IT HAS BEEN said that there are two topics that are so very personal as to be virtually taboo as topics for discussion. They are one's Religion and one's Politics. Here in the great Midwest metropolis of Chicago, the "City in a Garden", we generally add yet another area of discussion.
THAT WOULD BE what is your baseball team, the Cubs or the White Sox?
WELL NOW, WE'RE not even going to pretend to be at all objective in doing this write-up. We were born and bred Sox fans; our folks having been residents of two communities that lie little more than a mile from old Comiskey Park. These would be the formerly heavily German populated Fuller Park (Mother) and the mainly Irish Canaryville (Pop).
THAT THE SOX have had a most interesting and checkered history is a fact that has been known as a matter of public record for generations. They are a franchise that held two different niches in the baseball ecological habitat. They were either mired in second division* muck, often stuck in the cellar or they were a scrappy, perennial second place finisher; playing second fiddle to Casey Stengal's New York Yankees.**
REGARDING THIS DIRECT to video production, Major League Baseball Productions brought together some of the greatest baseball film, still photos and interviews with so many of the men who played such important roles in contributing to the legend of the team; be it on their field, as manager, in the front office or even in the Radio TV broadcast booths.
AS THE GUIDE, M.C. and on-screen fan, the production team chose author and master of the spoken word., Mr. Jean Shepard (1921-1999). The very loquacious writer/actor/broadcaster was also born into the White Sox clan on Chicago's Southside and raised in nearby Hammond, Indians.
THOUGH HE MAY very well be re membered for his writing contributions (such as the semi-autobiographical film A Christmas STORY), he makes the perfect host for this movie.
MAKING FINE USE of really great incidental music to enhance the myriad of glossy b & w still photos, the story is told of the Chicago White Sox and indeed the American League. Owner/founder Charles Comiskey had been an outstanding 1st Basemen in the American Association. He owned and ran the St. Paul franchise in the Western League minor league circuit when he joined in the founding of the 2nd Major League 1n 1900.
A SLICKLY EDITED montage of photos and vintage newsreel footage moves the action swiftly along the time lines from 1900, thru the World War I years (in which the Sox won 2 AL Pennants and one World Series), up to the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919; to which a considerable length of time is devoted.
THE DEPRESSION YEARS and World War II are highlighted with portraits of the careers of pitcher Ted Lyons and Shortstop Luke Appling. This gave us a portrait of the "Go-GO Sox" speed-burners; who made an art of bunts, base stealing and impeccable defense. (They also had about the best pitching staffs in baseball at the time.)
EACH AND EVERY era brought its greats and memories, which included their loss to the LA Dodgers in the '59 World Series, Divisional championships in '83 and '93 and the sweeping of the Houston Astros in the 2005 World Series.
AS ANY HISTORY would include, the film enumerates so many talented managers & GM's, Owners and even broadcasters. Hence, we are treated to footage of the Comiskeys (Charles, J. Lewis and Chuck), Bill Veeck, John & Arthur Allen, Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf. Managers: from Clark Griffith, Fielder Jones, Jimmy Dykes, Paul Richards, Al Lopez, Eddie Stanky right down to the recent skippers such as Tony LaRussa, Jeff Torborg, Ozzie Guillen and Robin Ventura are surveyed.
IN THIS MOVIE, they even highlight the broadcast people who describe the games over the airwaves. Most notable are inclusion of names such as: Bob Elson, Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray.
TO ONE WHO is a White Sox fan, this is much more than a history; but rather a highly emotional experience!
THAT WOULD BE what is your baseball team, the Cubs or the White Sox?
WELL NOW, WE'RE not even going to pretend to be at all objective in doing this write-up. We were born and bred Sox fans; our folks having been residents of two communities that lie little more than a mile from old Comiskey Park. These would be the formerly heavily German populated Fuller Park (Mother) and the mainly Irish Canaryville (Pop).
THAT THE SOX have had a most interesting and checkered history is a fact that has been known as a matter of public record for generations. They are a franchise that held two different niches in the baseball ecological habitat. They were either mired in second division* muck, often stuck in the cellar or they were a scrappy, perennial second place finisher; playing second fiddle to Casey Stengal's New York Yankees.**
REGARDING THIS DIRECT to video production, Major League Baseball Productions brought together some of the greatest baseball film, still photos and interviews with so many of the men who played such important roles in contributing to the legend of the team; be it on their field, as manager, in the front office or even in the Radio TV broadcast booths.
AS THE GUIDE, M.C. and on-screen fan, the production team chose author and master of the spoken word., Mr. Jean Shepard (1921-1999). The very loquacious writer/actor/broadcaster was also born into the White Sox clan on Chicago's Southside and raised in nearby Hammond, Indians.
THOUGH HE MAY very well be re membered for his writing contributions (such as the semi-autobiographical film A Christmas STORY), he makes the perfect host for this movie.
MAKING FINE USE of really great incidental music to enhance the myriad of glossy b & w still photos, the story is told of the Chicago White Sox and indeed the American League. Owner/founder Charles Comiskey had been an outstanding 1st Basemen in the American Association. He owned and ran the St. Paul franchise in the Western League minor league circuit when he joined in the founding of the 2nd Major League 1n 1900.
A SLICKLY EDITED montage of photos and vintage newsreel footage moves the action swiftly along the time lines from 1900, thru the World War I years (in which the Sox won 2 AL Pennants and one World Series), up to the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919; to which a considerable length of time is devoted.
THE DEPRESSION YEARS and World War II are highlighted with portraits of the careers of pitcher Ted Lyons and Shortstop Luke Appling. This gave us a portrait of the "Go-GO Sox" speed-burners; who made an art of bunts, base stealing and impeccable defense. (They also had about the best pitching staffs in baseball at the time.)
EACH AND EVERY era brought its greats and memories, which included their loss to the LA Dodgers in the '59 World Series, Divisional championships in '83 and '93 and the sweeping of the Houston Astros in the 2005 World Series.
AS ANY HISTORY would include, the film enumerates so many talented managers & GM's, Owners and even broadcasters. Hence, we are treated to footage of the Comiskeys (Charles, J. Lewis and Chuck), Bill Veeck, John & Arthur Allen, Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf. Managers: from Clark Griffith, Fielder Jones, Jimmy Dykes, Paul Richards, Al Lopez, Eddie Stanky right down to the recent skippers such as Tony LaRussa, Jeff Torborg, Ozzie Guillen and Robin Ventura are surveyed.
IN THIS MOVIE, they even highlight the broadcast people who describe the games over the airwaves. Most notable are inclusion of names such as: Bob Elson, Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray.
TO ONE WHO is a White Sox fan, this is much more than a history; but rather a highly emotional experience!
