At 90 years young, Willie Mays, the oldest living Hall of Famer, has lived a life that others can only dream to have experienced. Heβs set multiple MLB records, collected a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and has inspired millions with both his play and resilience. Heβs the perfect choice for a documentary, and because God is good all the time, heβs now getting one.
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According to Deadline, it will be HBO Sports, LeBron James and Maverick Carterβs Uninterrupted, Major League Baseball, and Zipper Bros Films that will combine superpowers to produce a documentary about one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport.
From Deadline:
The deep dive film will of course have archival footage of that amazing display by Mays in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, baseballβs Golden Age and a career that spanned from 1951 to 1973 on the field. However, I hear, it will also include contemporary interviews and reflection on Mays and his trailblazing influence in and outside baseball too. Perhaps even a certain POTUS may have something to say β¦ as he did today.
The announcement was made on Maysβ birthday, which falls on May 6, and the former Negro League superstar sounds delighted to finally share his story on film.
βSome say that throughout my life I have inspired others, but the truth is that so many have done this for me,β Mays told Deadline. βMy teammates, my friends, and of course the fans mean so much to me. And so I hope this documentary can give back to all of them something enjoyable and inspiring in return.β
βWillie Mays is an American icon, a prime example of black excellence and baseballβs greatest player,β director Nelson George said in a statement. βItβs an honor to be able to chronicle his journey from the Negro Leagues in Alabama, stardom with the Giants in Harlem and to the gameβs apex in San Francisco.β
Production has already begun on the film, and itβs expected to premiere on HBO sometime next year before finding a permanent home on HBO Max.
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