Crooner Bing Crosby loved his wine. He was also a devoted baseball fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Those loves now gives fans the discovery of lost film footage of one of baseball’s great moments.
In 1960, the Pirates were playing in the World Series, and Crosby, ever superstitious, left the country so that he wouldn’t jinx his beloved team. Crosby had the deciding game of the series filmed – so he could watch it later. The game ended up being one of the most dramatic in baseball history, as Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski slugged a walk off home run to defeat the New York Yankees, and give the Pirates the title. It is the only World Series that ended with a home run. The only things surviving of the game were journalists records, photos and audio broadcasts.
The 16 millimeter print of the game sat in Crosby’s wine cellar for decades, the cool and dry conditions keeping the film in near mint condition. The entire game – over 2 1/2 hours – was preserved.
Late last year the reels were discovered by Robert Bader of Bing Crosby Entertainment. After looking at the footage, he realized he had found a treasure.
This offseason, fans will get their chance to see this historic game. Watch for a special on MLB Network – to be hosted by Bob Costas.