Just in time for the planned return of a historic abbreviated baseball season, The Ed Sullivan Show’s official YouTube channel hits it out of the park with the official worldwide streaming premieres of baseball legends Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays, offering viewers batting tips, and Mickey Mantle, who makes a major career announcement.

These full segments join the streaming universe to live on forever more than 50 years after they first aired as part of the UMe agreement with SOFA Entertainment Inc. for the global digital rights to The Ed Sullivan Show, which encompasses the influential television program’s historic 23-year primetime run on CBS and marks the first time that The Ed Sullivan Show performance and guest segments are officially available in their entirety across streaming services worldwide.

In his 21 seasons with the Giants baseball franchise, Willie Mays played both in New York and San Francisco. He is a living legend and an American icon. He is widely known and regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, with his unique and gifted combination of power hitting, base running, throwing and fielding. In this 1966 segment, Ed Sullivan learns how Willie Mays bats. Mays said exclusively of his appearances, “Ed Sullivan was a real gentleman. And, a real baseball fan. That’s why he had me on his TV show so many times! I learned later that he had been a sportswriter. You’d never have guessed that!! Anyway, Ed was really good to me. A nice man.”

Jackie Robinson pioneered the integration of professional sports in 1947 when he became the first African American to play in the major leagues in the 20th century; he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers his entire career. In this 1962 clip, the same year he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Jackie Robinson gives Ed Sullivan insider tips on how to handle the bat.

Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees his entire career which included five World Series titles. In his 1969 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, the home-run champion and MVP announces his retirement.

In addition to sports, the voluminous gems in this vast catalog include iconic clips from all aspects of popular culture, many of which have primarily only been available in excerpted versions on EdSullivan.com or as low-resolution digital “bootlegs.” Scores of rarities will continue to be available digitally for the first time and fans can visit The Ed Sullivan Show’s official YouTube channel and EdSullivan.com for more information.

Live On The Ed Sullivan Show YOUTUBE channel Baseball schedule:

STREAM LAUNCH SPORTS GREAT DESCRIPTION AIRDATE

THU 7/23
Jackie Robinson Batting Tips (May 20, 1962)

FRI 7/24
Mickey Mantle Retirement (March 9, 1969)

SUN 7/26
Willie Mays Batting Tips (May 15, 1966)