Fox Sports networks has ordered a weekly, half-hour baseball series, “The Boys in the Hall,” which will be hosted by former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw. The series will feature interviews with former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent and a slew of Hall of Fame players.
After it airs on FSN, it will be made available in full to the MLB Hall of Fame.
“This project has been a labor of love and was conceived by myself and longtime friend and Columbia Pictures colleague Herbert Allen as a way of memorializing the personal stories, insights & reflections of some of the most extraordinary players in baseball history,” said Vincent in a statement.
More information, after the jump.
FOX SPORTS NETWORKS TO PREMIERE
THE BOYS IN THE HALL
ON SUNDAY, MAY 29 AT 6PM ETCandid Conversations with Former Commissioner Fay Vincent and Baseball Legends Duke Snider, Whitey Ford,
Yogi Berra, Frank Robinson, Larry Doby, Buck O’Neil, and MorePresented by Subway
Hosted by Tom Brokaw
May 25, 2011 (New York, NY) THE BOYS IN THE HALL, a new weekly half-hour series hosted by legendary NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw and featuring insightful and wide-ranging interviews between former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent and an impressive roster of baseball Hall of Famers makes its debut on FOX Sports Networks (FSN) and local affiliates on Sunday, May 29 at 6pm ET.
Each episode of BOYS IN THE HALL presents a candid conversation with a baseball legend as he reveals his personal stories about the highlights of his career, from the first time he put on his Major League uniform to the iconic moments that moved generations of fans. The interviews were conducted by Mr. Vincent in recent years in a variety of settings, including ballparks and the players’ homes.
“This project has been a labor of love and was conceived by myself and longtime friend and Columbia Pictures colleague Herbert Allen as a way of memorializing the personal stories, insights & reflections of some of the most extraordinary players in baseball history,” said Mr. Vincent.
The Baseball Hall of Fame will receive full rights to the series after it makes its debut on FSN, allowing visitors to Cooperstown to view it for years to come.
Added Vincent: “We felt there was no institution more fitting to provide the series with a permanent home than the Hall of Fame. Fifty years from now, fans will be able to experience these moments with the help of these personal, first-hand accounts. It will serve as a great testimony to these remarkable events.”
Tony Pace, Chief Marketing Officer, SUBWAY® Franchisee Advertising Fund said Mr. Vincent’s vision for this series fits perfectly with his Company’s “Where Winners Eat” positioning. “The Hall of Famers profiled are the very embodiment of ‘Winning,’ and we are glad to play a role in bringing this idea to life. Being affiliated with THE BOYS IN THE HALL is particularly relevant with the recent passing of Hall of Famer, Harmon Killebrew. This show will help further showcase the achievements of players like Killebrew to a new generation.”
Longtime NBC News’ anchor and acclaimed author Tom Brokaw, a lifelong baseball fan himself, will serve as the “voice” of the show by introducing each episode, providing a postscript, and narrating other elements. “It was like a trip to the ballpark on a sunny afternoon to spend time with these insightful interviews of my long-time heroes. They perfectly captured the authenticity of their character and their humility. I loved the experience.”
“We’re honored to provide a platform for this great show,” said David Sussin, Vice President, Programming and Research, FSN. “Whether you’re a baseball historian or simply a casual fan, you will be drawn to these compelling accounts of some of the most thrilling moments in baseball history.”
Through more than two dozen owned and affiliated regional sports networks, including FSN, Comcast SportsNet, Root Sports, and MSG, the show will be available to more than 85 million homes across the country.
The series is produced by filmmakers Steve Stern & George Roy (WHEN IT WAS A GAME, BASEBALL’S GOLDEN AGE, UNLV), who combined Mr. Vincent’s interviews with archival materials provided by the friends and families of the players as well as by the Hall of Fame.
In addition to Mr. Vincent & Herbert Allen, the series was executive produced by Walter O’Hara, George Cooney and Steve Greenberg, as well as Larry Aidem on behalf of RayV Productions.