Newsreel clip on President Franklin Roosevelt attending baseball game between Washington Senators and New York Yankees at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Game is on opening day of the 1941 Major League Baseball season; stands are full. Roosevelt arrives inside stadium in open-top car, flanked by Secret Service agents. Senators players line up along first base line. Newsreel cameras watch as Roosevelt prepares to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Yankee players lined up along third base line. Senators manager Bucky Harris and Yankees manager Joe McCarthy shake hands and chat before game. Leaning on man next to him for support, Roosevelt throws out the first pitch. Brief shot of crowd. Top of the first inning, the Yankees' Joe DiMaggio hits a triple to deep center field, scoring Tommy Heinrich from second. A smiling Roosevelt says something to person in next seat. Brief shot of Yankee pitcher Marius Russo throwing from mound. Senators outfielder George Case hits into a double play. Another shot of happy-looking Roosevelt talking. Senators pitcher Dutch Leonard throws from mound. Yankees catcher Bill Dickey hits a double. Russo hits another double to score Dickey. Yankees would win the game 3-0. Snatches of ambient sound from crowd are heard throughout the clip.
Thousands of New York residents gather on streets to celebrate New Year's eve of 1941. Scenes of neon lights and traffic of Times Square. Many lit signs including a Automat sign. Close up view of lit marquee for George White's Gay White Way. Women Dancers present a wonderful show. Views of Chorus Girls in costume during the show. Many men and women gathered at night club to eat,drink and dance. Quaint and colorful faces can be seen. An overhead view of city streets flooded with merrymakers. More neon lights and signs including one for Vaudeville. Marquee scrolls on New York Times Building with message wishing everyone a happy new year.
View of the sunken Battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48) and the damaged USS Tennessee (BB-43) on Battleship row, Pearl Harbor, several days after the December 7, 1941 attack. A small dory heads toward them. Change of scene shows the USS California (BB-44) listing to port, with tugboat at starboard. She displays the Navy ensign and her deck is filled with sailors and other workers. View from boat (unseen) circling the sunken USS West Virginia. A destroyed OS2U Kingfisher Floatplane near the stern. The ship sunk, but level in the water. A sunken ship being refloated (World War II period).
Newsreel clip titled "Chicago Cubs Head For Pennant Year With Lofty Hopes.' Shows Cubs at spring training camp in 1941 at Catalina Island California. Team runs around baseball field situated near mountains and houses, seen in the background. Close ups of team manager Jimmie Wilson, holding catcher's glove. Shots of Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean on pitching mound, showing young boy how to throw. Shots of Cubs players warming up their arms. Dean (#22) seen throwing to Wilson in batting cage. Pitcher Larry French (no cap) seen throwing to Cub batter who takes a weak swing. Unidentified player throws pitch to outfielder Dom Dallessandro (#31). Player slides into second base as Billy Herman (#4) practices double play. Players hold bats in mock firing position. (World War II period).
Newsreel clip titled "Cleveland Indians Coming Along Fine at Training Camp" from baseball spring training in 1941. Players come running around corner of wooden fence. Close up of Indians manager Roger Peckinpaugh. Shots of coach talking to players, batters warming up. Close up of outfielder Hal Trosky. Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller hurls curveball at catcher Rollie Hemsley. Close up of Feller pitching. Feller throws fastball at Hemsley.
Opening scenes show formations of World War 2 Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bombers in flight. Slate reads: "Pearl Harbor December 7,1941." U.S. B-17 bombers are parked on an airfield. Ships and facilities are seen at the Pearl Harbor Naval station in Hawaii. Views of Japanese Mitsubishi G3M bombers flying in formation above clouds. Explosions and fire destroying aircraft and facilities at the Ford Island Naval Air Station. The USS Arizona burning and filling the air with heavy black smoke as she lists and sinks from bombing. Subsequent views of the destruction wrought by the bombing.