Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, few could both slug as prodigiously and field their position as expertly as Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, but it wasn't always a pretty relationship between him, the Philadelphia Phillies, and fans. It's all set to be discussed when MLB Network premieres its newest documentary "Michael Jack Schmidt" at 8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 12.
Phillies legendary third baseman Mike Schmidt featured in MLB Network documentary airing on Thursday
Part of the MLB Network Presents line of docs, this newest installment promises to dig deep into Schmidt's personality and what his peers, such as George Brett and Johnny Bench, thought about him, as well as the particular demands that Schmidt faced as a prominent athlete playing in Philadelphia. To that end, former 76ers Charles Barkley, Julius Erving and Doug Collins will also be part of the doc to lend their knowledge of the subject.
In addition, many of Schmidt's former teammates who know him best — think Larry Bowa, Garry Maddox, Larry Anderson and more — will be giving a detailed look at their relationships with the best third baseman to ever play the game. MLB Network looks like it won't be pulling any punches, as Schmidt's wife of over 50 years, Donna Schmidt, has also been interviewed to give the most intimate account of how her husband's personal life and his baseball accolades have collided over the years.
Upcoming MLB Network documentary, ‘Michael Jack Schmidt,’ looks amazing. pic.twitter.com/MeQrcdgEnt
— John Foley (@2008Philz) December 3, 2024
For a large segment of the Phillies fanbase, myself included, Mike Schmidt is a larger-than-life figure. Look no further than the statue of Schmidt that will stand outside Citizens Bank Park for the entirety of its existence. After an amazing 17-year career, Schmidt retired abruptly in 1989 rather than subject everyone to a victory lap for a worn-out hero. I don't know what the sentiment was at that time, but I suspect that many fans felt cheated, even as Schmidt's skills had diminished.
When he was fittingly enshrined in Cooperstown as soon as possible in 1995, it was the ultimate test for Phillies fans. Here you had the greatest player in franchise history going back over 100 years, but one that the fanbase frequently made its favorite target for scorn. Schmidt, for his part, didn't help matters with some of what he said and did. But all seems to have been forgiven since that Sunday afternoon in New York almost three decades in the rearview, as Schmidt displayed the kind of grace and appreciation many long thought him incapable of showing.
It also helped matters that Phillies icon Richie Ashburn was being inducted as well, making it one of the proudest days in the history of the club. Since that time, it seems, Schmidt's legacy has improved and he is remembered almost exclusively for his tremendous accomplishments on the field.
Today, Schmidt is still around in his role as an occasional weekend color analyst on Phillies broadcasts, and you see him pop up from time to time in other capacities as well. His days as an instructor and coach are well past him; he was never really cut out for much of a post-playing career in baseball anyway, as his one season as Clearwater manager in 2004 showed. His contributions to the game in the batter's box and in the field spoke loudly enough, as legends don't often end up as the kinds of "baseball lifers" that enjoy an active role in the game for decades after their playing days are over.
Phillies fans and a great many fans of the sport in general will be tuning in at 8:00 p.m. ET on Dec. 12 for a comprehensive look the likes of which we've never seen about its subject matter, Michael Jack Schmidt. If MLB Network's previous efforts are any indicator, it should be a compelling study of one of the very best to ever play the game.