Old films were weak, plain and simple. Back when the film industry was still in its infancy, the actual film that was used was made of a compound called silver nitrate. The material worked well enough for film, but it was highly volatile; if it survived projection without bursting into flames, then a film would usually be melted down in order to recycle the silver. If, for whatever reason, the film was kept around after it was viewed, then there was a good chance it would simply fall apart as the years went by. Basically, while silver nitrate worked as a medium, it clearly wasn't the best choice, and hundreds upon hundreds of films are lost forever because of it.
Because of the extremely fragile nature of old film, finding footage in perfect condition after all these years is a miracle. That being said, Library of Congress archivist Lynanne Schweighofer must be blessed: after her father discovered old canisters in a neighbor's garage, he brought it in for Schweighofer to look at. Not only was the footage in near-perfect condition, it was from the 1924 World Series, putting the film at the ripe old age of 90 years.
The film has since been restored by the Library of Congress, and will now be kept in its own individual vault at the Packard Campus for preservation.
The film is basically a four-minute newsreel of the Washington Senator's victory over the New York Giants during the 1924 World Series. Highlights include a few home runs, the New York Giants managing to tie the game and the extra innings that followed. Even President Coolidge was able to take a break from running the country's economy into the ground to enjoy the game.
The timing, quite frankly, is amazing. After 90 years, the footage is released to the world on the same day that the San Francisco Giants (which moved from New York in 1958) are taking on the Washington Nationals in the opening round of the playoffs. Who knows, maybe it's more than just sheer coincidence...
Considering the film was made from silver nitrate and spent the better part of a century sitting in a canister in someone's garage, the fact that the film is even watchable is truly amazing. Thankfully, despite the ridiculous fragile nature of old films, this little slice of Americana will be preserved for future generations.
