The Battered Bastards of Baseball

Genuine grass roots story of an independent baseball team built in the ashes of a teamless Portland, Oregan. The doco comes complete with the framing of big baseball as a back scratching oligarchy, stomping all over the American dream with golden cleats. There's a few famous faces & attention paid to the community's response, which, being shot in the 70's and through grimy super 8 footage comes across even more authentic.

Very interesting look at a piece of baseball that most people have never heard of. Also further insight into exactly how big baseball was (it lives above anti-trust laws) and how it can bully as it pleases.

Pretty damn fun documentary that takes a giant dump all over MLB. Deservedly so, but some of the bitterness gets tired. It doesn't derail things, and this serves as a nice time capsule of a mostly forgotten event in sports history. Could have been a great 30-for-30.

An interesting story that I have (surprisingly) never of before. The documentary tells that story. The documentary doesn't do much more than that.

There exists no better argument for the awfulness of organized baseball.

The story that is told here definitely has all the beats required by an underdog sports movie. It seems obvious but I would love to see Kurt play his dad in a big screen version written and directed by Todd Field. Recommended for sports fans.

Such a heartwarming story, brought to the screen so lovingly. I do not follow or enjoy baseball, but who cares? As a documentary it's not amazing, but again, the story carries itself. 5 extra points just for Bing and the boys.

Damn you Organised Baseball

An odd, affecting little story about a short-lived independent ballclub in Portland. You'd expect such a narrowly-focused documentary to include plenty of filler or unearned grandeur, but this film is exactly what it claims to be: a fun yarn spun by some colorful folks--no more, no less--as well as a fascinating document of anti-establishment sentiment in the 1970s American mainstream.

A really inspiring flick about the little guys showing the big boys how it's really done.

The ravishing reviewer's review of the battered bastards of baseball

A little fuzzy in the telling, but a very enjoyable story of nonconformism and real play against the clubhouse and its corporate domination. It's interesting to compare Russell's Mavericks to Billy Beane's Athletics--two organizations that performed well beyond expectations (and pissed off Baseball) by recruiting rejected players, but whose methods and objectives couldn't possibly have differed more.

I grew up as a big baseball fan, and I have never heard of this story before. I'm glad it got a worthy documentary. In it's own, fresh way it highlights what's right about baseball, and what's wrong. I might just watch the Brewers tomorrow. Nah, I'll just check the box score.

Great story--with equally interesting people (definitely wanted to know more about Bing Russell) and anecdotes. I'd say that you don't have to love baseball to enjoy this film.