An Amazin' Era

Liu Bo-Jiun is the first female international baseball umpire. “First” seems to be an honor, but in a male-surrounded baseball field, the first female must experience an unprecedented review. As she fixes her eyes on every pitch coming forward, people fix their eyes on every judgment she made. If judgments on pitches were personal out of technical aspects, how about those judgments on people? The game begins at three balls, two strikes and two outs. What about her?

The Houston Astros overcame the worst start in franchise history to win the National League.

1983 KBO 30-win legend Chang Myeong-bu and his hidden yakuza brother, Yong-bu. Divided by the mound's light and alley shadows, they fought to survive Zainichi discrimination. Through Yong-bu's eyes, this tragic saga weaves unseen records and KBO archives into a forgotten diaspora's requiem.

The Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series Collector's Edition begins where it should, with the final games in the Phillies' pre-World Series, post-season contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's exciting to revisit the Phillies' comeback in the eighth inning of game four, when they were down 5 to 3 but rallied on home runs by Shane Victorino and Matt Stairs. Watching winning pitcher Cole Hamels shut down the Dodgers in game five demonstrates why he was named series MVP. Moving on to the Phillies' domination over the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series, this box set neatly packages each game on its own disc in a plastic case covered in vital information: player statistics, the temperature during the game, stadium attendance, etc. Additionally, each disc includes the option to listen to alternative broadcasts of a game, one from the Phillies Radio Network, the other from the Rays' equivalent.

"The Last Season" follows the stadium's last year, the fans' communal last look, the witnessing of the wrecking ball and the great fall of the Memorial Wall.

The Zen of Bobby V focuses on former MLB manager Bobby Valentine and his current job managing the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan.

The 1975 Fall Classic matched the Reds against the Boston Red Sox in a seven-act performance that enthralled the nation. After an extra-innings defeat in Game 6 the night before, the Reds trailed 3-0 in Game 7, but like true champions, they battled back to win the game and take home the series. The taut drama of the previous season's finale was replaced by an awesome display of professionalism and dominance in the 1976 World Series as the Reds swept the star-struck New York Yankees. Fourteen years later, the Reds again swept their opponent, but this time it was a significant upset. The defending champion Oakland Athletics were out-pitched and out-played over four games as the Red Legs completed their wire-to-wire season with their fifth championship in franchise history.

Throughout the 1900's, before Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in 1946, black baseball talent blossomed in the Negro Leagues. Baseball buffs still sing the praises of Josh Gibson who could be counted on to hit 70 homeruns in a season, and Satchel Paige who pitched over 100 no-hitters in his career. Only the Ball Was White pays tribute to the many topflight players from the Negro Leagues. Narrated by actor Paul Winfield, the program documents a bygone bittersweet era in baseball and the men who were denied stardom by the color line. Ballplayers throughout the country were interviewed for this program, all of them quick to tell tales of the life, the competition, and the camaraderie. These include: Satchel Paige, Roy Campanella, Buck Leonard, Jimmy Crutchfield, David Malarcher, Effa Manley, and Quincy Trouppe.

Red Sox Nation rejoiced as its beloved team reached the World Series in dramatic fashion, having just overcome a three-games-to-one deficit in the ALCS by outscoring the Cleveland Indians 30-5 in the final three contests. There they met the sizzling Colorado Rockies -victors in 21 of their last 22 games and just the second team ever to win their first seven in the postseason. But while both teams came into the World Series on fire, only one continued that torrid pace. The Red Sox briskly swept the Rockies aside to capture their second title of the decade and their second straight Fall Classic sweep.

Jeff Santo explores the life and career of his father, Chicago Cub great Ron Santo.

On the evening of September 11, 1985, before a sellout crowd at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Pete Rose stood on the edge of history. With one swing he would collect more hits than anyone in the history of the game he loved. 4192: The Crowning of the Hit King is a love letter to baseball that highlights the playing career of one of the game s most honored and controversial stars. It is a story that began in 1963 when Rose ran to first base on a walk. It spanned more than two decades and brought numerous individual awards as well as three World Series titles. But there is more to this story than just awards. It is about baseball and what drove this man to chase what many thought was an unbreakable record and become The Hit King.

The pressure of glory. A shocking loss.​ Raw locker room talk. Go behind the scenes into their reality as Samurai​ Japan's camera keeps rolling.

The year was 1999, and a couple of schools four hours apart were embarking on a season-long journey to become the best high school baseball team in Michigan. The Sturgis Trojans and the Pinconning Spartans were schools that were built from the ground up by communities that were unapologetically determined to do one thing - WIN. Both schools were championship caliber baseball teams that didn't know a thing about each other when they took the field at Battle Creek's Bailey Park to face-off in the 1999 MHSAA state championship. Finally, 22 years later, we have uncovered fascinating details about both teams, their run to the state finals, and the emotional thoughts and feelings behind one of the most memorable final innings in MHSAA history.

Samurai Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic for the first time in 14 years, and went all the way to the final undefeated. In addition to the never-before-seen footage of the team, the film also includes interviews with Manager Hideki Kuriyama, players, coaches, and team staff. What is the truth behind the glory and the suffering of the people involved?

In 2008, the Dodgers celebrated their 50th year in Los Angeles. In that time the Dodgers, and Dodger Stadium specifically, have become a true Bluetopia for their fans; a common passion and sanctuary for the incredibly diverse faces and cultures that make Los Angeles a most remarkable place. Bluetopia weaves the stories of several Dodger fans across the 2008 Dodger season. As the season evolves and ultimately ends with the Dodgers on the threshold of the World Series, lives unfold before us. We meet tattoo artists and attorneys, celebrities and detectives, former inmates and grandmothers, cancer fighters and romantic dreamers. Dodger tradition brings them together as one. Bluetopia goes behind the scenes for the human stories of the team itself. Bluetopia is the story of the powerful and emotional bond between fans and their favorite players; between the world's most diverse city and the team that binds it together. Together they make the most lasting memories of their lives

A look back at how America's national pastime, Major League Baseball, brought the victims' families, New York City, the fans, and the entire country back to some sense of normalcy after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Manager of the New York Yankees, Joe Torre, and the New York Mets, Bobby Valentine, guide us through the heartfelt stories that show the resilience of the city and country, and a message of hope that people can bounce back from tragedy.

Features exclusive behind-the-scenes access and never-before-heard audio of the MLB umpires who worked the 2012 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers.

Told with humor in the face of heartache, this acclaimed documentary, about the curse of Babe Ruth on the Boston Red Sox, combines archival footage with contemporary interviews and focuses not on the Red Sox players that have come and gone, but on the diehard fans who live their entire lives lamenting what some have come to call The Curse of the Bambino.

From the April home opener to the glorious November victory parade, this team was bonded by a trust - a belief - dare we say: The Magic Inside. The team-first attitudes of veterans and newcomers alike blended with the positive style of manager Bruce Bochy to create a superb and sustaining chemistry. AT&T Park overflowed with waves of orange-and-black devotees throughout the year - hoping beyond hope that their Giants would bring them the first World Series title in San Francisco history. Often it was tortuous. But always it was magic.

A mixed media mini-doc on the triumphs and pains of creating a first film. High expectations and unexpected losses can kill your darlings.