THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9409220531
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Baseball
ABOUT THE SERIES
The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star asked nine local baseball
people to score acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns' ``Baseball,'' appearing
on WHRO. Their comments will appear each day of the nine-part series,
an 18 1/2-hour work that traces the history of the sport - and of
America.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Because of my age, most of the Fifth Inning was a history lesson. I knew a little about Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth as hitters, but not much about them as people. I also didn't know how bad the racism in the country was at that time.
The way Ruth and Gehrig were portrayed made me realize they were regular people, not just these guys who did great things. Babe Ruth smoked and drank, and sometimes didn't treat people well. He and Gehrig didn't talk for years over some disagreement. I got more of an appreciation for Gehrig's streak after seeing this. Fourteen years without missing a game . . . that was something.
It blew my mind what was going on with the black players. They had to have their own leagues. Many of their players might have been better than the white players, but were kept out of the major leagues because of their race. That was sad.
Best scene: Gehrig's retirement ceremony. A real tear-jerker.
Most interesting fact: Gehrig's four-home run game was overshadowed in the papers by John McGraw's decision to quit.
Weakest scene: There wasn't one.
Score this one: (Strikeout, single, double, triple, or home run).
A home run. It was so educational. The VCR will be going every night.
- CHARLENE GOLLIHUR ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Photo
ABOUT TODAY'S REVIEWER
Charlene Gollihur Age: 23
Residence: Virginia Beach
Connection to baseball: Pitcher with Play it Again Sports in
Tidewater League of Women's National Adult Baseball Association.
Favorite team: Atlanta Braves.
Most vivid baseball memory: Coaching a Virginia Beach boys junior
baseball league team to the city championship in my first year.
by CNB