Dennis Eckersley talks personal struggles and redemption in refreshingly honest MLB Network doc.
Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley opens up like never before in “Eck: A Story of Saving,” a one-hour documentary that will premiere on MLB Network on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET.
For 43 years, Eckersley has been center stage in the world of baseball. Now he’s under a different spotlight, sharing stories of a baseball career filled with successes, failures, challenges and confrontations.
It’s a baseball career and a life story worthy of its own feature. We’re pleased the producers of the popular documentary style program “MLB Network Presents” agreed. They put Eckersley center stage at the Cabot Theater in Beverly, Mass and brought his incredible journey to life in a way that spotlights Eckersley in an entirely new light.
The result is an emotionally packed, highly spirited and refreshingly honest documentary that baseball fans can’t afford to miss. We were fortunate enough to be given an advanced screening of the program and here are a few highlights you can look forward to.
Young and hungry
The story begins with Eckersley’s quick ascension to baseball stardom and his harsh introduction to adversity. At just 20 years old, Eckersley debuted with the Cleveland Indians in 1975 and was on top of the world. He began his career with a remarkable 28-inning scoreless streak and rode that wave of success, which included a no-hitter in 1977, for three years before Cleveland surprisingly traded him to the Boston Red Sox.
At the same time, Eckersley was hit with the news that his wife was leaving him for close friend and teammate Rick Manning. In a moment of candor, Eckersley reveals how a series of events that could have easily derailed his career only fueled his determination.
Open and honest
It’s not always easy being open and honest. Sometimes it’s even more difficult when the person you have to be honest with is yourself. Before saving baseball games, Eckersley had to be honest with himself to save himself. We learn how his family opened his eyes to a drinking problem that affected him throughout the early years of his career, and how he turned that negative into a fresh start that would not only reinvent his career, but reinvent how relief pitchers were used.
Eckersley calls it his second act. We dare say it’s the most important time of his life. It set the stage for a Hall of Fame close to his career, and allowed him to reclaim his life.
Kirk Gibson and redemption
Dennis Eckersley’s story can’t be told without mentioning the “home run.” Of course, we speak of the painful walk-off home run Eckersley allowed to Kirk Gibson in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, which led to a Los Angeles Dodgers victory in five games.
It’s one of the biggest moments in World Series history. It’s obviously a defining moment in the career of Dennis Eckersley. Easily the one he’s most identified by. But it’s one he’s embraced from the moment the ball left his hand. Eckerlsey’s former teammates reflect on his reaction, and the leadership role he took that ensured redemption for himself and the A’s.
Here and now
The Dennis Ecklersley you thought you knew probably isn’t the Dennis Ecklersley that existed in 1975, and chances are he’s not the Dennis Eckersley that exists now in 2018. He’s an open book. An honest, sometimes to a fault, human being with a hunger to face challenges and overcome them. His story is one of perseverance, passion, overcoming, evolving and saving, not just baseball games, but himself.
We live that evolution with him, through his own words. From a self-described arrogant rookie, to his fulfilling and emotional Hall of Fame speech, to his current career as an outspoken broadcaster with his own set of terms and perspectives. We can’t recommend the program enough. It’s a powerful profile that shines a bright light on one of baseball’s most enduring and enigmatic personalities.
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