The Battered Bastards of Baseball
The Battered Bastards of Baseball
R | 20 January 2014 (USA)
The Battered Bastards of Baseball Trailers

Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creates the only independent baseball team in the country—alarming the baseball establishment and sparking the meteoric rise of the 1970s Portland Mavericks.

Reviews
BlazeLime

Strong and Moving!

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Protraph

Lack of good storyline.

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BelSports

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

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Abbigail Bush

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

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jwcohen-945-938965

Sorry to say that I'm no baseball fan but _The Battered Bastards of Baseball_ is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.Picture a workman television actor who loves baseball. He forms an independent baseball team in Portland, Oregon, when the current team takes a hike looking for greener pastures in another city. He holds open tryouts and potential players who never made it come for their shot from as far away as South Africa.The story is likened to Professor Harold Hill of _The Music Man_ fame who isn't pitching a boys band to River City citizens but a baseball team to a city who sorely needs it share of quirky local heroes. A classic underdog story paired with a club owner who's a showman.., _The Battered Bastards of Baseball_ has feature film written all over it and is a film I want to see.

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Geeky Randy

Documentary about Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creating the only independent baseball team in America at the time, operating without a Major League affiliation. From public tryouts to the in-your-face attitude, the 1973–1977 Portland Mavericks are a thrill to watch. Featuring interviews with Kurt Russell, Todd Field, Frank "The Flake" Peters, Joe Garza, Jim Bouton and Joe Garagiola. What's even more exciting than hearing about these underdogs win is hearing about Bing Russell going face-to-face with the powerful establishment of Major League Baseball and basically telling them that the only rules he'll play by are the rules of baseball. Nowadays, however, it feels a bit ironic that a guy like Bing Russell, the man who did it all for the love of the game which included practically giving the middle finger to the bureaucracy of sporting establishments, would be a New York Yankees fan.***½ (out of four)

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MacTheMovieguy

A surprisingly interesting Netflix documentary about the Portland Mavericks, and their owner Bing Russell. The film starts out chronicling Russell's childhood, where he grew up watching the Yankees in their summer training, and tried to parlay that into his own professional career. After being injured, he tried his hand at acting, and became most well known for his role on Bonanza. He's also Kurt Russell's father.In the early 70′s, Russell formed a minor league professional baseball team in Portland, called the Mavericks, and they caused quite a ruckus in baseball history. They were the only independently owned minor league team at the time. Todd Field (In The Bedroom) was a batboy for them.The film chronicles both the rise and fall of the Mavericks, and Bing Russell. Kudos to Netflix for wanting to tell this story. Bing Russell was a good man, and fought a good fight. I was completely unaware of this story before, and I'm glad I know more about it.

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PartialMovieViewer

Who would have thought? The results germinating from a person's kindness and a real love of baseball, would end up the forcing the stars into alignment. An excellent exposé on that perfect culmination of people, time, and place; each of which in perfect sync with one another guaranteed the inevitable 'magic moment' to occur. I am not a daily rider on 'The Karma Train Express', but Mr. Russell's charitable actions saved baseball for Portland, and gave a glimmer of hope to many who had none. This man earned praises and reverence - and my respect. Guilty as charged - often, I assume that most movie actors are usually empty shells, acting for quick cash and nothing more. To augment their moral paydays, they do a little of this or a little of that adding some phony sheen to their humanity. After all their self-aggrandizement is published, they go home and admire reflections in their mirrors. Boy am I wrong and I do apologize. Like I said, guilty as charged. This documentary made me eat my words…and those words did not taste very good. Chapman and Marclain Way did an absolutely excellent job directing this masterpiece. You did not overdue this…you showed respect and love…well done.Good job. Bravo Zulu and keep up the good work.

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