Hall of Fame Room: 'The Natural'
Bisons Fans, check out the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame room on the Seneca Street Gate side to relive the filming of "The Natural." The movie, directed by Barry Levinson was filmed in Buffalo, and War Memorial Stadium used as Knights Field.
"The Natural" is the story of Roy Hobbs, an average baseball player who came seemingly out of nowhere to become a legendary player with almost divine talent, was originally a novel written by Bernard Malamud in 1952 and was then filmed in 1983 in Buffalo, New York. Famed actors Robert Redford (Roy Hobbs) and Glenn Close (Iris Gaines) used the Queen City as the back drop for one of the most beloved movies in cinematic history. The city of Buffalo offered the production company a wealth of setting perfect for the script.
In the beginning the production staff searched for locations for the summertime scenes which would authentically recapture the time and spirit of the 1930's as the home of the fictional New York Knights baseball team, and Buffalo wasn't the first choice. They determined that there were only three appropriate major league parks, however the schedules could not line up for filming. Work was then started on looking for big minor league parks of the right size and period. Under the impression of the original baseball stadium in Buffalo was no longer standing, the production staff looked elsewhere not knowing about War Memorial. In their search they looked at about 50 stadiums including stadiums in Mexico and Puerto Rico. It wasn't until arriving in Louisville when the crew was told about War Memorial Stadium, and after a visit it was determined that the stadium was exactly what they thought a stadium should be.
Through the filming, the crew used numerous sites in Western New York for different venues in the movie. Some of these include using All High Stadium, located behind Bennett Public High School, and used it to replicate Wrigley Field. Others include Hobbs' Family Farm, filmed in Stafford, New York and even Ellicott Square Building on 295 Main Street in Buffalo was used as the Hotel Ellicott based in Chicago. Other sights can be read about, and what remains of the sight, in the Hall of Fame room.
For filming, the production company called out for local residents to sit in the stands during filming and several thousand people showed up. This, however, was still not enough to fill War Memorial Stadium so there were cardboard cutouts made of fans that were used to fill the empty seats. These now prized pieces of Hollywood memorabilia can be seen at the ballpark with an actual cutout from the movie on display.
In the exhibit you can see a New York Knights hat, jersey and jacket that were used in the movie by Buffalo Bisons own scorekeeper Kevin Lester during filming. There is also an original script from the movie as well as fan programs that the production company had made up for all the Knights games; these included actual line ups inside. On display there are also numerous photos that were taken throughout the filming that can be seen. These pictures include the building of the Knights scoreboard, as well as the filming of the final scene in the movie where Roy Hobbs hits the home run that destroys the light fixture to win the pennant for the Knights.
Displayed in the room is a Roy Hobbs' locker as well as a Roy Hobbs baseball card used in the movie. There even is a copy of Malamud's book and a baseball bat that was signed by the entire crew.
No exhibit on "The Natural" can be complete without "Wonderboy", the bat made from a lightning struck tree. On display is one of the seven bats used in the filming that was offered to be put in the exhibit by its owner, Kevin Lester.
So stop by the Hall of Fame room at Coca-Cola Field to witness when Hollywood came to Buffalo.