The Bronx is Burning, Part I

SPOILER ALERT

As enjoyable as the HR derby was last night, it couldn't end fast enough. I was really looking forward to seeing part one of the ESPN mini-series, "The Bronx is Burning". As we talked about back in January , the series is based on the Joseph Mahler book by the same name.

What we learned about the Yankees in this first part was nothing we didn't already know: Reggie is an egomaniac, George is a megalomaniac, and Billy was just a sad story. The show opened as George discusses hiring Billy Martin with Gabe Paul during the 1975 season. Despite Paul's protests, George hires Billy to be his man.

A quick montage is shown of the Reds sweeping the Yankees in the '76 World Series. At the end of Game 4, Billy, (as portrayed by John Turturro), gets tossed by 1st Base ump Bruce Froemming. After the game, a furious Steinbrenner, (played by Oliver Platt), storms into the Yankees' dressing room looking for Martin. He finds him alone, sobbing in the trainer's room. Instead of consoling him, Steinbrenner rips into him for humiliating him and promises that he will be running the show in '77.

An off-season discussion follows between Steinbrenner, Paul, and Martin concerning free agents. The Yankees decide they want to concentrate on getting Bobby Grich to play shortstop, even though he's a natural 2nd baseman. Martin was happy with Fred Stanley at short (of course later on Bucky Dent would be brought in). Then, the discussion turns to getting a big bat. Martin wants Joe Rudi, but Steinbrenner wants Reggie; a guy who is as big as the game. Neither Paul or Martin want Reggie, but Steinbrenner is insistant that once they go after Grich they'll concentrate on Reggie. Once Grich signed with the Angels the full focus went to Reggie.

Spring Training arrives and first impressions are not good ones. Reggie ("Rescue Me"'s Daniel Sunjata) goes in to meet Billy and Martin is less than warm in greeting him. Then Reggie quickly puts off Thurman Munson and his new teammates by refusing to run before taking batting practice. This all leads to the eventual disastrous Sport Magazine article in which Reggie is quoted as saying, "I'm the straw that stirs the drink". Making it worse, of course, was his comment about Munson only being able to "...stir it bad".

The actor playing the SPORT Magazine writer was no actor- it was the writer himself, Robert Ward. There was an interesting epilogue to the first episode in which the real Reggie and Ward, in separate interviews, each defend their side of the story. Reggie, of course, says his comments were taken out of context.

The final scene of episode one concludes with George and Billy clashing in the clubhouse over Billy not taking the bus with the rest of the team and for the team losing to the Mets in an exhibition game.

Just a few comments in general about the show and performances: Very little, thus far, has been shown about the Son of Sam murders or the city's turmoil. I have not read the book, so I don't know if the show is true to it or not. It may also be the intention of the producers and director to concentrate more on the Yankees for ratings purposes.

I don't remember Billy Martin having the drawl that Turturro is using, but he's believable in the role. The fake ears are a riot.

It's going to take some time to get used to Platt playing Steinbrenner, though there were certain nuances that were definitely on the money. But they should have gotten the guy who voiced Big George on Seinfeld.

I didn't like the quick portrayal of Mickey Mantle, which was basically some actor having trouble staying upright in his chair because he was drunk.