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Eight Men Out (1988)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 3/14

8M
3/14: Eight Men Out is the story of the most infamous chapter in professional baseball history: the Chicago Black Sox's throwing of the 1919 World Series.

The film is accurate for the most part except for one thing which inevitably loses a point in my rating: the über famous quote "Say it ain't so, Joe" never happened.

There's a surprising likeness of John Sayles' face to Ring Lardner. You may notice Charlie Sheen as one of the three actors pictured on any cover for Eight Men Out, but his character is inconsequential to the story. So, how about replacing him with David Strathairn or Michael Rooker?

Speaking of Charlie Sheen, notice one scene when he oddly threw his glove in the air and then ran to the dugout at the conclusion of an inning. It was actually a standard practice back then which was ended around the 50's. If there's anything off-putting about the film, it's the imbalance. Several characters, most notably Buck Weaver, get too much screen time while the rest of the others don't have a lot to work with. It's why I can't remember or recall their names or what position they played. I honestly didn't know Eddie Collins played for the Black Sox until I looked up the internet afterwards.

Another disappointment which isn't mentioned, but it's an interesting curio, is the players who didn't participate in the fix went on to be inducted in the Hall of Fame: Eddie Collins, Red Faber, and Ray Schalk. Those who did, well...their infamy would be forever mired in shame. Not that anyone will remember them except for Shoeless Joe Jackson who remains the most famous ballplayer associated with the World Series fix. Regardless of what happened, he, who still has the third highest batting average ever, should be in Cooperstown because it's time to move on.

All in all, Eight Men Out is an interesting, if imbalanced, baseball picture.