The World Series of 1945, Detroit Tigers vs Chicago Cubs

2002.004.271
https://www.detroithistorical.org/lea...

16mm reel containing the black and white film, "The World Series of 1945, Detroit Tigers vs Chicago Cubs", produced by Chicago Film Studios, and presented by the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, in cooperation with A.G. Spalding and Brothers, Incorporated and Hillerich and Bradsby Company. Lew Fonseca is credited as the film's writer and director, and Bob Elson provides the narration. The film details the highlights of each game in the series.

The opening titles are followed by a dedication to former baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. In addition to a title card, Landis is shown in old footage watching a game, and celebrating with members of the New York Yankees.

The film the moves to the exterior of Briggs Stadium just before the first game of the 1945 World Series, where the narration begins. Fans are shown lined up outside of the stadium. The film then moves inside for shots of the crowd, and the players warming up on field. The film highlights Hank Greenberg, Hal Newhouser, Eddie Mayo and Roy Cullenbine of the Tigers. For the Cubs, Phil Cavarretta, Andy Pafko, and Stan Hack are each introduced. In the stands, the film also identifies Tigers owner Walter O. Briggs, Sr., and his son Walter "Spike" Briggs, Jr., as well as Connie Mack, American League President Will Harridge, and Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler. The teams' managers Steve O'Neill and Charlie Grimm are then filmed shaking hands, before both being profiled by the narrator. Likewise starting pitchers Newhouser and Hank Borowy are also shown shaking hands. The narrator then gives the line-ups for both teams over shots of the each player warming up.

A play-by-play account of the game follows, supplemented by wide shots of the game from a perspective above the right side of the field, mixed with dramatic low-angled close-ups of players.

Following the Cubs 9-0 victory, a title card introduces game 2, again at Briggs Stadium. Following a shot of starting pitchers Virgil Trucks and Hank Wyse talking before the game, the film provides another recap of the game's highlights in the same style as before, including Greenberg's three-run homer. A slow motion clip from behind the batter's box is used to illustrate Greenberg's swing.

The film begins its segment on game three, the final game in Detroit, with another shot of fans lined up outside the stadium. Inside the film again recognizes the starting pitchers--in this case, Stubby Overmire and Claude Passeau. Passeau secures the game for the Cubs by pitching the second ever one-hitter in the history of the World Series.

Before covering game four, the film recognizes several American League players who were recently released for service in the armed forces--Charlie Keller of the New York Yankees, Luke Appling of the Chicago White Sox, Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians, Buddy Lewis of the Washington Senators, Sam Chapman of the Philadelphia Athletics, and Dave Ferriss of the Boston Red Sox. Slow-motion footage is used to show these players' hitting and pitching forms.

The segment on game four begins with footage inside and outside Wrigley Field. Special note is made of seating reserved for patients of the army's Vaughan General Hospital. Tigers starting pitcher Paul "Dizzy" Trout is filmed demonstrating grips on a Spaulding ball. The Cubs' starting pitcher Ray Prim is also shown warming up. The Tigers tie the series by taking the game 4-1.

The coverage of game five begins with shots of players warming up. Hank Borowy and Hal Newhouser are featured in close-ups as the starting pitchers. The Tigers emerge victorious at 8-4.

The sixth game's segment begins with footage of starting pitchers Trucks and Passeau. This game runs into a 12th inning, with the Cubs coming out on top.

The final game's segment begins with footage of drum majorettes performing, before turning to starting pitchers Borowy and Newhouser. After the game, the film briefly captures the victorious Tigers celebrating in the locker room.

The film is on a metal reel, housed inside of a blue metal canister with an "American League of Professional Baseball Clubs" label. The canister is contained within an olive green mailing box, with mailing labels from MacFadyen Electric of Royal Oak, Michigan.