21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Warning to all baseball fans: you are about to spend money., July 13, 2005
This review is from: Yankeeography, Vol. 1 (DVD)
I love baseball, and I love the history of baseball. Therefore, I love the Yankees.
I'm not a New Yorker, or anything like that. It's just that you cannot love our national pastime without having some sort of affection for this team.
This DVD set is a collection of six 43-minute-long biographies of Yankee baseball greats. This inaugural set includes Ruth, Guidry, Munson, Mattingly, Jeter and Joe Torre.
Before I gush torrentially over this set, I must be honest. The video, even during modern sequences, was jittery on rare occasion. The sound was fine. The usage of the same clips over and over again became minimally irritating.
Having said that, here starts the gush-o-rama. The hour on Ruth sums up his mercurial, singular career about as well as one could do when limited by time. There is a lot of terrific footage, some great talking-head interviews with his contemporaries, and afterwards you have a better idea of exactly how HUGE he was to the sport, and to America. It's no surprise his name stills carries the weight that it does.
The hour on Guidry took me by surprise. Placed into proper perspective, I had no idea how scary good he was, and that one year of his (1978) may very well be the single best year any pitcher has ever had...Bob Gibson might be close. I found myself really liking this guy Guidry, and hearing him tell his stories with that Louisiana lilt was a real kick.
I also gained a further appreciation for Thurman Munson. He died while I was in junior high, and I remember it being a bit shocking. Now it feels tragic. I found myself inspired when learning about how his teammates dealt with the loss of their team captain. I also wish I could see more of him playing baseball...he was a player from a bygone age who played like a player from a previously bygone age.
How the heck did I miss Don Mattingly? After seeing his bio, the first thing I did was set out to find an autographed baseball of his. What a fine baseball player, and what a class act. Watching him play was a joy, and I can only imagine what it must have been like to see him live in action. This hour gives you a sense of that.
Honestly, it's a bit too early to do something on Jeter. His story is half-told, but that first half sure is a corker!
The hour on Joe Torre was the most moving of them all. What he underwent, on the road to his first World Series, sounds biblical. A straight account of the events that led to and surrounded by his hiring by the Yanks and that first Series victory was impressive enough, but hearing the testimonials from those around him was awe-inspiring. Here's one of the great managers of our era, and possibly of all time. This hour alone is worth the purchase of the set.
The disc of extras is worth skimming. There are clips from the various players presented in their entirety, or at least in an expanded state. Bits of interviews, raw footage...it's a fun hodge-podge of stuff.
After completing this DVD package, I immediately ordered the next two, pre-ordered Volume 4, bought some more autographed baseballs and started seeking out books on the players, wanting to know more.
You have been warned: buying this DVD is gonna cost you!
This is one of my favorite purchases of the last year, and any baseball fan will be happy to have this in their collection, right next to Ken Burns' opus and "When It Was A Game."
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty Cool!, December 31, 2005
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Yankeeography, Vol. 1 (DVD)
If you like baseball and like the history of players, this is for you. This first Yankeeography set of DVDs, narrated by John Sterling, includes the biographies of Thurman Munson, Derek Jeter, Babe Ruth, Ron Guidry, Don Mattingly and Joe Torre.
If you are not sure about buying this set of DVDs, you can see what they are like by watching one of them on the YES Network. They often show an episode of Yankeeography, and while the one you are watching might not feature a player on this volume, the structure of them are all the same. Or, if you are not into formor players and would just be buying this set to see the Derek Jeter and Joe Torre episodes, you can watch for them, as I am sure they are shown on YES somewhat frequently. This DVD also includes some special features -- disc three is "two hours of extra footage including highlights, milestones, and intimate interviews that provide insight into each player's brillant career".
Yankeeography Volume 1 is nicely packaged and would be a nice gift for a big baseball fan.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
