One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story (1977)

[Edgy MD]

Made-for-TV biopic I just developed some curiosity about and watched some clips of, so, you know, not worth pollling But I was surprised to see a lot of baseball figures --- including Norm Cash and Al Kaline --- playing themselves. Billy Martin seemed more comfortable in front of the camera playing himself than he ever seemed being himself, if you know what I mean.

[Vic Sage]

I remember watching it as a teen. It came out while LeFlore was still in the midst of a short but spectacular career, and was more about his tragic background and his redemption then his baseball exploits per se (some of which hadn't even happened yet). I don't remember particularly liking it at the time, and I haven't seen it since. Jordi LaForge just didn't project sufficient menace to be a convincing thug saved by Billy Martin and baseball.

The movie also came out too early in his career to deal with his career year in `78 or his great season in Montreal (he still holds their club record for steals). Nor could it trace his fall... the time he let a fly ball bounce off his head for an inside-the-park homer, his quick fade with the White Sox, his subsequent admission that he was 4 years older than he had claimed, having to become an airline baggage handler, failing in an attempt to become an umpire, kicking around as a coach in independent and semi-pro leagues, and later arrested again (twice) for failing to pay child support.

The real story didn't end happily, but you know what they say... no biography ends well, because if you tell the story of a whole life, it ultimately ends in death.

I'd be interested to see it again just to see how much baseball there actually was in it. I don't remember that there was that much, but i could be misremembering.

[Edgy MD]

They actually don't try and make it end particularly happily, as a big theme of the story is that his MLB redemption (and I guess going from convict to big leaguer is almost a literal redemption) is all about keeping his kid brother from making the same street-life mistakes he did, and his brother ends up dying.

Strange that Jordi had enough gravity (or menace) to become a star playing a defiant slave refusing to yield to his identity as he takes his whipping, but not enough to play a stickup artist turned centerfielder. I guess Hollywood softened him pretty fast.

It's got many of the flaws that made-for-TV films tend to have, but I thought it was remarkable to see so many Tiger legends playing themselves. And as I said, Martin seems strangely OK. I remember him working the broadcast booth for the Yankees, doing the pre-game during one of his enforced vacations from managing the team, and he looked absolutely desperate in front of the camera.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Jesus people, his name is LeVar Burton.

[Edgy MD]

I meant no offense.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I saw this in its initial airing. Is it stream-able today? YouTube?

[Edgy MD]

I found and watched a chunk of it on YouTube. No idea if it's complete.