"61*"

Billy Crystal has made a movie that is worthy of a theatrical release but luckily for those of us with HBO we can see it there first.

Crystal directs Barry Pepper and Thomas Jane as Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle respectively, in their chase to break Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs in a season.

The story begins with opening day 1961 and carries through the season. We learn of the struggle Maris went through with the difficulty of being a quiet man form the Midwest being thrown into the spotlight of New York City playing for the Yankees.

We also learn of the struggle of Mantle having to live up to being the next Joe DiMaggio. We also see the darker side of Mantle with his drinking and carousing.

"61*" is not just a baseball movie because Crystal is able to be man enough to show the emotional side of the relationship between Maris and Mantle.

Pepper is a dead ringer for the young Maris. And Jane pulls off the movie star quality of Mantle.

The story is about the personal and professional demons that both players had to put up with and how too people competing for the same thing can become close friends as they must learn to stay together while the media and league was trying to tear them apart.