I had the good fortune to attend a baseball game at Wrigley Field. It was the summer of 2014 and the Cubs played their division rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a memorable experience. Wrigley is the second oldest major League baseball park in the country. It was built in 1914. To get to the stadium, fans can take Chicago’s above ground subway system called the “L.” Riding the subway to the stadium with Cub and Cardinal fans is an experience in itself but walking up to and into Wrigley field is like stepping back in time. The stadium has been upgraded over the years and is in the mist of a massive 5 year renovation but Wrigley Field maintains a nostalgia to it with it’s architecture, Ivory covered walled outfield and it's iconic red Marquee sign. It’s the perfect setting to watch the Cubs, who are one of the “Classic Eight” or original major league baseball teams play the game. This team has been around since 1876 in a sports oriented city that has won a combined 28 championships. The Cubs won the World Series 1907 and 1908, then went on a cold streak that lasted 108 years before winning this year’s series after being down 3 - 1 against the Cleveland Indians. It was a remarkable comeback for the team and fans whose love of the Cubs crosses generations. Just think, the last time the Cubs won the World Series, women couldn’t vote and the President of the United States was Theodore Roosevelt.
To commemorate this historic win, the distributor Shout! Factory in conjunction with Major League Baseball released two collectible film sets, “The 2016 World Series”, which is a Blu-ray and DVD combo pack with a digital copy and “2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs”, a 8-disc collection on Blu-ray and DVD. Let’s break them down.
The 2016 World Series (Blu-ray/DVD) - $34.99
The official World Series film is the crowning achievement each year from Major League Baseball. With numerous camera crews capturing every exhilarating pitch, every historic home run and mesmerizing moment from every postseason game, 'The 2016 World Series' film delivers the Cubs' thrilling series run in an expertly crafted documentary, edited from hundreds of hours of footage. Featuring comprehensive highlights, exclusive access and interviews, and breathtaking, hi-def footage that delivers home audiences directly to the ballparks, this extraordinary souvenir, narrated by actor and longtime Cubs fan Vince Vaughn, captures the team's thrilling series in epic fashion. Championship bonus programming includes season-long highlights, as well as excerpts from the record-setting celebratory parade that turned Chicago blue with a crowd estimated at nearly 5 million.
2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs (Blu-Ray/DVD) - $79.97
An 8-disc set that preserves every inning, every play and every heart-stopping moment from the 2016 Fall Classic - from "spiritual" team leader David Ross' dramatic home run in the final game of his career, Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester's masterful performances on the mound to Kris Bryant's final, thrilling 5-3 put-out to Anthony Rizzo.
This special edition presents all seven complete and uncut World Series games, all wrapped with SleeveStats which offer official stats, game trivia and more to enhance the viewing experience. Also included, are a bonus disc of the pennant-clinching NLCS Game 6 at Wrigley Field, as well as four audio options, allowing home audiences to watch the games while listening to either the television broadcast, Cubs Radio Network announcers, the Indians Radio Network or a Spanish-language version of the broadcasts.
This December, fly the W (another sign of the past where the Cubs in the 1940s would alert commuters on the "L" if the team won a day game) and celebrate the Cubs history-making run to the championship with these two ultimate mementos from one of the most exciting postseasons in a generation.
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