1970

"Baseball's Booming Year"

Three vintage baseball films, all narrated by Curt Gowdy, have just been restored and are now available in color on a new 75-minute DVD from Rare Sportsfilms! "Baseball's Booming Year" and both the official American League and National League films cover the highlights of the season, including both the American and National League playoffs and the World Series!

First are the American League highlights: Milwaukee finally has a new team, the Brewers, from Seattle! Star of the club, Tommy Harper, becomes only the 5th major leaguer to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season. Cesar Gutierrez of the Tigers goes 7 for 7, to set a new American record. Mike Cuellar and Dave McNally both win 24 games and teammate Jim Palmer wins 20, while Boog Powell has his second great year in a row and is A.L. MVP. In the West, Jim Perry has his finest year (24-12, 3.03), leading Twins to division title. Tony Oliva has the best year of his career with .325, 23 HR and 107 RBI and Harmon Killebrew is A.L. Player of the year. In Boston, Yaz is switched to first base and is the MVP of the All-Star game with 4 hits.  Billy Conigliaro learns to play "The Monster" and earns the LF job for Sox, but brother Tony (36 HR) is traded to the Angels at the end of the season. Ralph Houk's new-look Yanks draw over one million and lead the East in SB, but are last in HR. Horace Clarke breaks up three no-hitters during the season, all in the 9th inning! Thurman Munson is Rookie-of-the Year. Steve Hamilton makes news by throwing his "Folly Floater" blooper pitch to Tony Horton and you'll hear Yankee play-by-play by broadcaster Phil Rizzuto describing the hilarious event! The A's Vida Blue and Angels' Clyde Wright both throw A.L. no-hitters. The Angels' Alex Johnson leads the A.L. in batting (.329). Big crowd comes out to Tiger Stadium to see Denny McLain's first game (back from suspension), but McLain is ineffective and is traded to Washington at the end of the season. There's a mini-feature on young David Eisenhower being hired by the Senators to do P.R. and stats work for the club and an interview with manager Ted Williams talking about Whitey Ford. Al Kaline Day at Detroit. Aparicio plays record 2,219th game at shortstop and hits over.300. Washington's Frank Howard leads the league in HR and RBI. Interview with new Twins skipper Bill Rigney. Orioles win 14 straight games to end the season and again sweep Twins in the A.L. playoffs (27 runs to 9) - highlights of all three games are shown.

The National League Highlights: Mets' Nolan Ryan fans 15 in 1-hitter vs Phils. Tom Seaver ties all-time K record with 19 vs Phils, including last 10 batters in a row! Joe Pepitone is traded to Cubs from Houston and sparks Cubs all year long. Another new Cub, Jim Hickman, is comeback player of the year and gets winning hit in All-Star Game! Billy Williams ends consecutive game streak at 1,117, and is runner-up for MVP (.322, 42 HR, 129 RBI), Ernie Banks slams out 500th HR in packed Wrigley Field (Jack Brickhouse does the play-by-play), Hank Aaron raps out 3,000th hit at Crosley Field, later Willie Mays also gets #3,000 vs Expos at Candlestick - Stan Musial is on hand at both games. In Atlanta, Hoyt Wilhelm pitches in his 1,000th M.L. game! Rico Carty has 31-game batting streak and easily wins N.L. batting title with .366! Last games ever are played at Forbes Field and Crosley Field as new ballparks open in both cities. Willie Stargell hits the first home run in new Three Rivers Stadium. Pete Rose scores winning run in All-Star Game at Riverfront. Ron Hunt sets record for most HBP in one season with 50! The Cardinals' Vic Davalillo ties M.L. record with 24 pinch hits. Gaylord and Jim Perry both win at least 20, first time brothers have done that in the same season. Matty Alou toughest to strike out. Brother Jesus is second toughest! Ritchie Allen plays for St. Louis for one season, then is traded to Dodgers. Wes Parker leads Dodgers with 111 RBI, despite hitting only 10 HR. Maury Wills Day at Dodger Stadium. Reds Bobby Tolan leads N.L. in SB. Carl Morton is Rookie-of-the-Year with 18 wins for Expos. Bill Singer (Dodgers) and Doc Ellis (Pirates) toss no-hitters in the National League. Bob Gibson is 23-7, wins Cy Young again. Jim Bunning wins 100th N.L. game and now has won 100 in each league! Listen in on Sparky Anderson as he coaches his battery Johnny Bench and young Milt Wilcox during a game. Bench is Player of the Year in the N.L. Casey Stengel makes hilarious presentation to Manager-of-the-Year Danny Murtaugh. In the playoffs, Bench sees his first post-season action, as Big Red Machine sweeps Pirates. Game 2 Bobby Tolan puts on one man show. Game three Perez and Bench hit back-to-back HR's.

"Baseball's Booming Year" adds more highlights from both leagues: Tony Perez hits 10 HRs in April. Bat Day at Yankee Stadium, Bobby Murcer hits four home runs in a double-header vs Indians! Roberto Clemente night at Three Rivers Stadium. Cooperstown welcomes new inductees Ford Frick, Lou Boudreau, Earle Combs and Jesse Haines. At Yankee Stadium on Old Timers Day, #37 is retired honoring Casey Stengel. MVPs are Bench of the Reds and Powell of the Orioles. Finally, you'll see highlights of the World Series (the "Brooks Robinson show") as O's beat Reds in five games. Other players you see in these films include Norm Cash, Sam McDowell, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Paul Blair, Rod Carew, Danny Thompson, Felipe Alou, Rick Monday, Don Mincher, Sal Bando, Chuck Dobson, Carlos May, Amos Otis, Willie Horton, Bill Freehan, Ray Fosse, Davy Johnson, Don Kessinger, Tommie Agee, Cesar Cedeno, Rusty Staub, Don Gullett, Mudcat Grant and more!

To get your own DVD of this nostalgic baseball footage, send $29.95 plus $4.00 for shipping and handling (Illinois residents must add $2.30 sales tax) to:

Add only $10 extra for BLU-RAY!