Spike Lee dishes on World Series, his baseball fandom in exclusive Q&A

This browser does not support the video element.

Spike Lee is best known for writing and directing films such as ¡°Do the Right Thing,¡± ¡°Jungle Fever¡± and ¡°BlacKkKlansman.¡± But he is also a big-time sports fan. It doesn't matter which sport it is; Lee is always in attendance. He is expected to attend the World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers when the Series shifts to New York on Monday. MLB.com caught up with Lee, 67, recently to talk about the Fall Classic and his love for baseball.

MLB.com: Be honest with me: Were you hoping for a Subway Series between the Yankees and Mets?

Lee: Yes. New York City is on fire. The Liberty won (the WNBA title). The Yankees are in the World Series. There are big expectations for the New York Knicks, who haven¡¯t won the championship since the 1972-73 season. It would have been great for New York to have a Subway Series. The Mets -- they weren¡¯t as good as the Dodgers.

MLB.com: How good was it to see the Mets make their comeback after last year¡¯s tough season?

Lee: I grew up a Mets fan. I sound like a New Yorker. But when New York teams are winning, it¡¯s good. It¡¯s special.

MLB.com: Instead, we are getting the 12th World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers. What do you think of that dream matchup?

Lee: If I were alive back in the day, starting in 1947 -- and that was Jackie Robinson¡¯s first year in Brooklyn when he broke the color barrier -- there is no way I would root for the Yankees. I¡¯m Brooklyn through and through. No way I would root for the Yankees. Hell no. The Brooklyn Dodgers were African America¡¯s team. ¡­ Now, I¡¯m rooting for the Yankees. I have no allegiance to the Dodgers at all.

MLB.com: Who do you think will win the Series between the Dodgers and Yankees?

Lee: I hope the Yankees. They haven¡¯t won since 2009. That¡¯s a long time for the Bronx Bombers. It¡¯s going to be a very competitive Series. It¡¯s going to be a lot of fun watching these two teams. New York and L.A.; L.A. and New York. That¡¯s big time. You are going to have people who are going to hate L.A. and hate New York. That just comes with the territory.

This browser does not support the video element.

MLB.com: Of all the players in the Series, who will you focus on?

Lee: You have Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. And then you have Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. There you go. Judge is my guy -- no disrespect to the other great players. Love Judge. But he has to start hitting, though (laughing). I¡¯m going to love him no matter what, but he has to hit. We need the captain to do what he does. The Dodgers' pitching isn¡¯t that (good). They had multiple bullpen games. Look, I love their manager (Aaron Boone), too. I may be talking crazy, but this might go seven games. A classic New York Yankees/L.A. Dodgers seven-game World Series.

MLB.com: So even though the Dodgers are using mostly bullpen guys, you believe this Series can go seven games?

Lee: Yes, because the Dodgers can hit.

MLB.com: What do you like about Yankee Stadium?

Lee: That¡¯s the Pyramid. That¡¯s the Sphinx. That¡¯s the Eiffel Tower, even though it¡¯s not the original. I remember going to games (at the old Yankee Stadium) as a kid with a pole in front of my face.

This browser does not support the video element.

MLB.com: When you go to Yankee Stadium next week, what are you going to munch on?

Lee: I will go to the (Audi Yankees) Club, and I tell them to put a whole bunch of crab legs on my plate and pasta. It¡¯s going to be a memorable World Series. These are two teams who have met 11 times. It¡¯s going to be must-watch TV. I just think this is the year for New York. The Liberty already won. The Yankees will win the World Series and you have the Knicks.

I¡¯m old enough to remember 1969-70. You had the Jets, Mets and the Knicks winning the title. I was at Game 7 at the Willis Reed game -- 13 years old. I remember that year.

MLB.com: You are known as a huge basketball fan, but people forget you are a huge baseball fan.

Lee: I¡¯m from the generation where baseball was the first sport you played. I love baseball. I was at the game when the ball went through Bill Buckner¡¯s legs (in the 1986 World Series). Years later, I did a commercial with Michael Jordan playing baseball. In the commercial with Michael Jordan playing baseball, we had Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Ken Griffey Jr. and Buckner. We see a ball rolling through Jordan¡¯s legs (just like Buckner).

MLB.com: What was it like working with Buckner?

Lee: He took it as fun. That was the year that Michael was playing with the Birmingham Barons.

This browser does not support the video element.

MLB.com: You played the character Mookie in the movie ¡°Do the Right Thing.¡± I¡¯m assuming that character was named after Mookie Wilson of the Mets.

Lee: No. The real story is, when I was growing up on Cobble Hill in Brooklyn, there were softball leagues, and the best pitcher was a Puerto Rican guy named Mookie. That¡¯s where it came from. He was a great left-hand softball pitcher.

As you saw in ¡°Do the Right Thing,¡± as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, the character Mookie wore a Brooklyn Dodgers jersey. In ¡°Mo' Better Blues,¡± Denzel Washington is wearing Willie Mays¡¯ New York Giants away jersey.

MLB.com: Your love of baseball is obvious.

Lee: On top of that, on our block, we played Strat-O-Matic Baseball like it was religion. Everybody had a team and we would spend the whole summer playing Strat-O-Matic Baseball on my stoop. We didn't play with the current teams. We played with the old teams.

MLB.com: Did your father, Bill, get you into baseball?

Lee: All of my sports. He claimed he was a great athlete -- point guard, great second baseman and quarterback. My love for cinema comes from my mother (Jacqueline), and my father hated Hollywood films. Since I was the oldest, I was my mother¡¯s movie date. My passions come from my parents. That¡¯s not unique.

More from MLB.com

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com