As "The Saint of Second Chances" (2023 release; 94 min) opens, Mike reminisces about his dad Bill who in 1975 bought the White Sox. Mike eventually became the Head of Promotions, and the wackier the better, I mean there were no limits. Then comes the (in)famous Disco Demolition promo in the summer of 1979...

Couple of comments: this is co-directed by Jeff Malmburg and Morgen Neville ("Won't You Be My Neighbor?"). Here they look back at a time when a well-intending Bill Veeck buys the the White Sox and just wants people to have fun. Bill's relationship with his son Mike is a bit complicated, leading to ups and downs. I will leave the movie makers' allegation that DD was racist and homophobic for historians to figure out (to me it sounds like judging a 1979 event by 2023 standards). DD was hard on Mike Veeck, and it leads him to reassess his life (and finding second chances). Bottom line: this is an okay documentary but just ok, to be honest.

"The Saint of Second Chances" started streaming on Netflix recently. I was flabbergasted when I saw that this documentary is currently rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, like this is the best documentary, ever? Sorry, not buying it. Of course don't take my word for it, so I'd suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Starts out as a documentary on the owner of the chicago white sox. Father bill veeck and son mike both owned teams at different times. With different levels of success. When bill owned the white sox, he and mike came up with fun gimmicks to keep the fans entertained. A barber shop, circus animals, fireworks for home runs. Luxury suites. Theme nights. Blowing up a dumpster full of disco records. Which unfortunately turned violent. And when that era ended, son mike went on to put together another baseball team. The saint paul saints. One downside is the sound level near the beginning... one minute it's sky high, the next it's so low, we can't hear the speakers. Since dad bill had died years ago, we do hear quite a bit of the story from son mike veeck himself. Along with many other baseball greats. Quite a bit of time spent on the complicated darryl strawberry story. Interesting stuff. Some ups, some downs. Get the kleenex ready! Directed by jeff malmberg, morgan neville. Interesting story of an interesting family.

I loved this doc, I loved the story it told, happy and sad. I loved the creative way the colorful tale of Mike Veeck (and the fun he brought to baseball) was brought to life. And most of all I loved learning new backstories about baseball and seeing it as a backdrop for a great story about family, love, and redemption.

You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy and appreciate this. So much of the game we see now, especially in the Minor Leagues, has its roots in wildly creative things that Bill and Mike Veeck dreamed into existence. Baseball is eternal, but the fun of going to a game for fans of all levels, was greatly enhanced by the marketing these guys did. And Mike accomplished all that while dealing with his "outsiders" legacy, his brutal failure (the "Disco Demolition" debacle), and a life outside of the game that was both tragic and courageous. His story is an inspiration. Well done, all involved with this exceptional film.