Two excellent sports films debut Tuesday night

Two excellent sports documentaries make their debuts Tuesday night. HBO’s “Broad Street Bullies,” which premieres at 9 p.m., takes a look at the powerful Philadelphia Flyers of the 1970s who won Stanley Cup titles in 1974 and 1975. The film includes 153 images of brawls, nearly all started by the Flyers.

Owner Ed Snider and former players and coaches speak with joy about mixing fisticuffs and filthy play with excellent hockey skills to remake hockey in their image at the Philadelphia Spectrum.

ESPN’s stirring documentary, “The 16th Man,” which debuts at 7 p.m., describes how Nelson Mandela used the Rugby World Cup in South Africa in 1995 to help defuse apartheid’s racial divisions.

The story was told last year in a Clint Eastwood film, “Invictus,” with Morgan Freeman playing Mandela. For “The 16th Man,” Freeman is the executive producer and narrator.

Thank you for joining our conversation on Sports Media. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.