Secondes chances: Le baseball, c'est sacré!

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.

As "The Saint of Second Chances" (2023 release; 94 min) opens, Mike reminisces about his dad Bill who in 1975 bought the White Sox. Mike eventually became the Head of Promotions, and the wackier the better, I mean there were no limits. Then comes the (in)famous Disco Demolition promo in the summer of 1979...

Couple of comments: this is co-directed by Jeff Malmburg and Morgen Neville ("Won't You Be My Neighbor?"). Here they look back at a time when a well-intending Bill Veeck buys the the White Sox and just wants people to have fun. Bill's relationship with his son Mike is a bit complicated, leading to ups and downs. I will leave the movie makers' allegation that DD was racist and homophobic for historians to figure out (to me it sounds like judging a 1979 event by 2023 standards). DD was hard on Mike Veeck, and it leads him to reassess his life (and finding second chances). Bottom line: this is an okay documentary but just ok, to be honest.

"The Saint of Second Chances" started streaming on Netflix recently. I was flabbergasted when I saw that this documentary is currently rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, like this is the best documentary, ever? Sorry, not buying it. Of course don't take my word for it, so I'd suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

I loved it! It is a glorious celebration of baseball and a maverick's take on sports and building a fan base. I Lived in Chicago and am still a White Sox fan. WE had season tickets at Comiskey Park. I'll never forget Disco Demolition and watching it on TV and being so angry that they had to forfeit the second game that night. Bill Veeck was the greatest. Mike is amazing and the film shows so much about sports entertainment. I've been in Pro Sports marketing ( NFL) and seeing where so many of the ideas came from is wonderful. I think the storytelling is good and includes many unexpected cameos.

I started out watching this as I love sports documentaries. Great stories on baseball and how the entertainment in baseball came to be. Guy rises, guy messes up, guy falls....guy gets second chance. Seems normal right? Regular documentary story line...Now comes the best part of the story, the dad aspect enters. He introduces his second wife, his kids and how they tie into the storyline. No spoilers here, but there is a wicked twist and it totally makes this documentary one the best I've ever seen, and I watch a LOT of documentaries. I've already told everyone I know to watch it, you should too. You won't be disappointed.

I was born in 1959 and have always maintained that baseball is by far and away, the greatest sport in the world. It has been that way since 1869. There are many reasons that need no elaboration here. This is about the movie.

This is yet another great story of family and how baseball plays its part, up front and center, within, and beyond to the next generations. Technically speaking, the game stands on it own, without additives. But the point here is that baseball is FUN. It always was, being at the ballpark, whether at the beautiful professional cathedrals or the broken down minor league parks. The Veeck's had a lot to do with that, and I will forever be grateful. This movie again reminds me of that.

It's been said -- you don't need to love the sport to enjoy being at the game. Same goes for the movie. It's a wonderful story, with all it's ups and downs, from Bill to Mike, his daughter Rebecca, Dave Stevens, Darryl Strawberry, an on. It's another great story, centered around baseball.....of course.

THIS PART ALMOST RUINED IT FOR ME but see the last sentence of this paragraph: Towards the end of the movie, I couldn't believe that Mike had to comment on the ridiculous implication about racism or orientations being behind the 'disco sucks' promotion. I was a teenager and for us rockers, disco DID suck, and it never crossed our minds that was about anything else. I wish the producers would have INSISTED to leave it out, but they were probably given an ultimatum. Leave it to the politicos to try to ruin this. I'm sure the media will take their best shot too. Thank God the story is bigger than both of them.