Cyberchase

"Chaos as Usual"

Who knew that math could be so much fun? OK, I did but I always liked math. For those unfamiliar with the PBS show, it follows the adventures of Digit, Inez, Jackie, and Matt as they do battle in each episode with the villain known as Hacker (voiced by Christopher Lloyd). The interesting aspect of the show is that the heroes defeat Hacker every time by using math. Yes, math! At the end of each show there is a segment called "Cyberchase For Real," starring by Bianca or Harry.

This was the ninth episode of the sixth season of Cyberchase. In this episode the "Cyberchase For Real" segment involved Harry, working as a vendor in Shea Stadium, hoping to catch a foul ball. And who is there to help him, none other than John Maine. If you go to 3:25 in the clip below, you can see the segment. The segment also shows Carlos Delgado fouling off a pitch and Oliver Perez pitching.

 

For more information about the series you can go to the Cyberchase website (http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/).

Availability: from what I can tell, this episode is currently not available on DVD. However, you can watch the entire episode on Youtube. Part one is here, part two is here, and of course part three is here.

The Ed Sullivan Show

Today, when a team wins the World Series or Superbowl, you will most likely hear that the MVP is going to Disneyworld. And in recent years, the team will get an invitation to the White House. Back in 1969 this wasn't the case. You got to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show! 

For those not familiar with it, The Ed Sullivan show began in 1948 (originally called "The Toast of the Town" and ran twenty-four seasons before ending its run in May of 1971.

This was the fourth episode of the 1969-1970 season of the Ed Sullivan show. It originally aired on October 19th, 1969 and featured the New York Mets singing (yes singing!) "You Gotta Have Heart." Most of the World Champion New York Mets were there including Tommie Agee, Ken Boswell, Don Cardwell, Donn Clendenon, Duffy Dyer, Wayne Garrett, Rod Gaspar, Gary Gentry, Jerry Grote, Cal Koonce, Buddy Harrelson, Ed Kranepool, Jim McAndrew, Tug McGraw, J.C. Martin, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Jerry Koosman, and Ed Charles.  This was actually the second episode that month to have members of the NY Mets on it. Two weeks earlier, Ed interviewed Gil Hodges, Cleon Jones, Tommy Agee, Jerry Koosman and Tom Seaver.

Availability: there are some episodes of the Ed Sullivan show available on DVD but I have not yet determined if the full segment of this episode is on any of them.

(Information for this entry came from the TV.com entry for the Ed Sullivan Show and that site can be found here.)

Men In Black

This 1997 movie starred Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as government agents assigned to protect earth from aliens! Stationed in New York City, they are on the trail of an intergalactic assassin. The chase leads to the 1964 World's Fair site adjacent to Shea Stadium. 

Eventually a flying saucer flies across the night sky during a Mets game distracting Bernard Gilkey (this occurs about eighty minutes into the movie). So, the fans at Shea, so used to seeing jets fly over, get to see a UFO this time. In addition to Gilkey's cameo, there are some brief scenes of Shea Stadium both inside the park and outside.

The movie was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and the screenplay was written by Ed Solomon. It is based on the comic book by Lowel Cunningham. A scene from the movie, along with scenes from other movies that showed Shea Stadium can be found here. (Thanks to Loge 13 for finding this site.)