1919 World Series film found, had spent 50 years under ice rink

This is pretty cool. A researcher found footage of the 1919 Series in the Canadian archives in Quebec. The film ended up there after a long journey that began in the Yukon Territory, where it went to a library, then, in 1929, was put with other films into an old swimming pool which was covered up and made into an ice rink.

Then, in the 70s, the rink was bulldozed, the films were found, restoration took place, and then the films sat in the archive for another 35 years.

As one of the writers noted, one interesting part is footage of Game 1, where it shows Cicotte getting lit up and not even bothering to back up plays on the bases.

To watch the footage:

http://mlb.si.com/2014/05/02/watch-1919-world-series-footage-white-sox-reds/

The story behind it:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2014/04/10/newsreel-of-19-world-series-was-found-buried-in-canada.html

 

Probably the one thing most people would want to see was how Joe Jackson was playing in the outfield -- several printed accounts say he loafed/dogged while chasing several balls hit to the outfield, allowing Reds hitters to take extra bases, but the film doesn't appear to show any of that.

It does show, in the footage of Cicotte getting knocked out of the box during the 9-1 loss, Cicotte basically standing around with his hands in his pockets while plays are going on -- he doesn't move into backup position or anything. (EDIT: I see this is noted in the text commentary).

Although Cicotte later admitted to the fix and wasn't denying anything any more when the case broke, pretty much anybody watching the game probably had to suspect SOMETHING was wrong.

 

Freaking awesome.

 

I tingled with delight when I saw this pop up.
Eddie is my great-great uncle (or my great-great uncle's cousin...I forget). My dad as a 20-something without a mustache is a spittin' image of him.
And I noticed the same, he didn't move on some of those plays. I had to check with a few people to see if maybe pitchers didn't cover back then. Nope, he was just on the take. (I still haven't seen my cut of that $$ LOL)

 

Great stuff ... it was cool seeing "old" Comiskey Park, back when it was relatively new.

(for some reason, there's footage of Chicago hosting Game 3 at the start of that clip, before it switches back to the series opener).

I also liked the footage shot from the plane by the "aero-cameraman." You can see the shadow of the plane as it flies toward the Cincinnati ballpark.

 

Maybe they're the same plane that threw the dummy down on the field?

 

Very cool. As the SI story noted, that might have been one of the very first sports-related flyovers.

 

I thought it was cool, too, when they flashed to New York to show people watching the game simulator similar to the one shown in Eight Men Out.