COMING DURING THE first year of the involvement of the UNited States in World War II, this cartoon short was a natural for this period. While most of Hollywood's output during those war years either portrayed the life of our Fighting Forces or the people giving their support on the Home Front; this Goofy entry, titled HOW TO PLAY BASEBALL, did its part to give support and some degree of humorous relief.
THAT THE NATIONAL Pastime was an important element of the American makeup was obviously an indisputable fact. It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who urge the Major Leagues to continue to play a full schedule during those war years of 1942-45. FDR heartily endorsed continued play; albeit under a somewhat diminished set of circumstances. This would be due to so many of the first rate major leaguers being in uniform of their country, instead of their teams.
OTHER THAN THE year of the great conflict, there is nothing different about either the game or of the surrounding humor as generated by the cartoon. As usual, we find Goofy at the heart of the sight gag laden one reel of animated mayhem. The story, the narration and the comic situations portrayed here could well be exactly the same. Perhaps we would have to concede that an update in uniforms and some of the equipment would be in order; but this is to be expected and is a minor sort of change to be implemented at best.
ALONG WITH SO many of those other entries into the Disney GOOFY Series, this would be 8 minutes well spent. So, what are you waiting for, Schultz? And while you're watching, why not show it to some of the younger generation; who may well discover a whole, "new" world of truly funny animation shorts. And they are truly "clean" and "wholesome" entertainment.
THAT THE NATIONAL Pastime was an important element of the American makeup was obviously an indisputable fact. It was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who urge the Major Leagues to continue to play a full schedule during those war years of 1942-45. FDR heartily endorsed continued play; albeit under a somewhat diminished set of circumstances. This would be due to so many of the first rate major leaguers being in uniform of their country, instead of their teams.
OTHER THAN THE year of the great conflict, there is nothing different about either the game or of the surrounding humor as generated by the cartoon. As usual, we find Goofy at the heart of the sight gag laden one reel of animated mayhem. The story, the narration and the comic situations portrayed here could well be exactly the same. Perhaps we would have to concede that an update in uniforms and some of the equipment would be in order; but this is to be expected and is a minor sort of change to be implemented at best.
ALONG WITH SO many of those other entries into the Disney GOOFY Series, this would be 8 minutes well spent. So, what are you waiting for, Schultz? And while you're watching, why not show it to some of the younger generation; who may well discover a whole, "new" world of truly funny animation shorts. And they are truly "clean" and "wholesome" entertainment.