Modern Marvels - Baseball Parks (History Channel) (A&E DVD Archives)

Since it is in the series of Modern Marvels, I expect, at the beginning, to see the technology building the ball parks. It is, however, not what contents in this film. The main theme is the evolution of the ball parks from 19th century to the present. Of course, it is good to know why a ball park shapes like that, why is it situated at the outskirt of the city, and why it moves back to the heart of the city. Through the film, I just feel it misses something, perhaps many. For example, memorable moments, HOFers or teams with that park are worthy of mentioning.Like many DVD's of the THC, I always feel the running time is too short and I just grab the surface. This film is no exception. Every time when I begin to feel interested in what they mention, it just finishes and jumps to another. I'd like to see this topic addressed again in another DVD.

If you a a baseball fan and a history geek then you'll really like this. Growing up in the here and now I can appreciate all the stories my dad told me about watching the Dodgers "Where They Belong" in Brooklyn. It also helps understand how much baseball has grown over the last century. But with all the business that's involved now, to me it's still a game to love.

A brief, interesting, informative survey of the history of ballparks from 18th century sandlots to the planned construction of AT&T Park. Although it is well-organized, it needs more depth. Ken Burns' "Baseball: The Tenth Inning", has a fascinating section with a Fenway Park tour guide. "Ballparks" could have benefited from that kind of approach, as well as more memorable photos, as in the "Take Me Out To The Ballpark" wall calendar. I also wanted to know more about HOK Sports and memorable moments in the various parks. It needed more. By the way, my disc had no closed captioning.

Even though it's out of date already, this is the history of baseball stadiums from the beginning. Released before the new Giants ballpark in San Francisco was finished, it nonetheless covers this aspect of the game thoroughly, from the grass fields and standing crowds in the 1800's, through the wood and later steel structures of the early 1900's to the cookie-cutter dual-purpose stadia of the 70s and the renaissance in design started at Camden Yards in Baltimore, this is the best, albeit probably the only, history of its kind available on video.

This film history is very incomplete particularly since it was made in 2005. It only began to whet my apetite for more, especially about the western US stadiums. It completely neglected to tell the story of Candlestick, Dodger Stadium, the LA Memorial Coliseum and Chase Field (the first that used retractable roofs so that real grass could be grown in an air conditioned space). This should be titled "Eastern United States Baseball Parks".

If you ever wanted to visit ballparks, but never had the chance, this is it. The History Channel takes you to old and new ballparks and gives you some history of each venue in an exciting tour around the country at baseball's great palaces.

If you are a baseball fan you must see this!

Very nice book. Daughter-in-law enjoyed it. She is a big baseball fan.