CLEVELAND, Ohio – The creators of “War on the Diamond,” a documentary whose foundation is based on the classic baseball book “The Pitch That Killed,” have created a Kickstarter campaign to add to their financing as they head to a fall release.
Elyria native Andy Billman, a former ESPN producer, is a thorough researcher who said by the time he is done with this project he will have read about 10 books on the subject. Billman is producer and director.
“The thing I keep developing,” he said, " ‘How much deeper can I go? What else is there?’ "
Quite a bit, apparently.
What Billman is doing is extrapolating past the infamy (Ray Chapman’s death) and fame (Indians World Series title) of 1920. He uses the events of that year as the launching point for a deep-seated, century-long rivalry between the Indians and Yankees.
“What happened to Chapman was so tragic and it was so sad and it was bigger than baseball,” Billman said. “Chapman and (wife Katy) Daly were really a big fixture in this city.”
But he added: “When it comes to the Yankees and Indians, you keep digging, whether it was Bob Feller’s hatred of the Yankees, whether it was how much of the George Steinbrenner stuff … him being a Clevelander and (growing up) a diehard Indians fan.”
Yet every time Yankees owner Steinbrenner came to Cleveland he really wanted to beat the Indians, Billman said.
Last year, Danielle Alberico of SMA Creative and Art Horan of Los Angeles-based Bronson Park Films acquired the documentary rights. Pam Sullivan of Come Aboard Productions is co-producing. And Billman said Fritz Mitchell, a longtime director and producer, is executive producer.
Billman’s work includes the “30 for 30” film “Believeland.”
Billman, who said the project is midway through field production, said he will be making treks in April and May to film in Progressive Field. The documentary also will include some re-enactments, something Billman usually doesn’t gravitate to but seems appropriate for this film, he said.
The Kickstarter initiative is as much a way to raise awareness as well as funding, he said. Donations that come in will go for marketing, production and footage – the latter could cover payment of archived materials, Billman said. The Kickstarter campaign is not the sole financial source for the project.
“The way I look at is – people want to be a part of this process,” Billman said. “It’s a way for people to learn about it. It’s a chance and opportunity for people to be a part of it, for people who thinks it’s special.”
The multitude of special moments and historical importance is captured in the 1989 book “The Pitch That Killed.” Mike Sowell’s classic baseball book dives into the 1920 season with parallel storylines focusing on the Indians’ Ray Chapman and Yankees pitcher Carl Mays. It was Mays who threw the fatal pitch that struck Chapman late in the season. Soon after, a grieving Indians team would capture their first World Series title.
The year serves as the initial spark that launched what Billman sees as a connected trail between the Indians and Yankees.
“It all started here,” he said, “whether it’s the ‘I Hate Yankee’ hanky, the Joba Chamberlain bugs … Herb Score. All these things connect.”
Radio talker Pete Franklin was behind an anti-Yankees hanky campaign in the 1970s. Score was hit in the eye in a 1957 game against the Yankees. And Chamberlain battled with midges in a playoff game vs. the Indians in 2007.
“What I hope people get out of this, I think 1920 isn’t forgotten but it is not remembered well,” Billman said. “I am hoping to bring that to life, and why it connects all started here.”
Related coverage: ‘Believeland’ filmmaker Andy Billman to direct Cleveland-focused ‘War on the Diamond’
More info
The Kickstarter info can be found here.
Here’s the website and Facebook page for “War On The Diamond”
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