Local Legends: Tampa Baseball is the first in a series of contemporary documentaries featuring the people and hometowns that have produced an unusual number of highly successful individuals in the same sport. The success of Tampa’s baseball community in cultivating major league talent is nothing short of astounding.  What makes this story extraordinary is that the players who accomplished these feats all grew up playing baseball within a 10-mile radius of each other in a relatively small community. 
From the more ‘privileged’ north and south sides of the city, to the history-rich Hispanic districts, to the inner-city of Belmont Heights, Tampa’s baseball fields have produced over 60 major leaguers in the last half century. They include Hall of Famers Al Lopez and Wade Boggs, Cy Young winner and Rookie of the Year Dwight “Doc” Gooden, legendary managers (and former major leaguers) Tony LaRussa and Lou Piniella as well as era superstars like Steve Garvey, Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield, Luis Gonzalez and Tino Martinez. 
 
These players and coaches also combined for; Seventeen World Series titles, Fifty All-Star appearances, Four Manager of theYear awards, Two Rookie of the Year awards, Two season home run titles, Seven league batting champion awards, A 3,000-hit club member. Two 2500-hit club members. Two 400-home run club members, Two Team USA Gold-Medalist, A member of Major League Baseball’s All-Century Team and Two World Series champions who were also on the same Little League World Series team.   The Local Legends series preserves their stories for future generations thru interviews, MLB highlights, home movies, family photos, and visits to the high schools, little league fields, playgrounds and streets where these legends began.
Little League and high school teammates,
Tino Martinez & Luis Gonzalez face-off in
the 2001 World Series.
Going head-to-head in the1990 World Series, A's manager Tony LaRussa and Reds manager Lou Piniella are old friends and teammates from their Tampa American Legion Post 248 team.

Cigar factories in Ybor City were at the
heart of Tampa Baseball’s history rich
hispanic culture.
aaWade Boggs at Plant High School in 1976.

From worst to first, Tampa Bay Rays clinch American League Championship in October 2008!

 


©2009 BFE LLC All rights reserved.

 

 

 

.