Catching Hell:Steve Bartman

Catching Hell

 

Alex Gibney isn't known for sports documentaries, well at least he wasn't prior to the "Catching Hell". 2003, the Cubs were playing the Florida Marlins for a championship title when a fan just reached a little further than normal and deflected the ball from the outfielder Alou catching the ball. It was the hometown team, the Chicago Cubs, and everyone in Wrigley Field at that time was hoping this was the end of the curse, the end to new beginnings until the 7th inning ruined all hope and took a turn for the worst. 

Scapegoating comes up a lot in this film. It takes a look not only at Steve Bartman, the man who robbed the Cubs of their chances at an in to the world series in 1986, but Bill Buckner, The Red Sox first baseman who fumbled the ball and cost them their own chance at a series in 68 years.

Bartman has been in hiding, ever since that championship game, where he was blamed for the loss, the entire loss of the Cubs. He was just a fan enjoying the game, listening to the radio, hearing the sports announcements just like any other fan. He was doing what any other fan would do, reach for the ball that was played during one of the most intense amazing games to be seen in years. But no, the Chicago Cubs fans said over and over, "We could have had that game, If it wasn't for that a@#$%^!, we could have gone to the World Series, a place we hadn't seen for a very long time.

But Bartman wasn't at fault for the game, not only did that happen, but Gonzalez, the Cubs shortstop fumbled a play that also could have ended the game and won it for them fumbled the ball that could have given them a pass to the World Series and a Championship title, Instead Bartman was escorted out of the stadium with beer and pizza being thrown at his face, with death threats and the glare of thousands and thousands of fans, hating him.

Gibney, the director of this film also covers the Bill Buckner story, the guy who "ruined it" for Red Sox fans everywhere in the 1986 Championships. After a quarter century he finally figures out why he missed that ball, what caused him to miss one of the most important baseline balls in history. It took over 20 years, and 2 World Series Championships by the Red Sox to get Buckner back on the field and throw out the first pitch, because once that game was won, every fan out there didn't even remember the fumbled ball. As a younger fan myself, I had never heard of the story until this 30 for 30 came out. 

Seeing how Buckner figured out why he missed that ball, maybe makes him feel better, a piece of mind, a type of closure. For Steve Bartman and the Chicago Cubs, they possibly will never know. The question of what if Steve Bartman never reached out for the ball? Would Alou have been able to catch that ball and go on to win the championship, then the World Series? Until the Cubs win that championship, I don't think Bartman will ever come out of hiding, or will the Cubs fans ever forget his name.

Hoosiers

Many people have been asked one common question, not just here in the Massachusetts, but all over the country. What is the ultimate, hands down, best sports movie out there? Some will say Miracle, some will say The Fighter, and some will say with pride and without a doubt, Hooisers. 

Maybe because I am catching this movie too late, or maybe I have seen countless other amazing sport movies that Hoosiers doesn't make my list.

Hoosiers star, Gene Hackman plays Norman Dale, previously a college coach at Ithaca, comes to coach the small team in Indiana where basketball is the equivalent to air. However, recently the team lost their star player Jimmy, a troubled boy who has lost his way due to a death in his family. Even when the entire town is hoping Jimmy will come back, words won't even come out of his mouth.

Within the first two minutes of Dale's first practice, he gets rid of the temporary coach that the team had before his arrival and two team members. Now that the team is down a few key players, their chances are slimmer than ever to win a game. Dale didn't give in to the locals, they were harsh and clearly didn't like change in the small town. When the team goes on a losing streak the town becomes angry and wants to get rid of Dale. It is at this point Jimmy speaks to the entire town, that he is going to play once again, but on one condition: the coach stays. The team starts winning, and the winning doesn't stop.

To me this is just another underdog team winning, we've all seen it. The one where all odds are against them, but somehow someway, they beat the that clearly towers over them. But something is different about this movie and the actors actually play this sport. They show a true love for the sport of basketball and as a team.

This movie doesn't just show the amazing efforts of a basketball team, but the amazing efforts a coach gives the team to really succeed and see what they're capable of. And the shocking efforts a man gives another man to make something of himself and to clean up. He gives the town an eye opening experience. That change is good, get out of the rut, live up to the fullest and don't follow, but instead rise up to the occasion and live for something.

If you like the underdogs winning, which don't get me wrong, I personally always root for the underdog, then you will could fall easily in love with this movie. For me however, I feel like I've seen this scenario multiple times and I was hoping for a catch or something to throw my thought about the movie off. Something to lean over to my friend and be like, wow, I really wasn't expecting that to happen.

 

   

The Sandlot

The Sandlot

This classic baseball movie touches kids hearts everywhere. The Sandlot shows all kids everywhere how to live in your wonder years. Scotty Smalls is the new kid in town, it is not until Scotty finds the sandlot and all the kids that play there. Even though there's not a full team, they play for fun and play simply just to play with kids, get knees bruised and their clothes dirty. The summer that Scotty moves into the new neighborhood, he is considered an outsider. To be more specific, he is a loser who sits inside all day in his room without any friends. This movie teaches kids about facing their fears, and not just sitting in their room all summer watching paint dry. But making memories that are truly unforgettable.

The movie takes place in 1962, with Scotty starting fresh. Not only does he not know how to throw or catch a baseball, he doesn't even know who the Great Bambino is. Eventually the star of the sandlots team, Benny brings Scotty to the field where at first he looks like a fool, but eventually had him playing like the guys who have been there are along. They play everyday that summer, until the ball gets hit out of the park and they lose it to the Beast, who is an angry mastiff dog who has been claimed to eat 173 kids, and 150 baseballs. At that point Scotty goes back to his house and takes his step father's autographed baseball, signed by Babe Ruth himself to play with. Sure enough the ball goes over the fence and into the Beasts territory. This is the beginning of a long and tough task between all the boys to get the ball back before his step father even knows it has gone missing. 

This shows the day by day life of any 10 year old boy, from the over night sleepovers, to ghost stories, and even going to the local pool to steal a kiss from the pretty lifeguard. My favorite part of this movie is that it doesn't have that typical win or lose feel to the game. It is simply about kids being kids, and having fun in their "wonder years". 

The Fighter

The Fighter

The Fighter is an amazing, heart wrenching, all American boxing movie, that tells the real life story of Micky Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg in the performance of a lifetime. Wahlberg had been a fan of Ward growing up and was the perfect actor for this part. Micky and his family had grown up in Lowell, where he fought for years as a great contender. He was a fighter from beginning to end in the ring, his heart and soul rested in that ring and for years he fought amongst some of the greatest boxers known to us. Through all the family nonsense and the tough times Micky had to triumph through as a person, he made it and is well known to many. He is not only an amazing fighter, but he is an inspiration to many.


The movie starts off with "Irish Micky" Ward training for an upcoming fight. Dicky, Ward's older brother was his trainer, being a fighter once himself he was ideal for the job. He was once the Pride of Lowell, especially by knocking out Sugar Ray Leonard. Times fell to be tough and Dicky went downhill fast. When it comes down to the preparations for Micky's fights, and the training he needs to win, Dicky is much happier doing drugs down town in the crack house, and filming with HBO's camera's on his supposed comeback, while Micky waits for him, patiently and without a trainer.   


Alice, who is Micky's mother manages him throughout the movie with Dicky by her side, deciding which is the best route for him, even if it doesn't seem that way at the time. Alice and Dicky's main rule for Micky is that if he doesn't fight there is no money at all, and in a time where Micky is fighting for his daughter, and trying to make ends meat, that alone is enough for him to fight. He's getting beaten half to death under the control of his mother and brother, but doesn't leave, whether it's because he doesn't want to hurt them or doesn't know what else is out there for him. For the longest time, Micky Ward is known to all other boxers as a stepping stone to reach the next level of their career.


He later meets the feisty bar tender at the local bar, Charlene, who turns out to be his soul mate, they fall hard for each other and if it wasn't for her Micky wouldn't be able to overcome firing his mother and Dicky, which ends up being the best decision for him. He gains new management, a new trainer and fights start coming to him, winning fight after fight and gaining the reputation he deserves. 

All in all, The Fighter is an inspiring movie, it shows pride for something Micky Ward loves, and the courage and determination it takes to overcome some tough times in our lives. This movie is a must see, showing the heart wrenching story of a local hero. 

 

Why We Rely On Sports

 

RELY

We rely a lot on many different things in our lives. Some may rely on grades, others jobs and money. For myself, and many other people in this nation, it's sports. We all go about our daily lives, some work, some school, some it may consist of walking around downtown doing nothing. But at the end of the day, we all sit down and wait for the national anthem to begin and for that first play of the game. 

Who gives a shit if you've had a bad day. We all have them, so what do you do when that bad day occurs, along with the other 90 million people in the world that are having a bad day too? We sit down and watch the game we've been waiting on for months. The thing is, you can get together, whether it's with 20 people, or 3 people. When that terrible day ends, you can get together with the people you wanna be with, the people that make you laugh and want to be with. Honestly, without sports being on t.v I wouldn't see a lot of friends. Sports is the excuse to get together. 

2 occasions where we have seen the country rely on sports is during Superbowl 46, and the 1980 winter Olympics. Today we are fighting a war, and back then a war was just beginning. At both times in history, the country has been upset, and in heartache from their loved ones being gone and fighting in these wars. However, when that National Anthem begins and everyone in that arena, whatever sport it is, stands up and sings along with one another so much changes. We are all there for one reason. To support the teams versing one another for the title. We find so much in the teams, we see teamwork, family, enthusiasm, and love for the game. When the odds are against the team that everyone is there to watch win, I think an even larger bond is formed among the fans. We sit there, and while we are all yelling and screaming for the other team to lose, we're yelling together. We're all there for the same reason, and whether it's the biggest rivalry, like the Red Sox and Yankees, we're all there for the same reason.

At the end of the day, sports will always be there. We'll all come home, throw our feet up and expect a game to be on, to take away all the bullshit we've dealt with throughout the day. Sports are important to each of us, all in different ways. But in the end we all rely on them, maybe just in a different way.