A&E Official World Series Film Collection

I feel I should write an essay on this item but why bore anyone reading this. If you are reading this review you are probably like me- a baseball nut or are shopping for a baseball nut that you know.I bought 3 of these on amazon and while I bought 2 as gifts, I could not resist checking the third out for myself. First off, the item is selling for nearly 1/3 of its original asking price at 90.00 (consider this- The 2010 SF WS video retails for 18.00 or more). There is over 50 hours of footage and background tracking every World Series from 1943 to 2008 (67 years). This is just simply an incredible value for your buck. Additionally the videos come in a coffee table styled book with the DVDs inserted at various points. All of the magical moments are here. No matter in what era you lived it's all represented here.The book is made of quality paper stock and covers various years of interest with pictures and memories. It lists results from every World Series including those not represented here. There is something special about this set. It's just so much history crammed into one amazingly compact set. A set that would sit proudly at the top of any baseball fans wishlist.I put in the first DVD and that may be the best way to summarize how special this really is. In 1943 many players were serving in WWII and there is footage of Babe Ruth at the very beginning thanking the likes of Ted Williams for serving along with some advertisements from the time that really set the mood. As the first 6 years (43-49) play you witness The splendid splinter completely take over the 1945 all star game pounding out 2 home runs in a route. You see a young Stan Musual bolstering the St. Louis Cardinals when they owned baseball. The Brooklyn - New York series was a strong highlight. Watching a young and relatively unknown Jackie Robinson on the basepaths antagonizing pitchers or Dimagio belting a homer are truly sights to behold. Connie Mack, in attendance... So much more...As far as production value.. The early years are spotty at best. The footage is here but in an age of HD and 3D it's a far cry in quality. But that's the BIGGEST reason to watch. This is baseball in it's most pure form. Before steroids made us question our heroes, before the sport grew to forget its fans. Even then millions filled stadiums across our country. I could go on and on. The Big Red Machine, The Gibson Walk- off, Mays, Mantle, etc... It's all here and it's done in a truly intelligent way.In short.. whether you are shopping for your Dad, your brother, your son... If they watch highlights of all the plays on Sportscenter or collect the cards of their heroes this set will likely make a grown man cry re-living those moments that made October a special time. A time when we could cheer those heroes to the pinnacle of there sport.I can not say enough how much I highly reccomend this to any baseball fan. Even if they don't like the history but favor a particular team or two, The footage here is priceless and is the best I've ever seen in one set for such a ridiculous low price. An incredible value and a collection I will watch again and again. BUY IT!

Recently ordered and received "The Official World Series Film Collection," from Amazon.com for $90 and I must say WOW!I am a baseball lifer and enjoy traveling down to watch the Pirates play and when I saw this product advertised on MLB Network I thought there was no way this was affordable. Then I pop up here and its $90. So I figured the set got to be great pick up so I picked it up.Let me continue to say WOW!The presentation of this box set is a coffee table format. It is really well made and its something that my friends and family over the past few days have marveled over. The foreward has been written by Bob Costas who anyone knows loves the game. Followed in the Coffee Table box is a pictorial essay of the biggest moments in Series history dating from the first WS between Pittsburgh and Boston in 1903 to the Phillies in 2008. Woven in this "scrap book" is the DVDs. One improvement is they put the discs in pockets on top of the pages and its SO much easier to access the discs, in the past box sets released in this format have put discs in the middle of the page in tight spots where you can easily scratch the discs. Not so here.Overall I give MLB and A&E mad props for this excellent presentation of this box set.The contents of this box set is self explanatory you have the World Series FILM of every WS from 1943-2008. I emphasize FILM because you will get someone who will buy this THINKING they will get FULL games. These are not full games. These are 30-45 minute films highlighting each World Series from 1943-2008. I find it a treat to watch players such as Mickey Mantle, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Carlton Fisk, George Brett, Jack Morris, etc in this set.Now the quality of the DVDs are excellent and there are no bonus features and really who cares about bonus features when you have nearly 50 hours of baseball on DVD. This set gives the baseball diehard an opportunity to relive the greatest moments on baseball's grandest stage. I rate these on par with the NFL Films Super Bowl Collection as the finest in Sports DVDs because of the great quality.I watched the 1979 World Series Film between my Buccos and the Baltimore Orioles and watching the build-up of the Series and watching the big plays and big moments are excellent. I am really looking forward to dive into other Series films.Bottomline: if you miss the opportunity to get this set for $90...you are missing a golden opportunity. I find this set to be priceless for the baseball fan. If you are looking for a holiday gift or a birthday gift for the baseball fan I would almost guarantee you will hit one out of the park with this