1969 Cubs 7,8,9,10

This tape shows many scenes from before and during the Cubs vs. Mets reunion matchup. It features coverage of Fergie Banks and Leo Durocher.

00:28Copy video clip URL The video opens on a journalist, with whom the filmmakers discuss a man named Leo. The journalist notes how Leo ran a pretty loose ship throughout a season while the Cubs won a lot of games, and then noticed towards the end of the year how this mindset was impacting the team. By then, says, it was too late and the success was lost.
02:10Copy video clip URL The same journalist speaks to how the team was built on a base of very strong players, going so far as to extol how one Billy Williams was surely a shoo-in for this years Hall of Fame class.
03:50Copy video clip URL Finally, the journalist mentions that he’s now writing full-time for the Phoenix Gazette and enjoying the pension which his work at the Chicago Tribune earned him.
04:15Copy video clip URL The film cuts to several b-roll shots from around the ballpark, showing fans dressed in Mets and Cubs gear, as well as players signing balls and such.
05:00Copy video clip URL Hanker Gary introduces himself as living in Franklin, MI, and being the president of Mexican Industries in Detroit. He explains that his company is an automotive supplier for the big three car manufacturers.
06:00Copy video clip URL A new shot shows the inside of the locker room, where players from both the Mets and Cubs sit and prepare for the upcoming game. The shot tightens on an older man dressed in a leather jacket, presumably the coach, standing out from the sea of uniformed players.
06:45Copy video clip URL The older gentleman recounts a story from Japan in 1953 about how a man named Rhodes showed up to the team bus looking extremely disheveled from a long night out. He said he punished the man by playing him hard and long during the game that day.
08:30Copy video clip URL The coach then recounts more stories of Rhodes, especially about how well he could hit, noting several notable statistics from the man’s career.
10:00Copy video clip URL The film cuts to several more scenes from around the locker room,
11:05Copy video clip URL Don Kessinger introduces himself as living in Memphis, TN, where he works in investing.
11:55Copy video clip URL Phil Regan introduces himself as living in Grand Rapids, MI, and working as the pitching coach for the Seattle Mariners.
12:08Copy video clip URL Scenes from the ballpark return, as players and fans mill around.
12:30Copy video clip URL Ernie Banks and his wife Marjory introduce themselves as living in Los Angeles working for the relocation business, Van Lines of Chicago. They both declare that the Cubs will win today’s game.
13:30Copy video clip URL Several scenes from around the field follow, showing the coach talking to his players, players with their grandkids, and other scenes.
14:25Copy video clip URL A man is interviewed about Leo — the same Leo as in this video’s initial interview. He recounts a time that Leo beat a friend at a bet, much to his delight. The interviewee then speaks about the upcoming MLB park which is to be built in Phoenix. He notes that Phoenix expects to have an MLB club within the next few years.
16:00Copy video clip URL Several scenes from around the ballpark follow. Players’ names are called as they run out of the bullpen and into the lineup. Both teams line up down opposite baselines. The Cub’s manager is introduced as Leo Durocher — presumably, the same Leo who has been spoken about several times.
18:30Copy video clip URL A new shot shows the Cubs bullpen prior to the game beginning. The stands are packed, and several players warm up out in front of the bullpen. Other players can be heard discussing their professions in the background.
19:50Copy video clip URL Leo Durocher exclaims to his catcher how disheveled the clubhouse looks; the catcher responds by saying that’s not his responsibility. The two joke saying that if the Cubs win, the catcher is the manager — if they lose, it’s Durocher’s fault.
21:00Copy video clip URL A shot of Fergie Banks focuses on him as the play goes on, and he claps as the Cubs make a good play. “We got that baby, he says, as the Cubs get their third out and he runs off the field.
22:50Copy video clip URL In the dugout, Banks discusses how well certain players are holding up, comparing them to other players — and themselves. As they discuss, they sign a baseball for the police officer in their midst.
23:50Copy video clip URL Banks walks out to hit, first practicing his swing and stretching himself out as he sits on deck. “Oh yeah,” Banks exclaims as he watches Billy Williams hit a deep one.
25:14Copy video clip URL Banks steps up for his first swing, misses it, and then can be heard asking the catcher: “What’s he throwing?”
25:29Copy video clip URL Banks tips his second swing, then smashes his third deep into the outfield. He’s waved around the bases as the crowd goes wild, eventually stopping at second base. “I still got it,” Banks exclaims loudly.
26:30Copy video clip URL Various shots of the Cubs dugout follow, while Banks can be heard commenting on the play of the game.
27:40Copy video clip URL “I’m getting better with age,” Banks can be heard saying as he runs home to score. As he returns to the dugout, he shakes hands with the rest of the players — all of whom compliment him on his hit.
28:20Copy video clip URL A helicopter enters the field, hovering a dozen feet off the ground. A man directs it around, positioning it for landing. Cubs players look on from the dugout and can be heard discussing the game.
29:20Copy video clip URL Fergie Banks comments on the play of the game as he mans first base; “the Mets are still hitting the same way,” he says, as he converses with the Mets players on first base and the first base umpire.
30:35Copy video clip URL “Take your time,” Banks says, as a Mets player smashes one deep and runs past first.
32:10Copy video clip URL “You just watch Billy Williams,” Banks responds to a Mets player who gets on base — implying that Williams is a superior hitter.
32:25Copy video clip URL Banks inquires with one Mets player how his head is, saying that he wonders how the Mets ever beat the Cubs since the Cubs players were all so much smarter.
33:15Copy video clip URL “Come on!” Banks yells as the Mets smash another deep hit, sending another runner home. He extols the importance of patience to the first base umpire, before grabbing a ground ball and tapping out a runner to end the inning.
34:30Copy video clip URL Banks, back in the dugout now, reminds the rest of the players of the importance of patience, noting that they’ll need it to come back. Several minutes of b-roll from the dugout follow.
36:00Copy video clip URL Banks returns to bat, stepping without swing on his first pitch. He connects on his second, only to watch as the ball is caught and he gets out.
37:18Copy video clip URL A new Cubs pitcher — Rich Nye — warms up, presumably during the break between innings. The first proper pitch he throws is hit deep, seemingly out of the park.
39:00Copy video clip URL Nye throws several more pitches, though it’s unclear whether they are practice until another one is again hit deep. One more pitch is hit deep, with Nye running to cover off a runner at third from going home.
41:00Copy video clip URL Nye throws several more pitches, one of which goes deep enough to make the crowd go wild. Another goes deep, and several Mets players can be seen running around the bases.
42:30Copy video clip URL Nye throws pitch after pitch, including a final one which is smashed high and into the glove of a Cubs outfielder.
44:00Copy video clip URL Rich Nye sips a Miller Lite as he returns to the bench, saying he’s had a hard weekend. He talks with several of his teammates about his beer, what it’s like to play again, and various other parts of baseball and this game.
45:20Copy video clip URL “Hitters never forget how to swing the bat,” Nye comments, commenting on how hard it is for other positions to keep up their skills.
46:10Copy video clip URL Two Cubs players earn applause when they leave an empty pitcher at the mound for the current pitcher to use. The new pitcher throws several practice pitches before catching one off the bat of the hitter, getting him out.
48:00Copy video clip URL The new pitcher throws several more pitches, many of them balls.
48:30Copy video clip URL The camera switches to interview Fergie Banks, who speaks about why he left the pitcher an entire jug of water; Fergie explains that the water is a supply for the pitchers “wet-one” pitches. He explains that this pitch was legendary in the 1960s, as it would drop and do crazy things near the plate — making it very hard to hit.
49:35Copy video clip URL Continuing to speak about tough pitches, Banks explains that there were many tricks pitchers would use to throw harder pitches and that they would often have to hide these things from the umpire.
50:00Copy video clip URL Banks begins to talk about his current work: working cows over 160 of his 200 acres, all himself, which he says he enjoys greatly. He notes that the farm is about six miles from where he grew up, and he’s been working it for about twelve years.
51:00Copy video clip URL Various b-roll shots of the dugout go on for a few minutes, several of them focusing on Leo Durocher.
52:25Copy video clip URL The crowd and several members of the dugout sing Take Me Out to The Ball Game. Durocher looks on, smiling.
53:00Copy video clip URL Several b-roll clips follow, all from around the stadium. Players sign autographs and mingle with the crowd. A makeshift “Bleacher Bums” grandstand is shown, a play on the stands atop the buildings surrounding Wrigley Stadium.
55:00Copy video clip URL A new pitcher begins throwing, his underhand style contrasting with that of the previous pitchers. The video soon cuts away from him and back to b-roll from around the stadium.
56:08Copy video clip URL The tape cuts to black.
56:27Copy video clip URL Tape ends.