So rumor has it the writers of We are Marshall and Casey Affleck are teaming up to make a movie about the redemption story of Josh Hamilton.
His story is a great story and it goes way beyond baseball. I’ve read his book Beyond Belief and it’s phenomenal.
Here’s the thing though; that book should stay as a book as should Hamilton’s entire story. I’m a big fan of Josh Hamilton and an even bigger fan of the Texas Rangers but I don’t want to see unconvincing actors portraying the Rangers’ slugger or any other Ranger on the big screen.
A documentary would be one thing. It would allow the viewers to hear straight from the source instead of some liberal Hollywood amateur.
I’d much prefer to hear straight from the mouths of guys like Nolan Ryan, Ron Washington, Hamilton, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler and others. I don’t want to see guys acting as these.
By having actors, the movie would be less credible and you know there will be inaccurate details. Take the movie 
Blind Side for example. The movie stated that Michael Oher never played football before moving in with his adapted family. That wasn’t true. He was very familiar with the game of football and his adapted family helped him purse his career as a football player.
Who’s to say Hollywood won’t do something like that with the Hamilton story? A documentary wouldn’t leave any room for false information like that.
Also, a documentary is simply retelling the story. One reason I don’t like many sports movies is because by having actors portraying these athletes, the writers and actors are trying to recreate the story and re-manufacture its significance, and that just can’t be done.
Let’s say the Rangers go on to with the World Series this year. If that happens, I’ll be one of the happiest men alive. I’ll watch Sports Center over and over to see highlights, I’ll watch Rangers Insider a ton and will talk about it constantly on my podcast but I’ll have no interest in seeing actors trying to recreate all that. Why watch a reenactment when you can see the real thing?
Have I made my point? If not, one other thing I’d add is the timing. Hamilton’s career is not over. At least wait until everything is said and done and he’s got at least one World Series ring and is in Cooperstown. What if the movie is released before he wins a ring? Would there seriously be a sequel? Or worse, what if his career takes a serious nose dive? Let’s just wait to see how things unfold.
Let’s not let Hollywood ruin a great story.
