On "Knuckleball!" and our evening at the Tribeca Film Festival

Thanks to the folks involved with the movie Knuckleball! for getting one of our readers into the VIP section of the premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, and getting Squawker Jon and myself in as well. We all also received autographed copies of the movie poster Saturday night. Oh, and I got to meet not just renowned chef David Burke -- I was just at his Bloomingdale's eatery the night before -- but I got to meet Mr. Met, too!  How cool is that?

Anyhow, Jon has given his review of the Knuckleball! I thought the movie was really good, and that you couldn't help but feel empathy for R.A. Dickey, and (gulp) Tim Wakefield! (Wake seems like a decent guy, as he did with the Sox -- he always seemed to make No. 1 on the "Boston player I can tolerate" list!) There was footage after the Aaron Boone home run of him slumped in his chair in his locker room, and teammates comforting him. It's funny, though -- giving up that homer hasn't really stuck with him as far as his reputation, because Grady Little, not Wakefield, is the one who gets the blame for that loss. (There isn't any talk about the Red Sox's horrendous 2011 collapse, though. Too bad!)

I covered my eyes during the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox stuff, and booed Joe Torre when he was seen in a clip being interviewed for the movie. (What else would you expect from me? Torre's gotta be the bride at every wedding, and the corpse at every funeral. Enough!)

It was cool sitting with John of the Mighty Quinn Media Machine, as well as Ed from Studious Metsimus and Taryn from A Gal for All Seasons. Nice to see our blogging friends in the flesh!

The movie was fun, and the evening was a great one. Thanks, everyone!

Dickey, Wakefield shine in "Knuckleball!"

Last night, Squawker Lisa and I went to the Tribeca Film Festival for the premiere of the baseball documentary "Knuckleball!" The movie celebrates the tiny fraternity of MLB knuckleballers, with the main focus on the only two knuckleballers active in 2011 - the Mets' R.A. Dickey and the Red Sox' Tim Wakefield (who retired after the season).

There probably wouldn't have been a film without Dickey's great personality and Wakefield's dignity. While this film figures to appeal more to Mets and Red Sox fans, Squawker Lisa was able to enjoy it as well (particularly since they showed a clip of Wakefield surrendering Aaron Boone's pennant-clinching homer in 2003).

With great personal stories such as Dickey's and Phil Niekro's (whose coal miner father, when presented with a $250 offer for his son to sign with the Braves organization, said he wasn't sure if he could come up with the money), it's no wonder the film focused more on the personal than the baseball, but I would have liked to have seen a little more about the knuckleball itself and why more pitchers don't give it a shot.  

While at the screening, we saw fellow bloggers Ed Leyro (Studious Metsimus), Taryn Cooper (A Gal for All Seasons) and John Quinn (Mighty Quinn Media Machine).

It was such a fun night for fans of the Mets and Red Sox that I was able to avoid dwelling on the fact that the Yankees rallied from 9-0 down to beat Boston 15-9 in what is already being called the Bobby Valentine's Day Massacre until I got home and saw the highlights, along with those from ex-Met Philip Humber's perfect game. As I wrote earlier, at least the Met didn't make this day a complete baseball nightmare by losing the Luis Castillo Sequel game.

Speaking of the Mets, they announced the attendance on the broadcast - 33,000. Didn't think they were doing that too often this year with the struggling attendance. But Lisa and I had the same thought - since it was Bark in the Park Day, were the Mets counting only human patrons, or dogs as well?

Win an autographed poster and VIP tickets to "Knuckleball!"

The baseball documentary Knuckleball! will be premiering for free on Saturday, April 21st as a part of the Tribeca Drive-in at the Tribeca Film Festival.  Here's your chance to win a chance to sit in the VIP section, and get a movie poster autographed by four famous knuckleballers, including R.A. Dickey, Tim Wakefield, Jim Bouton and Charlie Hough.
Simply tell us what your favorite sports movie is -- you can email us at subwaysquawkers@gmail.com -- and you could be on your way to winning!

Here are some details on the film:

This classic sports story recounts the 2011 journey of the last professional knuckleball pitchers: Tim Wakefield, a 17-year Red Sox veteran, and Mets up-and-comer R.A. Dickey. Together with just four other living knuckleballers, they shine a light on their remarkable brotherhood and the shared pursuit of honor and craftsmanship.

The Tribeca Drive-in will open at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21st, and include live music, giveaways, baseball trivia contests and pitching clinics with pro knuckleballers R.A. Dickey; Tim Wakefield, formerly of the Boston Red Sox; Charlie Hough, formerly of the Dodgers and Rangers; and former New York Yankee Jim Bouton. The world premiere of Knuckleball! will follow at 8:15 p.m.

LOCATION:
Tribeca Drive-In® At the World Financial Center Plaza (West Street between Vesey & Liberty Streets)



For more info about the film, visit www.knuckleballmovie.com


Simply tell us what your favorite sports movie is -- you can email us at subwaysquawkers@gmail.com -- and you could be on your way to winning VIP admission, as well as an autographed movie poster signed by Dickey, Wakefield, Hough, and Bouton!! Please send in your entry by Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. Thanks!