Eight Men Out

I needed my Baseball fix tonight (yes, I know it's only a 1 day break until the playoffs) so I went through the baseball movies I have and decided to check out "Eight Men Out". It's been some time since I've seen it. I forgot how good it is.

When I see a movie like this, I really feel how different the eras are. Back then the players didn't even wear batting helmets. They worked in the off season. They were pretty much at the mercy of the team owners. Kids respected them.

Now, you probably couldn't get anyone interested in a scheme like what the Black Sox did in 1919. The players make more money than the crooks could offer. They have the owners backs to the wall most of the time. They have every conceivable piece of equipment known to man available to them.

But kids still respect them.

I remember when I was a kid and just being in awe of my Baseball heroes. Like the kid in the movie, begging Shoeless Joe to tell him the scandal wasn't real, I held the players way up on a pedestal. It's a great game, especially for kids. (Some of us still feel like kids during the season.)

I still feel bad for Buck Weaver and Shoeless Joe Jackson, who didn't want to throw the series in 1919. They played to win even with the other guys tanking. That would suck more than anything ever. Being in the World Series. Knowing you are easily the best team. Having most of the starters screwing you over.

It's a good movie. I recommend it to those who haven't seen it yet. If you have, check it out again. The whole story line is interesting, even if you're not so much into the Baseball stuff. And the music is awesome. Definitely worth the time.