Baseball, Bob & Barry

Three things that interest me:  Baseball, Bob Costas and Barry Levinson.   Starting this Monday the 14th, they will be part of a six segment show on the MLB Network called Costas at the movies.  Bob is interviewing the stars and directors of iconic baseball movies.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, this is the lineup of films:

Monday, January 14 - Cobb
Interviews: Tommy Lee Jones (Ty Cobb) and director Ron Shelton

Monday, January 21 - Bad News Bears
Interview: Actress Tatum O'Neal (Amanda Whurlizer)

Monday, January 28 - A League of Their Own
Interviews: Geena Davis (Dottie Hinson) and director Penny Marshall

Monday, February 4 - Eight Men Out
Interviews: Director John Sayles

Monday, February 11 - The Natural
Interview: Director Barry Levinson

Gina Davis, A League of Their Own

As Bob says in THR:  “Not only do they take pride in the work they did in these movies, but they don’t often get a chance to talk at length about it,” Costas says. “Everything now is a sound bite. The idea of getting to speak in complete sentences and actually recalling something that was an important part of your life and career I think appeals to people.”

Bob's talk show, Later was one of my favorites. I met Bob during a taping of Later (an act I worked with was on the show) and he paid me one of the greatest compliments.  He said, "You really do know your baseball."  It doesn't get any better than that.

Bob and Howard Stern are the best interviewers out there.  They both get so much out of their guests.  Bob loves baseball and I see this series as being a (ahem) home run.  Can't wait. 

Strangely, the MLB Network does not have a mention of this show on their site.

World Series Tonight, I Hope You Can Watch It

I live in two places.  In one of them we subscribe to Cablevision, which means that if I were on Long Island tonight, I would miss game one of the World Series and most likely the whole series.  Fox has just turned down Cablevision's latest offer according to the LA Times.  Being a big baseball fan, I can't miss the World Series, which means I will be staying in New York City this weekend.  My plans are dicatated by two conglomerates who can't get their acts together.  Having 3 million homes cut out of the World Series is criminal. The FCC spent way too much time on Howard Stern and it seems like they are ignoring this issue.  Isn't it more important that 3 million people get to see baseball then worrying about Howard and Co talking to strippers?

The New York Times has a pictorial on baseball gloves over the years.  It's amazing that the early players didn't have a hand injury a game.