Home Run Derby - Volume 1

"HIGH FLY BALL BACK DEEP INTO LEFT FIELD....IT'S GOING WAY BACK....AND SHE'S....GONE OVER THE LEFT-FIELD WALL!"
"Home Run Derby", a rarely-seen television show which had a short-lived original run from 1959 to 1961, has been on my "DVD Wish List" for several years. I never thought I'd ever be able to scratch this show off of that list.

But lo and behold, on July 10, 2007, MGM Home Entertainment (in conjunction with 20th Century Fox's distribution) released the first of three "Home Run Derby" volumes. What a pleasure it is, indeed, to be able to watch these great old baseball shows once again.

Hosted by Mark Scott, each episode of "Derby" is a half-hour, nine-inning home-run hitting contest, staged at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles (which was, at the time of filming, a minor-league ballpark; but it soon became the home of the American League Los Angeles Angels, when the league expanded in 1961).

Many of the top sluggers from both the N.L. and A.L. competed in the televised "Home Run Derby" contests, including perennial All-Stars like Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle,...

Home Runs WITHOUT Performance-Enhancing Drugs!
Home Run Derby was a 1959-1960 television show where the top longball hitters of that era would compete in head-to-head contests for cash prizes. The rules were similar to today's Home Run Derbys at the All-Star Game. In fact, nine future Hall-of-Famers, including Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew and Mickey Mantle would be featured on the show. Tragically, the show's host, Mark Scott, died of a heart attack in 1960 and the show was then cancelled.

I don't know what kind of ratings the program got while it aired, but it's a pretty bland black-and-white show compared to today's TV. I bought it because I love the old flannel uniforms and old neighborhood ballparks (the show was filmed at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, what was home to the minor-league LA Angels and Hollywod Stars and the first home of the Major League LA Angels). But it occured to me that EVERY SINGLE HOME RUN IS FREE OF STEROIDS, HGH, ANDRO OR ANY OTHER SUBSTANCES. Suddenly, this makes a very...

WOW True Classic Baseball!!!
I remember the days of watching this on ESPN and I always wanted the chance to watch it again. You get to see the "true" home run hitters, such as Mantle, Aaron, Wagner...and the list goes on. For any true baseball fan this gives you the chance to relive the good ole' days of baseball, and watch home runs hit in classic Wrigley Field. This is nothing like the home run derby of today at the All Star Game, it's better.

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