7 Must-Watch 30 For 30 Shorts

At the moment, there are 26 shorts in the 30 for 30 collection, with two other documentaries finished but currently unreleased. So the folks at uSports decided to look through the series and pick out a few of our favorites. Again, this is not a ranking of the best entries in this series. These are just seven documentary shorts that need to be seen by all fans.

Arnold’s Blueprint

Everyone thinks they know the Arnold Schwarzenegger story, but what about his pre-Olympia years when he was just a member of the Austrian Army? This short delves into his military service, especially how the Army shaped him into the man he is today. Highlights include the actor going AWOL to compete in a bodybuilding competition and the resulting weight lifting set that was designed to fit into Arnold’s tank.

Holy Grail: The T206 Honus Wagner

Probably the craziest story on this list, Holy Grail follows the single most expensive trading card in the world: the T206 Honus Wagner. The 1909 baseball card — which has been previously owned by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick — is the center of controversy, as it is believed one of the owners trimmed the edges to improve its value.

Silver Reunion

For some reason this gem is hard to find, but the Silver Reunion follows the 2012 secret meeting of the 1972 USA Basketball team. In the 1972 Olympics, which took place in West Germany, a controversial call resulted in USA losing to the Soviet Union. At the time, they refused to accept the silver medal, but the aforementioned meeting was set to determine if the group would ever acquire the notorious second place medal. Simply, Silver Reunion is a gripping observation of the Cold War, as well as the psyche of retired professional athletes.

The Irrelevant Giant

Far from the best on this list, The Irrelevant Giant is a touching tale of John Tuggle told by legendary coach Bill Parcells. In the 1983 NFL draft, John Tuggle was selected with the very last draft pick — for those who do not know, the last player picked in the draft is jokingly given the title Mr. Irrelevant — by the New York Giants. And from there, Coach Parcells talks about his relationship with the athlete: how he surprisingly made the team, his flawless work ethic and overall great personality, which was unfortunately cut short by Tuggle’s untimely death from cancer in 1986.

Arthur & Johnnie

Arthur & Johnnie tells the unknown tale of famous tennis player Arthur and his brother Johnnie Ashe. In the 1960s, Johnnie was a marine returning from the Vietnam War. But instead of going home, he choose to serve another tour so his brother could continue his successful tennis career — a fact that at the time Arthur Ashe did not know. It is simply amazing to hear about this selfless tale of sacrifice, something that has basically gone unnoticed for several decades.

Judging Jewell

Judging Jewell is the heart-breaking tale of the 1996 bombing at the Atlanta Summer Olympics and the resulting media witch-hunt of security guard Richard Jewell. Richard, who was originally praised as the hero that saved hundreds of live, was soon lambasted by dozens of media outlets, who thought he was the bomber. It was a stigma that stayed with the innocent man, even after he died.

Kid Danny

Who does not remember the 2001 Little League World Series and Danny Almonte? This documentary short retells the rise and highly publicized fall of the famous pitcher, whose age disqualified the Bronx team from the Little League World Series, through a gripping interview with Almonte.