July 7, 2023
FILM: THE LEAGUE
DIRECTED BY: SAM POLLARD
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The League is a detailed account of the rise and fall of the Negro Baseball League in the U.S. Featuring interviews with former players, historians, and critics, along with some incredible archival footage, this is a film not to be missed by anyone who loves one of America’s favorite sports past times.
The film is filled with a lot of interesting facts and details. For instance, how many of us know that there were black players in baseball in the 19th Century but due to segregation were forced out of the major league? Not willing to give up their own love of the sport, the film documents the early heyday of the Negro League, its significant players, and its various highs and lows through the end of the 1940s. There’s discussion of how during the early 20th Century, Blacks were encouraged to move north, thus spawning teams from the east coast to the Midwest. The film includes footage from many of these games as well as images of the crowds that flocked to see the teams play. As shown, Blacks dressed up for the games wearing their best suits, dresses, and hats. This wasn’t an era of jersey and baseball cap wearing fans!
Filmmaker Sam Pollard spends an ample amount of time focusing on names some of us might not be familiar with but that had a major impact on this league, such as Rube Foster and Effa Manley. Their stories deserve to be told and historically recorded as they are here. The same goes for many of the players which Pollard explores in depth: Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, and others. It’s a treat to see some of these guys at the height of their careers on screen. Pollard has also done a fantastic job cleaning up audio from the era. Many of the interviews featuring these prominent figures sound as if they could have been recorded yesterday.
It’s interesting to hear how the League was effected by the Depression and World War 2. Of course, Pollard also dives into the eventual re-integration of Blacks into Major League Baseball with detail about early prejudices, pay issues, and the significant loss of a culture for the Black community when the League was dissolved. Pollard makes a case for the impact signing Jackie Robinson had on American culture at large. If he could contribute to great success in the field of baseball, why couldn’t other industries embrace the talents and skills of Black workers? In an archival interview, Robinson’s wife also suggests that his inclusion would help move the country toward more acceptance of civil rights for Blacks and other marginalized Americans.
In addition to the many interviews, photos, and films included here, Pollard uses some interesting but never over-done recreations and animations illustrating this significant era in sports history. Overall, the film offers a very insightful history of the Negro League in every possible way. It is a very well-edited, researched, and produced archive that deserves to be seen. Not surprisingly, one of the executive producers of the film is Questlove, who won an Oscar last year for his similarly significant documentary, Summer of Soul.
Films like these unearth so many stories and images that reflect not only the history of Black culture but our true and often forgotten part of American history.
The League will have special screenings in select local theaters on Sunday, July 9th. It will then be available on Amazon Prime, AppleTV+, and other streaming platforms beginning July 14th.
FILM: THE LEAGUE
DIRECTED BY: SAM POLLARD
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The League is a detailed account of the rise and fall of the Negro Baseball League in the U.S. Featuring interviews with former players, historians, and critics, along with some incredible archival footage, this is a film not to be missed by anyone who loves one of America’s favorite sports past times.
The film is filled with a lot of interesting facts and details. For instance, how many of us know that there were black players in baseball in the 19th Century but due to segregation were forced out of the major league? Not willing to give up their own love of the sport, the film documents the early heyday of the Negro League, its significant players, and its various highs and lows through the end of the 1940s. There’s discussion of how during the early 20th Century, Blacks were encouraged to move north, thus spawning teams from the east coast to the Midwest. The film includes footage from many of these games as well as images of the crowds that flocked to see the teams play. As shown, Blacks dressed up for the games wearing their best suits, dresses, and hats. This wasn’t an era of jersey and baseball cap wearing fans!
Filmmaker Sam Pollard spends an ample amount of time focusing on names some of us might not be familiar with but that had a major impact on this league, such as Rube Foster and Effa Manley. Their stories deserve to be told and historically recorded as they are here. The same goes for many of the players which Pollard explores in depth: Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, and others. It’s a treat to see some of these guys at the height of their careers on screen. Pollard has also done a fantastic job cleaning up audio from the era. Many of the interviews featuring these prominent figures sound as if they could have been recorded yesterday.
It’s interesting to hear how the League was effected by the Depression and World War 2. Of course, Pollard also dives into the eventual re-integration of Blacks into Major League Baseball with detail about early prejudices, pay issues, and the significant loss of a culture for the Black community when the League was dissolved. Pollard makes a case for the impact signing Jackie Robinson had on American culture at large. If he could contribute to great success in the field of baseball, why couldn’t other industries embrace the talents and skills of Black workers? In an archival interview, Robinson’s wife also suggests that his inclusion would help move the country toward more acceptance of civil rights for Blacks and other marginalized Americans.
In addition to the many interviews, photos, and films included here, Pollard uses some interesting but never over-done recreations and animations illustrating this significant era in sports history. Overall, the film offers a very insightful history of the Negro League in every possible way. It is a very well-edited, researched, and produced archive that deserves to be seen. Not surprisingly, one of the executive producers of the film is Questlove, who won an Oscar last year for his similarly significant documentary, Summer of Soul.
Films like these unearth so many stories and images that reflect not only the history of Black culture but our true and often forgotten part of American history.
The League will have special screenings in select local theaters on Sunday, July 9th. It will then be available on Amazon Prime, AppleTV+, and other streaming platforms beginning July 14th.