8 used & new from $60.50
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
or
Get a $6.25 Amazon.com Gift Card
 
 
Baseball - A Film by Ken Burns
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images

Baseball - A Film by Ken Burns (1994)

Starring: Mamie Ruth Moberly, Hank Aaron Rating: NR (Not Rated) Format: DVD
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (172 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 new from $79.95 5 used from $60.50
Also Available in: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover (1st) $75.00 $52.50 179 used & new from $1.79
Paperback $45.00 $29.70 66 used & new from $4.90
Library Binding (Reprint) $54.00 $54.00 8 used & new from $49.95
Audio Cassette (Abridged) 26 used & new from $0.01
VHS Tape 58 used & new from $10.94
Trade-In Store
Trade in Your DVDs and Get an Extra $10
Submit a DVD trade-in order with a total value of $50 or more in our Movies & TV Trade-In store and in addition to your Amazon.com Gift Card, you'll receive an extra $10 credit good toward your next purchase in the Blu-ray store at www.amazon.com. See details.

Special Offers and Product Promotions

Product Details

  • Actors: Mamie Ruth Moberly, Hank Aaron, Bud Abbott, Roger Angell, Arthur Ashe
  • Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
  • Language: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
  • Number of discs: 10
  • Rating: NR (Not Rated)
  • Studio: PBS Paramount
  • DVD Release Date: September 28, 2004
  • Run Time: 1140 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (172 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0002KPI28
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #34,154 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

  • For more information about "Baseball - A Film by Ken Burns" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

After the national success of his 11-hour epic, The Civil War--the highest-rated miniseries in public-television history--many wondered if Ken Burns could capture the same energy and passion with smaller subjects. His reply, the 18-hour history of America's greatest sport, Baseball, not only quieted these worries, it also perhaps surpassed his prior achievement. Massive in scope (it covers more than 100 years), exhausting in detail, and filled with celebrities, journalists, politicians, historians, and the men who played the game, Burns's romantic love letter to the game achieves the impossible: even those who hate baseball can't help but become immersed in it. This is because Burns doesn't just detail the great players and the memorable plays and games; he also presents baseball as a cultural and social mirror, reflecting the beauty and hypocrisy of the nation that created it. Divided into nine innings, two hours each in length, the video examines complex social issues such as segregation, racial inequality (its section on Jackie Robinson, baseball's first African American player, should be required school viewing), labor battles between owners and players, politics, technology and gender conflicts, among others. Then, of course, there's fascinating footage and biographies on the players--troubled icons such as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, heroes such as Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, and tragic figures such as Pete Rose and Lou Gehrig--the men who, despite a rocky and often hypocritical history, constructed baseball's tradition and preserved its invincibility. --Dave McCoy

DVD features

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

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns

The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns

DVD ~ David McCullough
4.7 out of 5 stars (129)  $84.99
Jazz : A Film By Ken Burns

Jazz : A Film By Ken Burns

3.6 out of 5 stars (166)  $89.99
When It Was a Game - Triple Play Collection

When It Was a Game - Triple Play Collection

DVD ~ Hank Aaron
4.9 out of 5 stars (27)  $19.49
Ken Burns: Jazz

Ken Burns: Jazz

$59.99
Ken Burns Presents: The West

Ken Burns Presents: The West

DVD ~ Peter Coyote
4.2 out of 5 stars (9)  $87.49
› Explore similar items

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 
(63)
(69)
(61)
(50)
(11)
(22)
(23)
(6)
(12)
(9)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

172 Reviews
5 star:
 (109)
4 star:
 (28)
3 star:
 (14)
2 star:
 (8)
1 star:
 (13)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (172 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The consummate set of videos about Baseball., May 16, 2007
By M. A. Filippelli "Marc12074" (Roseville, CA, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Baseball - A Film By Ken Burns (DVD)
Contained in these ten DVD's are just about every historical moment in baseball.

Inning 1 Baseball from its inception in the 1840's to the 1900's This explores baseballs roots from Abner Doubleday to the beginnings of what we know as modern day baseball.

Inning 2 1900 to 1910. The beginning of the World Series. Great footage and photos of old parks and players.

Inning 3 1910 TO 1920. Covers Babe Ruth, the Black sox, Grover Cleveland Alexander and more. Footage of Fenway being built

Inning 4 1920 to 1930 Really the beginnings of the Yankee dynasty but the Cardinals rule the Natonal league with the famed gass house gang.

Inning 5 1930 to 1940. More footage of all the great stars of the day, Ruth, Di Maggio, Williams and more.

Inning 6 1940 to 1950. The effects of war on the American pastime. The splendid splinter goes to war, he comes back and picks up where he left off.

Inning 7 1950 to 1960. The Yankee dynasty continues. Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, The shot heard around the world, Don Larsons perfect game. The Giants and Dodgers pick and leave.

Inning 8 1960 to 1970. The Los Angeles Angels are born, The Kansas City A's become the Oakland A's, The Royals and Mets are born. The Padres are born and move into a small stadium outside of San Diego. And then there was the Seattle Pilots. Those amazin Mets win the World series. Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax get agents but are unsuccessful in changing baseballs anti trust act and re sign with the Dodgers. Maris passes the Babe with an asterisk.

Inning 9 1970 to 1994. Curt Flood loses his war against baseball but the players eventually win. The players union gets stronger. The Reds come to power. The A's win a couple world series. Roberto Clemente's life cut short. Washington loses another team called the Senators.

The film also has some great commentary interspersed through out all of the DVD's. At the end of each DVD is a trivia game based on the decade that the DVD covered.


While the movie is based for the most part on New York teams this is truly a must for all baseball fans. There is no other collection of materials that covers baseball like this one does in terms of breadth and depth.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An annual rite of spring: watching "Baseball", April 1, 2001
By Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)      
This review is from: Baseball - A Film by Ken Burns [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Every spring I watch Ken Burns' celebrated documentary "Baseball" on the weekend of Opening Day. Even if I am not sitting glued to the tube while it is on, listening to John Chancellor tell the story of the game is an enjoyable experience. Each "inning" takes on a specific focus, providing a defining element in the way Ty Cobb played the game, the Black Sox Scandal, the way Babe Ruth played the game, the struggle of the Negro Leagues, the dominance of New York temas in the Fifties, the creation of Free Agency, etc. Concise profiles of many of the game's greatest players and managers are spread throughout the nine volumes. More importantly, virtually every great moment in the history of the sport is to be found, not to mention some wonderful old-fashioned baseball songs.

Clearly, the climax of the documentary comes in Inning 6, "The National Pastime," when Jackie Robinson starts playing for the Dodgers. The series begins with a prologue on Ebbets Field and Robinson is laid to rest in the final episode. While the focus is on the Major Leagues throughout, Burns always checks back in with what is happening with the black players and the Negro Leagues, building towards Robinson breaking the color barrier. I think it is fair to say the documentary loses some steam after that point, but then that is the point where the series gets to players and moments that overlap our own lifetime. Once we get to colored images from television there is a different feel to "Baseball" from the black & white images to which we have become accustomed.

Also, the more you know about the history of baseball the more you will see the glaring omissions. Stan Musial is the obvious example cited by other reviewers, but he is eclipsed in the episodes covering the 40's and 50's by Jackie Robinson and the New York teams, just as he was during his career. In terms of the talking heads it is hard to appreciate Billy Crystal and George Will, devotees of the game though they are, after listening to Buck O'Neill (who is the breakthrough "Shelby Foote" of "Baseball"). However, I prefer to ascribe these shortcomings to editorial decisions and the fact this is only a nine-tape set instead of maliciousness. So, yes, it could be better, and maybe it is too reverent, but there is a fundamental love of the game here comparable to such treasured feature films as "The Natural," "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams." All of these are necessary spring training workouts for preparation of enjoying the boys of summer.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Viewing for Baseball Fans & American History Buffs, August 18, 2007
This review is from: Baseball - A Film By Ken Burns (DVD)
This set isn't cheap, but it's one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. Burns' storytelling is always fascinating, focusing on the evolution of not only the game of baseball, but in an indirect way, American history as well. It is particularly meaningful that he interviewed some baseball greats (Williams, Mantle, Buck O'Neil) before they passed on. My only complaint is that the series stops at 1994. (I would love to see a coda/epilogue made covering the achievements and scandals of the last 13 years.) If you are a baseball fan, this is defintely worth having. Some nice special features too.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Ken Burns Baseball
Ken burns has captured the history of baseball in America and demonstrated how it parallels American history. It is a must watch for the baseball enthusiast and historian.
Published 2 days ago by Theodore M. Smith

1.0 out of 5 stars Eighteen Hours Of White Bashing In Subtle and Not So Subtle Ways
Ken Burns' "Baseball" documentary is excellent in many respects. However, it becomes very annoying when every five minutes or so Burns dishes out the following message ---> "evil... Read more
Published 4 days ago by E. Baumgartner

5.0 out of 5 stars Baseball - A Film By Ken Burns
My husband had this set on VHS Tapes and he was wearing them out so I am really pleased I was able to by this for him. Read more
Published 8 days ago by T. Forster

5.0 out of 5 stars Passion for the game
I played ball for 14 years as a kid, and always had a passion for it. With that said, I found out I never really knew a lot of the history behind the game. Read more
Published 14 days ago by I. Long

5.0 out of 5 stars Ken Burn's Baseball
The best doc ever! Ken Burns hits a glad slam with this one! His very best work in a long line of many great works!
Published 16 days ago by David S. Breidenbaugh

5.0 out of 5 stars Sublime Documentary
From the beginnings of baseball to the modern era, Ken Burns covers the topic with archival graphics and outstanding narrative. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Charles Cogan

5.0 out of 5 stars Ken Burns' "Baseball" DVD
Traces the history of the National Pastime. Outstanding narrative is supplimented by a wide range of photographs and archival footage.
Published 16 days ago by T. Wancho

4.0 out of 5 stars Baseball
This thorough yet entertaining documentary brings back so many memories I can hardly count them all. Read more
Published 18 days ago by J. Lindner

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly the national pastime...
Ken Burns' film appeal has always centered around an atmosphere of quiet leisure and introspective thought. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Thomas Moody

4.0 out of 5 stars my husband is going to love it.
my husband loves base ball, so
i hope he likes this. one of his christmas presents.
it looks LIKE IT WAS IN NEW CONDITION WHEN i GOT IT.
Published 2 months ago by Linda S. Monte

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
The TV Series community
Latest activity 1 hour ago
18,951 customers have contributed 8,040 products, 907 discussions and more...
› Explore the community
The World War II community
Latest activity 28 minutes ago
12,635 customers have contributed 10,771 products, 746 lists & guides and more...
› Explore the community
The American History community
Latest activity 2 hours ago
10,136 customers have contributed 10,376 products, 814 lists & guides and more...
› Explore the community
Explore more

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

IMDb Says...

Learn more about Baseball - A Film by Ken Burns opens new browser window on IMDb.com opens new browser window the Internet Movie Database.
IMDb Logo

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Movies & TV by subject:








i.e., each DVD must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.