Sports documentaries can be compelling for a variety of reasons, and MLB Network has hit the mark with its latest piece about Hall of Fame Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt.
After premiering on Dec. 12, "Michael Jack Schmidt" is sure to become a regular fixture in MLB Network's rotation, thanks to its candid portrait of its subject, great use of old footage, and worthwhile commentary from Schmidt's peers, former teammates, and other personalities. The film, which runs around 75 minutes once you omit commercials, doesn't spend much time on Schmidt's origin story, giving you just enough to get the feel of where he was coming from before jumping into the meat of the story.
And it plants that early "seed of doubt" when discussing Schmidt's major struggles upon his first ascension to the big leagues. Stardom was far from guaranteed for the man who is widely regarded as the greatest third baseman in MLB history, as crazy as that may sound now.
'Michael Jack Schmidt' offers a worthwhile look at the Phillies' greatest player
Schmidt, of course, persevered, and the bulk of the film is spent examining the many highlights and low points of his long career. For a Philadelphia sports fan, it's quite the roller coaster ride. It's a study of triumph and elation, mixed in with a great deal of disappointment and impatience on the part of the fans. One can only shake their head and laugh at the grainy old footage of "Philadelphia looking" fans throatily booing Schmidt and the team when things weren't going right. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Even for fans who weren't alive yet, students of local sports history had to like the old footage that featured the words of John Facenda and other great voices from the past. And hearing from Schmidt's old teammates such as Larry Bowa and Larry Andersen allowed us a glimpse inside their relationships with a player that nobody ever quite fully figured out.
These were fun recollections, and it was also interesting to hear fellow Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and George Brett discuss what they thought of Schmidt as a player. The only objectionable part came when Brett, reflecting on Phillies' fans booing of Schmidt during his terrible performance in the 1983 World Series, said that he's glad he never played in Philadelphia. So are we, George. Go grab some more pine tar.
The behind-the-scenes look at Schmidt's pursuit of 500 home runs was particularly fascinating, and it nicely wove together broadcast footage with clubhouse videos and talking heads to tell the tale. As accurately pointed out by Jayson Stark, Schmidt's 500th blast was one of the greatest calls of Harry Kalas' career in an all-time moment in the history of the franchise. Phillies fans may have collectively found a stray lash in their eyes at that point. No, those weren't tears, stop looking at me and just keep watching the movie.
0-for-3 on the day, 2 outs in the top of the 9th, 3-0 count.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 13, 2024
The story was set for Mike Schmidt's 500th career home run and he delivered in the biggest moment 💪
📺 #MLBNPresents "Michael Jack Schmidt" - NOW on MLB Network pic.twitter.com/OGIyVrZ0kU
The doc does try to drum up some sympathy for Schmidt, painting him as a bit of a victim. There's always got to be some kind of conflict, right? But Schmidt, to his credit, says that he wishes he had a chance to go back and correct his attitude and some of the things he said at the time. With age comes wisdom, and it really never should have been a serious conflict between Schmidt and the fans. But we can't change history; everyone just has to wear it and move on. And that's exactly what happened during the later stages of Schmidt's career and on his Hall of Fame induction day in Cooperstown in 1995.
Sure, you would change a few things about Schmidt's career, just like everything that happens in life. But Mike Schmidt isn't some tragic figure. He won just about every accolade a player could, and he left an enduring legacy for a franchise that sorely needed it. This MLB Network documentary underscores the point quite well. For as long as baseball endures, Michael Jack Schmidt will be synonymous with the Philadelphia Phillies. And if that doesn't put a smile on the faces of Phillies fans, I don't know what will.