Video Profiles Jackie Robinson’s Historic Achievement

With the baseball pennant races heating up, it’s the perfect time to check out some new baseball videos.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Brooklyn Dodger legend Jackie Robinson shattering the major league color barrier. Robinson changed the sports world forever when he stepped up to bat as a Dodger on April 15, 1947.

To commemorate this landmark achievement, Major League Home Video has just released “Jackie Robinson: Breaking Barriers” (Orion, $15).

The compelling documentary features an abundance of terrific archival footage and interviews. The tape also profiles the Jackie Robinson Foundation, founded after his death in 1972, which provides college scholarships.

Hollywood took notice of Robinson’s achievement, and in 1950 he starred as himself in the earnest bio-pic “The Jackie Robinson Story.” Monument Entertainment is offering a 50th-anniversary collector’s edition of the film ($10), which features a minidocumentary on Robinson.

Though Hollywood took some liberties with Robinson’s life - there’s no mention of his Army courtmartial - Robinson acquits himself nicely in front of the cameras. And the film, especially for one made in 1950, is quite honest in its portrayal of the racial injustices Robinson and his wife had to endure.

Ruby Dee plays Rachel.

Dee also stars in the inspiring 1974 TV movie “It’s Good to Be Alive” (Monument, $10). Dee plays the loving wife of Robinson’s teammate, Roy Campanella (Paul Winfield), whose career was cut short in 1958 after a crippling auto accident.

Every baseball fan has a dream team. Major League Baseball Home Video’s “Prime 9” (Orion, $15) features the dream lineup of Mo Vaughn of the Boston Red Sox, the Minnesota Twins’ Chuck Knoblauch, the San Diego Padres’ Ken Caminiti, Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners, the San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds, Albert Belle of the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mike Piazza, and the Atlanta Braves’ Greg Maddux.

Major League Baseball Home Video’s “Show Me the Bloopers” (Orion, $15) is a lighthearted look at the glitches, gaffes and goofs that occur during baseball games. Besides amusing clips of players dropping balls, missing catches and running into each other on the field, the video includes footage from such offbeat events as Elvis night in Cincinnati and dog night in Chicago.