A Few Great Sports Documentaries

Sports have been a part of human society since the first civilizations were formed; and perhaps even long before. People around the world enjoy various sports, and the number of sports fans today is larger than ever. Some of the biggest sports today have fan bases which number in the billions. For example, soccer has over 4 billion fans the world over, cricket is the second most popular with 2.5 billion, and hockey, tennis, basketball, volleyball, etc. are all hugely popular.

Another activity, interlinked with sports, which has always been around is betting or gambling. Sports betting has been around since sports were created, however, today it is more popular than ever. One of the many reasons for the increase in popularity of wagering and gambling is the emergence of online betting websites. These sites can be accessed from all over the world. For example, some of the best sports betting sites Pennsylvania can be found on that link.

Sports fans are often times dedicated and deeply passionate. One of the ways in which this passion shows is through the popularity of sports documentaries. In this article, we are going to talk about a few of the best sports documentaries which any fan of sports should check out.

Ken Burns’ Baseball

In 1994, popular documentarian. Ken Burns released on of his most successful and beloved television documentaries. Simply titled Baseball, the miniseries features many of Burns’ trademarks. It is separated into nine parts, cleverly referred to as “innings” by the crew. Each of the parts looks at an era in baseball history, recants some of the most impactful moments of the era, and talks about the most notable events.

Through the documentary, Burns explores the impact that baseball has had on society, as well as the game’s relationship with race, business, labor, etc. The documentary is a must-watch for any fan of baseball, though it will certainly be enjoyed by anyone.

Murderball

Murderball is a 2005 film, directed by Dana Adam Shapiro and Henry Alex Rubin, which follows the players of wheelchair rugby. The film follows the rivalry between the U.S. and Canadian wheelchair rugby teams, culminating in the 2004 Paralympics. 

Murderball explores the drive and passion of the disabled players, and has resonated with fans of sports the world over. The film was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature at the 78^th Academy Awards, and has also won the Sundance Film Festival’s Best Documentary Feature award, as well as, a number of other film awards.

When We Were Kings

Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, boxer of all time, and this film recounts the “Rumble in the Jungle” event, where Ali faced off against his long-time rival, George Foreman. Apart from the guest interviews from modern celebrities, such as Spike Lee, George Plimpton, Norman Mailer, etc., the film also features archival footage of notable celebrities of the time, most notably, musician B.B. King and boxing promoter Don King.

The director of the film, Leon Gast, spent 22 years making the film, and upon release it was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews, and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. It is a must-see for any fan of boxing, as well as fans of American culture and history. 

A Few Great Sports Documentaries to SEC Sports Fan Blog

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