Perfection

So all week long I've been waiting for the launch of the MLB Network. They'd been playing about an hour of clips and highlights over and over in preview of what was coming. Every time I was bored with what was on tv I'd turn to the MLB channel and check out where they were in the highlight reel.

Today was the actual launch of real programming. The first hour was ok. It's interesting to see anchors and analysis guys figuring out their dynamics. Hopefully that will smooth out in a little bit.

But the special part came in the 2nd hour. For the first time since the original broadcast of it, they show the 5th game of the 1956 World Series, Don Larson's perfect game. The only perfect game in World Series history.

It's very interesting watching. Bob Costas has Don Larson and Yogi Berra in the studio, and he's interviewing them in between the innings. I've been to countless baseball games, and have seen some great and wonderful things. But I couldn't give you a play-by-play of any of the games. I couldn't say who was pitching on which day unless I looked it up. But these 2 gentlemen sat in the studio, 52 years after playing that game, and could remember it. They knew who they were playing against, they remember the conversations they had in the dugout during the game, conversations they had earlier in the day. Now, I'm sure that that day was burned into their memories, but it is fascinating to see what they remember and watching them talk about it.

Bob Costas made an observation early in the broadcast about the game, and how different the broadcast is from watching a game today. This game is in black and white. There's only one broadcaster at a time. And that broadcaster does not feel the need to fill in every second of airtime with talking. (That I think is one of the oddest things. Nowadays every second has to be filled with talk. There's hardly any personal commentary or speculation on this broadcast.) Very few graphics are used. No on-screen graphic that keeps you informed of the count or number of outs or the inning. No replays. There's only a few cameras, and basically the only view of the game is from the camera behind home plate. The game itself moves faster. Batters stay in the box and don't step out as much. Pitchers move faster. The commercial breaks are much shorter.

Over and above the broadcast, there's still some odd differences to see. The uniforms are big and baggy on everyone. The spectators are mostly dressed up. Women in dresses and skirts and men in suits with hats on. Not many kids in the crowd. Of course, it was a day game, and the kids are most likely in school.

But the similarities are there too. The game is the same. Great plays are still made. Long hits are still made. Bunts and sacrifices and relays and double-plays and rundowns. Luck still plays a major part in the game. A catch barely made could have been missed or a long foul ball could easily have hooked fair for a home run.

It's very interesting viewing. This game just shows me how much I love this sport. I'm willing to spend two hours watching a game that happened more than 52 years ago, even though I know the result. (But how is that any different than watching a favorite movie that you've seen multiple times and know the end of?) Not to mention watching the same hour over and over this last week while waiting for the programming to go live.

Ah, baseball. I love this game. I can't wait for the season to start. But until then I have a channel devoted to baseball to slake my thirst for the game. Life just doesn't get better than that.