The Sportys baseball DVD -- it's a hit!

Let's get one thing straight up front -- I know next to nothing about baseball. And Alfie knows less than nothing. Neither of us grew up here, so baseball has never been on our radar, and our kids have spent their early years not knowing anything about America's Pastime. But now they're starting to show some interest in the sport. They've got friends in Little League and cousins who love to Play Ball, and they're feeling a bit left out since they barely know how to hold a bat, let along hit a ball with it. So when I was given the opportunity to preview The Sportys, a brand new baseball DVD for kids, I gladly said yes because I thought it would be a great way to introduce my kids to baseball.

The Basics
The Sportys DVD has a 22-minute animated segment that tells the story of a ragtag bunch of baseball newbies who are introduced to the fundamentals of the game by a baseball named "Stitch" (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan of The Green Mile fame). The team (along with ) learn about fouls and strikes, bunts and walks, and everything from first base to home plate. They end up playing a game against some baseball bullies, and learn about teamwork, positive thinking and good sportsmanship.

For parents and kids who want to take it one step further, the DVD also has several live-action "skills and drills" segments featuring Yankees Hitting Coach Kevin Long and some bat-toting youngsters. Mr. Long offers tips on stretching, hitting, fielding, pitching, and base running for kids who want to improve their baseball skills at home (and for parents who want to help them).

The Bongga
My kids loved the story so much that they asked to watch it again right after the show ended! And I know the DVD has been successful in introducing them to baseball, because right this minute I can hear them incorporating baseball terms and situations into their pretend play.

What I like best of all are the "skills and drills" segments just for parents, where Kevin Long offers tips on setting expectations (kids' and parents'!), teamwork and sportsmanship. With all the stories I hear about parents yelling at their kids and coaches and each other, it's so great that this DVD emphasizes the importance of good values and having fun.

The Blah
There isn't really much I didn't like about the DVD. The Pea thought it was weird that the animated kids all seemed to move around in slow motion, and I did think the animation looked rather flat, but the characters were kind of cute (they reminded me of the characters in the Puffs tissues commercials.

The Bottom Line
Whether my boys end up in Little League or stick to playing pickup bat-and-ball games with their cousins, The Sportys DVD has given them some great entertainment, practical baseball instruction and valuable life lessons. I can't wait for The Sportys to come up with more DVDs for other sports!

Win it! One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a copy of The Sportys DVD and a signed collectible poster signed by Evan Longoria, 2008 Rookie of the Year!

Required entry: Leave a comment on this post and tell me your child's favorite baseball team (If he doesn't know any teams, tell me your child's favorite sport. Don't forget to leave your email address or other means of contacting you.

Extra entries:
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5) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

The Sportys baseball DVD giveaway from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/n82ps7


This giveaway ends at midnight PST on August 17, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on August 18 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

I received a product sample for this review, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed in this post are my own.