THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 19, 1994 TAG: 9409190122
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: - Bob McKinney
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
This was when when baseball really became the national pastime.
The first World Series was played in 1903 and Honus Wagner was the first superstar because of the Series. Wagner is my favorite player, so I really enjoyed that part. It's odd he was considered a huge player at 5-11, 200 pounds.
Ty Cobb was another big topic. I had never seen him batting on film before. He had very good fundamentals, extraordinary balance and level head position. The way he transferred his weight and his follow through were perfect. He'd be a great hitter today.
Watching Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner play was was unbelievable. It was baseball in its purest form.
The players were very intense. The uniforms were always dirty because it was a rough game played by rough men.
Best scene: Cobb and Wagner meeting at 1909 Series.
Most interesting fact: How stylish the uniforms were. Teams wore sweaters as warmups and some pitchers wore dusters.
Weakest scene: Several of the ``experts'' talking. Didn't need 'em.
Score this one: A home run. Can't wait to see the others. ILLUSTRATION: ABOUT TODAY'S REVIEWER
BOB MCKINNEY
Age: 30
Residence: Portsmouth
Connection to baseball: Scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Favorite team: Pirates.
Most vivid baseball memory: Seeing Roger Clemens strike out 12
batters in my first major league game at Memorial Stadium in
Baltimore in 1989.
by CNB