in the war effort energized their civil rights struggle domestically.

"Bottom of the Sixth" features former baseball commissioner Happy Chandler singing a stark, haunting a capella version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." "This I Know" has Dodgers announcer Red Barber recalling the moment club general manager Branch Rickey first revealed to him his plans to bring a black man into the major leagues, breaking baseball's long-standing color barrier. "The Race Man" includes reminiscences of Jackie Robinson from his wife Rachel Robinson, Kansas City Monarch Sammy Haynes, Monarch Buck O'Neil, and editor Daniel Okrent; Red Barber recalling Robinson's interview with Branch Rickey; and an account of Robinson's hiring by the Montreal Royals. "Heartbroken" chronicles the Red Sox failure against the Cardinals in the 1946 World Series; includes Ted Williams' comments on the Series; and Roger Angell's thoughts on baseball and losing. "Big League Material" examines the racism Jackie Robinson faced as a member of the Montreal Royals; includes Buck O'Neil's comments on how someone or something always emerges to rekindle the public enthusiasm for baseball; and covers the early death of Negro League slugger Josh Gibson. "He's Coming" recalls the resistance of other Dodgers to Robinson's joining the club; includes Red Barber asserting that manager Leo Durocher chastised them for their poor behavior; and O'Neil revealing that he was unconcerned that Robinson's entry into the white major leagues would be the death knell of the Negro Leagues; and highlights Dodger shortstop Pee Wee Reese's gracious attitude towards Robinson. "April 15, 1947" chronicles the day Robinson broke the color barrier; includes historian John Thorn asserting that this was the game's finest moment; and New York Governor Mario Coumo bemoaning the slow nature of change in baseball and society. "Up in the Race" traces Robinson's progress in the major leagues as he becomes one of the best and most popular sports heroes in America despite encountering racism from the public and other players; includes comments on Robinson's playing style by Red Barber; and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Buck O'Neil; tennis player Arthur Ashe and former baseball player Curt Flood recalling their feelings about Robinson's achievement; and columnist George Will's assessment that only Martin Luther King, Jr. meant more than Robinson to the progress of African-Americans in this century. "The Family of Baseball" covers the heroics of Dodgers Cookie Lavagetto and Al Gionfriddo in a seven-game loss to the New York Yankees in the 1947 World Series; and an aging Satchel Paige's debut as a hurler for Bill Veeck's Cleveland Indians. "So Would the Babe" spotlights the retirement of Babe Ruth's number on June 13, 1948, his death soon after, and footage of his funeral. (This program is close-captioned.)

Acquisition and cataloging of this program was made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Details

  • NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
  • DATE: September 25, 1994 8:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 2:26:50
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: T:34324
  • GENRE: Documentary
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; Sports; Baseball; African-American Collection - Sports
  • SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1994
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Ken Burns … Executive Producer, Producer, Director, Writer
  • Bruce Alfred … Coordinating Producer
  • Mike Hill … Coordinating Producer
  • Lynn Novick … Producer
  • David Schaye … Associate Producer
  • Susanna Steisel … Associate Producer
  • Stephen Ives … Consulting Producer
  • Geoffrey C. Ward … Writer
  • Jaqueline Schwab … Instrumentalist
  • George Rabbai … Instrumentalist
  • Jay Ungar … Instrumentalist
  • Matt Glaser … Instrumentalist
  • Molly Mason … Instrumentalist
  • Jesse Carr … Instrumentalist
  • Bobby Horton … Instrumentalist
  • John Chancellor … Narrator
  • Adam Arkin … Voice
  • Keith Carradine … Voice
  • Ossie Davis … Voice
  • Gregory Hines … Voice
  • Charley McDowell … Voice
  • Paul Newman … Voice
  • Jason Robards (see also: Robards, Jason, Jr.) … Voice
  • Paul Roebling … Voice
  • Eli Wallach … Voice
  • Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler … Guest
  • Stephen Jay Gould … Guest
  • Ted Williams … Guest
  • Robert Creamer … Guest
  • Dottie Green … Guest
  • Marie Kelley … Guest
  • Mary Pratt … Guest
  • Vin Scully … Guest
  • Gerald Early … Guest
  • Red Barber … Guest
  • Rachel Robinson … Guest
  • Sammy Haynes … Guest
  • Buck O'Neil … Guest
  • Daniel Okrent … Guest
  • John Thorn … Guest
  • Mario M. Cuomo … Guest
  • Doris Kearns Goodwin … Guest
  • Arthur Ashe … Guest
  • Curt Flood … Guest
  • George Will … Guest
  • Roger Angell … Guest
  • Joe DiMaggio
  • Leo Durocher
  • Josh Gibson
  • Al Gionfriddo
  • Pete Gray
  • Kenesaw Mountain Landis
  • Harry Arthur "Cookie" Lavagetto
  • Larry MacPhail
  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige
  • Harold Henry "Pee Wee" Reese
  • Branch Rickey
  • Jackie Robinson
  • George Herman "Babe" Ruth
  • Bill Veeck