Ken Burns, one of America’s most celebrated and influential documentary makers continues his look at the world of baseball.

When it aired in the US, Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s original Emmy Award-winning series Baseball became the most-watched programme in PBS history. Now the filmmakers return with a look at what has happened in the sport over the past 20 years. British audiences will be mystified no longer by this sport that is hugely popular in its home country but rarely played or watched elsewhere. 

The past two decades have seen extreme highs and lows for the game. In 1994, a strike left many Americans feeing disillusioned with their heroes, and revelations about the use of performance-enhancing drugs left fans reassessing the achievements of some of the game’s greatest stars. However, the period has also seen a rise in Latino and Asian players, new stadiums and vast profits. 

Featuring interviews with players, managers and fans, The Tenth Inning reveals that while it may have had its fair share of troubles, baseball will always have a place in America’s heart – perhaps best demonstrated by the solace many people found in the game following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In a world turned upside down, baseball offered a welcome distraction and a glimpse of a world that might one day return to normal.