A promising young ballplayer threw only one pitch for the New York Yankees a half century ago and then, a month later, mysteriously dropped out of baseball. His life quickly spiraled down into homelessness, alcoholism and despair.
After the player dies in his seventies, a young sportswriter who read the obituary asks a retired sportswriter who was a boyhood friend of the player to help him find out why his life turned into such a haunting tragedy. But it soon becomes evident there's a dark secret at the heart of the mystery – one the older writer intends to keep secret.
THE TRAILER
THE STORY
Shot in the spring and summer of 2023, THE PITCH is an upcoming independent feature film. A sports drama, it was written and directed by Stan Freeman based on his successful stage play of the same name. The film, a production of Mill River Films, stars John Haag and Julian Findlay, who also starred in the stage play.
About THE PITCH
THE PITCH began as a stage play, written by Freeman and starring Haag and Findlay, that ran in a regional professional theater in Massachusetts, the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, for five weeks in 2020 and 2021. (The Covid outbreak interrupted the run for 17 months).
REVIEWS FOR THE PLAY
“The performances are terrific ... A well-crafted storyline ... a nice mix of comedy and drama.”
Mark Auerbach, Arts Beat Radio
“Very good ... As crisp and tantalizing as a backdoor slider.”
Chris Rohmann, The Valley Advocate
“John Haag owns the night ... It is a gift to spend time in this actor’s assured comfort playing this role ... A nicely twisting tale of fate and baseball ... All that you could ask for.”
Patrick White, Nippertown
Julian Findlay, left, as Mike Resnick, and John Haag as Roger Pennell on the set of THE PITCH when it ran at the Majestic Theater in 2020.