THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 28, 1994 TAG: 9409280562
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Review
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.
SOURCE: - ED NAGOURNEY
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The Ninth Inning really socked it home about the terrific salary problems the owners have gotten themselves into. And it was done from a fan's standpoint.
It was made clear that the owners were going to have to do something or the whole game would blow up. This, of course, is particularly enlightening with the strike.
Another focus was how each generation has its own stars. There really is no way to compare who is better, just how the stars compared to each other in a particular era.
Pete Rose, Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan and the 1976 World Series were highlighted. But because my son Bruce was the locker room boy and bat boy for the Oakland A's when we lived in California, I really enjoyed seeing the three straight World Series won by the A's.
Best scene: Reggie Jackson's three swings and three home runs in the 1977 World Series.
Most interesting fact: That Hank Aaron was the last active player from the negro leagues to play in the majors.
Weakest scene: Enjoyed the whole thing.
Score this one: (Strikeout, single, double, triple, home run).
Home run. It gave the most interesting and clearest explanation of the economics of today's game that I have seen. ILLUSTRATION: ABOUT TODAY'S REVIEWER
ED NAGOURNEY
Age: 63
Residence: Virginia Beach
Connection to baseball: Director of sales for the Norfolk Tides
Favorite team: None. I root for all the players who come through
here in the minors.
Most vivid baseball memory: Sitting on Babe Ruth's lap as a child
and him telling me not to smoke or drink while he was holding a beer
and a cigarette.
Brooks Robinson wrecking hitters' hopes
by CNB