BASEBALL: NINTH INNING: HOME {TAPE 2 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
The second half of part nine 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 ninth inning, entitled "Home," looks at baseball from 1970 onward. The second half of the ninth inning is divided into seven subtitled segments. The first, "Bottom of the Ninth," briefly examines how free agency impacted the game. "Break Your Heart" focuses on Pete Rose supplanting Ty Cobb as baseball's all-time hit leader; and the appointment of former Yale University president A. Bartlett Giamatti as the new commissioner of baseball. "The Curse" examines the Boston Red Sox' continuing inability to win the World Series; their embarrassing World Series defeat at the hands of the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series; examines the controversy which ensued when Al Campanis, director of player personnel for the Los Angeles Dodgers, made ignorant, racist remarks about African-Americans on "Nightline" on the fortieth anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut; and includes reaction to the remarks by tennis player Arthur Ashe. "Collusion" has Marvin Miller, former executive director of the Players' Association, explaining the illegal conspiracy among the baseball owners to break the free agent market in the mid-1980s. "B-Movie" recalls the Los Angeles Dodgers' triumph over the Oakland Athletics in the 1988 World Series, with the help of a heroic Game One home run by injured slugger Kirk Gibson. "Good at Life" chronicles Pete Rose's suspension from the sport for gambling; includes sportswriter Thomas Boswell's thoughts on Rose; looks at the earthquake which marred the 1989 World Series; and the death of Commissioner Giamatti. "Extra Innings" notes the ever-increasing popularity of baseball with a host of the documentary's participants offering their final personal thoughts about the game.
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 28, 1994 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:14
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:34393
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Baseball; Blacks - Sports; Sports; African-American Collection - News/Talk; 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, Archival Film Research
- Mike Hill … Coordinating Producer
- Lynn Novick … Producer
- David Schaye … Associate Producer
- Susanna Steisel … Associate Producer
- Stephen Ives … Consulting Producer
- Geoffrey C. Ward … Writer
- Jacqueline Schwab … Instrumentalist, Pianist
- George Rabbai … Instrumentalist, Trumpet player, Pianist
- Marilyn Rabbai … Instrumentalist, Trumpet player, Pianist
- Jay Ungar … Instrumentalist
- Matt Glaser … Instrumentalist
- Molly Mason … Instrumentalist
- Jesse Carr … Instrumentalist
- Bobby Horton … Instrumentalist, Music (Misc. Credits), Studio Arrangements
- John Chancellor … Narrator
- John Hartford … Voice
- Studs Terkel … Voice
- John Turturro … Voice
- Eli Wallach … Voice
- Arthur Ashe … Guest
- Thomas Boswell … Guest
- Al Campanis
- Cobb, Ty (Tyrus Raymond Cobb)
- Giamatti, A. Bartlett "Bart"
- Kirk Gibson
- Marvin Miller
- Jackie Robinson
- Pete Rose