MLB Network Presents is set to mark the 25th anniversary of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2001 World Series title with a new documentary, Destined: The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, which will debut Thursday, October 29 at 5 p.m. Arizona time.
The 90-minute film is the 50th installment in the MLB Network Presents series since it launched in 2015, and it traces the Diamondbacks’ rapid climb from expansion team to champions in just four seasons. The story builds to Arizona’s seven-game win over the three-time defending champion New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series.
The documentary includes interviews with World Series co-MVPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, former general manager Joe Garagiola Jr., 2001 manager Bob Brenly, and championship players Jay Bell, Steve Finley, Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, Damian Miller, Reggie Sanders, Matt Williams and Tony Womack. Their perspectives cover the team’s early days, the way the roster was assembled and the moments that defined the championship season.
Schilling says in the film, “When you put the right people in the right room, there is no unachievable goal. …I think the 2001 season was the perfect baseball season for that team ... everything about it was perfect,”
With archival footage and interviews from both past and present, the film looks back at the decisions, personalities and performances that shaped one of the quickest championship runs in MLB history. It also examines the organization’s creation and Johnson’s arrival, which brought credibility to the franchise.
The film gives particular attention to Gonzalez’s leadership and career year, along with Schilling joining Johnson to form a dominant top of the rotation. Schilling also shares original notes he brought to the dugout during his playing career, offering a closer look at the preparation behind his performance.
Brenly’s role in managing a veteran roster is another focal point, as the film shows how Arizona came together around one clear mission: winning the first World Series title in franchise history. It also revisits the 2001 World Series in the shadow of the September 11 attacks, including the return of World Series baseball to New York, the late-inning drama throughout the series and Arizona’s comeback against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7, finished off by Gonzalez’s championship-winning hit.
The documentary also includes new footage and exclusive access from the Diamondbacks’ 25th anniversary ceremony for the 2001 championship team held this past September, when former teammates reunited to honor the season that changed the franchise.