FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2008
CONTACT: Meg Fullwood
214-740-9377
mfullwood@kera.org
FORT WORTH CATS SHARE HISTORY IN THROUGH A CAT’S EYES
DALLAS/FORT WORTH – The Fort Worth Cats celebrate the 120th anniversary of the beginning of professional baseball in Fort Worth with the KERA premiere of the documentary Through a Cat’s Eyes. The one-hour program chronicles the minor league baseball team’s history from its inception in 1888 to the present. Through a Cat’s Eyes airs Monday, April 21, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. on KERA 13. The program will rebroadcast Monday, May 5, 2008 at 10:00 p.m.
Through a Cat’s Eyes uses eyewitness reports, historic photographs and film footage to tell the story of Fort Worth’s legendary baseball team. Newsman Bob Schieffer (CBS), who grew up in Fort Worth, shares his memories of the team. The documentary also features interviews with celebrated team members and Hall of Fame inductees, Duke Snider and Sparky Anderson, and major league baseball greats, Bobby Bragan, Maury Wills and Carl Erskine.
The rough and tumble Cats were known as the Fort Worth Panthers in the early days. The team began play in 1888 and rose to prominence in the 1920s under the management of W.K. Stripling, Paul LaGrave and Manager, Jake Atz. The Panthers won six consecutive titles between 1920 and 1925 and represented the Texas League against the Southern League in what became known as the Dixie Series. Major league exhibition games brought some of baseball’s biggest stars to Fort Worth, including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees and Ty Cobb of Detroit Tigers fame.
The Fort Worth Cats joined the Brooklyn Dodger’s farm system in the 1940s, which offered first class training, facilities and developed the league as a whole. Fort Worth fans welcomed Hall of Fame giants Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Pee Wee Reese to exhibition games La Grave Field. Today, the Fort Worth Cats are riding a new wave of popularity and celebrating an independent league record of three consecutive championships, 2005 to 2007.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Filmmakers Rush Olson and Randal Crossman have joined forces with David Hatchett of the Fort Worth Cats to produce the documentary Through a Cats’ Eyes. Rush Olson is creative director for media with the Texas Rangers where he writes copy for radio and television ads, website projects and broadcast content. He has 22 years experience calling play-by-play for minor league, college and high school games. Randal Crossman is a producer/director with Fort Worth City Cable Television where he produces live sporting events and edits programs for broadcast. Crossman also produces sports programs for high schools and universities across the country. David Hatchett is a long-time Dallas area broadcaster with extensive experience covering sports as afternoon anchor and talk show host with WBAP radio, where he also hosted an award-winning baseball trivia show with guests who included Former Cats players and Manager, Bobby Bragan. He currently serves as Vice President of Communications with the Fort Worth Cats.
ABOUT KERA
KERA is a not-for-profit public broadcasting organization that is independently owned and operated in North Texas. The station’s services include original television and radio productions, national public television and radio programs, online information and resources at www.kera.org and an educational resource center that develops outreach programs for children, families and educators.
KERA productions have earned the highest accolades bestowed by the broadcasting industry, including Peabody, duPont, Emmy, Clarion (Association of Women in Communications), Gold Camera Award (the U.S. International Film and Video Festival), Texas Gavel (State Bar of Texas), Anson Jones for In-Depth Television (Texas Medical Association), International Health and Medical Award for Community Health, Chicago International Film Festival's Silver Plaque, Lone Star Emmy, INTERCOM Competition’s Gold Plaque, American Association of Museums’ Gold Muse Award, National Telecommunications and Education Association, and many more.
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