Movies

Shaikin: Apple’s documentary on Dodgers provides ‘all-access’ look at World Series run

BBG News

2018 marked the close of a decade where Mike Trout stood out as the exceptional player in baseball. Major League Baseball found itself grappling with its inability to elevate him into a household name across the nation. Commissioner Rob Manfred, albeit not as eloquently, explained the challenges they faced in promoting Trout.

“Player marketing requires one thing for sure: the player,” Manfred said then.

In response to Manfred, the Angels issued a strong defense of Trout, stating, “We praise him for choosing his moral principles above business advertising.

Players like Trout are not required to give anything extra to their team or the league beyond giving their all on the field. Yet, as fans become more familiar with players’ personalities, it becomes simpler for the league to attract a broader audience, moving beyond just hardcore fans.

Dodgers

5 months have passed since Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam to secure Game 1 of the World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he’s still taking in how much this moment meant to fans – an emotion Kirk Gibson can relate to.

It’s not something novel; around half a century back, ABC utilized their signature “Up Close and Personal” segments to pique American interest in unknown Olympic athletes.

In this context, the Apple documentary about the 2024 World Series, titled “Fight for Glory,” has been well-received. This three-episode series will debut on Apple TV+ starting this Thursday.

This documentary doesn’t unveil any groundbreaking secrets. Instead, it’s a joyous tribute to an iconic World Series matchup – between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees! The Major League Baseball (MLB) holds the copyright for this film, and Commissioner Manfred is acknowledged in the credits.

Additionally credited are Chelsea Freeman, wife of Freddie, and Brianna Betts, wife of Mookie. The camera crew documented the families of the Los Angeles Dodgers players: their journeys to the matches, their presence in the stadium during the games, their interactions with the team post-games, and even their private moments at home.

I, being part of a world where technology is omnipresent, found myself surrounded by cameras and microphones, whether it was in my workplace or personal life – from team leaders and coaches, umpires, broadcasters, and reporters, everyone seemed to have one. Jack Harris, a sports reporter for The Times, even invited a camera operator into his car during his commute to Dodger Stadium, conducting an interview en route.

Freeman is just as transparent with the media as any other player in the league, and Betts has already left a significant impact on the media landscape. His growing media empire encompasses a podcast and YouTube channel. He utilized the podcast for his teammates to share their experiences from the World Series and discuss why the Yankees fell short in the series, while the YouTube channel allowed fans to witness the Dodgers’ World Series championship celebration from Betts’ perspective.

In the realm of “all-access” documentaries, Freeman and Betts stand out as exceptional choices for captivating audiences who aren’t focused on statistics like exit velocities or launch angles, but rather those drawn to heartfelt, human-interest narratives.

Betts’ mom narrates an account about her son’s initial attempt at joining a youth baseball league, sporting his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mitt, only to depart in sadness when the coach declared that he didn’t quite meet the team’s standards.

One day in July, Max Freeman’s son awoke with a limp, and by the close of that same day, he found himself hospitalized and on a ventilator. The medical professionals later confirmed he had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an uncommon neurological condition.

Freeman shared that he tragically lost his mother to cancer at the age of 10. However, nothing could have prepared him for the heart-wrenching experience of watching his own son battle for his life at just three years old – an ordeal that seemed unimaginable.

Following his departure from the Dodgers, it wasn’t until Max had been released from the hospital, after an eight-day stay, and was well on his way to recuperation, that Freeman re-joined the team.

“I would not have come back this year if he had stayed sick,” Freeman said.

Dodgers

As a die-hard baseball fan, I’ve stumbled upon an intriguing factoid – there are approximately 1,519 individuals who graced the big leagues for a single game, as per Baseball Reference. Let’s delve into some of their stories and uncover what transpired afterward.

During the journey to Dodger Stadium for Game 1 of the World Series, long after her husband had already arrived, Chelsea Freeman mused: “It’s quite amazing to reflect on how far we’ve come from our rock-bottom moments just a few months ago. To be here at the World Series feels almost unreal.

Later on, her husband managed to hit home runs in every single game during the initial four matches, ultimately securing the title of World Series’ Most Valuable Player.

Prior to the initial match, Chelsea Freeman mentioned that his cherished necklace, which contained a strand of his late mother’s hair enclosed in a cross, was damaged. He had always donned this necklace during games.

“We had to overnight it to the jeweler,” Chelsea Freeman said.

The historic home run Freeman hit to clinch Game 1, the first ever walkoff grand slam in World Series history, which led to the famous “Gibby, meet Freddie!” comment from Joe Davis, is shown in slow motion to viewers, along with multiple angles, and it’s almost as if the music from “The Natural” was expected to play.

This video showcases Aaron Judge’s dropped fly ball – a standout moment amidst the Yankees’ series of mistakes in the fifth inning of the decisive game – by quickly switching angles. The ball appears to drop five times, each from a unique perspective, over the course of just five seconds.

Voices

Plaschke: If Dodgers want to be a dynasty, they must win the World Series again

For the Dodgers, a single full-season World Series title isn’t enough – they demand more, given their caliber of players, their substantial financial resources, and the expectations of their dedicated fanbase.

As a cinephile with a soft spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers, I can’t help but relish the opportunity to revisit the 2017 World Series. On the other hand, fellow Yankees enthusiasts might find it difficult to muster the same enthusiasm, given their team’s outcome in that epic clash.

The three-hour long three-part documentary might be quite demanding for viewers, considering it consists of just five games within the series.

If you’re a fan of the Dodgers, you’ve had the satisfaction of witnessing their championship win. For Yankees supporters, it means watching one of their own advise Dodgers fans not to approach him at Yankee Stadium.

“Anybody wearing Dodgers,” he said, “is getting a wedgie.”

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2025-03-27 10:31

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