Watch The Battered Bastards of Baseball

The Battered Bastards of Baseball is a 2014 sports documentary that tracks the rise and fall of the Portland Mavericks, an independent minor league baseball team that gained a cult following in the 1970s. Directed by Chapman and Maclain Way, the film features interviews with former players, coaches, and fans, as well as archival footage and photographs that capture the Maverick's unique brand of baseball.

At the heart of the film is actor Kurt Russell, who co-founded the Mavericks with his childhood friend Bing Russell in 1973. Bing, a character actor best known for his work on the TV series Bonanza and The Magnificent Seven, had always dreamed of owning a baseball team. When he moved to Portland in the early 1970s, he saw an opportunity to make that dream a reality by creating a team that would be independent of Major League Baseball and its restrictive rules.

The Mavericks were a ragtag group of players who had been rejected by other teams for various reasons, such as being too old, too slow, or too unconventional. But Bing saw something special in these "battered bastards" and believed that they could play a different kind of baseball that would appeal to fans who were tired of the corporate culture of the sport.

Under the guidance of manager Frank Peters, the Mavericks developed a loose, freewheeling style of play that emphasized fun and individuality over conformity. They wore colorful uniforms, performed wacky stunts during games, and interacted with fans in ways that were unheard of at the time. They also played good baseball, winning their division in their first season and making it to the playoffs in several subsequent years.

The Mavericks' success was due in no small part to the leadership of Bing, who served as their promoter, scout, and general manager. He had a knack for finding talented players who had been overlooked by the majors and for creating a supportive, family-like atmosphere on the team. He also had a gift for marketing, using his Hollywood connections to get the Mavericks media attention and to fill the stands with enthusiastic fans.

As the years went on, however, the Mavericks began to face increasing challenges. Major League Baseball took notice of their success and started to put pressure on them to conform to their rules. The team's success also attracted the attention of businessmen who wanted to profit from their popularity, leading to infighting and tensions among the team's owners. And as the country entered a more conservative era in the late 1970s, the Mavericks' countercultural ethos began to seem out of place.

The Battered Bastards of Baseball tells this story with energy and humor, capturing the spirit and excitement of the team's early years while also exploring the darker forces that led to its demise. The film features interviews with a colorful cast of characters, including former players such as pitcher Jim Bouton (author of the classic baseball memoir Ball Four) and outfielder Joe Garza (who gained notoriety for his habit of playing in his underwear). It also includes footage of games, practices, and candid moments that offer a glimpse into the Mavericks' unique culture.

At its core, The Battered Bastards of Baseball is a celebration of the joys of baseball and the power of a tight-knit community to overcome obstacles and achieve great things. It shows how a group of misfits and outcasts can come together to form something special, and how a dedicated group of fans can make all the difference in the world. Whether you're a die-hard baseball fan or just someone who loves a good underdog story, this film is sure to entertain and inspire.

The Battered Bastards of Baseball is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 20 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0 and a MetaScore of 75.