Sport and Cinema.com

The first decade of the twenty-first century has come to a close and there have been some outstanding squads from all the team sports.

You recently witnessed a dominating run by the New York Yankees who became the only team of the decade to win 100 games and the World Series.

This beautifully-packaged, digitally preserved celebration of the Fall Classic is a magnificent collection of all the drama and unforgettable moments of the World Series.

Encased in a hardcover book that includes a 58-page pictorial retrospective going back to the event’s origins in 1903, are 65 films on 20 DVDs representing nearly 50 hours of restored and newly digitized masters going back to 1943.

In a matchup of two explosive offenses, both fleet of foot and with plenty of muscle, given the friendly confines for hitters, the difference could be summed up in the famous quote from the rascally old Orioles manager Earl Weaver who endorsed the “pitching, defense and three-run homer” theory to winning ball with the emphasis on the latter. Back in May in a series at Yankee Stadium, where the Phils took two of three, the first game featured seven home runs! Expect more of the same… at both parks.

The key word here is “treasures” as so much of the engaging material in this lavishly illustrated history of America’s game can only be found in the unparalleled collections of the Library of Congress.

Chafets’ examination of the history of the institution that is supposed to represent the best of the American pastime, comes at an intriguing juncture when the sport is really at a crossroads especially regarding performance-enhanced drugs and their affect on long-standing records and of course the game itself. What role does character play? Do Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds deserve an asterisk, should they get voted into the Hall of Fame?

On the heels of news about the resurrection of the baseball drama, “Moneyball”, actor Billy Bob Thornton has announced he will return to the diamond on the silver screen as well, this time as a producer.

One of the biggest stories of the 2009 Tour de France is that there were NO scandals or drug accusations. Alberto Contador’s 2007 victory was marred by the number of riders excluded for positive drug tests or missed testing during training.

Sony Picture’s baseball film is back in the starting lineup after being benched over creative differences recently.

The 80th edition of major league baseball’s all-star game plays out later today in St. Louis. The event, which began in 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago and featured a two-run homer by Babe Ruth to give the junior circuit the win, has been held in this Missouri city four times.

All the great moments from Chicago’s south side baseball team for over a century are contained in this new title produced by Major League Baseball Productions.