Product 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4106 in DVD
• Brand: Team Marketing
• Released on: 2004-09-28
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 10
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 1140 minutes

Features

• Officially Licensed
• Highest Quality Recording

On the DVD
Ken Burns's Baseball works magnificently on DVD, if only for the reason that scene selection in such a massive documentary is essential for viewing and re-viewing your favorite sections. The DVD menus are purely functional, and the timelines and baseball stats will appeal primarily to diehard fans of the game. Clicking on the PBS logo will take you to the stats and bios of players, although the bios are minimal. Each of the first nine discs contains these as well as trivia questions. Get the question right, move on to the next question. Get it wrong and a snippet of the documentary plays, showing you the correct answer. The real appeal of the DVD set (other than, of course, the fabulous documentary itself) is the 10th, "extra inning" disc. This final disc contains the documentary The Making of Baseball, as well as team info (which, again, is pretty basic) and episodes of Charlie Rose's talk show, in which he interviews Ken Burns, Bob Gibson, Yogi Berra, Bob Costas, and Rachel Robinson (the widow of Jackie Robinson). --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews

Baseball: The Story of the Uniquely American Game by the Consummate American Storyteller
Ken Burns uses the nine innings of a baseball game to tell the story of the game as only he can. Amazing imagery -- from still photographs of the game's roots, enhanced by the "Ken Burns Effect," to remarkable film footage -- is wed to Burns's trademark soundtrack lyricism and John Chancellor's wonderful narration of the Geoffery Ward script. If you like the game you'll like the series. If you love the game and haven't seen the series, you've waited long enough. And if you're not a baseball fan, but merely a lover of history and Americana, there's plenty here for you.

The Old Ball Game
Only the sport of baseball could lend itself (via its long, rich heritage) to a Ken Burns-style documentary. Of course, Burns nails it once again.

Though not as emotionally touching as his Civil War or World War II documentaries, Baseball captures the essence of America's pastime. From Walter Johnson, Babe Ruth, and Ty Cobb to Willie, Mickey, and the Duke, to Yaz, Pete Rose, Mick Schmidt, and everyone in between, Burns recounts all the rousing stories that old fans will recite from memory and younger fans will be fascinated by. Guest commentators wax poetically about the game, old veterans tell their stories, and Burn's traditional mix of period music, solo piano, and aching violin provide an emotional punch, whether positive or negative.

However, what really sets this film apart from others is Burn's willingness to "pull no punches" in terms of describing the often-flawed sport of baseball. Whether it be the rowdyism that plagued the game in its early existence, the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919, or baseball's outright racism until the late 1940s, Burns explains those issues without letting too much personal bias creep in.

Overall, this is a wonderful documentary for baseball fans who truly value the rich history of the sport. When watching, you will fell as if you actually exist in whatever decade Burns happens to be describing. This is the ultimate "biography" of our national pastime.

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.