El santo de las segundas oportunidades

I loved this doc, I loved the story it told, happy and sad. I loved the creative way the colorful tale of Mike Veeck (and the fun he brought to baseball) was brought to life. And most of all I loved learning new backstories about baseball and seeing it as a backdrop for a great story about family, love, and redemption.

You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy and appreciate this. So much of the game we see now, especially in the Minor Leagues, has its roots in wildly creative things that Bill and Mike Veeck dreamed into existence. Baseball is eternal, but the fun of going to a game for fans of all levels, was greatly enhanced by the marketing these guys did. And Mike accomplished all that while dealing with his "outsiders" legacy, his brutal failure (the "Disco Demolition" debacle), and a life outside of the game that was both tragic and courageous. His story is an inspiration. Well done, all involved with this exceptional film.

The media will try their hardest to destroy it, but more on that later.

I grew up just west of Chicago, and as my father's daughter, a fan of the Sox. I was 11 when Veeck came on the scene and it was, quite literally, the greatest thing since sliced bread. The exploding score board was my favorite, and despite my dad's insistence, I absolutely loved the butterfly collars and shorts. By the time Disco Demo came into existence, it was clear that our team was not good, and as the winds of change seemed to imply, a big change was on the horizon. I wasn't at that game, but I can say with absolute certainty that the only motivation people of my age had for despising disco was, it royally blew. It was something the weird 'old people' seemed to love, and we loathed. Disco had worn out its welcome and had absolutely NOTHING to do with orientations or melanin in one's skin. It seems the people screeching the loudest that there were definite undertones to DD, weren't even a twinkle in their father's eye to that point, and really need to calm down with the hyperbolic rhetoric. The White Sox were (and still are) located in Bridgeport- a predominantly black area, and drew a large crowd of fans of all shades. This injection of nonsense where none needs be needs to stop.

Back to my point at the beginning of my review, I think Mike is seeing what the rest of us have come to know far too well, even though there was no ill intent with DD, the media seized on the misjudgment and proclaimed everything wrong with the Sox to be at its core, the fault of Bill Veeck. But not because of lighting albums on fire, because he upset the natural order of the elites world. And by proxy, those who fluff those elites and write wonderful, glowing words that sing their praises. This simply wouldn't do; he had to go and this was their chance to finally gather the long knives and rid the game of him and his ridiculous antics once and for all. It's heartbreaking to see how much Mike blames himself but I hope he knows the truth behind this story, finally.

The story of his redemption was only due to his own personal hell, but one we can relate to. His redemption arc is noteworthy, and his wife, children and cast of characters that round out the menagerie of talent make this a compelling tale. It's an all-too-familiar tale of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, making not just lemonade from lemons, but a champagne cocktail. Learning from mistakes, becoming a better person for it, and passing those lessons on to our children. I've met Mr Strawberry on several occasions and he's one of the most genuine, kind and funny men I've had the privilege of meeting. He and Doc Gooden were attending a charity event together, and as they reminisced, I was the fly on the wall, soaking in every moment. I'm so pleased to see he's found his own redemption story and hope that one day, his will be told, as well.

Thank you, Mike, from Iowa. For the memories made with my own father because of you and yours. I hope your history is your greatest asset and your future is bright. Please disregard the nonsense of the press/media regarding 'that day'. Those of us cognizant enough to recall know what the intentions were, and despite the claims of the tiny screeching heretics, it was definitely time for disco to go.

Starts out as a documentary on the owner of the chicago white sox. Father bill veeck and son mike both owned teams at different times. With different levels of success. When bill owned the white sox, he and mike came up with fun gimmicks to keep the fans entertained. A barber shop, circus animals, fireworks for home runs. Luxury suites. Theme nights. Blowing up a dumpster full of disco records. Which unfortunately turned violent. And when that era ended, son mike went on to put together another baseball team. The saint paul saints. One downside is the sound level near the beginning... one minute it's sky high, the next it's so low, we can't hear the speakers. Since dad bill had died years ago, we do hear quite a bit of the story from son mike veeck himself. Along with many other baseball greats. Quite a bit of time spent on the complicated darryl strawberry story. Interesting stuff. Some ups, some downs. Get the kleenex ready! Directed by jeff malmberg, morgan neville. Interesting story of an interesting family.

The Saint Of Second Chances takes you in one direction but shifts into something so much more touching than watching men try to hit a fastball.

As the title says, this is a story about second chances and how to make the most of them when they come your way. It's a movie about baseball. It's a movie about mistakes made and the associated regrets. It's a movie about creative hustling. But most of all, it's a movie about family and the legacy it leaves one generation after the next.

You don't have to love baseball to enjoy The Saint Of Second Chances. But if you do, you will understand how the Veecks have influenced so many facets of the game and how their family influenced each other.

I am a former college baseball player but I can't say I actually knew the story of Mike Veeck or his family. This story is bigger than baseball in fact it has very little to do with baseball at all. This is really a story exactly emblematic of its title, we may fail spectacularly and may think we have reached the end of our road but with sheer strength of will and dedication one can do the impossible and Rise From the Ashes.

Mike is truly an impressive individual I can't say that I've been more impressed by somebody and sometime. His passion, commitment and perseverance in the face of so much adversity is astounding and he is worthy of admiration.

I highly recommend this documentary for anybody whether they like sports or not I think everyone has something to gain from it.