Product Description

When It Was A Game, the homerun series for baseball fans, returns for another glorious inning with an exciting and colorful new program narrated by Liev Schreiber: When It Was A Game 3. This retrospective look at the changing face of baseball in America takes on the 1960's, a time many believe was the last decade of baseball's innocence. Though Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and the powerful New York Yankees led off the decade with four straight World Series appearances, by 1964 they were headed for the showers. With the integration of baseball, spearheaded by Jackie Robinson in 1947,, Black superstars fueled the sports growth and a fresh Latin presence brought a new spirit to the game. New names of the 60's that neighborhood kids had to have to have would include the likes of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, and Sandy Koufax. When It Was A Game 3 features never before seen home movies and vintage photographs with memorable storytelling that bring this incredible period to life. Interviews from the field include Tim McCarver, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Bob Gibson and Juan Marachal and from the stands, fans and sport writers include Billy Crystal, Geraldo Rivera and Bob Costas.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79256 in DVD
• Brand: Team Marketing
• Released on: 2000-12-12
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 60 minutes

Features

• Officially Licensed
• Highest Quality Recording

Amazon.com
Taking the viewer back to the old ball game, HBO celebrates America's pastime in the beautiful documentary When It Was a Game 3. Focusing on the 1960s, a time of change for all of America, the film shows how Major League Baseball slowly but surely evolved from pure sport to moneymaking entertainment. The sharp, incredibly clear color footage of players and fans is at times better looking than current sports photography, and the voiced-over reminiscences of stars such as Bob Costas and Billy Crystal evoke a different, more personal, sports experience from what we expect today. Covering the mighty Yankees, the western expansion of both leagues, the increasing inclusion of black players, and the rise of free agency and increased salaries, the film shows the growth of baseball from adolescence to adulthood. --Rob Lightner

Customer Reviews

WHERE'S THE AMERICAN LEAGUE???
This should be titled "When it was a game in the National League". Far too much footage of the senior circuit, albeit excellent footage. Otherwise very well done like the previous 2 films, the part about bat day and baseball cards will evoke smiles from the 30-50 year old range of fans. Bob Costas and Billy Crystal offer their usual fine perspectives, much like in Ken Burn's "Baseball". Great shots of the old stadiums, especially Yankee Stadium and Candlestick Park. Reasonably priced DVD, worthy for your collection.

Beautiful color home movies of baseball in the 1960s
I was wondering if the magic of seeing color home movies of major league baseball players was going to wear off in "When it Was a Game 3" since this installment of the HBO special focuses primarily on the 1960s. After all, that was the decade when you could actually watch baseball games in color on the Game of the Week and during the World Series. But if this documentary proves anything it is that movie color is brighter and bolder than the washed out colors of television in those days. You watch the film of Mickey Mantle and think this is how you want to remember the man.

The third volume in also the most organized in the series. There are rather distinct "chapters" on the great pitchers of the decade (Gibson, Marichal, Koufax), the glory days and rapid decline of the New York Yankees, the lowly birth and sudden success of the New York Mets, and the case for Willie Mays being the greatest player of the decade. There even is a bit of sports journalism involved in suggesting that the decline of the Yankees had to do with the refusal of the team management to sign black ball players. This time you will also find that more often than not whoever's voice you hear, whether it is Al Kaline or Joe Pepitone, actually appears on the screen. Billy Crystal is back to talk about baseball again as is sportscaster Bob Costas, and there are more baseball poems, including, of course, Grantland Rice's "Game Called," which brings the show to a close.

As always, the ultimate appeal of the "When it Was a Game" series is that you get to see the baseball players you grew up admiring, who lived before your time and were only available as black & white images in color. Rich, gorgeous color that makes the red on the bill of Hank Aaron's cap, the blue on Don Drysdale' hat, the organge of the name "Oriole" on Brooks Robinson's jersey, and the green of the Yankee Stadium grass look as good as you have ever seen them. Again, I am reminded of the classic Bowman 1953 baseball cards that had gorgeous color photographs.

So Beautiful You Might Cry
Will purchase soon...saw on HBO. This is as close to getting in a time machine as there is. American League? Lot's of Yankee footage, but not much more. Then again, in the fifties and early sixties the Yankees WERE the American League. If you fantasize about sitting behind third at the Polo Grounds, seeing what Berra and Mantle looked like just being themselves, or want really good footage of Clemente and Mays, this is for you, kids.