From the perspective of 40 years later, it's astounding that Jose Feliciano's soulful rendition of the national anthem was considered scandalous when he sang it before Game 5 of the 1968 World Series.
Here it is, part of the pre-game festivities as posted by John Philips. This all started about a week ago when I prodded John into posting his video of Lenny Dykstra on "Kiner's Korner."
Now he's got 17 videos on his YouTube page and rapidly is becoming a hero to nostalgic baby boomer baseball fans.
(Check out George Kell about a minute in, where he seems to be doing a parody of sportscasters by stringing together a series of cliches, only he's serious. At least I think so.)
Comments (6)
Well, to quote Mick Jagger and Keith Richards "It's all over now." I have just received this notification from You Tube:
This is to notify you that we have removed or disabled access to the following material as a result of a third-party notification by MLB Advanced Media claiming that this material is infringing on their copyright.
My interpretation of the law differs from MLB's but I don't have an army of litigators at my disposal to dispute their claims. Plus I like my house and don't wish Bud Selig and company to place a lien against it and / or my pension. I guess it's a lot easier for them to push me around than the Player's Union.
Thank you to the dozens of you that thanked me for posting these videos. I was truly astounded at the feedback I received. It was fun sharing these with people that truly appreciated them. In a perfect world, not only would Major League Baseball have saved more of this material, it would also make it more available to the fans that want to view it. But no, MLB couldn't have been bothered to save the videotapes of many of these games or protect the ones they did save from deterioration. Nor can their Baseball's Best website be bothered to post any thing more than a tiny fraction of the materials they do have.
So now my video collection goes back into hiding (from my wife, not MLB - she thinks I'm insane and would love to shred my DVD's if given the chance) and I return to anonymity. To all of you on Kranepool Forum and the other sites that linked my videos, thank you.
And to Neil, thank you for the opportunity to demonstrate to my wife that I am not the only "lunatic" who's interested in watching a videotape of a game "that you already know the outcome of."
John Philips [used to be known as John Norelco in North America] .. you are a mensch. It's always great to see Lindsay Nelson in full bloom ... that sports jacket in the 1977 Old Timer's Day clip was super! And with all that Jane Jarvis [also in the news; that midtown crane collapse affected her apartment] organ music! The other stuff! Koufax and Mantle as broadcasters, along with the underrated NBC stalwart Jim Simpson. Joe Garagiola and a grouchy R. Martinez Jackson! And of course the legend Curt Gowdy, Sr.
And you must have called Lenny Dykstra on one of his multiple phones, because that clip you had came out arounf the time of the recent "New Yorker" article about 'ol Nails and his moneymaking schemes ... and yesterday's Times article about Cutter Dykstra, Len's baseball prospect son.
Even Harry Caray, Tommie Agee and Randy Hundley!
Great stuff, I know I can get the World Series elsewhere but those WOR-TV Mets clips were lost classics!
The fact that MLB cracked down on this shows it has so little time to go after one person who wants to share his excellent video collection.
This was great stuff to watch. I hope that John will have another forum to share these videos with us down the road.
Damn, I missed this one.
A curse on you MLB.
So Neil.....When's the kegger weekend at John's house?
We all donate (can't have PAID ADMISSION, now can we)
a small amount to send John's wife on an apparently MUCH NEEDED 3 night Bahamas cruise...
I'll bring the Swanson's, Cheez Whiz, Pigs N' Blankets and BROWNIES!!!.
We can order out from Zorns.
Music by the previously mentioned (other blog) Bee Gees, Abba, Village People, Jethro Tull, Greatful Dead, Hendrix.... oh, the list goes on forever......
Dress code STRICTLY ENFORCED.
I'm likin' it.
Where's that EDIT LAST POST icon?
"Grateful" Dead.
(Too many brownies combined with overexposure to Lindsey Nelson's color TV enhanced attire way back when).
Imagine how Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the National Anthem would have played back then. That was even too hot for Woodstock.