Home Run Derby - Accept No Substitutes

As you read this, the interminable marathon that we lovingly know as the Home Run Derby has mercifully ended, ending the two-day pre-game show leading into yesterday's All-Star Game. The athletes put on an admirable show, especially Vladimir Guerrero. His fearless, almost reckless swing was a joy to watch repeatedly, an undeserved free pass to the ice cream machine at the buffet.

However, the unconscionable length of the show wore down the viewer as ESPN dragged out the festivities longer than the average baseball game. ESPN's pathological need to wedge in every type of advertisement, quirky bit, and interview far too serious for the occasion caused the contest to run so long that even the announcers had to take off a few pitches here and there to rejuvenate themselves.

The best example of the true power of the home run last night came from a 10-minute segment before the Derby started, showing some of the most impressive and important home runs in Major League history. Despite a disappointing dearth of home runs from Babe Ruth, viewing baseball's history through the prism of its most testosterone-laden act was genuinely moving and nostalgic.

If you missed this segment or want to relive that sensation, there is good news. In television's nascence, a syndicated television show existed briefly that brought the thrill of the home run together with rare access to the star athletes of the day. That show, Home Run Derby is available today for the first time on DVD.

Home Run Derby is a wonderfully awkward time capsule of baseball history in the late '50s and early '60s. Two prolific home run hitters, one from each league, would converge on Wrigley Field in Los Angeles (home of the Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels) each week. The park's rather slim dimensions at the heart of each field yielded fireworks every week.

Viewers would enjoy a nine-inning contest, each with three outs. The slugger with the most home runs at the end would win $2,000 (when top players received $100,000 from their day jobs) and come back to defend his crown. The loser received $1,000. Three homers in succession earned $500; any others that extended the streak earned $1,000 each.

Article Author: Tuffy

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