MLB on Five: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:44, 24 August 2006

Latest revision as of 02:58, 30 August 2024

(227 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}

{{infobox television

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}

| show_name = MLB on five

{{More citations needed|date=February 2021}}

| image = [[Image:GouldLengel.jpg|250px]]

{{Infobox television

| caption = [[Jonny Gould (game show presenter)|Jonny]] and [[David Lengel|David]] on the set of the show

| formatimage = [[Sports]]

| caption =
| runtime = 3:00 -– 6:00 (per episode)

| creator = [[Sunset + Vine]] for [[five (TV)|five]]

| starringpresenter = [[Tommy Boyd]] (1997)<br />[[Jonny Gould (game show presenter)|Jonny Gould]] (1997–2008)<br/ >[[Josh Chetwynd]] (2001–2008)

| country = [[United Kingdom]]

| network = [[fiveChannel 5 (TVUK)|fiveChannel 5]]

| first_airedproducer = [[1997Tinopolis|Sunset + Vine]]

| first_aired = {{start date|1997|3}}

|last_aired =

| last_aired = {{end date|2008|12}}

| num_episodes = 500+ (as of April, [[2006]])

| num_episodes = 500+

}}

'''''MLB on fiveFive''''' iswas a sports television programme featuringon live[[Channel and5 (UK)|Channel 5]] in the UK asproviding live coverage of [[Major League Baseball]] games, broadcast between 1997 and 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/120416-should-mlb-do-more-for-fans-in-uk-and-ireland|title=Should MLB Do More for Fans in UK and Ireland?|website=Bleacher Report}}</ref> It iswas usually broadcast on Sunday (going into Monday morning) and Wednesday nights, with(going into Thursday). The Sunday broadcasts usually beginningbegan at around 1am1&nbsp;am [[British time.Summer TheTime|BST]] showleading alsointo providesthe live coverage''[[Sunday ofNight Baseball]]'' telecast, while the [[MLBWednesday Allprogramme Starbegan Game|All-Starat Game]]various times and [[Worldthe Series]].game Thewas showusually isshown currentlywith presenteda byone- [[Jonnyto Gouldtwo-hour (gamedelay. showFive presenter)|Jonnyalso Gould]]provided andlive coverage of the [[JoshMLB ChetwyndAll Star Game|All-Star Game]] and produced by [[ErikWorld JansenSeries]].

Regular-season game commentary was taken direct from [[ESPN Major League Baseball|ESPN]]; All-Star Game and World Series broadcasts typically used the [[MLB International]] feed.

== History ==

===1997 - 2001: The Todd Macklin Years===

===1997 – 2001===

The show first aired on opening day in 1997 with the game between the defending World Series champion [[New York Yankees]] and the [[Seattle Mariners]]. The show was initially part of the channel's Live & Dangerous late night sport strand. However, by the 1998 season it had been spun off and renamed MLB on five. For its first year and a half the show was sponsored by [[Coors]] Extra Gold, complete with break bumpers with the voiceover ''"Major League Baseball: a taste of real America in association with Coors Extra Gold"''. By the June of the 1998 season this sponsorship deal had ended and the show has not had a sponsor since.

The show was first broadcast on Opening Day in 1997 with a game between the defending World Series champion [[1997 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] and the [[1997 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]]. It was initially part of the channel's "Live & Dangerous" late night sport strand; however, by the 1998 season it had been separated and renamed ''MLB on Five''. For its first eighteen months, the show was sponsored by [[Coors Brewing Company|Coors]] Extra Gold, complete with break bumpers with the voice-over "''Major League Baseball: a taste of real America in association with Coors Extra Gold''". By June in the 1998 season, this sponsorship deal had ended, and the show did not have a sponsor after that time.

The original hosts of the show were [[Tommy Boyd]] and [[Todd Macklin]]. Macklin had originally been hired as a producer onfor the show and was only thrustput into the analyst role when no one else could be found.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} However,"Did a[[Elvis littlePresley|Elvis]] overlike abaseball?" month into the show's first season,enquired Boyd phoned in illone before a show and would never return (joking references are still occasionally made on the show to his long illness)exchange. Boyd has since made comments stating that"Could he hated baseball, including describingeat it?" asreplied glorified [[rounders]]. After a few shows with a number of guest hosts [[Jonny Gould (game show presenter)|Jonny Gould]] was brought in on a three show trail and remains the host to this day (since the cancellation of the soap opera [[Family Affairs]] Jonny is now also the longest serving five employee)Macklin.

A little over a month into the show's first season, Boyd phoned in ill before a show and never returned (joking references were still occasionally made long afterwards on the show about his lengthy illness). Boyd has since made comments stating that he hated baseball, including describing it as "glorified [[rounders]]".{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}

During the Jonny and Todd's stint as hosts the popularity of the show blossomed with audiences reaching over 1 million (a huge figure for a show broadcast in the early hours of the morning) during the [[2000 World Series]]. during this time the show also increased audience participation encouraging viewers to write (and later e mail) their comments, questions and anything else. During the 1998 season they encouraged viewers embarking on trips to ballparks in the US to send in postcards of the stadiums they visited with the aim of collecting one from every ballpark in the league, a goal in which they succeeded.

After a few shows with a number of guest hosts, [[Jonathan Gould (presenter)|Jonny Gould]] was brought in on a three-show trial and remained the host until the show's conclusion.

At this point in the programme's history the show was broadcast from the same studio as Channel 5 news which went on air at 6am; therefore, if a game ever went past 5am hasty alternative studio arrangenments had to be made. And example of this was during game 5 of the [[2000 World Series]] in which the presenters, suddenly in a tiny studio without the benefit of monitors to watch the post game presentation, mused on who the MVP may be.

During these first few years, the popularity of the show blossomed with audiences reaching over one million{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} (a huge figure for a show broadcast in the early hours of the morning) during the [[2000 World Series]]. During this time the show also increased audience participation, encouraging viewers to write (and later e-mail) their comments, questions and anything else. During the 1998 season, they encouraged viewers embarking on trips to ballparks in the US and Canada to send in postcards of the stadiums they visited with the aim of collecting one from each of the thirty ballparks.

In 2001 Todd returned to Canada with his wife, whose job in London was the reason Todd had become involved in the show in the first place. The departure of the man who had educated the majority of the show's audience about the complexities of baseball was a sad occasion and the show was deluged with e-mails, letters and cards wishing Todd well and pleading with him to stay (events that would be repeated during [[Josh Chetwynd]] and [[David Lengel]] departures).

At this point in the programme's history, the show was broadcast from the same studio as ''[[5 News]]'', which went on air at 6&nbsp;am. Therefore, if a game ever went past 5&nbsp;am, alternative studio arrangements had to be hastily made. An example of this was during Game 5 of the [[2000 World Series]], in which the presenters, suddenly in a tiny studio without the benefit of monitors to watch the post game presentation, mused on who the MVP may be. [[Sky News]] now produces Channel 5's news bulletins.

===2001 - 2003: JG and JC===

In 2001, Macklin returned to Canada with his wife, whose job in London was the reason he had become involved in the show in the first place.

A replacement was eventually found in the shape of [[Josh Chetwynd]], a catcher for the British who had played the game at college and Minor League level and was now working for MLB International in London. Josh quickly became a favourite with the audience despite one e mailer describing him as looking like a cheeseball lawyer on his first show. Josh also demonstrated a great on screen chemistry with Jonny and the two have become very good friends away from the show. His previous experience as a player at a high level also meant that Josh could offer a players perspective on the game and excelled at presenting the more technical aspects of the game to the audience. In addition, he kept his audience up to date on [["the Chet Factor,"]] those Major League Players with whom he had a personal connection.

===2001 – 2003===

Josh left the show in the middle of the 2004 season to study a postgraduate Law degree at the University of Arizona, as he quipped on his last show inspired by the e mail received on his first show.

A replacement was eventually found in the shape of [[Josh Chetwynd]], a catcher for the British national team who had played the game at college and Minor League level and was now working for MLB International in London. His previous experience as a player at a relatively high level also meant that he could offer a player's perspective on the game. In addition, he spotlighted Major League players with whom he had a personal connection ("the Chet Factor").

Chetwynd left the show in the middle of the 2003 season to study a postgraduate law degree at the [[University of Arizona]].

===2003 - 2005: David Lengel The Ultimate Commuter===

===2003 – 2005===

In July of 2003, Josh was replaced by [[David Lengel]] who had stood in for Josh as analyst several times on the show. Prior to his stint in the 'hotseat' (as Jonny refers to the pundit's chair) David had also presented reports for five from the World Series.

In July 2003, Chetwynd was replaced by [[David Lengel]], who had also been a semi-regular reporter/analyst for Five's MLB coverage. Lengel's reporting duties included on-site coverage from the World Series. For part of his full-time stint, Lengel was also working as a producer on [[ESPN]]'s 25th anniversary series ''Who's #1''.

===2006 – 2008===

For part of his stint on MLB on five David was also working as a producer on [[ESPN's]] 25th Anniversary series called Who's #1, and as a result commuted some 7000 miles between shows, doing so for ten consecutive weeks in the Spring of 2004. His trip involved leaving New York on Saturday night, arriving Sunday morning, working on MLB on Five that night, and leaving London on the first flight out on Monday morning. He showed no sign of jet lag however and developed a winning repartee with Jonny and endeared himself with his regular 'off on one' rants, quite often as a result of Jonny's constant references to fantasy baseball.

Chetwynd, having completed law school, returned to the show in 2006, although Lengel filled in when necessary. The Five team presented coverage on-site for the first time as Gould and Chetwynd hosted Five's broadcast of the [[2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2006 All-Star game]], won by the American League, from [[PNC Park]] in Pittsburgh. In 2007, they were again inside the stadium for the [[2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star game]] this time at [[AT&T Park]], home of the [[San Francisco Giants]].

===2009===

After a year and a half in the job at the start of the 2006 season it was announced that David would not be returning for the upcoming season as he had a new job as presenter on mlb.com. He is currently a reporter for State of the Yankees, which is released every Wednesday on yankees.com.

At the end of 2008, there were rumours that, as a part of a cost-cutting measure, Five would cease its MLB coverage, and would not broadcast the 2009 MLB season, alongside proposals to cut its [[NFL]], [[NBA]] and [[NHL]] coverage after their respective seasons ended. The cancellation of the broadcasts was confirmed in an e-mail sent by Gould to all those who were part of the BSUK fantasy baseball.

Eight different team won the World Series since during the show's twelve seasons on air: Yankees (3), Marlins (2), Red Sox (2), Diamondbacks, Angels, White Sox, Cardinals and Phillies.

Note: David is a fan of the [[New York Mets]]...

== Spin-off podcast ==

===2006 JG and JC the Reunion===

Although not affiliated with the original Five show, ''The Jonny & Josh Show'' podcast launched in July 2020 and saw Gould and Chetwynd reunited to host along with the producer of ''MLB on Five'', Erik Janssen, with guest appearances from previous ''MLB on Five'' reporter/analyst Lengel. The podcast is a weekly round-up of news and talking points during the Major League Baseball season, aimed primarily at a UK audience. There are additional weekly episodes focusing on [[fantasy baseball]] advice.

David was in turn replaced by the returning Josh who having completed his Law course returned to the show at the start of this season and after a brief absence tying up loose ends it would appear that he is back for good. During this season the five team presented coverage live from America for the first time in the shows history. Jonny, Josh and Erik were in [[PNC Park]], Pittsburgh for the [[MLB All Star Game|2006 All-Star game]] which was won by the American League. The regular presenters were joined at the Game by previous pundit David Lengel, who has also appeared on the show in the On the Beat segment and as a stand in pundit on two occasions.

== Presenters ==

*[[Jonny Gould (game show presenter)|Jonny Gould]] (host, 1997–2008)

*Pat Garrigan (analyst, 2001)

*Brett Barash (analyst 2001)

*[[Josh Chetwynd]] (analyst, 2001–2003, 2006–2008)

*[[David Lengel]] (analyst, 2003–2005, occasional guest analyst since 2006)

*Todd Macklin (analyst, 1997–2001)

*[[Mike Carlson]] (occasional guest analyst since 1998)

*[[Vince Garcia]] (occasional guest analyst since 1998)

*[[Tommy Boyd]] (host, 1997)

*[[Mark Webster (presenter)|Mark Webster]] (occasional guest host)

*[[Paul Romanuk]] (occasional guest host)

== Regular features ==

*[[Jonny Gould (game show presenter)|Jonny Gould]] (Host, 1997 - present)

A number of segments appear before the game or in between innings. In addition to entertaining the audience, these exist because UK broadcasting standards effectively prevent Five from running commercials every time the US broadcasters do so.

*[[Pat Garrigan]] (Analyst, 2001)

*[[Josh Chetwynd]] (Analyst, 2001 - 2003, 2006 - present)

*[[David Lengel]] (Analyst, 2003 - 2005)

*[[Todd Macklin]] (Analyst, 1997 - 2001)

*[[Mike Carlson]] (Occasional guest analyst since 1998)

*[[Tommy Boyd]] (Host, 1997)

*[[Mark Webster]] (Occasional guest host)

== Regular Features ==

===MLB Roundup===

Almost every episode features a brief round-up of the main events and games of the last few days. In the early years of the show this was usually done in a half-hour segment at the start of the show; however, as the start of the show has been pushed back closer to the game's first pitch this changed to breaks in play. On Wednesdays, ESPN broadcast scores and highlights from the night's other games, although the entire telecast is usually on a short-delay.

Almost every episode features a brief round up of the main events and games of the last few days. In the early years of the show this was usually done in a half hour segment at the start of the show; however as the start of the show has been pushed back closer to the game's first pitch this is now done during breaks in play.

===On the Beat===

Because the show generally consists of the [[ESPN]] Sunday and Wednesday Night Baseball games there are often many teams that are not shown. To compensate for this, [[David Lengel]] created the on the Beat segment, which offers a telephone interview with a beat writer or local TV commentator of a given team. The segment has also featured a handful of Hall of Fame writers and broadcasters.

===In-Game Trivia===

Because the show generally consists of the [[ESPN]] Sunday and Wednesday Night Baseball games there are often many teams that are not shown. To compensate for this [[David Lengel]] created the On the Beat segment, which offers a telephone interview with a beat writer or local TV commentator of a given team. The segment has also featured a handful of Hall of Fame writers and broadcasters.

In-Game Trivia consists of the producer of the show, Erik Janssen (or when Erik is absent whoever is standing in as producer), setting an obscure trivia question which the pundit has to answer.

===In7th-inning Game TriviaStretch===

In 2002, Gould started stretching his arm while saying "7th-inning stretch". This became a tradition on the show with he and Chetwynd performing 'the stretch' every show.

In Game Trivia consists of the producer of the show [[Erik Jansen]] (or when Eric is absent whoever is standing in as producer) setting an obscure trivia question which the pundit has to answer. Despite the questions being jokingly referred to a Erik's Stumper both Dave and Josh have comprehensively beaten the shows esteemed Expo loving producer over the course of the season.

===Seventh Inning Stretch (Literally)===

In 2002 Jonny started stretching his arm while saying seventh inning stretch. This has quietly become a tradition on the show with Jonny and Josh, and occasional guest analyst Mike Carlson perform 'the stretch' every show. When Dave was the analyst he occasionally participated but preferred not to because of what he described as 'wetness issues' caused by the hot studio lights.

===British Baseball Roundup===

Every Sunday during the British Baseball season, the show gave an update on the results and standings of the British National League, the top level of British Baseball. From 1998 the show had also been at the Final 4 tournament (formerly at Brighton, latterly at [[Croydon Pirates]]) and showed highlights on that week's show.

Every Sunday during the British Baseball season the show gives an update on the results and standings of the British National League, the top level of British Baseball. Since 1998 the show has also been at the Final Four tournament at Brighton and shown highlights on that weeks show.

===Fantasy Baseball===

During the show's final two seasons, the show, in conjunction with BaseballSoftball''UK'', organised an internet-based [[fantasy baseball]] league for aspiring players throughout the UK, on which they offered an update on every Sunday. The game, Fantasy Baseball UK, continued after the show stopped broadcasting.

===One-Minute Blitz===

In the last two seasons the show in conjunction with Baseball Softball UK have organised an internet based fantasy baseball league, which they offer an update on every Sunday. The league and the other fantasy league the presenters are members of have led to Jonny becoming a fantasy bore, often finding ways to work his fantasy team into the conversation and analysis despite his co-host's and producer's protestations.

During the middle of the 7th inning, Chetwynd tried to answer as many viewer e-mails as he could in under sixty seconds. He usually replies "yes" or "no" to each question instinctively. The record was seventeen questions.

===1 Minute Blitz===

During the middle of the 7th inning, Josh tries to answer as many viewer emails as he can in under 1 minute. Josh usually replies yes or no to each question instinctively, often getting the answer wrong, much to Jonny's delight. The current record for the 1 Minute Blitz is 15 questions.

===The Good, The Bad and The Ugly===

Alternatively in the middle of the 7th inning, a series of clips from that weeksweek's MLB games are shown. These range from the best plays of the week (the Good), embarrassing mess-ups (the Bad), and the plain bizarre or excruciating (the Ugly).

===1 Related ShowsMinute Rant===

This involves Jonny or Josh ranting about a particular issue, such as [[Barry Bonds]]' pursuit of the home run record.

===Ballpark Breakdowns===

Although not strictly speaking spinoffs there were a number of other baseball shows and features on five (then Channel 5) from 1997 to 1999.

Added during the 2007 season, Josh describes size, shape, key features and other points of interest of MLB [[baseball field|fields]] and stadiums.

===Pitch,Weaver HitWatch/Granderson and RunWatch===

One of the more popular segments of the show followed the misfortunes of the pitcher [[Jeff Weaver]], who experienced an unsuccessful spell with the [[New York Yankees]] in 2003. The segment was titled "Weaver Watch" and consisted of highlights of his starts coupled with a little mockery. The feature ran sporadically thereafter, ending with his win in the [[2006 World Series]] for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]].

In 2007, Five created the ''Granderson Watch'', following [[Detroit Tigers]] outfielder [[Curtis Granderson]]. As part of Granderson Watch, Granderson answered a viewer e-mail question during each Sunday game.

[[Pitch, Hit and Run]] was a 30 minute show aimed at children and early teens that aired on Sunday mornings usually at 9:15 as part of the Milkshake strand. The show consisted of short instructional features on playing the game along with brief highlights of the game shown live the previous Sunday.

===TurnstyleBaseball Library===

During the "7th-inning Stretch" on Sunday shows throughout 2008, Gould and Chetwynd often threw over to the baseball "curator" [[Phill Jupitus]], who read an excerpt from the week's chosen book. Books read include ''[[The Natural]]'', ''[[The Boys of Summer (book)|The Boys of Summer]]'' and ''Veeck as in Wreck''.

==References==

Turnstyle was a sports talk show which broadcast of five (Channel 5) on Saturday mornings between 10am and 12pm. A baseball round up usually showing highlights of the two games aired on five the previous week was a regular feature of the show.

{{Reflist}}

===Live & Dangerous Replayed/ Review of the Year===

In 1997 and 1998 a review of the year show was broadcast in which all of the sports broadcast on channel 5 including the highlights of the baseball year were shown. The 1997 edition featured [[Todd Macklin]] discussing the season with [[Dominic Diamond]] alongside highlights of the World Series and the seasons top plays. The 1998 edition however simply showed extended highlights of that years world series.

== Trivia ==

Since the cancellation of [[Family Affairs]] at the end of 2005 the show is now five's longest running non-news show. The first show was broadcast seven days after the channel's launch.

This season (2006) is the tenth season of MLB on five; next season will be the shows tenth anniversary.

Six different teams have won the World Series since the shows first season (Yankees (3), Marlins (2), Diamondbacks, Angels, Red Sox, White Sox)

The presenters favourite teams are as follows

:Jonny - [[Atlanta Braves]]

:Josh - [[Boston Red Sox]]

:Dave - [[New York Mets]]

:Todd - Boston Red Sox

:Mike - Boston Red Sox

:Erik (producer) - [[Montreal Expos]] and [[Detroit Tigers]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.fantasybaseballuk.com Fantasy Baseball UK (the fantasy league that began as part of the show)]

*[http://www.five.tv/programmes/northamericansports/ five.tv - ''North American Sport'']

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010090438/http://www.oddsox.dircon.co.uk/MLB/bio.htm An article on the show from ''Double Play'' magazine (Summer 1999)]

*[http://www.baseballfan.co.uk Official Fan Site]

*[http://www.fantasybaseballuk.com The Show's Fantasy League Site]

*[http://www.baseballsoftballuk.com The Sport's governing body in the UK]

*[http://www.oddsox.dircon.co.uk/MLB/bio.htm An article on the show from Double Play magazine (Summer 1999)]

*[http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/tv-programs/channel-5-baseball/1001297/ A review of the show at dooyou.com]

*[http://www.baseballfan.co.uk/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=1524&highlight=drinking+game A drinking game]

{{Major League Baseball on national television}}

[[Category:Five television programmes]]

[[Category:Channel 5 (British TV channel) original programming]]

[[Category:Major League Baseball on television|Five]]

[[Category:1997 British television series debuts]]

[[Category:2008 British television series endings]]

[[Category:1990s British sports television series]]

[[Category:2000s British sports television series]]

[[Category:British English-language television shows]]