DVD Review: Dodger Blue: The Championship Years

DVD Review: Dodger Blue: The Championship Years
Narrated by Charley Steiner
Produced by Brian Barrow, David Check and David Gavant
From Major League Baseball Productions

This is the first and hopefully not the last DVD that we have reviewed at AHP. Dodger Blue: the Championship Years is exactly what you’d expect it to be - a tribute to the Dodgers and their past. It spans over 50 years of Dodger baseball from their great run in the 50’s as the Brooklyn Dodgers through their move to Los Angeles up until today. And as tributes go, this one is one of the best that I have seen in recent years.

From a technical point of view the DVD is done exceptionally well and it is beautifully edited to help tell the story of the Dodgers and six World Championships since 1955, three specific National League Championships and the team as it builds towards the future. The disc is filled with original game footage including the artistry of Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershiser and Fernando Valenzuela as well as the great home runs and the hitting of Steve Garvey, Duke Snider, and even Kirk Gibson’s improbable blow in 1988. But those are only some of the highlights on this disc.

Beautifully narrated by Charley Steiner, who is an acquaintance of mine, it tells a story of the evolution of the game and of one of its premier franchises. The storytelling is well written, informative and interlaced with comments by the players and personalities that were on both sides of the field during the championship runs.

Some of the names speaking of those games include Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Don Newcombe, Tommy Lasorda, Mike Sciosca, Kirk Gibson and Roy Campanella. These commentaries are skillfully added in, giving the viewer an idea of just what those moments in time really were like.

The modern fan that doesn’t remember any of the great teams won’t feel cheated either because not only does the DVD provide an interesting and fun to watch history of the Dodgers, but it also recounts many of the team’s individual triumphs of the past 15 or so years - including several no hitters, 4 consecutive Rookie of the Years (Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Todd Hollandsworth and Raul Mondesi), Eric Gagne setting the record for consecutive saves as well as last year’s NL West Championship.

While this video will have a special appeal to anyone that knows what it’s like to bleed Dodger blue, it will have a slightly lesser appeal to those fans that rooted for the “bums” back when they played in New York. Still any baseball fan will enjoy watching Koufax and Drysdale throw, in footage unlike that I’ve seen before as well as some of baseball’s most historic moments that show not only the thrill of victory but also the agony of defeat.

Chapters in the DVD include 1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1974, 1977-8, 1981, 1988 and future champions. Real fans will appreciate the bonus footage that has the Hall of Fame induction speeches of Duke Snider, Tommy Lasorda and Don Drysdale.

If you are a fan of the Dodgers this is a must have DVD. For everyone else (except maybe Giants fans) this is still a great DVD and well worth viewing for its history and the love of the game.

Give this a full three ball rating and enjoy it.

Our Rating System is based on a four ball system as follows:
One Ball: Average. It has something to say but is nothing special.
Two Balls: Something men usually have - also means its a cut above average, and worth reading/owning.
Three balls: Stands out from its peers and is highly recommended.
Four Balls: More than just what two men have when hanging out together, it means it is an exceptional book that truly earns a walk - straight to the local book store to get a copy.