Foundrywire

NEW YORK, NY – The annals of sports history are studded with teams that overcame the odds to capture championships. Teams that made up for lack of talent with extra heart, drive and determination. The 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers were such a team. Entering the postseason as distinct underdogs, the Tommy Lasorda-led squad, through teamwork, grit and perseverance, wrote themselves into the history books and, in doing so, created some indelible World Series moments. This March, as the team begins its last year of Spring Training in Vero Beach’s legendary Dodgertown before decamping for Arizona – commemorate the 20th anniversary of its surprising victory over the Oakland A’s with THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS®1988 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION.

Released in conjunction with the Dodgers 50th anniversary in Los Angeles, fans of the team have never had a memento like this: the Dodgers ’88 World Series and National League Championship Series games play out across seven remarkable DVDs, including all five World Series games in their entirety, plus the complete Game 4 and Game 7 of the NLCS. Featuring over 17 hours of never-before-available full-game content, all of the heroics of Mickey Hatcher, Mike Scioscia, Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson, who in his only 1988 World Series plate appearance issued the home run memorialized as “impossible” by Vin Scully, “unbelievable” by Jack Buck” and “Gone!” by Don Drysdale, are showcased and digitally preserved for fans’ viewing pleasure.

This collector‘s set also includes a treasure trove of bonus content including heart-stopping highlights, interviews with game greats and team legends such as National League MVP
Gibson and A’s closer and Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, featurettes like “Inside the Moments: Kirk Gibson’s Home Run” and footage from series MVP Hershiser’s record-
breaking streak of 59 scoreless innings pitched. Intensified by SleeveStats™ official stats, trivia, and game summaries, THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS 1988 WORLD SERIES COLLECTOR’S EDITION -- the ultimate addition to every Dodger fan’s memorabilia collection -- will be available on March 25 for $69.95SRP.

The last month of the 1988 Major League Baseball season was dominated by Orel Hershiser’s record-setting scoreless-innings streak. But while Hershiser closed the season with 59 consecutive scoreless innings, surpassing the previous mark of another great Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, Don Drysdale, the Dodgers entered the postseason as underdogs. First they needed to overcome the mighty New York Mets; the winners of 100 games featured deep pitching, balanced power, and a battle-tested roster. Then awaiting them in the Fall Classic would be the powerful Oakland Athletics. Led by the Bash Brothers, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, this stacked squad won 104 games, and then swept the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series.

The seven games in this DVD collection prove ‘that’s why they play the games’. Only the Dodgers had the ever-optimistic motivation of manager Lasorda. Only the Dodgers had the ferocity and bulldog determination of Hershiser. Only the Dodgers had the singular cast of players who far exceeded the sum of the parts and became an unstoppable team. Only the Dodgers had the 1988 National League MVP, the inspirational lion-hearted leadership of Kirk Gibson, who-- in one of baseball’s iconic moments-- crushed the spirit of the Athletics with one improbable swing and carved out a special place in the World Series pantheon.

In the end, the Dodgers captured the World Series, and now sports fans can have it in its unedited, thrilling entirety with this official DVD collection.

DVD Bonus Features include:

• 1988 World Series Trophy and MVP Award Presentations
• 1988 Ring Ceremony
• Inside the Moments: Gibson's Home Run
• Orel Hershiser: The Scoreless Streak
• Locker Room Interviews Following the Gibson Home Run
• Award Ceremonies: Kirk Gibson 1988 NL MVP, Orel Hershiser 1988 NL Cy Young
• Interviews: Tommy Lasorda, Kirk Gibson, Dennis Eckersley, Tony LaRussa, Sparky Anderson

Special Game Footage includes:

• Hershiser's 20th Win
• Hershiser Breaks the Major League Baseball Scoreless Innings Record
• Dodgers Clinch NL West
• Dodgers Big 2nd Inning of NLCS Game 2
• Jack Buck's Historic Call of Gibson's World Series home run
• Last Out of the 1988 World Series

A&E Home Video, part of the Consumer Products Division of A&E Television Networks (AETN), is a video distributor of non-theatrical programming, featuring collectible DVD editions of the high quality programming from A&E Network and History, as well as acquired classic programming. A&E Home Video brings the best of critically acclaimed entertainment presented in award-winning packaging to the special interest category. For more information about ordering these and other titles from the A&E Home Video Collection, call (212) 206-8600 (TRADE ONLY). Consumers please call 1-800-423-1212 (A&E). In addition to placing orders by phone, A&E Home Video products may be purchased over the World Wide Web at ShopAETV.com.

Major League Baseball Productions is the Emmy® award-winning television and video production division of Major League Baseball. With unparalleled access to the game and its players, Major League Baseball Productions produces original programming for growing audiences worldwide through its network specials, exclusive home videos, commercials and other specialty programming.