Product Details

• Actors: Liev Schreiber, Andre Braugher, Kevin Costner, Rita Moreno, Hank Aaron
• Writers: Steven Hilliard Stern
• Producers: George Roy, David P. Harmon, Jack Raybin, Ross Greenburg, Steven Hilliard Stern
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Surround Sound
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: November 21, 2000
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004ZEPV
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,764 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #5 in	Video > Sports > Baseball > Documentary
  #46 in	Video > Documentary > Sports

• This is item 3 in The When It Was a Game Series.

Editorial Reviews

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars WHERE'S THE AMERICAN LEAGUE???, January 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: When It Was a Game 3 (DVD)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful color home movies of baseball in the 1960s, May 25, 2003

By	Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: When It Was a Game 3 (DVD)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So Beautiful You Might Cry, July 27, 2002

By	Steven C Kelly (Loveland, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When It Was a Game 3 (DVD)

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.